Staten Island Here I Come: Thankful On Every Level

I know it's early for "Thanksgiving" food, but it's not too early to talk about thanksgiving. I'm always entertained by how easy it is to talk about how thankful I am, or we are, around this time of year, but other times of the year, it's like we just walk around in our own self-centered, ego-centric little spheres. I'm as guilty as the next person, but it doesn't make it right. On the way to Staten Island on Friday night, Ray and I were having a great discussion about entitlement, and I shared with him my experience(s) on the ambulance with Paul, when Paul and I would talk about our attitudes of entitlement, usually about getting off on time. I shared with Ray how the paradigm shift happened for me, and for Paul, because we understood that we were really entitled to nothing, but only as a result of God's grace in calling us and saving us, and Jesus' finished work on the cross, can we gain anything. However, we are never entitled to anything, and we really don't have "rights". Just a couple thoughts to provoke you :)

Now, to get into what I'm thankful for on this occasion. I posted last right after I got back here from Boston. I was missing the Robinsons (still am!), and trying to get back in the ministry groove. I am happy to report, it didn't take any time at all, and I was back in action! Praise God! Friday night there were 3 youths and two adults (me and Ray) that went into New York City for the young people's service at Times Square Church. Aaron, Jordan, and Richey went, with a fair amount of enthusiasm :) We caught about the last 20 minutes of the service, and the pastor had been talking about Rahab's story in Joshua 2, and then again in Hebrews 11. He talked about who she was and who she became. He said she made choices when God confronted her. She first she listened to God, second she trusted God and third she obeyed God. As a result of her responding to God, she lived with God's people; God provided her with a husband; God stripped away her old identity as a prostitute and made her righteous. As Christians we are called into relationship with Christ (which transforms our identity), commanded to obey God's Word, trust God, and fellowship with one another. As a result, we can say who we were before Christ, and now say who we are as a result of the Holy Spirit working in us. This was the gist of the message.

At the end of the service, the pastor gave a call for those who wanted to make a first time decision for Christ to come forward, and he also extended an invitation to those who just wanted prayer. Aaron asked Ray and me if we would go down with him and pray with him. Of course we said, "yes" to Aaron. Later when I asked Aaron what it was, specifically, that he wanted prayer for, he said, "I didn't need prayer for anything in particular, I was just overwhelmed with how thankful I was for what God has done for me and I just wanted to be sure to thank him." I just kind of shook my head up and down, but was speechless for fear of tears. It was the most profound thing I had heard anyone say in a long time. It was like a splash of water on my face on a hot day, and it was awesome. I'm so amazed and blessed and encouraged and excited by what I am seeing in Aaron's life, and how much he has grown just in the short time I have been around. The crazy thing is that Aaron is not plugged into a church, his home life is a wreck, but he is faithfully reading God's Word, he is praying, and he is in contact with me and Ray through the week, and I am watching the transformation take place. This is what's going to be hard to leave here and return home from. But I am SO thankful for the opportunity to walk with Aaron, even if I don't get to come back, for the time I had.

I thought I came here to minister to these young people, and though I did, I think I'm the one going home having been ministered to. I know that's generally the way these trips go, but it's never any less amazing to me. I'm humbled by God's grace, especially in retrospect! I also thought I came here to work with the young ladies in Ray's ministry, and though I did make a connection with Jordan on a couple occasions, she never really did rise to the challenge or show an interest in really connecting. I also made contact with a couple of other young ladies, but they just kind of fell off the map after the first week. It was Aaron that kept rising to the surface, and who wanted to be invested in, and who was hungry to learn. I certainly wasn't going to walk away from the opportunity. It made me really glad I really love football and basketball :)

Yesterday, I got to spend some time with Aaron in the city. I wanted to go to Ground Zero and Times Square in the daylight hours. Originally, it was supposed to be Jordan, Aaron and myself, but Jordan backed out at the last second. I pulled the truck over and talked to God about it just being me and Aaron, and decided it was probably fine, and so we went. It was great! The weather was beautiful, and Aaron and I had a blast. I felt safe because I had Aaron with me. He's a big guy, so I figured as long as I didn't get too far from him or make the wrong person mad, I'd be just fine. Ground Zero was pretty intense. I went into a "preview" museum, which was basically a shop that had 9-11 gear and an area that talked about the bigger museum available to tour for a fee. It instantly took me back 10 years to watching the TV screen as the 2nd plane hit the tower, and watching the towers fall, and seeing people jump out of windows. I definitely felt like I was standing on hallowed ground. There is a new tower going up where the Twin Towers once stood. It's called the Freedom Tower, and it looks like it's about half way finished. After that, we went to Times Square. That place was a zoo, but it was fun at the same time. I went back to the 3 story Toys R Us to get some things for Emmary and a couple other people. That store is some serious fun, kid or not!! I also went into Planet Hollywood and a couple other random places. I even walked down Broadway. It was an eventful day. Once I got tired of people invading my bubble, which doesn't exist in New York City, we hopped on the ferry and came back.

So, my adventures are coming to a close. In about 48 hours I'll be boarding the first leg of my flight home. Pray for me. Pray that this sticks, and that I won't forget what I learned. Pray that I won't just go back to "life as usual." I have some big things to consider and pray about as I come home, and how I decide on those things could determine if I come back to the East Coast full time. Thank you guys for following me on this trip. Your following has been a source of serious encouragement to me! Love you guys!