Dirtbag Ministry: November 2013 to March 2014

Early Spring bloom on Tungsten Hill.

To reiterate, these are entries from my personal journal. This is my heart, my prayers to the Lord. I pray that they move you in some way to the Lord.

November 1
To better clarify my thoughts I decided to make a list of reasons to start a climbing Hostel.

1. To glorify God. I know of no hostel, or any Christian establishment, that is free to all, surviving only on the provisions from God, asking no one for support. What a testimony to God that would be!

2. It gives us a free place to preach the gospel, offer bible studies, serve people and even have a routine church service.

3. We could use the hostel not only for climbers but for anyone who is an "orphan," anyone who has nothing left and in need of a place to stay. James 1:27 tells us that, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

November 11
Two days ago I prayed earnestly while driving to go climbing. What I prayed for was that God would provide for us and offer us support. Later that same day the pastor of our old church in Marietta, PA offered a possibility of his church supporting us as missionaries. Proof that God supplies us with more than we need and exactly when we need it.

November 18
We woke up this morning with less than three dollars. This is the least we've ever had.Today a payment of $230 is due for our van and we will soon owe another $50 for car insurance. I have been praying daily that this money would come in from somewhere and that a brother in Christ would send the money he had promised. Oh how I want to glorify the Lord by showing that He keeps His promises and His word is true. My question to Him is, am I doing His will?

November 21
We still have not made our van payment and only have $1.85 left in or bank account, but I still praise Lord Jesus! He has not rewarded us with riches but with the privilege for my wife to share the entire Gospel with a fellow climber. Thank you for that opportunity Jesus On top of that we received $50 from a credit card reward program I submitted a few days ago. This $50 arrived no sooner and no later than it was needed. Also, the Lord was gracious enough to move a friend to drop off extra fruit and vegetables that she didn't need. Our needs are continually met in ways we could not have imagined.

November 26
Are needs continue to be met. The $50 covered gas and food for one week, Bethany was blessed to work a few days and the Lord provided a buyer for my old snowboard. This gives us enough money to pay our car insurance, phone bill and purchase food for a few weeks. God has also moved my parents to offer to pay for the entire Thanksgiving dinner.

November 30
It is now two days after Thanksgiving. A day meant to thank the Lord for meeting our needs through another season. Yet, today, I feel more convicted of my greed than thankful for what I "need." There are men, women and children who would be thankful to eat just one meal on Thanksgiving, but here we are indulging in every desire of our bellies and have the audacity to thank God. What are we thanking the Lord for? The ability to satisfy our glutinous ways? The resources that God gives us are not meant to satisfy our worldly desires but to glory God alone.

December 18
Calvin made a connection for me with a brother in Bishop who had the same dream I have, to open a hostel for rock climbers. I will continue to pray that Bishop and the hostel is where God is leading me and not a trick of my own selfish desires.

December 23
Roughly $10 left this morning. Was blessed to give some gifts today to family and get some gifts from family. We gave half of our remaining money to New Hope Fellowship today.
Matthew 6:25 states, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" This promise by God takes new meaning today. My clothes are falling apart and we must add up every penny when buying food, but I am not worried because the Lord has provided and will provide. I have contributed out of my poverty and not our of my wealth. I have faith and believe in God's promises. "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put everything she had, all she had to live on. (Mark 12:43-44)

December 24
Yesterday we had only $10 left but today we received a gift of $100. I prayed yesterday morning that the Lord would offer a large gift to confirm that we are to be living as we are, seeking His kingdom first. Bethany is now feeling much better during this pregnancy. Another confirmation of Jesus' promises, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who knocks it will be given." (Matthew 7: 7-8)

December 28
Bethany was blessed with the opportunity to work for the next three days. This small income will help cover bills for January and the start of the collection of money to get on the road again.

January 2
Snow! I have been praying for a large snowstorm that would allow me to do some work shoveling snow for some income. A storm finally arrived allowing me to work and earn over $200. This, combined with the money Bethany earned, is enough to get us back on the road. Bethany's grandparents have also blessed us by offering to fill the gas tank in our RV. The Lord continues to bless us from unsuspecting sources and unsuspecting times. My heart yearns to be on the road again doing the Lord's work. I don't know where our income will come from on the road but God does, and this fact calms me.

January 8
"And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments." (1 John 2:3) Why are we able to control ourselves in a workplace, obeying every command given to us by our superior, for eight hours or more, but we cannot do the same for the commands of the one true God? If we were paid any amount we desired to follow God's commands every waking hour could we do it? I should be able to... Jesus give me strength.

January 14
"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has over come the world - our faith." (1 John 5:4)
If one walks how the world walks, talks how the world talks, believes what the world believes and has faith in that of the world, have they overcome the world? And the more important question, have they been born of God? The good Lord tells us that the victory that has overcome the world is our faith. What is your faith in? Is it in worldly promises from insurance companies, retirement plans and government agencies? The world tells us if we set money aside today that our needs will be met in the future. The Lord tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and all of our needs will be met. Which do you believe?

January 17
What a scare we had two days ago! Bethany, who is pregnant, started bleeding fairly heavy during the late evening. We were forced to go to the ER, with no insurance, to make sure everything was okay. Thank the Lord that everything appeared normal and there was no miscarriage. There is still a risk of miscarriage and our prayers go to the Lord for the continued health of Bethany and the new baby. We also ask the Lord that he provides for us to cover the cost of the hospital bill. We have nothing but faith in our Lord because He has always provided for us and will provide for this cost as well.

January 18
How great and perfect is our God! We decided to get on the road again in three days without having the funds needed to cover the gas to get to Texas, relying only on the promise that God would provide as we seek His will and His kingdom. We did not tell anyone when we would leave or that we didn't have the funds to get to our destination, we simply asked that God's will be done. Within this week alone Bethany's grandparents have fuflfilled their promise of filling our gas tank in the RV, we received a donation of $200 and another anonymous donation of $500. This gives us the exact amount needed to cover gas to Texas. God is perfect and His plan always plays out to perfection. Thank you Jesus.

January 21
More snow! Another opportunity to shovel snow and make some extra income to cover our expenses. The Lord has provided us with much more than we need for our traveling and living expenses. I delight to share that I do not serve a hard master.

After reading the autobiography of George Muller, a book filled with the diary entries and story of a man who, after being saved by God, believed every word of the bible and sought to glorify God by asking only the Lord for his needs, I have decided to do the same. George Muller went from being a poor man barely getting by daily, to raising enough support to purchase land and build an orphanage to house over 1000 orphans, all by asking God alone for his needs. I too believe every word of the bible, every word God and Jesus speak and every word of the epistles. I have the same goal as George Muller, to glorify God and prove to everyone, follower of Christ or not, that you can believe and are required to believe every word of God. God alone is sufficient and He has kept and still keeps all of His promises.

I believe Romans 13:8 when it states to "owe no one anything." In believing this I cut up all of my credit cards, returned my van to the bank that had the loan and refuse to finance anything in the future.

January 30
"...just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:33) What a noble statement and way to live. I pray that God empowers me to not seek my own advantage but that of others.

February 4
Bethany was bleeding again today. Please Jesus, protect her and our new baby. Let your will be done.

February 5
If one can tell a homosexual or murderer or rapist that they are going to hell because they know their actions are a sin yet continue in that sin, then the same must apply to wealth. The dangers of wealth are warned about more than adultery and homosexuality, yet ignored by many. I say to you that keeping the resources that God gives you is as much a sin as anything else. It is faith in a worldly item and not God. It is idolatry of materials and not our God.
Our goal with our time on the world that God created is to glorify His name. If you are not living and working for Christ than you do not believe His words. We are pilgrims who cannot claim ownership of anything. All that we have is provided by God for His purpose. All things of the world will fade away after we die.
If you keep what the Lord has provided you for His glory, and trust it more than Him, and have faith in it more than His words and put it on a pedestal above the Lord than you are committing idolatry.

February 12
We grow accustomed to seeing or hearing certain things that after a while they no longer seem special or miraculous, then we cease to even see them as they become common occurrences. I believe this happens most often with God's work and blessings. We have been continually blessed daily that I often neglect to give praise out loud or on paper. Jesus, please forgive me for not giving you and you alone the glory for all things.

February 13
Left on the road again from Texas to Oklahoma. We didn't quite have enough money to get us to Oklahoma but the Lord always provides for those who do His work. The very night we left we decided to go to a bible study to see some brothers and sisters in Christ before we left. While there we graciously received some unexpected support that covered all of our expenses traveling to Oklahoma. God never ceases to surprise me and show me that He alone is in charge and has a plan.

February 20
Praise God! We have arrived in Bishop, Ca.

February 21
How great is our God! He has answered prayers within one day! We arrived here with total faith in the Lord that He would lay out His plan and provide for our needs. We had no place to park the RV, not enough support to cover the cost to park at an RV park and no source of income. God provided for all of our needs in one instant. I am just blown away at the grace of God. After one day of praying the Lord blessed us with the greatest opportunity to be fruitful in His work, as camp hosts at the Pit campground, the most popular campground for rock climbers. This is the perfect opportunity to serve rock climbers.

February 25
Met and climbed with an amazing climber from Germany two days ago. She seemed to have total faith in the world and not in the Lord. She was leaving Bishop and hitchhiking to Utah with complete faith that she would make it there with no problems. This is a common occurrence in dirtbag climbers, complete faith that their needs will be met but no deep thought in how or why. There is no glory given to the Lord for providing for them. I was like this in the past. I knew I would be okay in every situation but never thought about who was responsible. I glorified myself in having such a laid-back mindset. Now I know it is the Lord's actions and not my own that guides my life. I pray that this climber turns toward the Lord and gives glory where glory is due.

March 2
We were finally able to purchase a new vehicle yesterday. Again, God has answered our prayers in a greater way than we could have imagined and in a timely manner. We see this van as a blessing from God for His ministry. It is large enough to transport our family, including our upcoming new member, and serve climbers with transportation to and from climbing areas. We have been here a little over one week and the Lord has provided us with shelter, in a place to park the RV; provisions for our family, as camp hosts we receive a very small income for our time; a local church family; close Godly friends; a vehicle and much more than I know. I urge you to make yourself a living sacrifice to our King and savior and He will keep His promises.

March 5
Our needs have been met daily, much more than ever before, mainly from our tax refund. Is it selfish to use that money for our needs? We had needs that we met but we could have done without some things and used the money to bless others. If I believe God's words and promises I should have given that money away and had faith that He would still provide for us. I will pray that God moves me to give up that money next year for our ministry and for others.

March 8
A women recently got in touch with us by email. She and her husband used to live in Bishop and had the same vision we have for a hostel. Their lives carried on, they moved away and their goals changed. She mentioned that she was given a sum of money for this hostel and thought about us when she remembered it. I will pray that the Lord guides her hand with the placement of that money.

March 12
God continues to provide for us. We have food, we have clothing, we have shelter and little to no needs for ourselves. I pray that today we have at least one person here for our bible study.

I pray for Bethany today. Being pregnant and taking care of three children is a hard job. I pray that the Lord gives her guidance, patience and a content heart.

March 23
Six days ago we didn't have enough money for another full week of food but I did not lose faith in our Lord. The more time that passes as I ask only the Lord for our needs the greater my trust and faith in Him becomes. He did not fail us on that day. That exact day, a few hours before leaving town for a week, someone inquired about and purchased our old unused bunk bed. This supplied the exact amount we needed for the next week. And again today someone inquired about my old motorcycle helmet and purchased it. Without specifically asking God to provide he has brought support for the next few weeks.

March 25
I ask the Lord again for direction. I have an opportunity to work with a brother in Christ but our directions seem to differ. He is exceptional at what he does and I know we can be fruitful together. I will take this to the Lord.