Bridges for Youth

Tell us what a great job we are doing and never contribute, pray or tell anyone about our needs.Take us for granted in a religious kind of way, or a non religious kind of way.Trust that someone else will take care of the financial needs at Bridges For Youth. Wrongly justify that we are supported mostly by a church or churches. Expect us to have fundraisers all the time to make enough to stay open.Say that God will take care of us, so you don’t need to do anything.Devalue the importance of our work with kids, by never visiting a center and seeing what we actually do with kids each day.Say that we are a duplication of services in the community and we are not needed.Be a hearer of the words of the Bible and not be a doer.Surrounded by such a large Christian community, I think we need to make some noise, rather than stand in silence.   James 1:22-27 Pastor Steve Hare       www.bridgesforyouth.net

This is child abuse awareness month and probably just about everybody has heard that Greene county has a big problem in this area.   I believe the statistic is 62 out of 1000 in Greene county are victims of child abuse and neglect.  I’m sure anybody who hears this has to be appalled.  There are like 23,000 students just in the Springfield Public school system alone, so thats about 1400 kids impacted right there.  This doesn’t even include all the kids that are not school age.  I heard on a radio talk show today that a large segment of the child abuse and neglect reports are for kids ages 6 and under, so this is a mountain of a problem.  Kids are crying out for help, but who will hear them if there is no one around they feel they can trust to report it to. 

Child abuse and neglect are difficult to deal with, especially when you are on the frontlines. We are in a place that we have voluntarily put ourselves, because we are passionate about helping kids and their families.  Compassion and involvement in the needs and hurts of kids illuminates the need for caring intervention through reporting, and paves the way to restored relationships and stronger families.  For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

I say often that the Bridges For Youth Centers are on the front lines and in the trenches as we work with kids.   This year alone we are serving 969 registered kids, ages 6-18. These types of numbers always reminds me of the fishes and loaves incident in the Bible.  Two loaves of bread and five fish to feed 5000.  Bridges is on the front lines with our 2 loaves and 5 fish, trusting in God and standing amazed at how He provides to fill the needs of kids, day after day. It should be no surprise that a large segment of these kids are victims of child abuse and neglect.   We have had dozens of  instances down through the years when rape, neglect, physical abuse have been shared with us by kids.   It never gets easier to deal with, and it always leaves a sick feeling in your gut.  Sin is like that. The sin really does make you feel sicker when its close to home though.  Child abuse and neglect is present right among the kids you want to love and protect. Its the kid you played pool with or watched a movie with just last week.  Or its the kids who proudly told you they memorized the Bible verse today. And many times its the kids who has suddenly changed due to abuse. All of a sudden the childish prankster is gone and it seems as though someone has stolen their soul.

There are a few in the Springfield and Marshfield communities who know the value of having the Bridges for Youth centers and our caring staff available to kids. Our prayer is that more people will discover us and understand that we need and value their support.

 I love pictures of Jesus surrounded by children, because that is real to me. Now, we must be Christ like and surround ourselves with children we can embrace and love through the pains of child abuse, neglect, and poverty.

Pastor Steve Hare

     The old plucking of flower petals, in the  fashion of, “they love me, they love me not” is becoming all to familiar these days.    I think my petal plucking session goes more like me asking God, “Will we have money today, or will we have money today not?”          

    Sometimes I understand why we run out of money and have to trust in God for days before the provision comes in and then many other times I just grow frustrated with having to deal with the relevation that the funds are all gone again at Bridges For Youth. Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.

     Trusting in God for your daily needs puts you into some strange conversations with the Almighty.  All to many times large needs have been met at the Bridges centers, only to face the next day with another need raising its dinosauric head.  You cry out to God and say in without a thought, “Lord, this stuff is impossible!”  Without even realizing, you have told God that you cannot fix this impossible challenge, in fact, you don’t even have the courage or strength to face it.   Wow, did you catch that, you just told God you couldn’t do it without Him.   

     I used to be so filled with energy, believing I could change the world.   I used to dream big colossal dreams and work my body to the extreme to succeed.  Self achievement was something I fell for hook, line and sinker.  I literally have boxes of certificates of achievement and certificates of memberships in professional and fraternal organizations.    None of these things mean anything when you are faced with God sized needs that you cannot fix.    

       Thousands of dollars in  recurring needs in working with kids is nothing I can take care of, so I have to have God’s intervention, and I have to have his presence. Still, the confusion, the understanding of God’s ways, are far beyond this painter/pastor.  I think being humbled is most likely the only way you can begin to understand God’s ways.        

Honestly though, being humbled is not a pleasant experience. The flesh side of me wants an easier remedy to the needs. “Why?”, I ask God, ” “Couldn’t you move in one of your wealthy saints hearts and provide a deliverance for several months of financial needs?”   The answer is that God certainly could do that, but again we don’t understand His ways or His timing, so its back to trusting in God, one day at a time.

“Will we have money today?, or will we have money today not?” applies to our journey today at Bridges For Youth. Today the answer was, “You will not have money today”. The accounts are empty that hold our earthly provision for ministry, so we will pose the question again to God tomorrow, trusting that the provision will arrive as it always has, in His perfect timing.

 God bless all, Pastor Steve

Just having a little fun on a snow day.  You know, rhyming words for the title of todays blog. As a Christian snow and ice days have really redirected my life in the last year.  The ice storm of 2007 was a real show stopper for me.   It is so easy for me when I  get in a comfortable flow, where things are manageable, and the stresses of life are minimal. Sometimes I can go for several days or weeks in this mode.   I had been in this mode for awhile back in January of 2007.   It was during those mundane hours of existence, gathered around the fireplace to keep warm in the ice storm, that God finally got my attention. Generally speaking, your life has to stop for a little bit, in order for you to take a good look at things and take inventory of your life. I didn’t like what God was showing me during the ice storm of 2007.  I knew who was providing and who was charting my course through life, the problem was that I wasn’t starting everyday by going to the One who gives you direction for the  day.  I was pretty much relying on what God had told me in the past and how He had provided in the past.  The truth is, it is impossible to face today and be dependent on God, without relying on Him for today’s provision and for today’s direction.   I went back to my previous discipline of reading God’s Word every day.  I reasoned that leaving the house without going to God each day, was a recipe for disaster.

These recent snow days are just as redirecting and energizing as last year. Its hard to go anywhere or do anything ,  but God is patiently waiting for me to turn to Him. Just the last 24 hours has been envigorating.  Let me explain. Most of the time, doing God’s work can be totally exhausting. I think its usually because we try to manage or control the blessings God has given.   It is almost laughable when you really look at it.  Yes, God has put me in an leadership role, but the whole unimaginable task of keeping this thing going is dependent on Him.  I could do a fabulous job in any one area, or I could be an outstanding fundraiser, and the whole thing still hinges  on whether or not I trust in God that day or whether I rely on my own perceptions of what is right. How many times have I smacked the living daylights out of a rock to get the water, or provision, (like Moses), when I should have just trusted in God and His promises? 

Yep, this painter/pastor, likes the snow and ice days. Its to bad there is not something every two or three months that would slow us down and help us to take inventory of where we are, who we are in Christ, and where we are going.   Oh, that God would get the glory through my life.   Pastor Frosty Steve

If a youth missionary gets in trouble in the mission field and nobody is around, does he or she make a noise when they fall.   Many times you can feel pretty isolated on the mission field, even when it is only a couple blocks off the beaten path and you may be only a few miles from home. I can’t even imagine being on the mission field overseas, like many of our good friends are.

The real comfort about being on the mission field, is that God will never leave us or forsake us.   All others may forsake and forget, but God is certainly there to encourage and keep us standing.   God places the passion and vision in a person to go on the mission field and He is the provider for the work.

There is a lot of falling down and getting up in the mission field.  The falling down is usually a real learning experience and an opportunity to trust in God for your every need.  Getting up and spending time with God each day provides the energy and strength to face the new day.  God supplies the energy, the encouragement and the provision, otherwise this missionary wouldn’t still be getting up.

The reality of being on the mission field with kids, is that they often have no hope in their lives. Hope is alive and well in Jesus Christ, and the Bridges For Youth Centers and their staff are simply instruments to show kids how to find Jesus and how to find hope.     Pastor Steve