Posted by Glen Clark on November 28, 2002 at 16:27:42:
Please contact Glen & family via email if you would like. (He will not see responses to him here on the bbs.)
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From: Glenclarkmin@aol.com
Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 16:53:01 EST
Subject: Thanksgiving -Part 1
Well, I have felt the nudging of the Lord to update everyone on what's been happening. I am so tired I pray I can concentrate and stay focused. Not an easy task in a van on a trip with 8 children who are tired of being in van all day.
I appreciate your encouraging emails. They have helped tremendously. I look forward to getting them each day. It is amazing how far a few encouraging words of life can go. Your prayers have been felt, especially last Friday as we headed into Thanksgiving Harvest Gathering outreach in Columbia, South Carolina, after a very stressful outreach in Asheville, North Carolina. We finally got our van back. After the breakdown we were using vans while waiting and I know God will honor their sacrifices and bless them for their help. And I know He will bless all of you who have been praying and writing encouraging emails.
We had been digging septic tank and basement in between outreaches. So, when the attacks started as we were preparing foundation for ministry base and for doing outreach at states capital, the battle was immense, still in the midst of all the backlash from the Halloween outreach. I thought I was headed to the hospital from all the stress Sunday AM before outreach and I literally could feel the peace of God as I as well as others prayed and we went forth. I will tell of foundation building in future email. We had 6 bands cancel for this outreach as well as 3 churches we were told had committed to help, did not. It seemed that everyone had dropped the ball and it made most sense to cancel. Then I realized the people we were going to feed, they would be there, the divine appointments for ministry, they would be there. The people coming to serve, they would be there.
The temperature was also dropping fast with a strong wind. But I felt God said to go there for the people, for the ministry, for Him. And I said, "God, I am stressed out 'til this is effecting me physically and I have nothing at all left to give." He said, "Just show up. And stand." So in the midst of everything saying cancel, it makes no sense, you are in debt already tremendously from last outreach when church let you down and now all the local churches to support this outreach are also not doing anything. So why spend more money than you already have on this. Cut your losses. You don't even have the gas money, let alone money for permits, park rental, etc. I realized that I still had not even finished paying for City County Plaza rental in Asheville yet. I just could not afford to do it. But, God (Thank you Candy Spann) said, "Go." So, I made up my mind we are doing it no matter what any reasoning or any one else says. Now understand, Linda, my wife was continually assuring me this was the thing to do, for God would honor it. I broke down and cried and said, "It's not fair. Do you realize the local churches have not supported these outreaches after they wanted us to come in. And we come in and do the dirty work and you, my wife and children sacrifice the most in time and work and giving me up to do these things. And now we have even spent funds to build a home base. So not only would the ministry have a home, but you and the children would have a central place to stop and rest so we did not have to be on the road for 8 - 10 months out of the year. It's not right." And she said, "Glen, it's okay. God has other ways to build us a home base. He can do it in many ways. He is not restrained to our saved money or our limited way of thinking. But the people, Glen. The people. That is what God is interested in. You are doing the right thing to put the people first. Forget about the church and the ones who would or would not support. Just do what you do. There are people out there who need it and need to see it. God will take care of us. Just do what He would have you do." I said, "Yeah. One of our supporters said that God must not be in all this ministry we have been doing, that we must have missed God for He doesn't work like that. If it was God, everyone would support it." Then Linda pointed out all the years of faith. Going because of the needs of others, going to meet their needs, not ours. How we walked away from security years ago and the way that church business or man's kingdoms are ran and how God has honored us not going the way of money or the world. I realized she was right. No matter what others thought.
Then later, I got to outreach, got on stage and watched God move in downtown Columbia, SC. I felt His Power. I saw His Spirit move and I was at home. It was the coldest it I had been on stage, but God was there and I worshipped Him like never before. It was beautiful. It was wonderful. It was elation. It was life. The healing power of God. And I felt resurrection life, maybe for the first time. And it was all on the inside. It did not matter at all what was happening on the outside. The Kingdom of God was here and I knew it, inside. And NO thing could take that away.
Then Saturday morning we began to get calls. People were all sick the way I was going into the outreach. It hit the people involved in it on Saturday. I had gotten in at 3am and had very little sleep but knew we were going back for God is with us. The promoter was not even going to show up. She was sick with a migraine and attacks all over her body. But we went anyway and set up and watched God move mostly on all the volunteers there to serve. They all got a really good dose of God, a tremendous blessing. Some even said life changing. Even a band showed up to get ministered to, not to play. It was so good. Then God had already made it clear to me, "You do not have to depend on the church, but on Me. I am with you." I knew that everything was going to be okay financially because my source was God. Because of God, not man. Not the church. But God. It felt so good.
Then a fellow who had seen us from the interstate, not one who had received all the promotion to draw him here, one who saw us from interstate because we were there. Because we showed up. He had been to a coffeehouse and paid for concert and left unfilled. Came to this free concert in the park and was filled to overflowing. Came back second night, brought his clothes to give them away. Even a duffle bag. Then after he gave them to Linda, he heard me talking about what God does when we reach out to those in need, how it blesses us then. He ministered to homeless man. Then reunited him with family in Colorado. Then asked for duffle bag back to give to the man. He got such a blessing, too much to try and tell now. He then came over and shared over and over again how God not only reached the homeless man but how God had reached him as well. 1Chronicles 29
Then I got back about 3am again, then woke up next morning since churches had cancelled us with nowhere to go minister. So, I was led to a local church where the preacher got up and preached confirming everything I had just experienced. As I sat back and reflected on what all had taken place and as I related it to the sermon and Bible, I realized we had made decisions to go and stand anyway even when it made no sense at all and went against others counsel which had said don't do it. I would say, "But God said." So, we went for no other reasons except that God said to.
And while on that stage, I looked around and saw my daughters singing, my sons playing music and singing, working lights and sound and I realized this is who we are and I like that. I looked up and saw my wife and other children out there with our friends feeding these hungry, cold and lonely people with no hope. And we were as a family, as a team with our brothers and sisters trying to give the only real hope there is to these broken and poor people. I looked once more around at my children playing music, worshipping God with me, and I remembered who we were and what we did and why, and I began to worship the God of creation in a deeper way than ever before. He filled me to overflowing with something more valuable than any and all the sacrifices made to get to here. It was a thankfulness that words cannot express. For not only was I alive, breathing breath which was enough in itself, but as I looked around and saw all the blessings around me, I was not only thankful for the life He was infusing me with, but also for the people that were so precious to me and to Him. From a wife filled with faith and a spirit of compassion and children with incredible servants hearts as well as the brothers and sisters that were around us with a hunger for more of God and an understanding that He is found, blessed and glorified by our going to those Jesus came for 2000 years ago no matter what they smell like or look like, and then of course, those precious souls beat down and broken by the oppressors of this world. And how beautiful they were as their eyes were opened to the hope that maybe there is a God who sees and care. How blessed I was as I worshipped God in places within me that I didn't know were even there. I was truly filled to overflowing and so, so, so very thankful. For I had found what I had lost.
I love you God.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Glen