Are You Going Through a Desert?

A number of you know that my wife and I have been going through a long foster care odyssey. Close to four years ago, Jilleen and I were asked to adopt a child of someone we knew of. As of the time of this writing, the adoption is still not final. We have endured a great deal of turnover in the parties in court, an appeal which started the process all over, and multiple other twists and turns in what should have been an open and shut case.

So, though this trial, I have been trying to figure out what God is up to.

Early on in the process, one of our clergy on staff mentioned to me that I appeared to be in a Moses season. So I began studying the Exodus story. I also read Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God. Through the Word and this book, I was able to see many parallels to what was going on in Jill and I's life and in the life of our foster child. But there were still some holes in my understanding.

Recently, the church I attend challenged us to take 7 weeks to dive into the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. I took the challenge and the Lord led me to further understanding.

I realize now that it is impossible to truly understand the Exodus story without learning the story of Jacob (Israel) and his son Joseph. The stories are intertwined.

Here's what I mean...

God did His nation-building of Israel not just in Exodus, but in the story of Joseph (and indeed Jacob, Israel's namesake).

God's people at the time of Joseph are basically one family, that of Jacob. It's hard to call one family a nation. Further, a great famine is coming, threatening to wipe out this family that could eventually become a nation. So what does God do? He brings them into captivity, which accomplishes the following...

- The family grows over the next 400 years into a nation of more than 1 million.
- The nation is fed consistently and has all its basic needs met.
- Their culture and faith has a chance to flourish.
- They eventually gain a homeland to call their own
- They emerge with a heritage and a story to tell
- They plunder Egypt on the way out

God did it in His timing, His way. While yes, the captivity was what we would consider awful, God used it as a means to an end. It's also a macro of the Joseph story. He was in captivity, but emerged with great favor, just like the Exodus story.

So as I look at Jill and I's story with our foster care odyssey, I believe the Lord is showing us something similar...

- This trial is building your family
- This trial is building your faith
- This trial is building a heritage and a story to tell in your family
- The Israelites' journey to the promised land was delayed by complaining. Don't delay your journey by doing the same.

And yes, God is doing it in His timing, His way. Yes the trial has been excruciating, but it is a means to an end. This is meaningful to me. God is showing Jilleen and I Romans 8:28 in action. All things work together for good.

I hope this helps you as well, in whatever desert your find yourself.

Ministry By the Numbers, May 2009

South Side Mission Board members Reverend James Taylor (with microphone) and Reverend Bill Williams
(inred) fire up the crowd at an outreach picnic held outside the Mission's Harrison Homes Satellite Office.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MAY 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
388

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
48

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
461

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
42

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
12

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
57

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
4

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
21

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
16

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
467

College Club kids enrolled at ICC
14

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
38

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
10

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
47

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
232

Number of churches involved with our Adoptablock program
15

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
29

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
75

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
10

Hot meals to the poor
6,507

FINANCIALS FROM MAY 2009

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$215,096/$243,851

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$234,596/$248,667

Positive or Negative on the Month
-$19,500

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$993,083/$1,104,255

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$1,093,634/$1,174,382

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $100,551

Over or under budget on the year
- $30,424

The year 2009 is an odd one, financially, though not too terribly bad, praise God. We are off budget by $30,424 on the year so far, about 1%. Although revenues this year are down significantly, thankfully, Crystal and her team have done an excellent job on keeping expenses down this year as well.
Chef Chris was thrilled to see a massive donation from Dixon’s Seafood—420 pounds of Sashimi-grade Yellowfin Tuna. We’ve been enjoying Sushi here at the Lighthouse on Laramie!

Ward Chapel AME is our newest and 15th Adoptablock church!

In our New Promise Center shelter for homeless women and children this month we had 6 different ladies expecting babies. People sometimes forget that we are most certainly a crisis pregnancy shelter, too.

[from Associate Executive Director, Youth, Sheree Lyles’ monthly report]

“Marcus” was a troubled young man who attended our Older Boys Club at the Mission. At times, he would try to live his life the right way. But at other times, he would stray and get into sex and drugs. Sadly, Marcus’ dark side began winning. He recently hooked up with a gang and became a “mule” for them. A mule is someone who traffics drugs from one city to another. His friends who also attend our Older Boys Club let us know what was going on. One Thursday night last month, at Older Boys Club, Marcus let it be known that the next day he was going to be heading up to Chicago, but kept his business to himself. SSM Breakout Youth Center Director Larry Thomas knew what was going on and tried to convince Marcus not to go. Tragically, Marcus did go. He did not return from Chicago as he lost control of his vehicle on the interstate and perished. Marcus’ death, while engineered by Satan, has borne some fruit from the Lord. Life is fleeting and death is certain. Marcus’s passing got the attention of the boys in our Older Boys Club. Four young people in the Youth Department gave their hearts to Christ in May.

Jeanette moved out successfully from our shelter about a year ago and then was hit by the tragic death of her sister who was her rock. She was not able to maintain her job and her roommate situation fell through. She is one of the very positive role models for the ladies in the shelter. Jeanette just completed some training to become a lead and asbestos inspector and got licensed by the state. The Lord continues to grow her and she sees God sustaining her and giving her new blessings. Her contacts in the state office told her that she would be placed in the supervisor track for further training. She thought she would be simply working as a tech, but God had other ideas. He elevates those who are His. We are so proud of Jeanette.

Pray for Paula

Paula Berry, second from left, doing what she does best, ministering to hurting people.

Please pray for Paula Berry. She is a longtime volunteer for the Mission. In fact, the Berry family have been volunteering at the Mission since the late 1920s.

Paula teaches Sunday School at the Mission and also leads a Girls Club during the week in our Breakout Youth Center. One of my favorite Paula Berry stories...one of the girls in Paula's Girls Club made a very bad decision and ended up pregnant. Paula and her ministry partner Karen Johnson were faced with a decision. Should the girl continue to be allowed to come after making such a bad decision? What if other girls in the club got the same bad idea. But if she allowed the girl to continue to come, Paula and Karen could love on the girl and give her the support she needed. After all, she chose to keep the baby and that's a good decision. Paula and Karen decided to allow the girl to keep coming and supported her to the hilt. Paula has a huge heart for people.

Cancer is attacking our friend Paula. Please attack it back with prayer. Thanks.

Smarter Giving, part II

Retiree and SSM volunteer Harold Stark, in the lifting harness, leads a work crew from Woodland Baptist Church as they put a new porch on a poor person's home as part of the Mission's Hope Builders projects.

What are YOU investing in?

Our friend Mike Hanson has a truly unique philosophy on investing.

He says that Christ-followers need to move from financial success to financial significance.

It's a subtle, but hugely-important shift.

Financially, success is more easily achieved than significance. Just invest in the right instruments and opportunities at the right times and manage taxation and other eventualities. But significance is more difficult. How can we, as Christ-followers, steward our resources in a way that adds significantly to the Kingdom of God? That's where Mike comes in.

He and his firm, The Hanson Financial Group (HFG), works with you to set goals relating to financial stewardship and other important financial decisions. Mike says "We provide a path to grow in the concepts of stewardship. We offer challenges to adopt stewardship disciplines. We also continue to work with your advisor team to re-assess your overall plan as it relates to your values and financial goals. This allows for new creativity and gives confident assurance that the plan remains consistently coordinated and integrated."


Some of the questions Mike and his team regularly ask the people with whom they work are:

1. How much is enough, and what is God's desired "financial place"
for me to provide for myself and spouse (income, net worth etc)?

2. What is the appropriate amount of inheritance for my family that
will help them and not hurt them (spiritually, financially,
relationally, emotionally)?

3. How much should I pay in death taxes, or choose to give away and
self direct?

Mike says "These are not easily answered, but for some willing to do this hard work
in prayer, it is possible, and rewarding. Recently, the Lord allowed a husband and wife with whom we work to make a larger gift to ministry than they ever thought possible. The key? They were clear about the answers to the above questions and had crafted clear goals. When a ministry with a very specific need approached them for a gift to a project to advance the Kingdom, the large amount requested was the same amount that they believed they were to
give!

Given some recent favorable giving laws (IRA-tax extender & alternative
minimum tax relief act of 2008) they were also able to make this gift in
a tax advantaged manner from their IRA, and avoid all the taxes on the
account.

Mike says "They chose to give from their net worth. We call this "tree trunk" giving, in
addition to their on-going normal giving ("hanging fruit" giving). This type of giving requires faith, but provides lifetime blessings, for both the giver and recipient, to see gifts put to work now while alive making a Kingdom impact. It also I believe has an eternal benefit as we
give cheerfully laying up treasures in heaven for ourselves. Matthew 6:19-21."

For more information about Mike Hanson and his Hanson Financial Group, please telephone him at (309) 676-6600, email him at mhanson@teamhfg.com, or visit the firm's website at www.teamhfg.com.

Tough Times Call for Smarter Giving

South Side Mission Kings Kids Christian Day Care teacher Melissa Bowden helps a young friend enjoy the playground.

Today the Peoria Journal Star ran a piece from the Sunday Wall Street Journal, entitled "Charities: Tough Times Call for Smarter Giving."

The article listed the following questions to ask charities in which you might want to invest...

1. What portion of spending goes to programming (versus operational costs)? A figure of 75% or more is considered good.
2. What have its accomplishments been?
3. What challenges does it face?
4. Can I direct my gifts to one of the charity's particular programs if I want?
5. Does it sell its donors' names to other groups? Can I ask that my information not be shared?

South Side Mission's answers to these questions posed by the Wall Street Journal are as follows...

1. Our program costs are just under 80%.
2. Our accomplishments are listed each month on this blog, under the posting "ministry by the numbers." Look and see.
3. Our biggest challenge is faith. In this economy it is easy to walk by sight and not by faith, with the constant barrage of bad news coming from the media. But the fact is, God can meet "all of our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." He is meeting all of our needs even though we are seeing record numbers of people coming to the Mission to use our many services for the poor. As of the end of April, we were just $15,000 off our budget, which, based on a $3 million budget, is not much at all. Thank you God.
4. Yes, you may direct dollars toward a particular ministry or even project. Many donors do. Just let us know.
5. We NEVER sell or give away names of our donors. EVER. Our Board and myself are rigidly against this.

For the full text of the article, visit the link below.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124311556111550123.html#mod=sunday_journal_primary_hs

Encouragement from the Word

I love how many times when we are sharing the Word with someone that we, ourselves get blessed. That happened to me this morning. Maybe this Word will help you, too.

On Mondays at 9:30, I lead the prayer meeting at the Mission and I was teaching on "how to pray when you have no choice but to go through something tough." Our ladies in our New Promise Center shelter for homeless women & children know first hand about this.

In Luke 22:41-45, we see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemene praying. This is a familiar passage, I am sure to many, but I found something I had overlooked before. Perhaps the Spirit brought it to mind because I needed it...

Verse 43. "An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him."

This is big. The previous verse reads "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

What this says to me is this...we are sometimes called to go through trials that there is no other option than to just go through them and out the other side. When we do as Jesus said and surrender our own will, don't be surprised when the Lord sends His angels to strengthen us during the fiery trial. Make it so, Lord.

I needed that today. Maybe you do too?

Ministry by the numbers - April 2009

Assistant Executive Director, External Ministries, Minister Craig Williams breaks down the Word of God for visitors to our RiverWest Housing Project Satellite Office.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM APRIL 2009

Decisions to follow Christ for the month
404

Average number of homeless women & children housed nightly
52

Families served with free clothing, furniture, appliances & housewares
530

Attendance in our Sunday School, weekly
48

Attendance at our RiverWest Bible Study
16

Elderly Services home, hospital or nursing home visits
62

Formerly homeless women moving out successfully
0

Food baskets given away at our RiverWest Satellite Office
16

Average attendance at the Lighthouse Diner
18

Food baskets given away through our Garden Street Benevolence Center
508

College Club kids enrolled at ICC
14

Food baskets given away at our Harrison Homes Satellite Office
46

Attendance at our Harrison Homes Bible Study
20

Attendance in our Chapel services, Laramie Street, weekly
49

Attendance in our Chapel services, Garden Street, weekly
259

Number of churches involved with our Adoptablock program
15

Pastoral care visits & counsels (non-elderly)
33

Kids enrolled in after-school tutoring
75

Attendance at our South Side Manor Bible Study
11

Hot meals to the poor
3,735

FINANCIALS FROM APRIL 2009

Monthly revenue vs. budgeted
$192,924/$253,851

Monthly expenses vs. budgeted
$195,622/$230,905

Positive or Negative on the Month
- $2,698

Yearly revenue vs. budgeted
$777,987/$860,404

Yearly expenses vs. budgeted
$859,039/$925,715

Positive or Negative on the Year
- $81,052

The year 2009 is an odd one, financially, though not too terribly bad. We are off budget by $15,741 on the year as of the end of April. Revenues this year are down significantly. Thankfully, Crystal and her team have done an excellent job on keeping expenses down this year, so the loss of revenue has not been a huge issue.
The Leadership Team of South Side Mission’s staff held an all-day retreat in April to begin looking at the next five-year strategic plan. I met with Board member Steve Fisher for breakfast in April to get his input on the structure of a good strategic plan. Steve used to be over this department at Caterpillar. Now, of course, he is the VP over Remanufacturing at Caterpillar. I appreciated Steve’s solid input.

Norma is an elderly lady in 61605 who receives a lot of assistance from our Elderly Services and Hope Builders ministries. Last year, Norma got a new roof from our Hope Builders ministry. This year, she got some help from the Mission before the Hope Builders season rolled around. The Lord provided new carpeting and a volunteer to lay it. Norma was thrilled.

[from Associate Executive Director, Retail, Matt Sommer’s report]
"Alex" was a court-ordered community service worker for us at Mission Mart on Sterling. Store Manager Melody Church realized that Alex had some “issues” and tried to help him work them out. Over time, Alex began opening up to Melody. On a particularly troublesome day for Alex, the two of them had an extended conversation about faith and the Holy Spirit used Melody to lead Alex to Christ in early April. Andy eventually finished his stint as a community service worker. Alex is a work in progress, however. He still keeps his job as a cook at a local strip club. Hopefully, the Holy Spirit is giving him no peace about it! His girlfriend had his baby recently and the new family came to visit Melody at the Sterling store. Now we’ve got to convince Alex to make an honest woman of his girlfriend!

"Darwin" is a regular shopper at the Sterling Mission Mart. Darwin had expressed interest in things of the spirit but is illiterate. Store Manager Melody Church was able to provide him with a New Testament on cassette. Darwin returned to say he did not understand it. Melody inquired as to whether Darwin had asked Jesus into his heart and received the Holy Spirit. She explained that the Holy Spirit is the one who opens scripture to us and that Darwin ought to do just that. So Melody led Darwin to Christ in April. Now Melody is trying to help Darwin find a church. God is good!

Did you know that we have more than 6,700 different people that regularly receive help from our Benevolence Center?