December Update

December 1, 2010

Dear Family and Friends,

Days tick by like the second hand on a clock. Under scrutiny they mark their regular rhythm but as soon as you look away, caught up in life’s activities, the pace quickens until quite all of a sudden an hour has passed, or a week, or a month, or a year. Being fond of closure, in contemplative moments caught between barrages of activity I (Adria) like to think about closing out another year. I like to mentally tie up loose ends, finish outstanding projects, and feel like I saw progress in life and ministry that reflects a calendar year’s worth of time.

However, although God Himself created time, setting its internal workings to tick tock at just the right tempo, His eternal hand reaches all of time. He is not bound by time, nor is He concerned about finding closure in one year. His plan extends into eternity. This is both comforting and extremely frustrating for someone who likes to check things off a to-do list. So, what I would like to do—give you a nice and neat little summary of this year—I cannot. But what I can do is tell you the highs and the lows of this year and ask that you take a step back with me and put this year in the context of an eternal plan designed by our heavenly Father.

This year…

 God called us to pursue adoption. He began to teach us about our own spiritual adoption and to open our hearts to new ideas about family. We are still anxiously waiting to see how God will grow our family.

 As of June our staff now consists of 5 people. We are often over-extended and feel inadequate, yet God is teaching us to rely on Him and trust that He will bring more laborers.

 God provided 5 Summer Staff to run a wonderful program for 40 consistent kids!

 After four years of building relationships a family across the street finally brought their kids to participate in our Summer Program! God is working in their family. They have since married and are opening up to the idea of church in their lives.

 In October we were hit by three consecutive thefts that left us reeling with nearly $200,000 of damages. We are still working and waiting to see how God takes care of us.

It is easy to let each of the open-ended issues wave over me with anxiety, or to feel so tired that it is hard to focus on the goal. But, one of the comforts that the season of Advent brings to me is that we are in the hands of an eternal God, with an eternal plan, who knows first hand what it feels like to live inside the confines of the time He constructed. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6.

Andrew and I pray that this letter finds you all able to rest in the peace that we are offered through our Messiah, regardless of what our highs and lows were this year and what open-ended issues might linger into the new year. We are grateful to be walking this journey with each of you and your prayers and support are truly part of God’s provision to sustain us.

Rejoice, the Messiah is born!

Andrew and Adria Medlen

Offering

The last few weeks left me feeling like I got sucked into a wind turbine and spit out on the other side all akimbo.  As I arced through the air and landed in the middle of the busy street I'm left thinking, "What the heck just happened to me?!!"  Friday night was our Hearts for the City Benefit Concert and Silent Auction...the climax of a very harried, and short, story plot.  This weekend I had to close the book, take a deep breath (which looked like sleeping like the dead for hours at a time) before opening the pages tomorrow to find the resolution.  There is much yet to be done and of course, Christmas is upon us, which for all it's promises of wonder and cheer often adds to my stress rather than releases it.

But, God is teaching me things and I am resolved to try to be at peace with that.  I did manage to force myself not to open work emails this weekend and only rarely succumbed to the constant nagging list of follow-up tasks scrolling through my head.  If you know me, you would be shocked at how often I just sat and told myself to think of nothing.  And you know what?  It felt rather relaxing. 

In times of extreme insanity you are forced to prioritize.  Improvise, adapt, and overcome...as it is said.    There is a strange sense of empowerment in the realization that there is so much I am powerless to force into being...when I've done all I could do and the rest is up to the Lord.  Now if I can take that knowledge into the less "life and death" moments I think there'd be a lot less stress in my life. 

With my personality it is hard for me not to internalize my performance in tasks and roles as my identity and my worth.  I wrestled at the concert feeling like everything was so perfect for an audience of hundreds, yet less than a hundred came.  It smacked of failure and shame.  But, at one point I paused my administrating and sat and listened to the song our performer, Mark Roach, was singing.  He sang the chorus of his song "You Are"--"You are my God and my King/You are the words that I sing/You are the reason I made this offering."

It hit me that rather than sitting there thinking about the lack of attendance or what that said about my identity and capability I needed to rest in the fact that I gave everything I had and it wasn't really for anyone else but the Lord.  I heard a quote once that "Duty is ours and results are the Lord's" and that's exactly what I felt the Lord spoke to me in that moment.  We put on a beautiful event, we did raise some money, and some great people came...the amount of people and money was completely up to the Lord. 

I struggle to hang on to that perspective in life.  But, I want the Lord to continue to teach me to leave everything I have in what He's called me to do and take my pride and identity out of the results and put it in the faithfulness of my work to my King.

"You are my God and my King...You are the reason I made this offering." 

The Calm Within the Storm

Police lights are flashing through my dining room window and the buzz of a helicopter crescendos and decrescendos as it circles our block.  When we drove up to our street an hour ago we saw police cars everywhere and the end of our block taped off and my heart sunk.  I prayed, "Please, Lord, don't let it be one of the kids."  I thought, after everything else going on, not this too.  But, on the heels of that thought came another...even if...the Lord is your peace and you will get through.

Praise God what remains outside is the search for someone who led the police on a high speed chase and parked their car in front of our house.  I am thankful that no one was injured.  But the twin thoughts I had just before we discovered the real reason for the police presence struck home a message God has been speaking to me the last two days in particular.

We are in a tough season of ministry.  The past few weeks have been overwhelming and it just doesn't seem to let up.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were not good days for me.  If you know my personality you know I spend a lot of time in my head, which helps me do my best work, but in times of distress it can also overwhelm me with the negative implications of situations.

But the last two days the Lord keeps reminding me that my peace is not in my circumstances.  If it was, I'm going to need a whole lot more chocolate in my life :).  Yesterday God reminded me that even if I don't feel like it, His mercies are new each day and His strength is more than enough to get me through whatever comes my way.  Then I heard a song on the radio.  "Sometimes He Calms the Storm" is one of those songs that I normally cringe at when it comes on the radio...but the words said just what I needed to hear.  Listen to it HERE.  This is what it says....

All who sail the sea of faith /Find out before too long /How quickly blue skies can grow dark /And gentle winds grow strong.

Suddenly fear is like white water /Pounding on the soul /Still we sail on knowing /That our Lord is in control.

Sometimes He calms the storm /With a whispered peace be still /He can settle any sea /But it doesn't mean He will.

Sometimes He holds us close /And lets the wind and waves go wild /Sometimes He calms the storm /And other times He calms His child.

He has a reason for each trial /That we pass through in life /And though we're shaken /We cannot be pulled apart from Christ.

No matter how the driving rain beats down /On those who hold to faith /A heart of trust will always /Be a quiet peaceful place.

What a beautiful truth.  We as Christians are offered a calm WITHIN the storm.  Life keeps rolling on with all its challenges, but I must train my heart to acknowledge the "peace that passes all understanding"-a peace that knows that God can create beauty out of ashes.  Tonight, in the chaos that was our street, we got a perfect opportunity to spend an hour with our neighbors, talking and building relationships.
 
Who knew sirens and police helicopters could bring thoughts of peace?  Only God and those introduced to His abundant mercy.  I'm glad I have been introduced, have you?

I Am Not in Control...and It Is Obvious

I (Adria) am a shameless control freak, which makes life a bit bumpy. 

It looks a little bit like this.
1) I make my plans.
2) I determine that I'm probably the only one I know that can accomplish my plans to perfection.
3) Life begins to do what life does--exactly what I don't want it to do.
4) I begin to freak out.
5) God points out the fact that I'm being a little egotistical.
6) I finally realize that I am not in control of the world.
7) I still freak out.
8) God has his own plans and accomplishes them perfectly.
9) I resolve to do better next time.
10) Repeat cycle.

Today I found myself covering steps 3, 4, and 5 in full force.  This week we decided that we were going to put on a benefit concert and silent auction to help raise funds for the recent copper thefts.  With $200,000 worth of damage and some recent media coverage we decided it would be best to start the process soon.  So, with basically only Andrew and I in the office this week we (well, basically me) started planning.  We have only until early next week to finalize the date, venue, and performers.  Let's just say this has not been a smooth process and I've felt increasingly overwhelmed...thus number 3 and 4.

In addition to feeling like everything went wrong today, we had another thief get up on our roof this afternoon and had the police here AGAIN.  Then the thief RETURNED about two hours later, and long story short, there were a few minutes involving him, Andrew and myself that were scary enough that I got a little perspective...about when number 5 kicked in. 

Will it really be the end of the world if my plans fall through?  Am I willing to trust that God has got things under control...even if that means breaking down my plans for His own?  So, I'm sitting here, exhausted from the adrenaline let down, listening to about 30 guys play basketball in the gym and two very energetic boys playing horse and cowboy around the lobby and I'm just grateful that God is God and I am not.  I think I'm going to go home tonight and try to rest in the knowledge of number 8 while I commit myself to number 9.  And maybe, just maybe, I can avoid number 10.

November Update

November 1, 2010


Dear Team,

Greetings from St. Louis! Being a part of World Impact and serving in St. Louis is such a delight. Adria and I both feel very blessed to be doing something that we are called to do and that contributes to God’s plan for this city.

We do not take the fact lightly that you send us out with your prayers and faithful support. So, as we celebrate this season of Thanksgiving, this letter is written with each of you in mind. We look over our list of supporters, and it never ceases to humble us. We are so grateful to be partnered with such wonderful people as God has laid on your heart (as He has on ours) the unchurched urban poor of the inner-city.

On our ministry team are friends that have faithfully supported us for years, even when it has been a great financial sacrifice to do so. We have family members who have never missed even a month of support and who pray for us daily. What a loving and giving family we both have! We have people who have joined our ministry team after hearing us speak about World Impact at their church or who have come to serve with us for an event or program, all of whom are now joined with us as new friends and family through our now shared journey in Christ! We have several wonderful and generous church communities who are passionate about reaching the lost and who partner with us to do just that here in North St. Louis.

While in the city, God has taught Adria and me a great deal about community. The inner city is a place where it is necessary to depend on the support of those you love and trust and sometimes those whom God providentially sends your way in a time of need. Many of our neighbors and friends here have modeled this connectedness for us and given us a clearer picture of what living as the Body of Christ is supposed to be. Your partnership has also taught us this reality, in that we cannot separate our calling to serve from your calling to send! Praise God for His Church!

So, as you gather with friends and family this Thanksgiving, know that we are praising God for you and your faithful partnership with us and for the work God is doing. Also, know that you are always welcome to come and visit. You are an important part of our lives, and we would love to share it with you first hand. May God, in His great abundance and grace, continue to strengthen, guide, and bless you richly!

Grace and peace,

Andrew and Adria Medlen

The Week that Felt Like a Year

Since last Tuesday we were robbed three times, conducted five stake outs, dealt with police, became our own publicists, did four tv news interviews, set up and hosted a Fall Fest for over 200 people, continued networking to start raising funds for the thefts, and all of this on top of our usual weekly tasks!  We are all exhausted. 

The highlight of the week was Sunday evening's Fall Fest.



Everyone enjoyed the maze constructed out of refrigerator boxes in our gym and then chili dogs!


























Andrew wore this wig...these kids have the same reaction we all did.

 

Well...maybe that falls in line second to sleeping at night.  Did I mention we're all exhausted?

IF that photo wasn't enough of Andrew's hair, check this out: WORLD IMPACT'S FALL FEST ON TV!

Stake Out

So, if you haven't already heard, World Impact has been hit three, yes three, times by copper thieves!  This week ahs been quite a week.  Tuesday we discovered that someone had stripped copper out of the air conditioning units and other wiring on our roof.  Wednesday, when showing our contruction committee the damage we discovered that we had been hit again overnight!  We also discovered that along with completely demolished air conditioning units they had cut the major power line to our large multi-purpose room and kitchen.  We are trying to get this fixed ASAP because we are supposed to have a Fall Festival here on Sunday night for an estimated 200-250 people.

 

Estimates for the damage are approaching $200,000.   With most of the units destroyed and more damage being done we decided that we had to take action.  The guys on staff decided that they needed to stake out overnight to try and catch the guys in action.  Despite some ideas that involved paintballs, shotguns, ninjas, smoke bombs, among other things, they decided on installing several drivway sensors that sounded a remote alarm and Andrew took the first night's watch (on his birthday eve--Happy Birthday!).  With one of the sensors facing the alley he was up every hour as alley cats and random passersby, but at 5:20am the alarm sounded and this time 3 guys were here to do more damage.  Andrew called the police and called another staff member to come up.  The police arrived within a few minutes but the thieves had already gotten on the roof and started in on another unit.  When the cops arrived they were tipped off and ran off down the alley uncaught.

We were dissappointed but, at least they know that we are aware and that we have security...even if it is a staff member sleeping on a mat in the gym with a motion detecor :).  Randy's sleeping here tonight and Andrew the next night until we are sure they're not coming back or are caught.  Now comes the real work.  It has been a devastating financial blow for our ministry.  Sometimes it's hard not to feel like nothing goes our way!  It's hard to work and strive and watch things fall apart. 

However, we are convinced that God is in complete control and He WILL provide all our needs.  We don't yet know how but He will make a way for us to raise the money.  We read a passage in church today about Paul that encouraged me. 

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

We are praying for those men that they will encounter God's saving grace.  We are praying in confidence that God will provide for our needs for He stands by our sides and give us strength.

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