I say, "Whoa!" and God says, "Go!"

When I started attending church as a new believer several years ago, I knew I would get involved somewhere in church, and I figured I had some time to kind of "ease" in to something I'd become passionate about. I've always been a passionate person, so I figured finding my passion would simply be in a church activity. Little did I know, God had other plans. Within the first year of my faith, I began to blog here, I joined the Project One:Eight group at church, and started working on local missions in the community. And life was great. Or so I kept telling myself.

But something inside of me wasn't at rest. There was something much more. There was something I was missing. And soon a vision, a dream, and a passionate desire filled my mind, heart, and spirit. I could feel a calling to start a homeless shelter in our town of 40,000 people. My passion was not JUST limited to what I'd be doing with my church, it was what I'd be doing in my community! That was a moment our Pastor calls a TCE moment: This Changes Everything! I also remember this is a huge, "Whoa!" moment. I desperately tried to put the brakes on and go back to my simple little life. It didn't work;-)

I knew almost immediately a book was on the way, but I didn't know what I'd be writing on exactly. I toyed around with a few ideas, started a draft, and trashed it. What the book evolved into was no ordinary book. Instead, I followed the prompting to write a Christian life management agenda/calendar/life management workbook. Move Into Action is an all-in-one life management agenda to assist individuals with managing their hectic lives, volunteer in the community and church, while living a Christ-focused life. As the first edition came about in 2008, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to donate 90% of the book proceeds after expenses to fund a shelter called HOPE.

HOPE stands for House Of Prayer Every day.

Why HOPE? It's simple really. Churches are flooded with activities, church staff is taxed to the max with their time, and churches aren't open 24 hours a day. Yet, HOPE in Christ is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. But, if it's 3am, and a single mother is at her witts-end, where would she go for a prayer? Where would a recovering addict go when they really needed prayer as the night clubs were about to open for the evening? Where would someone go who needed fellowship, coffee, or a safe place to get off of the streets and have HOPE? There wasn't any place available after hours. And yet HOPE should be available to people at any time.

As soon as I started sketching the workbook, I felt that a reverse tithe was how the center would be funded. So, 90% of the profits after expenses is donated. HOPE is a community center by day and a shelter at night. Prayer support is available 24 hours per day. Jesus is accessible to someone wanting to change their life in the middle of the night.

During the day individuals can take a class such as interviewing or job hunting, meet with their social worker, gather information on community services without having to run to 99 different agency appointments without transportation or gas money, take a class on budgeting, learn life management skills, apply for replacement social security cards and birth certificates, attend a Bible Study, and learn to worship in a safe and friendly environment without feeling judged.

And by writing an agenda, calendar, and life management workbook that would be sold each and every year, HOPE would be funded privately by individuals and churches wishing to purchase the workbooks.

No federal/local budget cuts.
No government mandates on how our services are provided.
No grant money red-tape.
No hidden or personal agendas.
Just God's will to reach His people.

Of course, me being human, I have tried to offer God these excuses:

"I don't know how to run a shelter. I have no experience."
"It seems impossible. Are YOU sure this can be done?"
"What about liability? What about local reaction?"
"I think you have the wrong person. I can't do this!"
"WHY me?"

And then He has provided the answers with a shelter about 30 minutes from here who has given me all of the above answers. It was out of the blue. BOOM...HERE is how it's done!!!

Except of course, the "Why me?" question. I still don't know.

All I know is I have this giant vision that only God can make possible. He can turn it into reality. I can't. I'm just following this path in front of me. And it is UBER scary. I found myself thinking, "What IF I fail?" I simply remind myself that I can't do it without God, nor am I trying to. Keep seeking Him for the answers, tools, and people He leads me to. I also remind myself that I can't limit God with MY small and limited mind-set. ALL things ARE possible with God. Most things ARE screwed up with Christine acting alone. So, I am making sure that I am not acting alone or running ahead of God. And I will tell you all. It is still scary. But, that is not an excuse for me to sit on the "but". I am still moving!

Sometimes I really want to know the "Why me" part. And so far I have only come up with one answer. Because I am insane. I am CRAZY in love with God and will live an insane life, defy the norm, try until I can't try anymore (which is NEVER!), and cry my eyes out in prayer to make sure I am within His will and not mine. I am a people lover who believes with all my heart that every person is a creation of God's and everyone has a purpose. Every person has potential-not just the people with homes, cars, 2.5 kids, a pet, and an education. And I am very passionate about what I do, is NOT change people into clones of what society believes is normal. Haven't we screwed up our lives enough trying to achieve that?! I teach people how to live for what THEY are passionate about and manage their time accordingly to their priorities in nine life areas.

I think the "why me" is simply because I am crazy enough to do this.

Yet, despite my fears, I AM NOT AFRAID TO HELP PEOPLE AND BUILD THEM UP-TREAT THEM AS MY EQUAL UNDER THE GUIDANCE AND CARE OF OUR LOVING FATHER IN HEAVEN.

I have no other explanation as to the "why me." And maybe that is not so much the why...it is merely the passion that I have. But, none of that is important!

My prayer tonight is that we sell enough of the 2010 life management agendas that we can make this a reality as soon as possible. God moved me "into action", I answered the call, saw the vision, and I am on a mission to accomplish His mission.

YET WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE!

Every church, every believer, every organization, everyone who can help spread the word for HOPE can help with this first shelter.

And it doesn't stop here in my neck of the woods. HOPE is needed across the entire globe!

We are merely trying to take the first step here. And the vision takes us to where you are. And you....and you...and you...to each city...

If you would please take a minute to do a few things we would be so grateful!

1. Please include HOPE in your prayers.
2. Help us promote the life management agenda in your newsletters, traditional media outlets, and social media avenues.
3. Purchase a personal copy/and or promote this workbook to your entire organization/congregation to purchase in bulk.
4. Imagine yourself with a catastrophic life changing event that means you can't pay the rent or mortgage, and you have no alternatives for your family. Where would you go? Where would YOU find HOPE?

THIS is today's homeless. (Be sure to read the next entry titled just that.)

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS!

Preview the Move Into Action, Life Management Agenda here:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/move-into-action-life-balance-agenda/4850851


Preview all of Christine's workbooks here:
http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=3291225