LOVE WINS
Its hard to imagine living a life where there is no one who loves you. No one who cares about what happens to you. Not even if your hurt and life just seems too hard. Its hard to understand when you get up in the morning and start your day there would be no one there to say good morning or have a great day see you tonight, I love you! No one to encourage you or even give you a hug to last the day. Or if you have ever had children, as hard as that can be sometimes, when the child looks up at you and your eyes see the trust, the feeling that they know, no matter what someone cares about them and someone is there to keep them safe, warm, protected. What if the child had to walk out thinking there is know one here for me; no one cares. There is in this world today alot of pain and hurt. There are time when giving up seems like the answer. When just saying I’m tired I just want to quit, stop, rest, give in, and let pain and sorrows win, the battle is too great and no one cares what happens to me. I just don’t feel needed or loved and I can’t remember what it feels like to be loved. There was a time I was sure that love never even exsisted. There was a time in my life when paying the rent, putting food on the table for my two sons and buying school clothes and paying doctor bills, seemed like nothing good was ever going to happen. It was like a cloud of despair over me and my family. It was like someone had closed the only door to a room that had no windows and there was just darkness, no light, no love. I struggled for many years in that room, darkness all around me filled with despair, even hate. I hated my life and I hated what I had become. I kept looking to see who closed the door, who was responsible for all my pain. Who’s hand was turning the lock on the door. Who could I blame for my pain and despair. I know; I’ll blame God. He doesn’t seem to care anyway. He’s the one who created the room. I really didn’t even believe in God back then. Growing up going to school I was taught evolution. We came from a big bang. Apes were are great, great, great, great grandparents. So God it was, this is all your fault. You are to blame. But what I was about to find out would change everything. JESUS MAJORS IN RESTORING HOPE! You see He didn’t create the room so I could live in darkness and despair. It was there to show me what not to do and where not to go. It was there because someone long before me had made a mistake and I was now given the choice to either walk in to the room filled with darkness and despair, or open my eyes and ears to what someone filled with Love and compassion has to say about who I am and what He has in store for me. Revelation 3:20, “Jesus said Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.” You see, the God that created the room also created a way out a door and thru that door is LOVE, JOY, Peace and Comfort, a world filled with LOVE. And once you walk thru the door you will truely begin to understand what Love is all about. You see, I believe after searching for 30 years for The Way to true happiness, it wasn’t in all that I could own like cars, trucks, motorcycles, homes or land. No amount of money could fill the void. But LOVE could. My friend and pastor Jason says LOVE WINS! Jesus is the answer. What have you got to lose? Darkness, despair, being unhappy with life. What if the world tried Love. What if we lived in a world where if someone needed something, lets say a coat that you had. And you gave it to them not expecting to receive anything, but just giving it out of Love because they were cold and in need. What would happen?

The Bible says in Luke 6:38 “GIVE and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
LOVE WINS!

Thanks to all of you for the help you have given. May God bless each and every one of you.
In Him,
Richard

It seems like somehow, someway, I am always behind in getting information and thank yous out. It has been almost eight months since I last updated the website. I have no one else to blame but myself. I have been so busy out doing that I have totally forgotten to slow down long enough to say thank you so much for all of the funds which have been donated, and thank you to all the volunteers who have come and helped on projects. Without Jesus being in the front, and all of you, it would have been impossible to make so much happen.

There are so many to thank for so much. Carl and Linda you are so awesome in never giving up on the ministry and continuing to help those in need. Matt and Coleen the gift you gave touched so many lives – words cannot express the love poured out. The Fellowship Chamber for doing our annual fundraiser at Strikes in Rocklin. Our monthly partners, thanks so much. Nancy, you have been so faithful each month with your gift, the families you have helped are so grateful. Wally, the custom motorcycle you donated was tremendous in fundraising and changing lives. For you to give this tremendous gift was truly a blessing and God knows your sacrifice. He knows the heart of all of you whom have given so much that His blessing will come to each and every one of you. The Bible says in Luke 6:38 – Give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

Let me just say this to all of you who have given so much – we may not see the seed be planted, or the plant be watered, but with the help of Jesus, we can all be a part of the increase to help those in need. We can all live our purpose/and change our world. We don’t need the politicians to tell us our businesses, schools, or even our homes are in trouble – we get it. We The People, just need to come together for the common cause – Love Your Neighbor.
Congratulations Keith Stroup of Palmdale, CA!!

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The raffle bike was won by Keith Stroup, a strong brother in Christ. He had to be, he rode the bike all the way from Sacramento to Palmdale, praising God for his new ride.

Thanks to all of you for the help you have given. May God bless each and every one of you.
In Him,

Richard

As I look back on the year of 2009, I see a year full of families losing their jobs, homes and even their cars. All of us in the ministry were praying to God to help. We knew that unless God intervened that hope may be lost. God is always faithful and did provide in many ways.

In late November 2008, we got involved with the House of Mercy project in downtown Sacramento. The house is across the street from Mercy hospital and helps to house family members whose loved ones are receiving treatment at the hospital. The House of Mercy is operated by the Sisters of Mercy nuns. When the project was started the Sisters of Mercy did not have enough to complete the renovation. As a matter of fact they had only about a third of what was needed. Many wonderful people came on board to get the project completed. Go to www.supportmercyfoundation.org to see more about this project.

By February 2009, I felt God telling me not to give up on the biker rallies. It was a ministry so many of us enjoyed with the added benefit of being around some of the most awesome motorcycles in the world. It also gave me the opportunity to hang around with Carl Brouhard who is one of the best custom motorcycle builders around. We were able to bring the light of Jesus to a place so desperate for hope. We handed out hundreds of bibles and let the kids sit on the motorcycles. We went to the Easy Rider show as well as Street Vibrations.

At Street Vibrations we met the Berg family. God is going to release some powerful things through the ministry of this family who lost their son, Cody, due to a heart attack at the young age of 14. The Bergs are healing thanks to Jesus, but they also have a message that Cody left behind – Live Your Purpose/Change Your World.

Throughout the year we were able to help many individuals with home repair. We replaced roofs, fixed plumbing, installed handicap ramps and rails, replaced hot water heaters, and helped a family with rent assistance. We received many donations to help us accomplish this task. Not only did we receive financial donations, but we also received cabinets, paint, clothing, appliances, furniture, lumber and numerous other items. We had one woman referred by the Roseville Fellowship Chamber. This is a great organization which includes members from numerous businesses coming together to help local ministries, families and other businesses. Check them out at www.fellowshipchamber.com.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS on our website!

One outreach led us to a local neighborhood where we went to distribute cleaning supplies and other goods. A woman approached me and said she had enough money for school clothes and supplies for her children, but when she got home she realized she did not have enough money for cleaning supplies. She said, “How did you know what I needed?” One of the volunteers, Bobby relied, “Miss, we didn’t, but God did.”

We were able to complete the project for Stephanie Martinez; the young woman who was injured at school and suffered tremendous brain injury. The 800 square foot addition was topped off by an awesome mural painted on the walls and ceiling by Dan Mathews. The pictures do not do it justice. There were many people who helped in accomplishing this goal and we could not have done it without them.

This year we have been able to help several churches. We were able to send the final funds to Pastor Ramon at Unity Ministry to help finish the Center of Hope Church in Tijuana, Mexico. We also started work at New Hope Church in Galt. We have been able to provide some new roofing, paint and some remodel work. We are still in the process of helping to fix this church building.

There are three other community projects we became involved with that need mentioning. First, we had a chance to partner with Pastor Jason Harper who has partnered with Oakridge Elementary School for several years. Jason’s personal dentist, Dr. John Birch, is going to provide dental work to some of the students at Oakridge Elementary school who have no insurance. We were able to help Dr. Birch remodel his new office space and allow him to begin to help these children. We removed old carpet, installed new flooring, moved walls, and installed new cabinetry. Dr. Birch’s office is now open and serving children. What a blessing he is!

Second, we became involved with was partnering with The Way Ministry. In December, we set up in Discovery Park and handed out clothes, blankets and food. There was music and ministry for those in need. The love of Jesus was shared with approximately 450 people.

Third, we were able to once again partner with the School of Urban Missions, (SUM) in Oakland to provide Christmas trees, bicycles, and toys for many people in the community.

I know for a lot of families this was a year of trials. But it is amazing when we have a little faith in what God can do if we let him lead not only our families but our ministries, and our businesses. Our barns will overflow with His provisions if we give Him the glory. So even though our bank account is close to empty, we know we serve a God who has always provided for those in need.

Thank you Jesus for the opportunity to serve you and your people. In 2010 we challenge you to Live Your Purpose/Change Your World.

In Him,

Richard

Trust in the Lord, and do good.
Psalm 37:3
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This year began with a lot of people saying we are in a recession and we need to hold back giving. This is just not a good time economically. Unemployment is high and people are losing their homes. A lot of folks cannot afford the basics in life let alone find their way to give to ministries. The construction industry, (where many in the ministry work) is practically non-existent. But the need for help is great and greater than it has been in a long time. Yet we serve a God who is bigger than any recession and will meet the needs of those who are struggling. We, His church, just need to trust in the fact that all that we see is His and at any given moment He can pour out blessings. We just need to keep looking up and not straight out at the world.

We need as a church and as a country to put our trust back in God and quit trying to exclude Him from our public lives and make Him the center of our love. He is rich in His mercy and wonderful to provide. I know it seems hard to trust someone when it looks like everything around you is falling apart, but that is when we need Him the most. More importantly, maybe, just maybe, we should trust God all the time. Give Him a chance. Let Him show you what trusting God, our Father in Heaven, can do to change your life. Trust in that He gave His son, Jesus, as a Savior and a Holy Spirit to guide us through these times.
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We trusted in God and through out the past seven and a half months of 2009 He has given to so many. He has provided food, clothing, home repair materials, paint, lumber cleaning products, and the list goes on. In the earlier part of the year, with the help of Foothill Lions Club and Pizza Roundup, they raised enough money to send a team of carpenters to Benin City, Nigeria to build the roof structure on the Faithplex, a hospital. This roof is to an addition of the hospital where a maternity ward and neonatal unit will be housed. Life in Benin city is a daily struggle, but believe me, I saw the love of Jesus being poured out.

With God, we were able to put on roofs, install handicap ramps and handicap rails, fix plumbing problems and air conditioners all with faithful givers who refuse to stop helping. With the help of Pastor Jason at Capital Christian Center we have been blessed with a huge area to store truck loads of lumber, household goods, paint, clothes, and food.

In July, it was back to Wisconsin to put a roof on Naomi’s House, and watch a community where the unemployment rate is higher than almost anywhere in the nation, rally around people in need.

God is giving truckloads of all kinds of products to The Way Ministry and they are just loading up trailers and giving back to so many in need in the community. While handing out some cleaning products, one single mother of four said, “How did you guys know that I did not even have enough money to buy soap to wash my kids clothes so that they could go to school with clean clothes.” One of the young people helping responded, “We didn’t, God did.”

It is time to press in and help those in need. Give what you can to help those around you who are struggling and learn to love Him and trust Him. Thanks go out to so many – Brouhard Designs, Carl and Linda you are amazing. Matt and Colleen, your gift will touch many lives. God Bless.

In Him,

Richard

Jesus Christ came to this earth to be a servant not to be served.