Where Our Treasures Lie

Cake, bowling AND singing! Could there be a better birthday party?

Dear Prayer Team,

Okay, so November 11th was my birthday. My wife Kimberly spoiled me and kind of turned it into a "Birth Weekend". We had a party with my Bible study group, with my family, and with my RESCUE buddies (we went bowling Saturday evening and Susan beat us all, SOUNDLY!).

Ah, birthdays! Ya gotta love 'em....don't ya? I know I did as a kid. I still do, but as a child, having a birthday meant that not only was I getting taller, stronger and smarter (in theory), I was also going to be rewarded for it by getting a bunch of really cool presents, and CAKE, even!

As we mature and invest in the souls of those around us and reap the benefits of what it means to truly give of ourselves we will undoubtedly come to the conclusion that the happy feelings we felt when we got material things doesn't even compare to the glow we feel when we operate in the Holy Spirit by reaching out to a lost soul, visiting someone who is lonely, comforting someone who is afraid, giving time, talents or materials to those who are needy, teaching a young person about life in Christ, or just crying with someone who is in grief.


Fred Leads Youth For Christ in the Portland area. He spoke about the ministry at their banquet.

We had the opportunity to sing at a banquet for Youth For Christ and it was evident to me that they have grabbed ahold of this concept. They have discovered that serving the young people of our communities is worth their every effort. One of the points that came out very strongly to me that night was spoken by the President of YFC/USA, Dan Wolgemuth. He was a talented businessman who was Vice President & Chief Information Officer of General Electric.

He told a funny story about when his now college-aged son was two years old went into the bathroom of their aging house and shut the door. Dan and his other son, a four year-old, were walking towards the door as he shut it. Then they heard the ominous sound of the door's lock being turned. No amount of direction or cajoling was going to help to get this little boy to turn the lock on the door so that he could get out of the bathroom. His mother just tried to keep him calm and happy by sliding raisins under the door for him to eat while Dan figured out a plan. The hinges were on the inside of the door, so that wasn't going to work...he could repel off of the roof and get to the bathroom window and get it open or break it, but that seemed too extreme until he had exhausted every other means to rescue his boy. He went into the next room and saw a grate with a vent pipe that went into the bathroom. He took off the grate and removed the pipe and he could look into the bathroom to see what the child was doing. He was sitting on the floor across the room from the door enjoying his raisins. Then it dawned on him, "I can't get through that hole, but my four year-old can!" Sure enough, he told his son what to do, and he went right through. There was a moment of fear when he had both sons in the locked room, but soon after going through the hole, they heard the sound of the door unlocking.

Then Dan said something like this, "I discovered a few years ago that I am too old to be the guy who shows up at schools and gets young people mobilized and serving Jesus, but that doesn't keep me from serving youth! I can add my talents and gifts to strengthen a system of support for those who ARE able to reach these kids, and send THEM through the hole instead!" He could have decided it was beyond him ("I can't be of any real use to kids!"), or below him to serve others in that way ("I am a successful businessman! I should be doing more important things!"), but because he humbly made himself available God is clearly using this man in the position he is in as a leader of this powerful ministry.

Rev. Kalvin Waetzig, pastor of Christ The Vine Lutheran in Clackamas, OR showed another example of this during our time with them on Sunday. He is the head pastor of this beautiful church who has gone to great effort in promoting our concerts to his community in the last two times we have been there. As we enjoyed worshiping with them I saw him do something phenomenal! You see, every Sunday during a particular part of the services he gets behind a little curtain stage with a couple of other guys, puts a green puppet on his hand and to the delight of the little children (and some of us adults), "Splish", "Splash" and "Bubbles" do a little puppet show to teach the children a concept from the bible. To me, it spoke very loudly of this man's heart to serve even the smallest lambs of his congregation.

Lord help us to focus not so much on the things we CAN'T do, and instead see what it is that we CAN do in this world to serve others and to win souls.


Splish, Splash and Bubbles at Christ The Vine Lutheran