WHAT'S IN THIS EDITION?
December 2016
WHAT’S IN THIS EDITION? Highlights from the last month Pastor David’s Testimony of Personal Growth in 2016 A Picture Paints a Thousand Words Contact information What we believe How to pray for us SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LAST MONTH Ray Ray – He continues to sponsor multiple people, often has someone in crisis sleeping on his sofa and is on his phone with about 10 people a day and another 20 by text message. He continues to attend or lead 10 meetings each week, with between 15-50 people at each meeting. He shared with me recently that when he was in jail, he read the book “The Prayer of Jabez” which is based on 1 Chronicles 4:10 “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.” Ray Ray prayed this prayer everyday, though for the wrong reasons, but God knew this day was coming when He would enlarge Ray Ray’s territory to God’s glory! Financial Supporters – We had 7 new supporters join us this month bringing us to 14 one time givers and 8 repeat givers! See my testimony below for one very perfectly timed gift! David – I am now meeting individually with 8 people each week to study the Bible! Topics include: Matthew, John, Deuteronomy, 1 John, Experiencing God and all kinds of topics that come out of these studies! Andrea
God really does answer prayers. Over 40 years ago, my family started praying for the Russian Jews who were immigrating into our Seattle neighborhood. I started crying when I found out a child of one of those families has been attending the Live180 events and has decided to get to know Jesus. Don’t give up praying! God prepares us ahead of time – before I started working at Hobby Lobby one of my friend said; “You will only be there a short time.” This has turned out to be true. They were overstaffed and began to drastically cut hours. In response, David and I felt that it was better for me to resign and concentrate on Live 180 and some other ministry opportunities for the time being.
God gives peace in the process – In all the transitions this month, I had to cancel the prayer class, but am looking forward to other opportunities in the future.
God gives us gifts and talents to be used – In the past few weeks, I leapt into QuickBooks to set-up Live 180 accounting system. (It seems the high school and college accounting classes were worth it.) We also now have a developing website with lots of information and ways you can make online donations. www.live180.org Also, we have a Facebook Page www.facebook.com/Live180PS for keeping in touch.
PASTOR DAVID’S TESTIMONY OF GROWTH IN 2016 In 1980, the first year of my journey with Christ, I began reading the Bible. Psalm 139 was something I read every day and has become my life-long friend. Let me walk you through the lessons I have learned anew from Psalm 139 this year. 1. God is guiding me – He is never surprised by my situation. Psalm 139:8-9 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me.
Though I was surprised by being asked to leave Our Savior’s, knowing that God is in control, I could trust that God had led the elders to their decision. Therefore, whatever was next, I could trust that His “hand will guide me.” He has done that in many ways, especially in leading us to Live 180. He will guide you, too. Will you join Him in it, willingly? 2. God intentionally made me for this – my gifts, personality, interest experiences and joys Psalm 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
“In my mother’s womb” God made me to love people, to see that He made each person special and unique, with a purpose in mind. My mother has often said to me, “Your entire life, you have always seen every stranger as a friend you have not met, yet.” He made me an extreme extrovert. When we started Live 180, even I was surprised by the 1200 people in my contacts list that I have personally interacted with over the years. And yet, it is not enough for me! I wish to know more strangers/friends, so that I can participate in their discovery of how and why God made them. God prepared Live 180 to match how He made me. He has made you for a purpose, too – what is it? 3. His timing is perfect – whether I feel the day is good or bad Psalm 139:16 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
I think it is reasonable to say that 2016 has been the greatest rollercoaster year of my Christian life. I have said to Andrea that the events of each day make me feel: amazed, anxious, overjoyed, overwhelmed, full of hope, completely confused, full of faith, afraid, certain, aimless, and full of the Spirit. Incredibly, many of these feelings happen all in the same day! Knowing that “all of my days were ordained for me” calms me at the end of each day, empowers me at the beginning and sustains me through each hour,
knowing that my fickle nature is not in control, but His perfect timing is! He’s got perfect timing for you, too! 4. He answers my prayers -- He delivers me from my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
These verses have long been my prayer. It is not a wimpy prayer. So, I have a crazy story about how God answered that prayer in early November. We currently help support our son who has a number of physical and emotional problems acquired from his birth mother and nine years in the foster system before we adopted him. Obviously, our financial situation has changed very dramatically this year and our ability to continue helping him was in jeopardy. On top of that, I hit something in the road and punctured a tire. My anxiety escalated. And I am thinking to myself, “Why do I ask God to reveal my anxious thoughts.” Anybody who has bought tires knows, you have to buy two tires – you can’t buy just one. I’m thinking to myself, we can’t afford two new tires, let alone four tires (because they all need replacing soon), on a car that I’m uncertain that we will be able to keep next month. So I kid you not, I spent the better part of three hours the next morning thinking about used tires, one tire, 2 tires, 4 tires, shopping multiple tire shops, considering getting rid of the car, parking the car etc., etc., .… Then I finally came to my senses – and realized that God was testing me and applying this verse to my life, so that He could remove my anxious thoughts. Now I wish I could say that I acted like a spiritual giant in my next step, but … I settled on purchasing just two tires. By now, I think you can clearly see the level of the “anxiety” that God was testing, revealing and trying to free me from. Later that same afternoon, I dropped by the post office box and discovered one envelope that looked like a bill. I opened it to discover …, there was almost ten times the amount of the purchase price of the tires that I had just bought. I laughed and said to myself, “What is wrong with you David?” How many times has God provided and now you think He will stop. God knows my anxious thoughts. He is removing them. What anxious thoughts could God remove from your life if you dared to ask Him? As you well know, life does not always turn so wonderfully, but no matter what the outcome, Psalm 139 will continue to help me through the ups and downs of 2017 and I pray, that it will do the same for you. This picture was taken by our niece, 20 years ago, for a Christian school project. She is now a missionary in France with her husband and 3 boys, with one more on the way. She titled the photo, “Walking Into The Light.” It makes me think of Christmas and how John describes Jesus in John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” May the light of the world, Jesus, shine brightly in and through you this blessed season!
HOW TO PRAY FOR US
That - God will help those that are studying the Bible to grow in their passion to know Him and His Word more each day. That - God will sustain Ray Ray as he helps so many people and I will be a wise and helpful mentor to him. That - God will help everyone we work with through the holidays, as there can be many temptations and emotional pitfalls. That – I will grow in hearing His voice and doing what He shows me to do, rather than what seems right to do. That - God will lead Our Savior’s in the coming weeks as they have just met with two Pastoral candidates. They need His wisdom on which to call. That - God will continue to give us favor in the Recovery Centers and Sober Living Facilities and in the LGBT community. That - Glenn would have favor in receiving disability from the State of CA. That - Live 180 will be well known in Palm Springs as a safe place for all to come and grow in their relationship with Christ. That - God will continue to supply all that is needed to accomplish what He wants through Live 180.
WE EXIST BECAUSE WE BELIEVE
God wants all of us to live 180 degrees, that is, turning our eyes off ourselves and fixing them on Jesus and others. There are a large number of people in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley who are uneasy about walking through the doors of a church.
There are others who are looking for a place without labels and a lot of love to grow in their faith walk. That these people are longing for the following things: - a safe place to meet one-on-one and in groups to talk honestly about God. - a relationship with God. - a place to use their gifts to serve God and others. That Holy Spirit will lead each of us closer to Him and to His church.
OUR MAILING ADDRESS Live 180 PO Box 5167 Palm Springs, CA 92263 Gifts are tax deductible and can be made out to “Live 180”
OUR PHYSICAL LOCATION 11 La Plaza, by the “Farm” restaurant, in the historic La Plaza, in the heart of downtown Palm Springs
WHAT’S IN THIS EDITION? Highlights from the last month Pastor David’s Testimony of Personal Growth in 2016 A Picture Paints a Thousand Words Contact information What we believe How to pray for us SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LAST MONTH Ray Ray – He continues to sponsor multiple people, often has someone in crisis sleeping on his sofa and is on his phone with about 10 people a day and another 20 by text message. He continues to attend or lead 10 meetings each week, with between 15-50 people at each meeting. He shared with me recently that when he was in jail, he read the book “The Prayer of Jabez” which is based on 1 Chronicles 4:10 “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.” Ray Ray prayed this prayer everyday, though for the wrong reasons, but God knew this day was coming when He would enlarge Ray Ray’s territory to God’s glory! Financial Supporters – We had 7 new supporters join us this month bringing us to 14 one time givers and 8 repeat givers! See my testimony below for one very perfectly timed gift! David – I am now meeting individually with 8 people each week to study the Bible! Topics include: Matthew, John, Deuteronomy, 1 John, Experiencing God and all kinds of topics that come out of these studies! Andrea
God really does answer prayers. Over 40 years ago, my family started praying for the Russian Jews who were immigrating into our Seattle neighborhood. I started crying when I found out a child of one of those families has been attending the Live180 events and has decided to get to know Jesus. Don’t give up praying! God prepares us ahead of time – before I started working at Hobby Lobby one of my friend said; “You will only be there a short time.” This has turned out to be true. They were overstaffed and began to drastically cut hours. In response, David and I felt that it was better for me to resign and concentrate on Live 180 and some other ministry opportunities for the time being.
God gives peace in the process – In all the transitions this month, I had to cancel the prayer class, but am looking forward to other opportunities in the future.
God gives us gifts and talents to be used – In the past few weeks, I leapt into QuickBooks to set-up Live 180 accounting system. (It seems the high school and college accounting classes were worth it.) We also now have a developing website with lots of information and ways you can make online donations. www.live180.org Also, we have a Facebook Page www.facebook.com/Live180PS for keeping in touch.
PASTOR DAVID’S TESTIMONY OF GROWTH IN 2016 In 1980, the first year of my journey with Christ, I began reading the Bible. Psalm 139 was something I read every day and has become my life-long friend. Let me walk you through the lessons I have learned anew from Psalm 139 this year. 1. God is guiding me – He is never surprised by my situation. Psalm 139:8-9 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me.
Though I was surprised by being asked to leave Our Savior’s, knowing that God is in control, I could trust that God had led the elders to their decision. Therefore, whatever was next, I could trust that His “hand will guide me.” He has done that in many ways, especially in leading us to Live 180. He will guide you, too. Will you join Him in it, willingly? 2. God intentionally made me for this – my gifts, personality, interest experiences and joys Psalm 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
“In my mother’s womb” God made me to love people, to see that He made each person special and unique, with a purpose in mind. My mother has often said to me, “Your entire life, you have always seen every stranger as a friend you have not met, yet.” He made me an extreme extrovert. When we started Live 180, even I was surprised by the 1200 people in my contacts list that I have personally interacted with over the years. And yet, it is not enough for me! I wish to know more strangers/friends, so that I can participate in their discovery of how and why God made them. God prepared Live 180 to match how He made me. He has made you for a purpose, too – what is it? 3. His timing is perfect – whether I feel the day is good or bad Psalm 139:16 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
I think it is reasonable to say that 2016 has been the greatest rollercoaster year of my Christian life. I have said to Andrea that the events of each day make me feel: amazed, anxious, overjoyed, overwhelmed, full of hope, completely confused, full of faith, afraid, certain, aimless, and full of the Spirit. Incredibly, many of these feelings happen all in the same day! Knowing that “all of my days were ordained for me” calms me at the end of each day, empowers me at the beginning and sustains me through each hour,
knowing that my fickle nature is not in control, but His perfect timing is! He’s got perfect timing for you, too! 4. He answers my prayers -- He delivers me from my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
These verses have long been my prayer. It is not a wimpy prayer. So, I have a crazy story about how God answered that prayer in early November. We currently help support our son who has a number of physical and emotional problems acquired from his birth mother and nine years in the foster system before we adopted him. Obviously, our financial situation has changed very dramatically this year and our ability to continue helping him was in jeopardy. On top of that, I hit something in the road and punctured a tire. My anxiety escalated. And I am thinking to myself, “Why do I ask God to reveal my anxious thoughts.” Anybody who has bought tires knows, you have to buy two tires – you can’t buy just one. I’m thinking to myself, we can’t afford two new tires, let alone four tires (because they all need replacing soon), on a car that I’m uncertain that we will be able to keep next month. So I kid you not, I spent the better part of three hours the next morning thinking about used tires, one tire, 2 tires, 4 tires, shopping multiple tire shops, considering getting rid of the car, parking the car etc., etc., .… Then I finally came to my senses – and realized that God was testing me and applying this verse to my life, so that He could remove my anxious thoughts. Now I wish I could say that I acted like a spiritual giant in my next step, but … I settled on purchasing just two tires. By now, I think you can clearly see the level of the “anxiety” that God was testing, revealing and trying to free me from. Later that same afternoon, I dropped by the post office box and discovered one envelope that looked like a bill. I opened it to discover …, there was almost ten times the amount of the purchase price of the tires that I had just bought. I laughed and said to myself, “What is wrong with you David?” How many times has God provided and now you think He will stop. God knows my anxious thoughts. He is removing them. What anxious thoughts could God remove from your life if you dared to ask Him? As you well know, life does not always turn so wonderfully, but no matter what the outcome, Psalm 139 will continue to help me through the ups and downs of 2017 and I pray, that it will do the same for you. This picture was taken by our niece, 20 years ago, for a Christian school project. She is now a missionary in France with her husband and 3 boys, with one more on the way. She titled the photo, “Walking Into The Light.” It makes me think of Christmas and how John describes Jesus in John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” May the light of the world, Jesus, shine brightly in and through you this blessed season!
HOW TO PRAY FOR US
That - God will help those that are studying the Bible to grow in their passion to know Him and His Word more each day. That - God will sustain Ray Ray as he helps so many people and I will be a wise and helpful mentor to him. That - God will help everyone we work with through the holidays, as there can be many temptations and emotional pitfalls. That – I will grow in hearing His voice and doing what He shows me to do, rather than what seems right to do. That - God will lead Our Savior’s in the coming weeks as they have just met with two Pastoral candidates. They need His wisdom on which to call. That - God will continue to give us favor in the Recovery Centers and Sober Living Facilities and in the LGBT community. That - Glenn would have favor in receiving disability from the State of CA. That - Live 180 will be well known in Palm Springs as a safe place for all to come and grow in their relationship with Christ. That - God will continue to supply all that is needed to accomplish what He wants through Live 180.
WE EXIST BECAUSE WE BELIEVE
God wants all of us to live 180 degrees, that is, turning our eyes off ourselves and fixing them on Jesus and others. There are a large number of people in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley who are uneasy about walking through the doors of a church.
There are others who are looking for a place without labels and a lot of love to grow in their faith walk. That these people are longing for the following things: - a safe place to meet one-on-one and in groups to talk honestly about God. - a relationship with God. - a place to use their gifts to serve God and others. That Holy Spirit will lead each of us closer to Him and to His church.
OUR MAILING ADDRESS Live 180 PO Box 5167 Palm Springs, CA 92263 Gifts are tax deductible and can be made out to “Live 180”
OUR PHYSICAL LOCATION 11 La Plaza, by the “Farm” restaurant, in the historic La Plaza, in the heart of downtown Palm Springs
