My Blog

Run, Eric, Run... Again

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:34:24 -0500

The lack of snow this winter has been good for at least one thing; running. Last year at this time I wasn’t running much, but together with the board of NCN, we came up with the crazy idea that became Run, Eric, Run. I can’t believe how naive I was about how easy it would be to train for that grueling race. My ankles developed tendonitis, my knees hated me, and really the biggest problem, was that I lacked the mental toughness for the race set before me.

When I crossed the finish line all I wanted to do was cry, but I also felt the need to keep my composure (stereotypical and stupid guy response). I had given that race everything I had. I fought through pain, I fought through hunger and thirst, and I fought my mind which kept telling me I was too weak, too much of a loser to finish.

The 5/3 River Bank Run taught me a lot about Hebrews 12:1-3. It was a metaphor for what I had gone through, and what I will likely go through at other times in my life. It reminds me that I need to cling to Jesus in everything.

That race was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life, which is why I will be training for it again this spring. I’m already ahead of last years training and I hope to take a half hour off my time. As I train like crazy for this race, I want to invite you to join me. This year we will do our second annual Run, Eric, Run fundraiser. Last year we had 10 adults and 9 children sign up to walk and/or run to raise money for NCN. In the process we raised over $15,000 for our ministry with kids in this community.

This year we want to add more people and see if we can raise $20,000 for NCN. If you are interested in running for a great cause, please email to me today.

See you at the race!

Eric

Pain

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:33:35 -0500

Pain is relative. Everyone experiences it, but it seems as though not to the same degree. Some people can scrape their knee and act as though they my die. Others can break a bone, and without a whimper go to the doctor for treatment.

Some express pain with screaming, yelling, swearing, and violence. Others express pain by withdrawing, talking, writing, and seeking help.

I see a lot of pain during the year. Last week at EMS a normally well behaved child was out of sorts. He was angry, and his anger came out towards me. He acted like he wanted to fight me, but it was all talk and he eventually walked home. I don’t know every reason for his anger, but I know part of it. This past summer he went to live with his dad in Chicago, when he came back, his mom had moved from a nice apartment, to a not so nice one in “the projects.” It was the 15th+ time he had moved in his 13 years of life. He went to Chicago and never came home.

There is pain in my own heart right now as well. Nearly a year ago my mother passed away after a long fight with cancer. I thought I would be okay, turns out I’m not. There is a pain in my heart I didn’t anticipate that this season is drawing out of me.

What I want the children I work with to know, what I must constantly remind myself, is that we have a God who suffers with us. No one knows pain like God. He feels the daily sting of rejection from the people he loves. He sent his Son to suffer on the cross. God knows pain, and God knows how to comfort.

Two nights ago I had a great conversation with my former Sunday school teacher who has become a great friend. She didn’t know how important our conversation was. She spoke words of encouragement, she offered advice, she provided comfort and compassion. God brought healing through that short moment.

This is the kind of comfort and compassion we are trying to offer to the many children we minister to. We want them to know that they are loved. The child who took out his anger on me knows that I won’t hold it against him. What I hope he learns is that he has a savior in Jesus who will offer him even better love; unconditional love. Jesus can provide healing to his pain, my pain, and the pain of everyone else who turn to him. My prayer is that the children of EMS, GEMS, Ignite, Breaktime and the Bakery make the turn to Christ soon. Please pray with me that God would use this Christmas season to draw them all in wonder to the Savior of the world.

Nativity

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:03:27 -0500

Last night we finished our Advent series for the High School group. The series was called “The Long Awaited Beginning,” and reflected the the anticipation of waiting thousands of years for the Messiah.

I love Advent because it encourages me to dig into the significance of Christmas. I’m reminded of how amazing it is that God took on the form of a baby. How ridiculous it was that the king of the universe was born in the mess of a stable. I’m reminded about the outcast shepherds and the good news they received. I’m reminded that I should be in watchful anticipation of the Christ who will return in triumph.

The video above gives a small and humorous take on what the nativity story would have been like if social media had been around. As I think about the nativity story taking place today, I wonder about who the modern day shepherds would be. What lowly place would house Jesus’ birth? What politician would want him silenced? What kind of foreign delegation would have visited him? I wonder how many ridiculous facebook reposts would have shown up, and how many times we would have seen #themessiahishere.

Jesus our savior has come. This is the time of the year to marvel at how God the Son could be contained in a baby. This is the time of year to once again rejoice that God has been and always will be faithful. Praise God for the baby, who would become the man, who would sacrifice everything so that we could live.

The Summer that Was

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:21:35 -0400

When Breaktime begins each summer, I always have the goal of blogging regularly about our experiences. The problem is that each day becomes so long, that I never seem to remember to go online. Breaktime is now over, but it is as good a time as any to share some stories.

We snapped tons of pictures of Breaktime this summer, but the one above has to be my favorite. This picture was captured at the John Ball Zoo and it features one of our most energetic Breaktimers. He was into everything and this picture hilariously shows him experiencing what it is like to be a pig. For a moment he was in their world seeing what it looked like from their point of view.

This picture sums up the summer in a number of ways. What this child experienced for a moment with the pigs is in many ways what we experienced for the seven weeks of Breaktime. We immersed ourselves into the world of the children who attended every day. We heard their stories, and saw life from their point of view. What we experienced wasn’t easy. This summer we had more kids with troubled home lives than at any other point in the history of Breaktime. Kids who are experiencing divorce, kids who couldn’t read, kids who weren’t allowed in their houses for hours on end, kids who had no self esteem, kids who harbored deep hurt, kids who heard the call of the street and had to make serious choices every day.

Erin, Laura and I were tired by the end of the summer, but it was a good kind of tired. We saw God use volunteers to make a difference in reading ability. We were able to provide great lunches due to sacrificial giving. Middle school kids learned job and life skills. Self esteem grew. Relationships with Jesus developed.

Our prayer is that the children of the community are better of than they were eight weeks ago.

The bakery kids were young this year with the average kid entering sixth grade. This made for some big challenges, but I was surprised by their maturity. We had a couple kids who really struggled this summer. They wore their emotions on their sleeves and I worried that others would mock or hurt them. What happened was totally opposite. When those kids struggled, the other kids put their arms around them, encouraged them, and lifted them up. It was maturity that left a profound impact on me. God was at work in those situations.

I want to say a special thanks to everyone who helped us dive into the lives of 50 kids this summer. Whether it was volunteering, providing meals or funds, or praying, you helped advance God’s kingdom. We may not see the seeds bear fruit immediately, but they are planted, and God will see to it that they grow.

Three Hours

Thu, 19 May 2011 10:10:47 -0400

My goal for the 25k was three hours and I’m happy to say I came in at 2 hours 56 minutes. Running that race was a huge accomplishment for me and NCN, but I could never have done it without a lot of help.

I know for a fact that there were a large number of people praying for me and Jeff as we ran. I could literally feel those prayers in a way I haven’t in the past. It was amazing. Through those prayers, God sustained my weak body and mind and helped me to finish those grueling 15.5 miles.

Jeff was another reason I finished the race. He persistently coached and encouraged me to keep moving. I am grateful for his friendship. Jeff could have finished the race 20 minutes faster, but he went my pace and made sure I finished.

I am also grateful for my friend Paul. I was at my lowest at mile 9 and not sure how I would it make it to the finish line. Paul jumped out of the spectator stands and ran almost a mile with me. His encouragement got me over the worst part of the race. He later ran with my when we were by the zoo, again providing the extra boost of encouragement to get me through.

Then there were the countless people standing on the sidelines. Some of them I knew, most of them I didn’t. They all screamed and cheered us on telling us we could make it. They didn’t know us, but they believed in us.

Someone said it reminded them of Hebrews 12:1 which says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” The 25k race gives me a fresh perspective on this verse. A perspective I will always treasure. This verse reminds me of why I ran the race in the first place, for New City Neighbors. We are trying to provide a cloud of witnesses to the kids and adults we work with. We are standing on the sidelines cheering them on, and we are entering the race with them for a time to help them push through life’s obstacles.

We get to keep doing this great work because so many of you supported this fundraiser. Thank you for helping us continue the work we are doing in the Creston community!