When I took the picture of a bale of straw posted above, I have to admit my ignorance in knowing the difference between hay and straw. I thought I had taken a picture of a bale of hay. I was wrong, but it's okay. In layman's terms, straw is the waste product of hay. Straw, even though it's a waste product is very useful for animal bedding, mulch and other things. Hay is food for the animals and sometimes the animals are food for people.
          There's a farmers proverb that originated in medieval times that said, "Make hay while the sun shines!" There's a couple of wisdom seeds in that bale of a proverb. Number one, you don't want to get hay wet (as in rain) or it will rot quickly. Number two, get your work done when the time is right. Both of those pieces of wisdom are still useful today, but most folks are more familiar with the second one. To put it another way,
"Make the most of every opportunity when the opportunity presents itself.
Don't waste time or you might as well be a wet and wasted bale of straw."
          Speaking of bales, has anybody ever handed you a bale of mercy by bailing you out of a jam? Some folks get bailed out of jail. Everyone I'm sure has had someone bail them out of a jam. Straw made into bedding creates a warm place for an animal to rest. Hay provides food and sustenance for an animal. A relationship with Jesus, the Son of God, will give us an eternal resting place (bedding) in heaven. Jesus is called "The Bread of Life," He gives us spiritual food and sustenance to make hay while we're in this life to prepare us for eternal life. 
          "Making hay while the sun shines" is getting the job done at the right time. "Making hay while the Son shines" is accepting the mercy and grace of God before it's too late. Now is the right time. On the cross, Jesus bailed us out of the hell that we deserve - that's mercy. We're all called to be "Bail-People" or people who extend mercy and bail folks out of hard times. We're made in the image and likeness of God and called to extend mercy the way He does. God loves mercy and so should we.
          DAY 4 WORD
     “The LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” 
Micah 6:8 NLT
     "There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others.
But if you have been merciful,
God will be merciful when he judges you."
James 2:13 NLT
     "He who despises his neighbor
sins [against God and his fellow man],
But happy [blessed and favored by God]
is he who is gracious and merciful to the poor."
Proverbs 14:21 AMP
          HEART THOUGHTS
     What's your bail record look like?
     Take a few moments to thank God for all the times He bailed you out of tough spots.
          HEART REFLECTIONS
     Keep an eye out for struggling folks.
     Ask God to show you who needs to be bailed out by mercy, and then make hay while the Son shines.

​​Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
​#ywap40daysoflent #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW

          Lichens have most likely been around since the third day of creation. That was God's "gardening day" when He gave the earth grass and seed bearing plants to reproduce themselves in partnership with the earth. The first lichens haven't lived for over 6,000 years, but they certainly have reproduced themselves as they currently cover about 6% of the earth's surface.
“Then God said, “Let the earth produce plants. Some plants will make grain for seeds. Others will make fruit with seeds in it. Every seed will produce more of its own kind of plant.” And it happened. The earth produced plants. Some plants had grain for seeds. The trees made fruit with seeds in it. Each seed grew its own kind of plant. God saw that all this was good. Evening passed, and morning came. This was the third day.” Genesis 1:11-13 (ICB)
          Lichens are made up of many complex parts and created by a process call symbiosis. A short definition of symbiosis would be; "When two organisms need each other to survive and exist in a mutually beneficial relationship - that makes for a symbiotic relationship called mutualism." When a fungus and an algae get together, it's called a lichen. Just like the picture above, lichens look like dry, crusty splotches and they can grow on almost anything. They even grow on rocks which give them nothing but a substrate (supporting structure.) 
          Even though a rock is essentially dead and worthless, lichens can cause the rock to be a part of the rebirth and reproduction of life within the earth. The small crusty splotch of lichen can actually cause parts of rock to flake off and become part of the soil. Lichens have an acidic base that helps to break down the surface of the rock. Even though lichens can grow on rocks and in some of the inhospitable habitats on earth, they cannot grow with polluted air. Lichens and their health are good indications of the air quality in a region.
          So what do lichens have to do with mercy and grace? I think mercy and grace are symbiotic in their nature of mutualism. In the big picture of eternity as regards to heaven and hell, you can't have grace without mercy and go to heaven. God gave His only Son to die on a cross because He had mercy on us. He made a way to avoid the hell we deserve because of our dirty deeds (sins.) First we receive the mercy of forgiven sin and then we're born again into the grace of receiving Christ.
          Lichens grow on rocks and cause those rocks to become soil where plants will eventually grow and reproduce. Even though we're dead (like rocks) in our sin, God used mercy and grace to break us down into good soil.
      “We were spiritually dead because of the things we did wrong against God.
          But God gave us new life with Christ.
               You have been saved by God’s grace.”
                           Ephesians 2:5 (ICB) 
               ”he came to save us. 
                    Not because of any virtuous deed that we have done
                          but only because of his extravagant mercy.”
​                             Titus 3:5 (TPT)
          Without fresh air, lichens will die. Without the breath of God, we will die. When we accept His mercy and grace, His Holy Spirit lives and breathes through us. As we release the hardness of our hearts to Him, He breaks us down and gives us hearts of flesh - or fertile ground worthy of reproducing His Love. God is our Rock and we're the beauty of His creation. Even when we're just crusty splotches on a rock, we're still His creation in progress!
          DAY THREE WORD
                                         “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, 
                                                   And all their host by the breath of His mouth.”
                                                                     Psalm 33:6 (AMP)
                                         “The Spirit of God has made me, 
​                                                  And the breath of the Almighty gives me life [which inspires me].”
                                                                     Job 33:4 (AMP)
                                       “But there is [a vital force and] a spirit [of intelligence] in man,
                                                 And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.”
                                                                     Job 32:8 (AMP)
          HEART THOUGHTS
     What hardness in your heart still needs to become flesh?
     How are you reproducing God's Love?
          HEART REFLECTIONS
     Spend some time showing love to people you find hard to be around and you would rather avoid.
​Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
​#ywap40daysoflent #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW

          Young and old all know the pains of feeling guilty.
          When we make bad choices, they come back to bite us.
          After awhile of carrying guilt, it becomes an unbearable burden.
          People who release their guilt to God experience freedom.
     This weeks YWAP Teen Action Leadership Lesson is about guilt; how to get rid of it and how to avoid it. The handouts, Bible verses and teaching videos can be found below. Please contact us if we can help you.
​YouTube- "How To Stop Feeling Guilty"
Facebook - "How To Stop Feeling Guilty"

          Several nights ago we could hear coyotes howling and screaming in our back yard. In the winter where we live, elk and mule deer regularly come down from the snow covered mountains to find food. Coyotes follow the their food source as well. By the sounds of what we heard the other night, the wild dogs had a feast. The coyotes had no mercy and said no grace before they ate their evening supper.
          The painting above was masterfully created by Amelia Caballero. My wife and I see it every morning when we wake up as it hangs on the wall opposite our bed. At first glance, you might think it's a man holding a sheep. It's actually Jesus holding a goat. His left hand cradles the goat's body as his right hand looks like its acting to restrain the little goat. His fingers seem to be digging in to hold the goat from escaping. His face nuzzles the critter in a loving manner. A small animal on its own is in danger of losing its life to a merciless predator. Held in the arms of the Shepherd, the goat is safe, despite its urge to wander into danger. Mercy and grace together are love.
          Goats are independent and curious creatures while sheep are more comfortable in the company of other sheep safely behind a fence. We begin our lives as goat-like people wanting our own independence. Jesus knows we'd be better off as sheep. In his mercy, he keeps us from falling victim to our bad decisions. In his grace, he grants us second chances.
          Mercy keeps us from getting what we deserve because of our bad decisions. Grace gives us what we don't deserve. We get to reap what we haven't sown. All of us are sinners who deserve to pay the price for our sins. Without repentance through Christ, that penalty is eternal life in hell. God in his mercy gives us a way out of that hell sentence. Through our acceptance of Christ's death and resurrection, we receive grace because Jesus took care of the penalty for our sins. It's like going to court knowing your guilty and knowing you deserve to be sentenced for your crime. When you get there, the judge says, "I've got your back on this, I paid your fine. I did your time. I took the fall for what you did. You're free to go. Mercy - not getting what you deserve. Grace - getting what you don't deserve.
          DAY TWO WORD
“Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”
Hebrews 4:16 (AMP)
          HEART THOUGHTS
     When have you given mercy?
     When have you received grace?
          HEART REFLECTIONS
     Who do you know that needs some mercy and grace right now?
​
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
​#ywap40daysoflent #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW

Author’s Note: This is part of a 40 Day Lenten & Easter YWAP Devotional that explores self-sacrifice as it relates to the death and resurrection of Christ.

Fasting for 40 days during Lent is something folks from different faith traditions have taken part in for many years. It’s a period of self-denial and personal reflection on the last 40 days of the life of Christ before He was crucified and resurrected. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 26) and typically ends on Holy Thursday (April 9) for folks who are Catholics. Other folks end their period of self-sacrifice anywhere between Holy Thursday and Easter. As the author, my personal habit has been to end my Lenten Fast on Good Friday after 3PM. Welcome to Day One, I pray that we’ll all experience a greater understanding of the death and resurrection of Christ and a deeper love for each other over the next 40+ days.
As a child growing up Catholic, most of us kids gave up ludicrous things for lLent. We joked about giving up chewing gum or unwrapped candy. We may have joked about Lent and we may not have taken self-sacrifice very seriously, but a seed was planted. Over all, growing up as a Catholic served to build a solid foundation for my life in Christ today. My prayer is to know God more with each passing year of my life. So how does giving up chocolate bring you closer to God?
Yes, the chocolate will stay in the fridge until late Good Friday afternoon. There’s a lot more than denying my cravings for chocolate that make up my time of self-denial. It’s a personal decision between you and God. Don’t compare yourself to others, your relationship with God is uniquely suited to no one but you. On some days I will do a water only fast. Some days will be only one or two meals. What you do matters less than the intent of your heart as you do it. Focus on setting aside some personal time for prayerful reflection on the reasons that God gave His only Son to be sacrificed for us. It’s a matter of our dirty deeds or sins as the Bible calls them. All of us have done dirty deeds that separate us from our potential in Christ.
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of our longer than 40 day journey. Why are there more than 40 days in Lent? The early church did not count Sunday’s in Lent because Sunday represents the day when Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Lent then, is a period of repentance and celebration. Many folks will receive ashes on their foreheads today. Ashes are symbolic of sorrow and repentance regarding our sins. I think of humility when I think of ashes. Christ humbled Himself unto death on our behalf. He gave up mercy for Himself to give us mercy. He died before we made a decision to accept His grace. There was no mercy for Jesus as He was abandoned, rejected, mocked, tortured and crucified as a public spectacle - a picture of shame and disgrace. He did that so we could be saved from a second death. Dying separated from God will leave us spiritually dead and destined for hell.
DAY ONE WORD
“I had heard rumors about You,
but now my eyes have seen You.
Therefore I take back my words
and repent in dust and ashes.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭42:5-6‬ ‭HCSB‬‬
HEART THOUGHTS
​ What will you sacrifice to gain a greater knowledge of living a more excellent way of life in humility with Christ?
​ HEART REFLECTIONS
​ Focus on humility. What does humility look like to you?
Focus on ashes and repentance. What does dying to your self look like?

Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
​#ywap40daysoflent #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW

     Soldiers, that's the first word that comes to mind when I think of them. They leave their families and go to the front lines of servanthood. It requires sacrifice, and for some, it requires putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation. They leave their pride at home and hit the streets in humility.
     On the last Thursday of every month. Marcy Berry Waskow, Pastor Donna Elaine Naedle, Cindy Zeis and a host of others walk away from the comfort of home and family, to go and be the comfort of family to folks they don't even know. The Buffalo Outreach for the Homeless is sponsored by My Father's House Ministries in Elma, NY. Their church is in a rural setting about 20 miles outside of Buffalo. Twenty miles may not seem like much, but you won't find folks sleeping under bridges in Elma. There may be some homeless, but not like the streets of Buffalo.
     In downtown Buffalo at the Bus Station they set up their headquarters of mercy and grace. Because of their commitment and consistency, many folks look forward to their arrival once a month. Pizza is served in mass quantities when available. Sometimes their other foods including sandwiches, drinks and snacks. Clothing in Buffalo is very valuable especially in the winter where temperatures can go below zero. Can you imagine sleeping on a thin layer of cardboard on concrete under a bridge when the temperatures are below zero and the wind chill makes it unbearable?
     They provide many of the necessities of life, but the most important thing they do is act like Christ. They treat people with love and respect. They pray for people and lives are changed.
     There are several ways you can help. You could go with them on the last Thursday of the month. You can donate  supplies for toiletries, clothing and food or a couple of bucks to purchase those items. They don't make any money, these are volunteer soldiers, ask them what they need on the front lines of servanthood.
          These people go where most folks cannot or will not go;
               to serve a bunch of down-and-outers and help them
                    feel worthy of becoming up-and-comers in the love of Christ.
     My Father's House Ministries can be reached at: 716) 655-1389 You can find out more on the
Buffalo Outreach Facebook Page. Here's what it says on their Event Page: "Making our monthly trip downtown with pizza, coffee, bagged lunches, toiletries and warm clothing to share. Going to share the Gospel and show the some love to our Buffalo neighbors. Come and join us! Donate by PayPal at mfhmin2@aol or Venmo@MFHMIN."
"Overcome every form of evil as a victorious soldier of Jesus the Anointed One. 
For every soldier called to active duty must divorce himself from the distractions of this world
so that he may fully satisfy the one who chose him."
2 Timothy 2:3-4 TPT
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
#ywap4Life #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW

     In every village, town or city, big or small, the suffering of homelessness is in them all. Becoming homeless can happen to anybody, only the arrogant think otherwise. Money disappears as quickly as the loss of a job or the loss of our health. Abandonment and rejection divide families and leave some folks living under bridges. Drugs, alcohol, mental illness, parent-less children, felons with records; the list of how and why folks become homeless is endless. How can you help homeless people?
     Most folks are uncomfortable shelling out some hard earned cash to homeless beggars on street corners. Many of us prejudge them as to what we think they will do with the money. There are agencies that offer help and handouts. Some people need the assistance of regular handouts, but many just need another chance to stand on their own two feet.
     In Flagstaff, Arizona there is a lady who believes God gave her a plan to help folks redeem their lives. Her name is Lori Barlow Matthews and she's the Executive Director of Anew Living. She founded Anew in 2015 and operates out of the old Motel 66 in Flagstaff. Here's their Mission Statement: "The mission of ANEW Living is to end the cycle of homelessness by providing safe, clean, affordable housing alternatives that offer pathways to a healthy and productive lifestyle." Now in their fifth year of operation, many lives have been given a new lease on life. People who live here have responsibilities. They have to attend programs and get a job if possible. You can read some testimonials of successful life transformations on their website at,  https://anewliving.org/
     Motel 66 is a very old facility in need of some renovation. Can you sponsor a room? Can you buy some drywall, a bucket of paint, a couple of 2x4's, a new toilet. Can you purchase a microwave, a refrigerator or how about some size four diapers for a man who was just granted custody of his baby? Maybe you belong to a church or community group looking to teach young people about empathy and compassion. Helping to put a new face on a motel for the homeless could be a very good tool of experiential learning. Are you a college professor who would like to give your class some hands on experience in the field of human compassion? Can you sponsor one room for the homeless?
     Is it time for you to help some down-and-outers develop into up-and-comers? You can find out more about helping homeless become self-sustainable and contributing members to society through their website. Church For The Nations Flagstaff helped build a solid foundation for Anew Living. Pastors Daniel and Allison Williamson from CFTN have lead a collaboration of many churches and organizations in a generous City called Flagstaff. Because of Lori's leadership and the generosity of compassionate folks, there are better days ahead for a segment of the homeless population.
     There is a lot more to be done. Time is of the essence. Can you help now? Think "ATM" or "At This Moment." 
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
 #anewliving #cftnflagstaff #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW
https://anewliving.org/contact
PO Box 1031 Flagstaff AZ 86002 Email: lori@anewliving.org Phone: 928-440-5064
https://www.facebook.com/ANEWLivingcommunity/

Young people want to have relationships where they feel respected.
When they're given space to explore their natural feelings, respect is granted.
A great way to mentor young people is to listen more than we speak.
Plenty of youth programs provide activities to keep young people busy. The Relationship Mentors at YWAP's Teen Action Night go the extra mile to give teens space to explore their deepest thoughts and life questions.
          Once a month we separate the guys and girls into their own space. Here's a quote from one of the mentors about what went on with the girls on Space Thursday: "So Evelyn  teaches the young girls at youth, every last Thursday of the month. Every last Thursday, I'm blown away. Tonight was no different. She just has a way of capturing you. She teaches these girls who come off the street high, from broken homes, abused ect....and every eye is peeled and every ear is at attention. There's just something about the way her words touch you. She's been my mom for 36 years and I've probably heard her speak to the youth, a million times. I'm still in awe. God blessed us with a good one."
          The guys had their own version of Space Thursday. At YWAP, we like to use what we call "Power Moment Mentoring." That simply means that your relationship is built in the moment of the current experience. The guys volunteered to serve and fill a space created by the illness of the Church Custodian. Each week the chairs are removed to make space for a volleyball net. At the end of the night, everything is put back in its proper space for Sunday Service. Usually the Custodian takes care of those duties. With his illness, a space was created for guys to step up and become servants. 
          We're fortunate to have such great mentors led by Buffalo YWAP Director Becky Rogowski. Evelyn Guach does a phenomenal job with the girls on Space Thursday. They work with a team of dedicated mentors from the Bread of Life. Tomorrow's world will be a better space because they've created a safe space for teens today.   

     Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Friends, Buffalonians and teenagers! Teen Action Night at The Bread of Life returns on Thursday, February 6, 2020 from 6-8 pm. We have fitness, fun, food and a good Word about building Biblically based leadership skills. This week's lesson is on the Power of Our Words. 
     The Bread of Life Church is located at 1638 South park Ave. Buffalo. If you have any questions please call the YWAP phone at, 716-830-8240.

YWAP would like to say Thank You for supporting God's ministry to young people and their families.
Whether you gave $5 or a few bucks more, we appreciate you.
Acknowledging your prayers and generosity is a cool thing for us to do and it makes us smile.
Please let us know if you haven't received your Generosity Acknowledgement Letter for your YWAP giving in 2019. Please contact us (and forgive us) if we missed you. 
          Thank you, your support of YWAP in your prayers and financial generosity is reaching all over the United States and in several countries around the world. We have no desire to go anywhere except where God leads us. We're here to help you in the areas of Youth Ministry, Strong Men Great Dads, Prayer Teams, Youth Mentoring Training.  
          We've posted both a photo and a copy of our Generosity Acknowledgement Letter. Please feel free to share it with someone you know has prayed for young people. There will never be too many people praying in this world as we prepare for the next.

 Youth With A Purpose Inc.             
1638 South Park Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14220
5225 Townsend-Winona Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
716-830-8240     
ywapbuffalo@yahoo.com
www.youthwithapurpose.org

“Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
Luke 5:4
 
     Thank you for being a valuable member of the YWAP family. Your prayers and generosity through financial support helps us reach out to young people experiencing the struggles of addiction, abuse, violence and poverty. You are helping to redeem the lives of many children and their families.
 


          One of our young men who climbed many Adirondack Mountains with YWAP lost his life this year. We’d like to believe that a kid whom we helped walk through troubled times will live longer than we do. That’s not always the case and a young man died at 23 yrs. old from gun violence. His name is Gabriel Isaiah Texidor or “Gabe” as we called him. He was a good young man and we witnessed him helping other young people who struggled on the mountains. He was an overcomer, but he still lost his life.
 
          Why would we tell you about a young man who lost his life? Because through Gabe’s death, many doors were opened up to reach young people with the redeeming message of Christ. We visited street corner vigils where he died and spoke with and prayed for his friends. We left Jesus Wristbands on the empty whiskey bottles and candles. Gabe’s Mom asked us to speak at his funeral and share about his life. We talked about Gabe and Jesus. We promise parents who’ve lost a child that we’ll keep their memory alive by encouraging other young people to know a more excellent way of Life in Christ.
 
          Life is hard sometimes, but you help us bring the healing words of Christ to a younger generation struggling in a world growing short of good neighborliness. We may not be able to make it a beautiful day in all neighborhoods, but with your help we’ve done it in a few. We believe we’re following God’s plan for the ministry by launching out into the deep and trusting Him to fill the nets. Even as YWAP Buffalo continues to grow and collaborate with ministries in Western New York, YWAP Arizona was launched in October, 2019.
 
          Fatherlessness is a generational plague in our country. “Strong Men → Great Dads” will launch in early 2020. We’re also designing a Life Manual & Character Fitness course for youth in detention. We believe we can help young people avoid the prison pipeline. You are an active team member in of all of these efforts.    
 
          None of this would be possible without your support and more importantly your prayers.
​Thank you. Jesus loves you and so do we.

Bob & Linda Kuebler
YWAP Directors
 
“You are a helper of the fatherless.”
Psalm 10:14