Winter 2009 Newsletter
We were at a Sunday night service in Onalaska, Texas and my coordinator had just given the alter call, so we were up at the front if people wanted to have prayer for anything. We had ended the service with a skit called Broken which portrays a girl, who struggles with drugs, alcohol, and cutting, being caught between the love of Jesus and the influence of the devil (my character). There is a point in the skit where the devil has influenced the girl to drink or take drugs and then proceeds to tell her that she is worthless and that she isn't loved by anyone. The skit eventually goes on to show the girl crying out to Jesus and the devils power being broken. At the alter service I had a boy, who was about 12 years old, come up to me crying. He told me that his father, who worked a lot, wasn't around very often and that at school, because he was different from everyone else, he was often told the same things that the devil in the skit had told the girl. I didn't really know what to say at first, but as I stood there praying for him I felt that I needed to ask him if he knew how much he was worth to his heavenly Father. He answered that he did know and I then felt that I should encourage him with the fact that no matter what any person tells him he is a child of God and no words of any person would ever take that away. I found it to be a huge blessing to be able to minister to someone in this way but at the same time I felt a conviction to watch what I think or say about people and to remember that they are children of God too.
This tour has been a lot about maintaining excellence, not just when we are doing stuff with the team or doing ministry but in everything that we do and say. We had a teaching one time about not letting anxiety affect our ministry by causing us to worry and be unsettled within ourselves. In Philippians 4:6 it says to "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God". In verse 5 of the same chapter it says to "let your gentle spirit be known to all men", in other words, let your consideration and your love for Jesus be known to everyone and do not be anxious, but instead bring a humble petition to God, your provider, and in all things be thankful for all He has done, is doing, and will do for you.
In our pursuit of excellence we, as people, can get caught up in trying to do get whatever it is that we are doing to be perfect and forget the purpose for what we are doing. Something I heard earlier this tour form a pastor's wife is "Perfectionism is the perversion of excellence". Perfection cannot be gained because nothing in this world is perfect, so to strive for perfection is to strive for something that cannot be gained this side of heaven. That is why we are called to strive for excellence, to do the absolute best that we can within our means, because we are incapable, as humans, of perfection. So I encourage you to do everything in a spirit of excellence to the best of your abilities and may you find joy in even the smallest of things.
I would like to thank you all for all of your prayers and support in everything that has happened this tour. It has been a great tour. You are a huge blessing and I thank you. I have hopes of being able to go on a mission’s trip soon and if anyone would like to support me in raising funds, your help is greatly appreciated. Once again, thank you all for everything. Rock On, Stay Strong, Be Blessed.
Yours in Christ,
Caleb
All donations are tax deductible.
