A New Home

I was really tired last night and could hardly keep my eyes open when I wrote my brief blog post. It was a long day at the end of a long week. This has been an amazingly busy time for me in my work with Habitat. We have been preparing for three closings. Yesterday was the first of the three. These are always cause for much celebration but also there is a lot of last minute stuff to do and this can be a real source of stress.
Right before I fell asleep last night, I thought about the couple that just closed on their house yesterday. They have six boys and they have been living in a two bedroom home with one bathroom. I cannot begin to imagine what that has been like for them. I tried to imagine what last night in their new home must have been like for this family. I'm sure there they were tired from moving all of their stuff. I'm sure the boys had a hard time settling down for the night as they adjusted to their new bedrooms. I'm sure there was laughter and excitment. However, I'm guessing that there was also a huge sense of peace that settled over this family as they slept in their new safe, decent, affordable home built with love.
Just before I lost consciousness for the night, I said a prayer of thanksgiving for this work to which God has called me. I can't begin to tell you how much it feeds my soul and helps give purpose and meaning to my life. It is really not a job. It is ministry in the best sense of the word. This doesn't mean that there are not difficult days. This does not mean that I don't struggle and feel stressed. However, what I do know with every fiber of my being is that this is where I am supposed to be at this point in my journey.
I don't know what God has in store for me in the future. I'm doing my best to live in this moment as I take big gulps of the grace that God provides for me every day. I feel joy like never before. I feel contentment and peace. I feel grateful for the honor of being able to serve the poor through the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity.
With this latest home now completed, I can't wait to move forward with the next application, the next construction project, and the next closing. The process begins again and again as new families seek to live out their dream and move from substandard housing and become home owners.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Two New Families

Today I had the great honor of telling two families that they have been approved as Habitat Partner Families. I love making these calls. The emotions are always so varied. Some people get really excited and whoop and yell. Other people start crying. Others are just quietly grateful.
I have the honor to be the person who first gets to tell them the good news. I congratulate them and then tell them that now the hard work of partnership begins. They will have to complete 500 sweat equity hours. They will have to attend required classes. They will fill out tons of forms. They will have to recruit others to help them build their homes.
This is really the fun part of my job. It's so wonderful to hear the varied reactions and to be able to offer hope to people who have been rejected and denied so many times before. It's the beginning of a whole new part of their lives. Habitat will walk with them and support them, but they still have to do all of the hard work themselves.
I ask for your prayers for these two new Habitat Partner Families. They have a challenging road ahead of them. It will test their patience. Hopefully, the process will also cause them to change old patterns of behavior and thinking. Most of all, I hope that God will work in their hearts as they work along side volunteers and staff who want to see them succeed. This is a day of new beginnings. It's a day that will launch their path towards becoming home owners of safe, decent, affordable homes.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

A Walking Advertisement

I stopped a local restaurant this evening on my way home from work to get some dinner. As I sat down at my table, a woman sitting at a table nearby said, "There's someone from Habitat." I wondered how she knew I was with Habitat for Humanity and then I realized I was wearing a shirt with the TriState Habitat for Humanity logo on it. Duh!
Anyway, I went over to the table and the woman introduced herself and her husband who was sitting with her to me. I introduced myself. We then talked for several minutes and I discovered that this couple volunteers with the Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity affiliate. They are very active construction volunteers and have been volunteering with Habitat for a number of years. In fact, they met for the first time as a single people on a Habitat job site and are now married.
After our conversation, I went back to my table and said a prayer of thanksgiving for running into these two dedicated Habitat volunteers. I was so glad that I was wearing my shirt. I am proud to be a walking advertisement for Habitat. I am passionate about our mission and the work that we do. I want the world to know the difference that Habitat is making in the TriState region, the United States, and around the world. I am so proud to be able to represent Habitat and to be able to connect with others who share my passion for bringing an end to poverty housing in the world.
I also got to thinking about how I am not always the best walking advertisement for my faith. I don't always represent Christ to the world in the most positive manner. I only need to look to my morning commute to recognize this. I am too often filled with road rage and certainly don't offer much grace to the drivers around me who I am convinced are all on the road driving stupidly just to make me mad.
I also am not the best ambassador for Christ when I remain silent in the face of the injustice I see in life. I often times would rather just not make any waves rather than stand up for what I know to be right in God's eyes. I take the easy way out by often people are led to believe that I accept the injustice that is taking place because I am silent.
So, tonight I'm giving God thanks for the opportunity I had to be a witness for the mission of Habitat. I am also praying that God will give me the courage and peace to be a more faithful witness for Jesus in the world.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Wall Raising Tomorrow

I am really excited that we have another wall raising service tomorrow for a new Habitat house that we are starting. This house is being built for a family in my current hometown of Hamilton, Ohio. The Mayor of Hamilton will be present for the wall raising service along with some other community leaders. I think it will be a great day of celebration. It's been a while since we finished the last house in Hamilton so I'm glad we are getting started with this house.
This family has waited for a long time to finally see this day come. I know it will be a blessing as the first walls are raised by volunteers to help another family in need move from substandard housing to a safe, decent, affordable home. It will be a true celebration.
I ask for your prayers for this new build and for this Partner Family. I've been with Habitat long enough to realize that nothing ever goes smoothly in construction. There will be delays and set backs and disappointments as we move forward. The family will want it to go faster than it is going. There will be challenges along the way that will test every one's patience. Please pray that the family will experience God's peace during this time of waiting. Please also pray for the safety of our volunteers and staff. Please also pray that God will help this build to be a positive witness to the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity in Hamilton and beyond.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

New Applications and Preparations for New Beginnings

God continues to bless us at TriState Habitat for Humanity. In the past, I've asked for your prayers for our family recruitment efforts and those prayers are definitely working. I was excited to discover this morning that we had received three more applications for our home ownership program over the weekend. Additionally, we received another application for home ownership today. Three of these four applications are from areas where we really need families. I am really excited about all of this.
To add to the excitement, I have been busy preparing to help three Partner Families close on their homes. In a few weeks, these three families will be moving from substandard conditions to safe, decent, affordable homes. I know the families are having a hard time being patient so I ask for your prayers for them during this time of transition and waiting.
Along with this, we will be starting three new homes in the coming weeks. On Saturday, we will have a wall raising service for a new house in Hamilton, Ohio. We also have plans to start new houses in Amelia, Ohio and Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
As you can see, it's both a busy and exciting time at TriState Habitat for Humanity. I continue to be grateful to God for the opportunities that I have to serve families in need. I am thankful that God has led me to this ministry at this time.
I continue to ask for your prayers as we move forward in ministry to give families a hand up out of poverty housing. Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

House Dedication

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
- Psalm 121, NKJV

I participated in a house dedication today in Rising Sun, Indiana. The Habitat Partner Family's parents donated a parcel of land from their farm on which to build the family's house. It is located on the top of a hill with views of the Ohio River and the hills of Kentucky across the river.
I had the privilege of giving the devotional for the service and I decided to use Psalm 121 as the basis for my devotional. It was extremely fitting given the setting for this house. I talked about how the house placed on top of that hill is truly a blessing from God. I reminded the family that most Habitat families don't get the privilege of a view like they have from the top of that hill. Whenever the family lifts up their eyes to the hills, they will be thinking of home and the many ways in which God has blessed them.
The Psalmist also reminds us that our true help comes from the Lord. I reminded the family and everyone gathered there that this is true for us today as well. This family could not have done this without God's help. God was with them and watching over them as they waited and hoped for this day to arrive. It is only by God's help that they will have a safe, decent, affordable home.
I also pointed out the verse: "God shall preserve your going out and your coming in." I invited the family to remember that every time they go in and out of the doors of their new home that God will be with them. That while there are most certainly new challenges ahead of them, God will never ever leave them alone. They are loved by God and nothing will ever change that reality.
The other wonderful part of the service was the dedication of a tree planted in the yard of this home. It was donated by volunteers in memory of one of our volunteer construction site leaders who died of cancer several weeks ago. He had volunteered on several homes before this one and started out helping to lead this build as well. There is a stone engraved with the volunteer's name, the years of his birth and death, and the Habitat logo.
It was a great day of celebration and another reminder of why I love this work and ministry. I am truly blessed.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Answered Prayers

I have previously asked for your prayers for our family recruitment efforts at TriState Habitat for Humanity. We have done several mailings and had an insert in the utility bills in Hamilton, Ohio. Since we did these things, we have received a steady stream of requests for applications for home ownership. We also have been receiving more applications - especially from the city of Hamilton. In looking back at our application statistics for the past month, I was pleasantly surprised. In the past month we have received 120 requests for applications and 18 applications came back to the office.
I feel like this is a real answer to prayer. I feel like we are reaching out to our target group more effectively. I have known that there are families out there who qualify our program. I finally feel like we are making progress.
I also realize that in order to increase our capacity to serve more families, we need to keep up these kinds of focused recruitment efforts. There is a lot of work yet to do. We have really only begun to reach families who need a safe, decent, affordable place in which to live. I am excited by this challenge and I look forward to offering a hand up to families living in poverty.
I ask for your continued prayers for our family recruitment efforts. I also ask for your prayers for families who are struggling from day to day in poverty in the Cincinnati region. Hopefully, some of them will step out in faith and submit applications to become home owners.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Strategic Planning

I spent the afternoon in a strategic planning session for TriState Habitat for Humanity. Participants were the staff and Board members. It turned out to be a really fun session. I enjoyed our time together and I feel like God is doing some great things through the process.
The session was held at a Proctor and Gamble training facility. It was a really cool place. It's decorated in really cool colors and filled with lots of Ikea furniture. There were a lot of snacks and other refreshments. The working space includes lots of flat screen televisions, dry erase boards, tables for small group discussions, and nice office chairs. There is also a main space that includes the food area and lots of fun things to spur creativity. There was an arcade type basketball game, a Pac Man video game, computers, and colorful kites hanging from the ceiling.
I'm sure a lot of big companies have facilities like this but I had never visited one before. I'm sure this is key to developing new products and marketing ideas. I kept thinking that the church really needs to do more things like this. I think it would grant us permission to think outside the box and develop new and creative ways in which to share the love of Jesus with the world.
We did a fun activity in this area. We divided into two teams and we did a relay race. We had to make three baskets with the basketballs. Then we had to hop on over sized tricycles and ride the length of the room and back. Finally, we had to hula hoop for at least five seconds. Our team lost but it was really close.
I'm grateful to one of our Board members who facilitated the session and who works for this facility and was able to get us in to use these facilities. What a wonderful resource to be able to use. I am also grateful for the wonderfully gifted people who took time out of their busy schedules and gave up a Sunday afternoon for the mission and ministry of TriState Habitat for Humanity.
I am truly blessed to be able to serve this wonderful organization. I am grateful to God for leading me to this place at this time in my life.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Exciting News

I have been asking for your prayers for our family recruitment efforts at TriState Habitat for Humanity. We have recently sent out around 5,000 postcards to renters in several apartment complexes in Butler County, Ohio as well as renters in the neighborhood in Hamilton, Ohio around three lots that we plan to build on. We have grant money tied to the lots in Hamilton and we need to find qualified families who are willing to live in this area. We also just had fliers go out in the Hamilton utility bills. I got mine Wednesday and we have been getting calls in response to that recruitment ad this week.
Today was really exciting because we received back in our office the first application from a family who received one of our recruitment postcards in Hamilton. The applicant came by the office to drop off the application. I had to restrain myself because I wanted to give her a big hug. I'm sure that would have scared the applicant and that would not have been good.
My hope and prayer is that this will be the first of many applications that we receive in response to these family recruitment efforts. I know the families are out there who are in need of safe, decent, affordable housing. I need to continuously find creative ways to reach them.
I ask for your continued prayers for our family recruitment efforts and for the mission and ministry of TriState Habitat for Humanity. I know that God is up to good things and we are going to continue to grow in the number of families whom we serve.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

On the Road Tomorrow

Tomorrow afternoon I am hitting the road and heading to the village of Williamsburg, Ohio for a home visit with a family who has applied to be Habitat home owners. I both look forward to going on home visits and at the same time I go into them with some apprehension.
I am always exciting to meet families to hear their stories. I like to talk with them about Habitat and review the requirements of the program with them. However, I don't really enjoy seeing how families are forced to live. Most of our family applicants live in deplorable conditions. They live in homes and apartments owned by slumlords who are making money at the expense of the poor.
Whenever I go on a home visit, I walk away from them hoping and praying that we can help the family. I also feel a kind of righteous anger recognizing that I live in the richest country in the world and yet so many people live in such deplorable conditions. They struggle from day to day simply because their home is falling down around them.
I ask for your prayers for this home visit tomorrow. I will be there to gather data about the family's current living conditions. I will also be there to get to know this family. Along with this, I will once again be reminded of why Habitat for Humanity's ministry is vital and absolutely necessary. EVERYONE ought to have a safe, decent, affordable place in which to live.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Mystery Mission Trip

Today in worship at my church, we commissioned our youth mission team. They left today for a week-long mission trip. The pastor explained that they were leaving but they didn't know where they were going. The destination is being kept a secret from the youth. It sounds like they may be going to more than one place. We are going to be able to follow their travels and progress through the church website.
The pastor said a really neat thing. He told the congregation that in many ways this is what missions should be for all Christians. We should be willing to go wherever God leads us and needs us. We often try to control things and never leave our comfort zones. Yet, Jesus calls us to go into ALL the world - the dark places, the dangerous places, the hurting places, the starving places, and the broken places.
I am looking forward to following the youth mission team as they go into the world to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. I hope you will join me in praying for them. I know God is going to bless them in huge ways.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

No Free Houses

I had a meeting today in Lebanon, Ohio. We were meeting with a Partner Family whose house will begin construction on Saturday. We met at the McDonald's in Lebanon. When I first walked into the McDonald's, a man who was sitting there drinking coffee must have seen my Habitat for Humanity shirt. He asked me, "Would you build a free house for me?"
Well, when I heard this man's question, I stepped closer to him and decided to use this as a teaching moment. In fact, I really love it when I get to do this because I get to talk about the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity. I shared with the man that we do not give away free houses. I told him that our families have mortgage payments. I also told him that they have to complete 500 volunteer hours along with take classes in personal finances, home ownership, and home maintenance. I went onto say that Habitat is not a hand out program but a hand up out of poverty.
I think I overwhelmed the man with the information I was sharing with him about Habitat. He seemed to be somewhat taken aback. He sheepishly responded "Well, I thought that's what [Habitat] did. I thought you give away free houses." I reiterated to the man that Habitat is not a giveaway program. He smiled at me and then I walked away.
On my drive home from Lebanon, I thought about my experience with that man at McDonald's. I wondered what he thought about what I said. I wondered if he had a better idea of what Habitat does and what we are about. I wondered if he went home and told his family or his friends about Habitat. I wondered if maybe he spent some time on Habitat website learning even more about Habitat. I wondered if he might one day even consider volunteering for Habitat and joining us in giving families a hand up out of substandard housing.
Who knows? I hope and pray that God planted some seeds in this man's heart. I am glad that God allowed our paths to cross.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Mission and Ministry

Today was a really good day of worship at my church. Bishop John G. Innis of The United Methodist Church in Liberia was our guest speaker. It was wonderful to hear about the ministry of the church in Liberia and how God is working through the people there.
We also heard a report from the Awaken the City mission program that is sponsored by my church. It brings church groups from the region and other parts of the country to Cincinnati for a week at a time. The groups volunteer at inner city soup kitchens, food pantries, senior centers, and churches.
We also had an impromptu prayer for one of our pastors who has been receiving treatment for cancer. According to the doctors, his cancer is now in remission. Several congregation members came forward to lay hands on the pastor and his wife and pray for them.
On my way home after worship, I said a prayer of thanksgiving for my congregation and its many ministries. I really feel like I need to get more involved and I felt like this morning was just another sign from God that I need to move forward in taking a more active role in using my gifts to build up the Body of Christ.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Almost Finished

So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.

- Job 5:16, NRSV

I had a meeting today in Middletown, Ohio and on my way home I stopped by Trenton, Ohio where TriState Habitat for Humanity is just finishing up a house. There was a lone volunteer working at the house and I got to talk with him for a few minutes and thank him for all of his work. I told him that I just wanted to take a peek at the house.
I then got to walk through the house. It's been a long time since I was at the house and it was amazing at how far the house has come. I walked in the front door and was just overwhelmed with the miracle that was before my eyes. While not everything is done, it's very close. The walls are all painted. The kitchen cabinets and counter tops are installed. The vinyl is installed and we are not far from installing the carpeting. I walked into every room and said a prayer of thanksgiving for all of the time, donations, and talent that had gone into this house.
This almost finished house is a sign and symbol of God's presence and movement in the world. It is a sign of the kingdom of God in our midst. It is one tangible way that God is busy turning the world upside down. Soon a family will be living in this house. They will move from substandard conditions to a safe, decent, affordable home in which to live. They will also begin to pay it forward with each mortgage payment they make. That money will be used to help TriState Habitat for Humanity build new homes for other families.
As I got back in my car to head home, I paused to thank God for the gift to the world that is Habitat for Humanity. I thank God for the honor and privilege of working with families in need. I thank God for being able to serve and live out the love of God every day at work.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Pay Day

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

- Isaiah 61:1, NIV

 
I had the privilege of participating in a house dedication in Oxford, Ohio this morning. I am always honored and humbled to be a part of these services. They are true celebrations and remind me of why I do what I do.
During the service I shared with those gathered for the dedication that while the TriState Habitat for Humanity have regular pay days every two weeks in which we get salaries for our work, witnessing a family realizing their dream of home ownership was really our pay day. Every time we get to present the keys to a soon-to-be home owner, it's worth more than any money that we might earn. Every time we get to help a family move from sub-standard housing into a safe, decent, affordable home, we are richly blessed. Every time we have the chance to see the results of the time and efforts of volunteers, donors, and staff, we are witnessing the kingdom of God becoming a reality.
So, today for me was a pay day. I got to be a witness to God at work in Oxford, Ohio. I got to see first hand the Holy Spirit moving in the life a family living in sub-standard conditions. I got to experience the joy of bringing Good News to the poor. I got to see a dream come true for a family.
For all of this and more, I am grateful to God for this work and ministry. I cannot imagine myself doing anything else. I am truly blessed beyond my wildest dreams. I am grateful for the honor of being in this place for such a time as this.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Home Visit

I had a busy day of work with Habitat for Humanity today. I met with a Partner Family so that they could make their materials selections (ie. - carpet, vinyl, siding, shingles, etc.) for their new home. It is always good for me to spend time with our Partner Families. I come away energized and have a renewed sense of why I do what I do. I love working with our families!
I also had the privilege of participating in a home visit for an applicant family. Whenever I do a home visit, I am reminded in a whole different way of why I do what I do. The reason we do home visits is to verify that families are currently living in substandard conditions. Families have to demonstrate that they have a need for safe, decent, affordable housing. This goes to mission and purpose of Habitat for Humanity: to eliminate poverty housing from the face of the earth. Families cannot qualify as Habitat Partner Families simply for having the desire to be homeowners. They have to be living in substandard conditions.
I tell families before we begin that the purpose of the home visit is not to do a "white glove test" to check to see if they dusted recently. We are looking for physical problems with the house that make it substandard: leaky roof, mold, overcrowded conditions, sagging floors, poor insulation, etc. We have a checklist that we use to determine if families meed the qualification of need for housing.
This is always a humbling thing for me when I do a home visit. First, I feel honored that they family trusts us enough to welcome us into their home. Secondly, I am always astounded that in the United States of America, the richest country in the world, people are living in deplorable conditions. These kinds of substandard conditions are all around us and too often we drive by them and don't even notice them or take the time to get to know the families who live in these houses.
Often families who apply to Habitat have no where else to turn. They live in houses and apartments owned by slum lords who do nothing but take their money and never fix anything. I have heard horror stories about landlords who could care less if children go to bed every night under leaky roofs, bedrooms caked in mold and infested with rats. This is not the stuff of movies. This is real life and it happens every day in my community and in your community. Families live in these conditions because they cannot afford anything else. They are at the mercy of people who simply want their money and don't care about them as human beings.
The driving motivation for Habitat for Humanity is that everyone ought to have a decent place in which to live. I embrace this thought with all my heart and work every day to make it a reality.
As I sat in the home of the family today, I again was reminded of the huge need for safe, decent, affordable housing. I said a prayer to God for this family as I walked through their home. I also said a prayer of thanksgiving for the honor and privilege I have to enter this family's story and in some way make a difference. I also thanked God for the miracle and ministry that is Habitat for Humanity.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Turning Points

I have been watching today a History Channel series on the American Revolution through my Netflix subscription. I always enjoy learning more about the history of our country and this series is well done. I am learning new things about the events that led up to the start of the Revolution and the Revolution itself.
One of the things that has struck me so far is that how many times the cause of American Independence hung by a thread. If events had unfolded in a slightly different way, the United States might never have come into being.
For example, in the Battle of Long Island, New York, the Continental Army was able to resist capture and defeat because of heavy fog that allowed troops to escape from the British who were charging after them. But for the camouflage of the fog, all might have been lost early on for the Americans. Also, when Washington and his troops made their famous crossing of the Delaware River to attack in Trenton, New Jersey, they might have been overwhelmed by Hessian troops but for the fact that reinforcements had not yet arrived because the commander of these troops stopped in Mount Holly, New Jersey to be entertained by a widow whose affection he wanted to win. Along with this, many Continental soldiers' commissions were up at the end of 1776 and most planned to go back to their homes. However, Washington promised them a $10 raise (the equivalent of one month's pay) and many decided to stay. The interesting thing is that Washington never had Congressional approval for this raise. He made it up on the fly with the hope of enticing soldiers to continue fighting. What if Congress had not gone along with this or what if the majority of soldiers would have not thought $10 extra was enough? Again, history would have been very different.
What this helps me to see is that the decisions we make both small and large and the actions that we take both small and large impact the future in ways that we may never realize. While not all of us are going to be leaders like George Washington, we still have the power to influence people and make a difference in our world. For example, I once read that if every member of the United Methodist Church tithed (gave ten percent of their income to the church), all budgets would be met locally, nationally, and globally and there would be enough money left over to end hunger in the entire world. And that's only United Methodists. Think what could be possible if Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Catholics, and all other Christians would tithe. The entire world might be transformed in the name of Jesus Christ. Now that would really be something.
I invite you to join me in praying about how together we can make a difference in the world with the resources with which God has blessed us. It all starts with us. We have the power to change the world if only we will step out in faith.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

UMCOR

I was reading tonight on the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) website http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.3212391/k.7769/United_Methodist_Committee_on_Relief/apps/s/link.asp
about how United Methodists are responding to the various natural disasters in our nation and around the world. It seems wherever there is need, The United Methodist Church is there making a difference in the name of Christ.
There are a lot of things for which I could criticize The United Methodist Church, but UMCOR is not one of them. When the earthquakes hit, United Methodists are there. When the flood waters rise, United Methodists are there. When tornadoes create huge paths of destruction, United Methodists are there. We feed the hungry, bring healing to the wounded, shelter the homeless, and offer comfort to the downhearted.
For all these reasons, I am grateful for The United Methodist Church. I am grateful for those of us who continue to live out the legacy of John Wesley's vision and ministry. I am grateful to be a part of a movement that has the power to transform the world in the name of Christ.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

HONK

I went to Northern Kentucky this morning for a meeting with some staff of an organization called Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky or HONK. HONK has a similar mission to Habitat for Humanity in that they work with low income families to help them to become home ownership. The model and means are a bit different that Habitat but the goal is essentially the same.

HONK is a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing solutions through rent-to-own programs, offering faith, education, and support to low-income members of the Northern Kentucky community.
HONK rehabilitates properties in the Northern Kentucky region, though economic factors have led the organization to heavily invest in Campbell, Kenton & Boone counties, with special emphasis on the urban core.
With the support of our volunteers and partners, Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky builds and rehabilitates homes in the community, preparing them for participants of our home ownership program.
Once accepted to the program, HONK begins to work with applicants to determine their housing needs, at which time a lease agreement is made between the two parties. The lease phase lasts for 2-3 years, and includes credit counseling, education, and support, with a portion of the monthly rent going toward the future homeowner’s down payment on the home.
Upon successful completion of the program, HONK agrees to sell and the participant agrees to purchase the property.
We are hoping that TriState Habitat for Humanity and HONK can somehow work together in the future since we both have similar goals and work with a similar population.
I am grateful for the meeting we had today. I always enjoy hearing about what God is already doing in the communities in which TriState Habitat for Humanity serves. I am also always very excited when I discover people with a similar purpose and vision who feel called to serve those living in poverty in our world.
If you'd like to learn more about HONK, you can check out their website at: http://www.honkhomes.org
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Dirty Shoes

As I shared with you in a previous post, I had the honor on Saturday of participating in a wall raising service in Oxford, Ohio. This is the first house that TriState Habitat for Humanity is building in what will be a twenty home subdivision. The subdivision is called Reckford Woods named in honor of the current CEO of Habitat for Humanity Jonathan Reckford. There will be two cul-de-sacs in the subdivision: Carter Court (named after President Jimmy Carter) and Fuller Way (named after Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity).
As a part of the wall raising service, I gave a devotional. In my devotional, I talked about the shoes I was wearing. I shared with those gathered that for the wall raising that these shoes were my wall raising service shoes. They are my old tennis shoes. I don't care if they get dirty or muddy. In fact, when I put them on last Saturday morning, there was still mud on these shoes from the last wall raising service in Northern Kentucky. I also probably had mud from an earlier wall raising service in Clermont County, Ohio.
I told the volunteers and Habitat Partner Family that they would most likely leave with mud or dirt on their shoes and that was okay. They would be taking a little bit of that site with them to where they live and work and learn and play. This is a good thing because at that moment they were standing on holy ground. Before time began, God knew that a miracle would take place on that land. God knew that people from different backgrounds and faith communities would come together for a common purpose. God knew that a family would one day have a safe, decent, affordable home in which to live on that land. By taking that dirt with them on their shoes, the volunteers, staff, and Partner Family were spreading God's holiness and grace out into the world. They were going to also carry their excitement and acts of service with them as well. That mud and dirt is a sign and symbol of God's amazing grace.
When I came home, I noticed that I had some new mud on my shoes. When I saw that mud, I gave God thanks for the miracle that I am a part of that is Habitat for Humanity. I thanked God for the chance I have every day to serve the least of these in our world. I thanked God for the lessons that our Partner Families teach me. I thanked God for the volunteers and staff who work so hard to make the dream of home ownership possible for families living in poverty. I thanked God for the nineteen other families who I have not even met yet who will one day take a step of faith to apply for our home ownership program.
I am truly blessed beyond my wildest dreams. For me, ministry does not get much better than this. I love this work - mud and all!
Thanks for being a part of my journey!