Lending a helping hand to a family in need

This past week, Richie sent out a message on the facebook group with an update on this weekend's surprise (which I hope you all enjoyed!) and sharing an opportunity to help out members of our local community who have recently faced a terrible tragedy.

Last week, a 2 year old boy died in a house fire that destroyed a family's home. His mother risked serious injury (she is now being treated in the hospital) to save him. Her four other boys are staying in a hotel and have lost everything they owned.

Some local businesses are gathering donations and helping the family during this tough time, and we had the opportunity to collect funds to donate to the family. You all showed great generosity because last night we raised $400! Wow!

Now I want to challenge you all to be in prayer for this family; pray for healing of the mother and peace in her time of mourning, pray for the siblings--that they will be given the support they need to put their lives back together and pray that in all of this they will see that there is a loving God who wants to meet their needs in this time of devastation. He can restore hope and joy in any circumstance.

I want to thank you all for being willing to give. Even the little things make a difference.

Obey Him with glad reckless joy.

Its Ragtime tech week.

For those of you who have no idea what that its: In the world of theatre it is the most stressful, sleep depriving, scrambling, frustrating, hot and sweaty... week before opening night.

When I find myself in a place where people are beginning to whine and complain about the current circumstances, something in my wants to rise up and fight the pessimism. But not with guns and hand-to-hand mortal combat, no, but with sparklers and bubbles. Yes. I want to fight with optimism.

In times like these when all of life seems like one frustrating, hopeless, mess I have a secret joy that lives within. I know that we have been faithful to pursue God throughout the whole process, and that if we continue to "look up" (as my director likes to say) we will find peace. And when I ask God to keep me optimistic, to give me hope, he delivers.

"But choosing joy over bitterness doesn't mean slapping a silly grin on your face." Notes writer Kara Scwab in an online article--Choosing Joy-- "And it's not about being bubbly, perky or giggly. Let's face it, sometimes happy people can be a bit annoying. Joy goes much deeper than any facial expression. And it's more intense and real than fleeting happiness. In his play Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare understands this solemn quality of joy, writing, "Silence is the perfectest herald of joy." How perfectly said."

Later in the article, she notes: "When I really looked at the Bible to see what it said about joy, the more I came to believe that joy is a decision of the will. Happiness may be something you feel. But joy is something you do. Throughout the Bible I saw action phrases like "shout for joy," "sing for joy" and "cry for joy."


This week is going to be full of opportunities to sink into pessimism. Zippers may snap and blocking may change, but the word of the Lord stands forever. And I'm going to fight for joy. My scriptural reminder? 1 Peter 1:3-8:

"³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...⁶In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."


(To read the full article mentioned above, check out boundless.org.)

30 Days – Not That Much Time

If you only had one month to live, what would you do with your time, energy, and the things God has given you? That is the current topic of discussion right now each week at Fusion. I know for me it has changed the way I am thinking about life and the choices I make. The idea is that if you truly had one month to live, what would you do differently, and why are you not doing that now.

It is really inspiring and thought provoking to think about it. So far I have been challenged to rethink some priorities I have and to focus more on the relationships I have in life. I have a wife and 3 month old baby, and I only had 30 days before they would be without me I can assure you that I would be spending more time with them. I have enjoyed letting God take this time to work on me and help me to focus on the most important things in life. The things that will have a lasting impact.

This week Anna Williams gave a very challenging message about living out of the things that we are passionate about. God really convicted me of two things that I am not doing that I should be doing. Other than spending time with my family, I believe God wants me to pursue two other things I am passionate about: music and writing.

It is funny that God did that last night because I just recently started playing my bass guitar again after letting it sit in its case for many months. This week I got it out and dusted it off and played a little bit, and now God is really giving me the passion to start playing again. On top of that I have felt for quite a while that God has given me the ability to write and express what God is doing in my life through writing.

So today is the day I am trying to work these things out and make them a reality. I am about to meet with two other guys from the Fusion band to work on writing some songs God has put in our hearts (so be looking for some new songs soon). ☺ I am excited that God is really helping me to refocus my life and helping me to pursue the passions he has put in me.

Let God work on your heart, let Him refocus your life so that you can also experience the abundant life He has for you. Living for God is the best decision you will ever make, He has created you will passions that He wants you to pursue and develop. Don’t waste the things He has put in you. Today is the day you should pursue the things you want to accomplish, because we never know how much time we have here on earth.

- Richie

(Richie Lord is Fusion's head pastor and go-to guy. His golden beard is a testament to his wisdom and experience that comes to 5+ with the Park Avenue ministry.)

(Photo cred goes to Danielle Becker. Go Danielle Becker!)