The Gospel Rescuer | Blog-site for Gospel Rescue Mission Tucson AZ

Archive for June, 2010

Below are 2 responses to a couple of the blog posts. One is from our Women’s Center Director and the other from Lisa, who was an intern from the University of Arizona this past semester. They share their insights and experiences with you.

As the Director of the Women and Children Center, it is so wonderfull to see how God is changing the lives of the women and children daily. I get blessed as I interact with those who are seeking God for the miracles and changes that are needed in their lives. I was really blessed to do chapel last month, I taught on John Chapter 5, the story aout the lame man at the pool of Betheseda, who was there for 38 years. Jesus asks, “Would you like to get well? I believe Jesus continues to ask that of each of us as Christians. He wants us to go deeper with Him so He can continue to transform our lives. I was challenged as well as the ladies, to say, “YES Jesus I want to get well.” Lilly

I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to see this (answered prayer) in action during my internship at WCC. I’ve never been one to say, “oh what a coincidence,” and instead am full aware, acknowledging and praising God for the miracles and prayers answered all around us everyday.  It’s just been such a blessing to have worked in a place where the concept of miracles versus “luck” is grasped in full. Lisa

With Father’s Day upon us I just wanted to share some thoughts on the importance of a father in the lives of his children. I have had over 30 year’s of experience working with youth in several professional and volunteer venues, including mentoring, coaching, and teaching. I also helped raise 2 children who are now wonderful and productive adults. I don’t claim to “know all the answers”, but there are some significant observations that I’ve had during these experiences.

First and foremost, our view of the character of God is often formed based upon on how we perceive our earthly father’s character to be. Does your child see you as loving, full of grace, a teacher, supportive, approachable, and forgiving? Or does he/she see you as demanding, looking to correct their every move, critical of their efforts, afraid you will reject them, unapproachable, or scared that you won’t love him or her.

Depending upon the environment that the father sets within the home the child will view God as a God of love and grace or a God of demands and punishment.

Establishing a home that is a safe environment where your child can be held accountable and responsible for their choices and actions but is balanced with love , grace, and teaching is paramount to success.

Proverbs 22:6 says – “Train up (or teach depending on the translation) your child in the way he should go and when he is older he will not depart from it.”  Note that it says train/teach, not punish up a child or discipline up a child in the way they should go.

Here are 7 keys to help you build a home with a safe and healthy environment where your child learns to accept responsibility to make good and positive choices in behavior and attitude.

KEY ONE: Teach, teach, and teach some more.

Your home needs to be based on teaching and not punishment. Every mistake your child makes is an opportunity to help them learn what they did, why they did it, how it affected others, what they could do to “fix it”, and determine if their actions were Christlike. Teac hing is based upon a relationship and does take time to do.

KEY TWO: Allow for failure and teach from it

Your child is not perfect…and neither are you. How is it that most of us learn important life lessons? Usually it is through failure or mistakes. Use failure to teach, not punish. Do you want a boss at work that writes you up for every wrong move you make and you live in fear of punishment or losing your job? Or would you rather have a boss that helps you correct your mistake so you experience success the next time and you don’t have to work in fear? Does God give us what we deserve when we sin…or does His grace supersede and helps us learn our lesson?

KEY THREE: Be careful how you use punishment and discipline

Punishment should be the last resort to get your child’s attention, not the first or second. If you do have to use discipline, make sure that the goal is to TEACH not just to inflict some type of pain to make your point. Also, don’t discipline because YOU have “had it up to here” or that you don’t want to take the time to teach. The disciplinary action should “match the crime”, don’t go overboard “to make your point”.

KEY FOUR: Build upon your child’s strengths

Your child is blessed with skills and talents. They are probably not good in everything. Find out what their strengths are and build upon these and not focus your major attention to trying to improve their deficiencies. I don’t get Math (Algebra, Geometry, etc). It’s not a matter of working harder. No matter how much I study, I just won’t get it. That’s OK. Help them in their weak areas and if they still don’t get it, it is OK.

KEY FIVE: Focus on building the character and values

The Bible teaches that out of the heart comes our words, attitudes, and behavior. Therefore, try to get past just the outward behavior and dig deeper into the values and in the character development. The outside of the vessel is not the part God cares that is clean, it is the inside of the vessel…the heart. If you change the heart (values), you change the behavior. I used to examine my children’s report card not looking with them at the grade part of the card first but the character part where the teacher grades how they are they following the rules, turning in assignments, getting along with others, etc. If their character issues are rated good and excellent, then their grades will be about as good as they can get. If the character part is not excellent, then the grades will reflect that and they will be lower than they should be.

KEY SIX: Be honest with your children about your own areas of weakness and mistakes and apoligize to them if warranted

You (and I) are not perfect. When we do make a mistake or sin we need to deal with it by confessing to God and those we hurt and apologize…this includes your children. I spanked my son about 5 times while he was growing up. On three occassions I went to him afterward and apologized and confessed that I had spanked him because I “had it up to here” and I punsihed him out of my anger. The anger was my sin and I should have done some teaching with him, not choose to let my anger determine my corrective action. I asked for his forgiveness which he gave unconditionally. Apologizing for my mistakes helped build our relationship and respect of each other.

KEY SEVEN: Communicate…don’t just talk and lecture, but listen and encourage

Spend time with your children collectively and individually by participating in activities that they enjoy and where you can talk together. Positive reinforcement and encouragment goes a long way to develop their character and your relationship with them. Listen to them, ask questions, and teach where there is opportunity. Don’t just be present…be attentive.

Yes,  a father’s role is critical in “training up – teaching a child in the way they should go”.

We remain amazed as God faithfully meets the needs of the Mission. It seems as soon as we are out of something or need something when we pray…God answers, over and over again. We have one story after another. Today I received this email from Becky, our Kitchen Supervisor.  This answered prayer demonstrates God’s love and concern for the homeless.

Here is Becky’s account:

I just had to share this. Lately donations of food have been down here & there seems to be a real shortage of dairy products even at the food bank. Last week the ladies were in quite an uproar because of a shortage of eggs, milk & cottage cheese.  I have been buying milk & cottage cheese & serving it sparingly. I felt like eggs were something we could manage without. Well, last week the ladies were really upset because we had no eggs for several days. In community meeting I reminded them that they needed to be thankful for what God provided for them & ask Him for eggs. I assured them that this has always worked. God always supplies our needs & even gives us extra stuff that we just want. Today I went to the food bank & for the 1^st time in months they had beautiful eggs that were not outdated & broken I got 36 dozen & not one was broken!!!! GOD IS SO FAITHFUL, we just need to remember to be thankful & trust Him. I just couldn’t keep it to myself…Thanks…Becky 

God is indeed amazing and every day we get to witness His hand in the lives of the homeless men, women, and children, as well as in the Mission itself. Come and be a part of it!!!

We have been on an amazing journey in the process of opening up our new Women and Children’s Homeless Shelter and addiction recovery center. God has met one need after another with perfect timing. It can’t just be a “coincidence”. It has to be a “God thing”.

We are now facing the next trial. In the next several months, we will need $650,000 to complete the construction on the multi-purpose building in the center of the property. We know God doesn’t want to slow down construction or stop it completely. Therefore we are looking forward in prayer as to how our might God will meet the need. He didn’t bring us this far in such amazing ways to stop the process for now.

We are going to experience James chapter one, once again. We will rejoice in our trial. Why? Because we get to see God work once again to bring glory to Himself by meeting the need…and that is worth rejoicing in.

We covet your prayers that the people God is calling upon to give would hear His calling and respond in obedience. This will probably take a “major” gift or 2 in addition to other gifts of all sizes. Praise God for what He will do to accomplish this task that is far beyond anything we could do in our own ability.

Listen for our new radio ad on KLOVE, KVOI, and KCEE or go to our web page to hear it. Go down the right side of the home page to the “Recent TV and Radio Messages” and click on audio.

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.

The day just flew by putting together the newsletter, writing a radio ad and working on a DVD. Never enough time to get all done I want to.