Apart from Him, we can nothing !! As I watched the USA Men's 4 x 100 meter swim relay do the near impossible during the Beijing Olympic games, God gave me a vision of what He has done here in the ministries of Agape House.
A swimming relay is comprised of four individuals, each racing a length up and down the pool. Conventional wisdom is that you post your strongest swimmer in the final lap of the race. During that fateful race on Sunday night, the United States fell behind in the first lap (Phase I), led in the second (Phase II), was nearly even in the third (Phase III), and was a complete body length behind in the final lap. To win, they had to overcome insurmountable odds; the clock was against them. U.S. Swimmer Jason Lezak, at age 32 (nearly twice the age of some of the top word-class swimmers) found himself in familiar territory. A three-time Olympian, Lezak had been in this predicament before. He anchored the American 4x100 relay teams at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics that came up short.
Dragging off French Swimmer Alain Bernard, who was hugging the lane line that separated them, Lezak made up ground, but with 25 meters remaining it appeared as if he would run out of pool. Trailing by half a body length, Lezak put his head down and surged to the wall. This time, he was part of a photo finish.
The Lord showed me that the ministry of Agape House has endured similar phases in the ministry. In the first (Phase I) God provided miraculously nearly half a million dollars for us to purchase the facility where we are now located. We jumped out to a commanding lead. In (Phase II) we came up even, as finances have allowed us to pay the bills and complete renovation during the first year at the Agape School. We are now in (Phase III), where it seems that the race is falling behind as we push to complete renovation of the dorms and the houseparent quarters.
But as I watched Lezak complete that final sprint of the relay, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. I replayed it on TiVo over and over to capture the moment. Commentators could scarcely come up with phrasing to capture the essence of what had just occurred on that truly historic moment. And it is with that same excitement (see the photo below) that I watch what God is doing here. .jpg)
From the girls that Agape has already ministered to, to the girls that are currently attending Agape School, to the girls that will come and live at Agape when the teen home opens in the Fall. God has been faithful to meet each one where they are at. He is also faithful to complete the work that He has begun in them.
And the only way God can be God in our lives is if we do the same thing that Lezak did in the race. By "drafting" his opponent he found a source to utilize to help him achieve the impossible. He completely immersed every part of his being, including his thought processes, into completing the race in a standard of perfection. Having been a party to two previous olympic losses, and waiting 12 years, he was now ready to do all that he possibly could to avoid a similar outcome. As believers God is our source. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6 (New International Version) "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
There are many untold stories of that championship relay team. From the mothers who drove their sons to practices. To the crowd that cheered them on. To the coaches that gave wisdom and instruction. And ultimately, the swimmers who gave their all to complete a miracle that will be re-told for years to come as arguably the greatest relay ever raced. And so it is with the ministry of Agape House. To those who pray faithfully. To those who give sacrifically of their time, talents, and resources. To those who minister to the girls. All are part of God's race to complete His work. For a time such as this, we are living out our destiny. And if that doesn't give us cause to shout in celebration, I'm not sure what does.
Please re-read the last blog entry if you would like to know how you can be a part of completing the dorm rooms so that the teen home can open in the Fall. We are registered at WalMart, Target, and ShopKo. You can receive a tax receipt for items donated.
We are also in need of volleyballs to be donated for the upcoming school year. We are excited to see the carpet going into the dorm area and houseparent quarters. We have blessed to have Larry Voss of Elkhorn come and do an outstanding professional paint job. Gene Hoffman has been instrumental in helping complete the final stages such as drywall, etc. Many thanks to Calvary Community Church, Southern Lakes Evangelical, Grace Church, Brick Church, Mt. Zion, Creek Road Community Church, and many other churches in the area that are faithful in the support of the ministry through finances and volunteers.
