I love being a part of a church just crazy enough to not give up on crack head prostitutes that roam our parking lots.
Who’s one person you’re tempted to give up on?
I hope Sheila’s story will remind you we worship a God who specializes in taking hopeless people and breathing his hope, love, grace, and salvation into them. He’s a God searching for the one lost sheep. He’s a God who’s waiting with open arms for the prodigal who’s ready to run home.
Sheila’s Story from Cross Point Church on Vimeo.
Beautiful.
I love that there are churches that love people that are hurting too.
Thanks for sharing!
Molly’s last blog post..Sunday Scribbling’s #163 Disconnected
My neighbor. It is incredibly difficult to love him, and his faith in Christ seems to ebb and flow with the mood, day, latest drama or drink.
ally’s last blog post..And The Winner Is…
p.s. I am so grateful that Sheila shared her story and am excited by how God used Ryan’s outgoing and friendly personality to share His love.
ally’s last blog post..And The Winner Is…
As a society we create the invisible people – those we choose to not see and therefore, not connect with. Yet, that is not what God wants, is it?! To love others as He loves us – completely, wholly and restoratively – that is what we are called to do.
I think of how in my own family there is an “invisible” one because of drugs/alcohol. One we have so easily “written off” because of a lifetime of failures and lies. Yet, if I cannot love my own blood as Christ loves me – how can I love a stranger?
Whew, need some “knee-time” right now!
Shalom,
Denise
Denise’s last blog post..Rerun #3 – Be Still
@Denise, You are so right about “invisible people”. I know I’ve been guilty of that.
@Ally, I’ll be praying for your neighbor and for you as you show him Christ’s love.
Give up on? No, I don’t think so. I guess I will have to search my heart. Something tells me I am in for a surprise-perhaps a not so pleasant one. Denial can be my best friend sometimes. I would hope that I haven’t given up on someone. There are people in my life that I had to cut out of it because they were a drain on me. They tended to require so much more than I had to give. Does that make sense or do you think I am trying to justify myself? See, I told you! I knew it! So where is the fine line between stopping someone from draining you and giving up on them?
What an incredible story. Thanks for sharing. Makes me wonder where the “invisible” people (as Denise says) are in my town and am I blinding myself to them?
Amy N’s last blog post..Everyone Can Write a Little
Dang, Pete! I love your heart and the heart of your church! And if anyone starts talking smack about what you guys are doing to bring honor and glory to God, you send them my way – I’ll kick their butts! Awesome story!
katdish’s last blog post..The Sign (by Billy Coffey)
“Who is one person you are tempted to give up on.”
Now there is something to think and pray about.
Helen’s last blog post..In a Sad Sort of Way…
Myself. I know we have had conversations about this. My past gets in my way. Yesterday you reminded me how God can use anyone if you just open yourself up and surrender. I have surrendered once again, and have a better understanding of how the enemy will use whatever he can to try to break you down.
I’m glad that CP is they kind of chuch that welcomes the Sheila’s of this world.
Loved this. Reminds me of that song out Forgiven and Loved.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0QeT4xI2yA
Amy’s last blog post..Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred
I’m not sure when the church became the place where only the “good” and “clean” and “respectable” people went and everyone else was not allowed. I’m glad there are people like you remedying that.
Billy Coffey’s last blog post..On the porch
I’m tempted to give up on my friends that are only Christian on Sunday. The friends that go to confession and then go right back abuot their business of sinning. The ones who say they are Christian but believe there are many paths to God. Live lives with no fruit and whose beliefs don’t differentiate their actions from the world. I’m so tempted to give up on them and then I remember that was me.
Chris Sullivan’s last blog post..Send Me!
I am tempted to give up on my friend of 14 years. When we are physically in the same place, she is the most wonderful, hilarious and caring person in the world. But the minute you are out of her sight, it’s almost as if you don’t exist. She has a lot of personal struggles, so I have to remind myself that even if she doesn’t reach out to me, I need to keep reaching out to her. One day she will reach back.
Ashley Schneider’s last blog post..If You Knew It Was Possible…
At first I thought you were calling us all names.
Glad to see that I was wrong.
But you know, here is the thing, no matter who we are, we all need a savior. That links us together – it gives us a commonality from which we can start.
I love Psalm 139 because David just pours out his wonder about a God who knew everything about him before he was ever conceived would still go through with it.
God knew the cost intimately and still chose to create, love, and protect us.
I was stuck all weekend on that part of the verse that says we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”. Fearfully?… Really? Wonderfully?..maybe some people, but me? {or a crackhead prostitute}.
You know what I think David was saying? That there exists a unique sense of awe that each person can experience when they come to an understanding of God’s active benevolence in our lives from our rising up to our lying down and even down to the littlest bits that make up our DNA.
The things that separate who I am from the crackhead prostitute are insignificant because the things that God has done, can do, is doing, and will do are what constitute significance.
Tony York’s last blog post..Lilacs – A Lesson on Heaven
My brother, an elder of a church. Easy for him to love on people except his family. Can’t tell you the hurt and pain he’s caused for his lack of being a brother to me, an uncle to my son, a son to my mom.
@Vicki, I’ve found that family is sometimes the most difficult for us to continue to graciously love.
This woman has asked me for money before when I was at the post office. I honestly had none and was holding an infant and she wasn’t letting me leave. I remember thinking what a sad life she must have, but also was annoyed because I have no money either and a baby to care for and why does this woman think she is entitled to take what little I have.
I felt ashamed and sick to my stomach when I saw this video. Though I couldn’t have given her money, I could have at least tried to give her my time. This woman almost died without knowing Christ and there was a point in time when she reached out to me. And I was concerned about my baby, my family, my life.
Thank God Ryan didn’t give up on this woman because apparently I had. I didn’t even pray for her. But I am going to start praying for her today.
I remember meeting her in the gravel lot right outside the Gym. I was leaving the first night of my community group and she rode by on her bike. I feel guilty for not asking more questions instead of just giving money.
Anna’s last blog post..nose.
Also myself… I feel like Sheila a lot recently.
“Whenever you’ve done it to the least of one of these, you’ve done it unto Me”. ~Jesus
Lisa’s last blog post..Beauty in the eye of the beholder!
I am going to link this on my blog. I love what God is doing in you Pete. It’s not always easy, but you can see that He is moving in your life.
Thanks for allowing God to use you!
Tracy’s last blog post..First Date
Great story! Thanks for sharing it! Have you ever heard the song, “Hookers and Robbers” by Charlie Hall Band? If not… worth the listen. One of the G family’s personal favorites!
Cameyg’s last blog post..Dangerous Prayers!
i love sheila’s grace and i love ryan’s heart. and i’m humbled by how much work i have to do on myself. they both are beautiful examples.
i have a sister in law who has a personality disorder and munchausen… she lies, manipulates, attacks, hurts. My brother pretends it doesn’t exist, but they no longer come around the family because she knows we see through it. if we talk to her like normal, we feed into the sickness… if we talk to her as though we know what she’s doing, she attacks reputations and manipulates. i pray for her and her family, but there are times i’m tempted to throw my hands up and give up. it’s hard to know how to help, and when helping is actually harming.
gitz’s last blog post..Insidious
Just a thought: One group of people I think it is very tempting to give up on is those people who you know are trying to pretend like they’ve got it all together. Those who either are deceiving themselves or deceiving others. Hiding their fallenness. Wearing a mask. Why? Unlike Sheila, they haven’t hit bottom, died for five minutes, and completely humbled themselves. To reach out to them is to insult them or puncture their pride. They often return your effort with anger or personal attacks. Why keep trying if they’re going to repay you that way?
That is one of the things I appreciate about your style Pete. You hold up a mirror to people on Sundays. It can’t be easy and you probably get your share of grief for it, but you haven’t given up yet.
Aaron’s last blog post..Songs Stuck in my Head (not a bad thing)
Amazing.
Thanks for showing us the FACE of the Biblical woman at the well. I pray that I can see people like Jesus does when he looks at us. I hope that I never want church to be pretty, well-dressed, and upper-middle class.
And thanks for the smack in the face. I was about 30 seconds from giving up on a cousin. I think I’ll shut down the computer and go call her.
Robyn
Robyn (3GirlsMom)’s last blog post..The Post In Which I Will Discuss Sparkle Fingers, Jazz Hands, & Reba McEntire.
My cousin (like a sister to me) has a daughter who is treating her so nasty and rotten for no reason at all, or so it seems. I fear there is a personality disorder in this young lady that is starting to rear its ugly head. We cried and hugged and prayed a lot this weekend. She needs hope NOW so she doesn’t give up on her daughter. And to feel the unconditional love of Jesus though she feels so hated by her daughter.
Candy’s last blog post..Happy Birthday KT, (alternately titled Mother’s Day, Part 2)
Awesome. She sounds like one heck of a lady.
Carolyn’s last blog post..Random childhood moments ……
“There is always one fact more in every man’s case about which we know nothing … I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.” – My Utmost for His Highest, June 17th
I love this song by Todd Agnew, I’m glad I worship at a church that knows!
Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ
Then why do you look so much like the world?
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand
Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins
He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?
Who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side or fall down and worship at His holy feet
Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part
Sometimes I doubt we’d recognize Him
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?
Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud
I think He’d prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud
I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!
Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus
You see I’m tired of living for success and popularity
I want to be like my Jesus but I’m not sure what that means to be like You Jesus
Cause You said to live like You, love like You but then You died for me
Can I be like You Jesus?
I want to be like my Jesus
@Aaron, thanks for your encouragement. Messages like yesterday do bring the “haters” out.
You’re right. We can’t give up. No matter how difficult it might be.
Oh holy cow! I love that quote by Oswald Chambers.
Amen! I love that she was walking through and around the church parking lot. Instead of instilling temptation, she was drawn in, just because someone would listen and care to listen. Thank you, Jesus!
Cheryl F’s last blog post..Seeds of Light = Trees of Life
this is one of the reasons I love our church…Love
lisa gardiner’s last blog post..God is with us
simply beautiful.
Jenn Becker’s last blog post..Friday Favorites: Little Books
what a beautiful story……you really summed it up when you told Sheila that she has experienced such an amazing level of grace, that some of us might never experience.
I have a neighbor who not only mocks our Christian walk of faith in his not so subtle ways…..but purposely tries to influence his conversation with heavy undertones of materialism, Darwinism, skepticism, etc.
My first gut reaction is to get defensive and ugly (but then I would be acting like him)…..so with a bleeding tongue (I have to bite it often)…..I pray for him, for I know his arrogance is brought on by being held captive by the enemy and his lies.
*~Michelle~*’s last blog post..Stand Tall
I have given up on my dad. It isn’t really that I have given up on HIM. I have just given up on he and I being able to relate. He is not a Christian and he does not like me, but I haven’t given up that God could use someone else to reach out to my dad.
Melissa Irwin’s last blog post..Living In The Land of "I Never"
my prayer: that i would love people as passionately as Jesus does. through all their messes. because i am a mess without Him. amen.
stephen lechner’s last blog post..Stage Design: Grey Matter
What a fantastic story… Pete, you’re my blog hero.
ryan guard’s last blog post..Moving back to Arizona
That’s a great story! I’m trying to figure out who NOT to give up on, especially friendships. I seem to be taking a different road which is making it very difficult for me to want to put forth the effort to not give up. It’s been months and I’m still trying to discern it.
Sarah’s last blog post..Make A Difference Monday
I absolutely am thrilled to call Sheila my sister and I cannot wait to meet her here, there, or in the air!!!
I haven’t given up on my younger sister but sometimes feel like its an impossible situation. I think sometimes I’m more gracious and less impatient with people who aren’t family. Thanks for the post…who am I to doubt what God is capable of doing in someones life? I love the verse in Ephesians that reminds me…’He is able to do far more abundantly than anything I can think or imagine’…
joyce’s last blog post..Leaving on a jet plane…or trying to anyway
Pete,
You know I don’t believe in coincidences and this post and the timing of it is all God!
I just finished being taught under my husband tonight at our bible study through
1 John 4:1-16 – and my heart is so broken from watching Sheila’s story. Why?
Because what Ryan did is 1 John in action. Ryan is NOT a hearer of the word – he is a doer! Ryan displayed God’s love which does not judge but desires to heal the broken hearted. Ryan displayed God’s love and the Spirit of God – he showered her with the fruits of the Spirit. All of them! Which Sheila couldn’t help but want to taste for herself. Sometimes God must literally take us to the end of ourselves for us to realize our complete need for a Savior. He knew through the ashes of her past He could bring His glory and turn it all beautiful!
Her life is not worthless or pitiful – it is wonderfully and fearfully made just like yours and mine! THANK YOU JESUS!
Her past may be more colorful than ours but sin in the eyes of God is simply sin. Ther is zero compromise with God and when Sheila was ready to stop compromising her life – He was there patiently waiting to take it over!
Oh sweet and blessed JESUS – there is NONE like you! I thank You Father, for the work You did through Your Son for our lives. What a precious gift for us to behold and use. May we all be changed and live a life so openly loving and forgiving and merciful as Ryan has displayed. May we look upon Jesus who is the Beginning and the End – the Author and Finisher of our Faith!
Thank you Pete for being the voice for His children – all of them! Thank you for being obedient and risking it all for the blessing in leading His flock right to the throne room and His feet! Precious Jesus! We thank You for Pete’s heart that continues to be molded more into the image of YOU!
Pete big hugs and prayers being lifted up as you continue to walk in the light of the LORD!
Jill
Jill’s last blog post..Monday Morning Reflections – Trust
When your blog rotates up to the top of my blog roll, signifying a update, I confess I sometimes hesitate to read it right away because I know that what I read is going to take me right out of my comfort zone and make me face something about myself that would be easier to ignore. Thank you for that.
Although this story centered on Sheila, I so admire Ryan and his commitment to just be there in a nonjudgmental way.
pendy’s last blog post..Eight Months Old!
Pete, I have two answers to that question. Yes, I know you only asked for one but I’ll give you two. My first one would be myself. I often then that I’ve messed up too much for me to not give up on myself. The second one would be God. I think i have a tendancy to blame God for the things that happen in the world.
By the way, awesome story/video.
amy’s last blog post..random
My cousin is going through that right now! I listen and pray for her. I don’t judge her even though it hurts to see her do this to herself and to her family…I want to stand in the gap for her…Please keep her in your prayers. Her husband is standing by her and her children stay with family when it gets bad. I know we serve a big enough God to heal her! I am thsnkful for people who reach out to the hurting that is Love!!! Thank you for sharing your story!!! May God continue to bless you and help fight satan off when the going gets tough! You will now be in my prayers!
Rachel
Rachel Way’s last blog post..Blemish……
*~*~ Wow. I love it. I love it. ~*~*
Reminds me a lot of a gentleman I interviewed who had a 22-year drug addiction – he w/couldn’t stop for anything…even following a beating that nearly killed him, he went right back to the drugs.
After God literally pulled him back by the collar and urged him, more than once, to walk into the Nashville Rescue Mission, he started the recovery process. It wasn’t easy, even his counselor admits that.
But now he lives to seek opportunities to share his testimony with those who are where he was physically and spiritually.
I was seriously changed after interviewing this man, and I was so honored to put his story to paper.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15610468/Overcame-Crack-with-Christ
(Click on Download to view in Adobe, or click the square at the top right of the doc. to view full screen)
I changed his name, though I doubt he would mind if I kept it the same. Here’s an excerpt from the story:
“One of the main characteristics I like about Jesus Christ is he was a giver,” Joe said. That’s what he wants to be. He says has been such a taker and wants to show people through his actions “what it means to be delivered, what it means to be set free.”
His selfish attitude is changed and he gives God all the credit. “It was nothing that I did. All I did was to be a willing soul. If you don’t open up, He can’t come in.”
Thanks for reading! I’m so glad for this post, because it prompted me go back & read the story I wrote-still amazes me to this day.
God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!
~*~ @FruitySpirit9 ~*~
I don’t want to give up, but I’m having a hard time right now with my boyfriend.
I’m typing this post from a cot in his hospital room where he is fighting for his life from a severe case of meningitis.
He is not a Christian. But, he is the love of my life. I have such a hard time reconciling how the love of my earthly life can not love my one true love (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit) as I do. He shuts down on me when I try to witness to him. He closes off when I try to point out the strokes I see God painting on the canvas of his life.
But, deep down, I know, I feel that God would not allow me to love someone so wholly who was not or would not be equally yoked to me. I know God reveals Himself to each of us in His own time, but I can’t help but be impatient.
Josh asks me to pray over him so I know you’re working in him, God. He finally even said his first prayer, even if it was a simple, “God, please help me.” That’s where it starts!
God, please grant me wisdom and peace. Please show me your will for both my and Josh’s life. God, heal my love. Heal his body AND his soul. For a body that is whole is useless when it houses a soul in torment.
I pray that you don’t let me give up on Josh, but I also pray that you help me make the right decision as I believe Josh may be getting ready to ask me to marry him. I know that I love him, but I also know that I cannot spend the remainder of my earthly life and have the father of my future children not love you.
Leslie’s last blog post..Different Strokes
I think that’s an awesome story, and it seemed to start with a caring, concerned person who wasn’t judgmental. While an obviously lost and hurting person, I think there are many other lost and hurting people who happen to look together and good on the outside. That’s why we’re called to love others – not be judgmental.
As for your question… I think I’m tempted to give up on people who keep wanting to take advantage of others, and who want a 5th chance, a 6th chance, a 7th chance… There comes a point when I feel like saying, no, that’s it! You’ve blown it one too many times! You’re not worth it any more! No soup for you! So… that would be me…
Wow!! Faith does not get more real than that.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Ransom33
Pete! Oh my goodness. How powerful. In the midst of a super busy morning I can’t move. My heart is just aching with the realization of my own coldness and of Ryan’s tenderness toward God and His children. Powerful and profound ~
Someone I’ve given up on…no one at the moment but maybe that’s because I keep my world too clean of desperate people…
Wow!!!
The biggest thing FOR ME that Sheila said, was that he talked to her like a normal human being. It meant so much to Sheila…
I pray that when I come into contact with people that I would not put a guard up or be different than I am with anyone else. We are all the same…
Praise the Lord for saving Sheila and us and for her making the choice to follow!
What a beautiful story.
I live a block away from the church. I wonder how many times I may have passed her and not noticed her. Thanks for opening my eyes and heart today.
@leslie, I’m stopping to pray for you right now. I’m also praying for Josh. I’m praying for his health and salvation!
wow…
I work full time at a local church here in DC and I’ve been blogging my testimony over the past few weeks for all to read…
I have a similar past as Sheila in the fact that the level of grace we have experianced is just so profoud that it does just change our very core. Praise the Lord for people in your church not giving up on people like Sheila and even those who never gave up on me.
A testimony to bring the Lord Glory in knowing that only He can truly change lives, that He brought His son to redeem and rescue us all.
amazing
http://myheartresonateswithaglorioussound.wordpres.com
I was finally able to watch the video this morning before heading to work. Didn’t you just want to hug her when she was experiencing tears of joy?
“He didn’t frown at me when he spoke to me.”
How hard was that to hear? We may be able to hide our words or thoughts by not speaking them but how we feel about someone could be as easy to recognize as facial expression or body language we portray.
And the truth is that body language is just showing what is in the heart. That was a good reminder to continue to look at people as Christ would.
Tony York’s last blog post..Constructing Leftover Walls
Thank you for this.
kristiapplesauce’s last blog post..Monday Prayer
WOW…that is all! Jesus is so good!
Michele Helms’s last blog post..Beauty and the Beast
Oh my goodness – that was one of the most amazing stories I have heard. How could I get a copy of this to show at our Celebrate Recovery? And do you have it with subtitles so we can understand all that she has to say???
thank you for documenting this story and thank you shiela for allowing us to hear it.
to God be the GLORY!!!
oh to understand forgiveness like that. “He just had amnesia”. I dont knowthat I will ever hear the word forgiveness without thiking of Sheila saying those words. Thanks for that story.
Keisha’s last blog post..sites
Incredible story. Thanks for sharing Pete.
.-= Trina´s last blog ..Excuse me while I drone on about my car. =-.