INCREDIBLE!
     OFF THE CHARTS!
          KNOCKED ARE SOCKS OFF!
          There’s no way we could describe how much fun we had with the kids at the NAOMI House! The guys did some work as they always do, but thanks to some gifts of squirt-fish from Miss Debbie at the Sunshine Rescue Mission and Hope Cottage Flagstaff we all got soaked!
          Some folks would call these special fish - squirt guns, but we have a kinder, gentler name for them. We affectionately refer to them as "squirt-fish." Whatever you want to call them, they were the launching point for a day full of heart-smiles! 
          After lunch, the kids surprised us when they came out with super-soakers (super-sized squirt guns.) We each found increasingly creative ways to throw water at each other! The smiles were as wide, high, deep and long as the blue sky above us - and Christ’s love within us! We can’t wait to do it again!
          We're so grateful to Danny, Dave, Ryan and Leslie for sharing their hearts and making kids feel loved and making them smile. The more we work together in unity, the more we become family.
          We there as part of the YWAP Mentoring Program at the Sunshine Rescue Mission. The program is a collaboration between YWAP, SRM, Church For The Nations Flagstaff, Compassion Ministries. Some of the guys also attend Celebrate Recovery at CFTN.
          Mentoring and serving are lopsided cousins. You might think you're going to serve somebody, but the God turns the tables and the blessing falls onto your own head and your heart overflows with joyous gratitude. Only God could have envisioned this scenario.
FYI - SOMETHING TO PRAY FOR.
The gas grill bit the dust and they need a new one. We had to cook the sausages we brought for lunch in the oven.
(Bob doesn’t know how to cook on an oven - only a grill.)
Let us know if you have an extra or would like to help support the kids with a new one.
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
#ywap4Revival #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW
#CompassionMinistries
Church for the Nations - Flagstaff
Sunshine Rescue Mission
Youth With A Purpose Inc.
Celebrate Recovery Church For The Nations Flagstaff
Danny Hurst
Ryan Musgrove

          Many people summon up the courage to leave their old lives behind. Folks who've been rescued from afflictions, addictions and abuse have taken a great first step to becoming whole in Christ. One thing remains and that's healing. Without healing the wound that caused the original need for deliverance, an open wound grows through emptiness.
          I want to begin by reading Scripture - a good place to begin, don’t you think? After the Scripture I will tell you a true story. Maybe it applies to me or you. For me - I know it applies.
Matthew 12:43-45 KJV
     “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
Matthew 12:43-45 MSG
     ““When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return it finds the person spotlessly clean, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits more evil than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse off than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place. “That’s what this generation is like: You may think you have cleaned out the junk from your lives and gotten ready for God, but you weren’t hospitable to my kingdom message, and now all the devils are moving back in.””
          Let me repeat the line:
      "That person ends up far worse off than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place." 
          Last year I was heading out for a hike. At the end of my road were two people laying against a log appeared to be resting.  I smiled and waved as I walked by. The next day I walked by the same place, they were gone, but where they had rested was strewn with garbage including liquor bottles. There was also a letter indicating one of them had just been released from a court mandated rehab clinic. I felt sad and prayed. Whatever trouble they had been in, they had quickly returned to.

• The Devil searches for delivered folks who aren’t healed.
• Folks who’ve been delivered and not healed feel empty.
• The Devil sends his evil agent who caused the need for deliverance to check out the condition of the delivered one.
• Returning to the good heart where the deliverance occurred, he finds strewn with garbage unhealed, empty and vulnerable.
• The demonic agent grabs seven of his evil buddies and plans his vicious comeback.
• The seven workers of iniquity have been schooled in the evil arts of sinful persuasion.
• They are more evil than the first demon of possession; more hideous, more malicious and more likely to enlarge the emptiness of the delivered one.

          Enlarged emptiness creates a hunger and thirst for unworthiness and self-defeat. Sometimes we get to a place where life is good and troubles seem so far away. We go through life singing happy songs. “My hands are workin and my mind is clear. I got no trouble on my own two feet. What would you think about having such luck. It ain’t luck - Yeah - I’m all blessed up!” (Cheap Elvis imitation!)
Life is good.
And then suddenly...
Here's a few lines from a song by the Beatles called “Yesterday”
     "Yesterday, All my troubles seem so far away, Now I need a place to hide away
     Oh, I, I believe in yesterday, Suddenly, I ain't half the man I used to be, no
     There's a heavy, heavy shadow hanging over me, Yesterday, came suddenly."
Has your yesterday returned?
 
          Years ago I had a fear of failure, falling and not finishing. Falling backwards every time I neared the top - on a bridge, on a bike or in a car. This went on for years until one day I felt God speaking to me.  
Then God said, “I am at the top. I will bring you up and over. You cannot get to the top on your own power, but by My power I will climb the mountains of life.”
          God wants all of you to know that Jesus is the greatest Overcomer in the history of mankind. He was delivered from the cross to heal our sinful condition. Deliverance and healing go together.

• All of you are mountain climbers.
• If one of you falters along the way, I will leave the 99 and go help you.
• You are never alone, I will never leave you or forsake you. 
• You are a child of the most high God and I invite you to the high places.

           There are times in life when we don't feel worthy to accomplish all that God has called us to do. Gideon felt that way. The Lord answered him, "I will be with you."
Judges 6:11-16 ICB
“The angel of the Lord came and sat down under an oak tree at Ophrah. (fawn.) The oak tree belonged to Joash,(given by the Lord) who was one of the Abiezrite (my father is help) people. Joash was the father of Gideon (hewer, cutter down, a laborer) . Gideon was separating some wheat from the chaff in a winepress. Gideon did this to keep the wheat from the Midianites (strife). The angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!” Then Gideon said, “Pardon me, sir. If the Lord is with us, why are we having so many troubles? Our ancestors told us he did miracles. They told us the Lord brought them out of Egypt. But now he has left us. He has allowed the Midianites to defeat us.” The Lord turned to Gideon and said, “You have the strength to save the people of Israel. Go and save them from the Midianites. I am the one who is sending you.” But Gideon answered, “Pardon me, Lord. How can I save Israel? My family group is the weakest in Manasseh. And I am the least important member of my family.” The Lord answered him, “I will be with you. It will seem as if you are fighting only one man.””
          We finished our class with a story and wisdom about boundaries from our Workbook, "Strong Men Great Dads." You can find those in pictures posted below. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. Seek healing or your latter days may be seven times worse than your former days.
          If you need healing, seek it. Begin in the Word, seek counseling and join a group like Celebrate Recovery. click on this link to - FIND A CELEBRATE RECOVERY NEAR YOU.
         Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody. Jesus loves you and so do we.

          It's Comeback Week! The greatest comeback in the history of mankind is the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The greatest comeback in NFL history was led by a Quarterback for the Buffalo Bills named Frank Reich. The men at the Sunshine Rescue Mission are crafting their own comeback stories.
          The Crucifixion was a horrible form of torture and death. God used the worst the world had to offer and turned it into the best He could offer the world - His Son - Jesus Christ. God used His own Son to pay the price for our wrongful actions. Sometimes we call them sin. Our selfish behaviors hurt other people and cause us to be separated from God's love. 
          Jesus had to die so he could have a comeback. Being born again is like dying to yourself and accepting new life in Christ. The guys in the Sunshine Rescue Mission Disciple Program are learning how to die to themselves. Here's a great verses from the Bible that describes the process, 
          "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you,
          Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,
          it remains [just one grain;
          it never becomes more but lives]
                              by itself alone.
          But if it dies,
          it produces many others and yields a rich harvest."
John 12:24 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
​          The Frank Reich and the Buffalo Bills comeback story is based on the Jesus comeback story. Frank was pacing the sidelines as his team was being beaten badly by Houston Oilers. He wasn't studying a playbook. He had a song in his head that was carrying his heart. The song is called In Christ Alone by Shawn Craig, (music by Don Koch)
You can watch Michael English perform the song by clicking on this link: IN CHRIST ALONE
In Christ alone will I glory
Though I could pride myself in battles won
For I've been blessed beyond measure
And by His strength alone, I overcome

Oh, I could stop and count successes
Like diamonds in my hands
But these trophies could not equal
To the grace by which I stand

In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope is Christ alone

In Christ alone will I glory
For only by His grace I am redeemed
And only His tender mercy
Could reach beyond my weakness, to my need

Now I seek no greater honor
Than just to know Him more
And to count my gains but losses
And to the glory of my Lord

In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope is Christ alone.

          We're all in different stages of redemption. We're all in different seasons of comeback lives. We don't get to the mountain of perfection with God on this side of heaven. Our source of hope and strength as we go through trials and temptations is Christ alone.
          SRM is acronym for the Sunshine Rescue Mission. In our Program called Strong Men Great Dads, we changed the acronym. SRM means Strong Resilient Men. We help each other when we fall. We hold each other accountable. We celebrate victories won. In Christ alone we stand as Strong Resilient Men. We help each other walk on the Comeback Trails of Life.
          Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody. Jesus loves you and so do we.

          It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood at the NAOMI House! Some folks from Church For The Nations Flagstaff, and the Sunshine Rescue Mission teamed up to shower some kids with love through a bounce house and some hotdogs.
          These kids have had some hard times in their young lives. Many have been neglected or abused. Here's one of their needs posted on the NAOMI Website,           "Do you have a Christ-centered heart for Native American children?
Do you believe God gifted you to nurture and minister to these little ones who are the least among us?
          The NAOMI staff have been living out their call in our loving Christ-centered homes
for abused and neglected Native American children for over 25 years.
They would welcome you to join them as house parents.
        Perhaps this in not your call from God, but you can still help by referring a married couple and by passing this request on to others including your church and all those in your sphere of influence.
          Please get the word out, pray for this need and follow God's leading for you.
          Contact Genevieve or John with replies, questions and suggestions. Thank you. Genevieve Skidmore, Executive Director genevieve at thenaomihouse.org John Meyer, President BOD jdmeyer43 at gmail.com"
          We're going to make this a monthly event. Our next plan is to paint the kids rooms with colors they choose and help to paint. (And we'll bring the bounce house back! If you want to get involved in helping the least of these, please call us, 716-830-8240.
          If you can't be with us in person, you can support NAOMI House prayerfully and financially. You can donate directly to NAOMI House through PayPal by clicking on this link, ​I want to sow into the needs of these children.
          Here's some more information from their website and a link to a great video that will touch your heart.
          "We are told that it takes a village to raise a child. However, when a child has been abused and wounded, it takes more than just one village—it takes many. NAOMI is one small village, working with many others to help hurt children recover from child abuse. 
          Native American children suffer from abuse at one of the most alarming rates in our country. Child Sexual abuse in Native America is both epidemic and holocaustic. 90% of the children that come to live at Naomi House are the victims of child molestation." - Message from Linda, Founder of NAOMI House
Naomi House Video - Short Version     
          Please share this giving opportunity far and wide. Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody. 
Jesus loves you and so do we,
​#naomihouse #cftnflag #srm #ywap4Christ #JLYASDW

          Some Graduations are extra special, but this graduation went beyond extra special! The Graduates from the Sunshine Rescue Mission and Hope Cottage Flagstaff were surrounded by family and friends.
          Smiles, tears and hugs let these young men and women know how proud everyone of what they had accomplished. They can now call themselves "Finishers." They stayed with the program and finished with excellence!
          Mike and Kathie Knapp were the hosts of this heart-moving event. They opened up their hearts and their home. Marvin Johnson III and his volunteers from Compassion Ministries did a phenomenal job providing an excellent meal. They were just one of several ministries represented by Church for the Nations - Flagstaff.
          The men were also part of the Man Cave at SRM. This week (7-30-20) guys from the Man Cave will do some Community Engagement at the NAOMI House. This is a special place dedicated to provide a safe and loving home for Native American children in need. You can read more on their website, http://www.thenaomihouse.org/
​          The Sunshine Rescue Mission and Hope Cottage Flagstaff is more than just a place to help men and women become "Finishers." They are a Valuable Community Resource. They are developing a Mentor Force to reach young people in a fatherless generation. They have stories of overcoming hard times and advice on how to avoid some of life's worst problems,
          If you need a Community Engagement Team to help with a volunteer project, please call 716-830-8240. Great things are happening in Flagstaff through men and women living redeemed lives.We need community now more than ever before.
          Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
#JLYASDW

          Hebrews 10:24-25 Amplified Bible
"and let us consider [thoughtfully]
how we may encourage one another to love
and to do good deeds,
not forsaking our meeting together
[as believers for worship and instruction],
as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another;
and all the more [faithfully]
​as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching."