Out of My Comfort Zone

Let me just say I love Adopt-a-Block! It is one of those things that I really do look forward to, on most days. Why do I love it so much? As much as it is about simple joy from serving the community and loving on people, Adopt-a-Block is all about sacrificing the flesh and giving my life up to God. I do not necessarily enjoy waking up before ten on my day off. It is not exciting to ride on a bus packed full of people soaked by the downpour.

Every Saturday is a growing experience, whether that be because I have to get out of my comfy bed when I REALLY don’t want to or because I have to go outside my comfort zone and talk to a complete stranger. Every Saturday I come back a little bit different, a little more stretched, a little more broken.

This last week I did not go to my usual site, instead I went out to the Skid Row Hotels site to help there. Being in a completely unfamiliar place I was in no way within my comfort zone. I wound up simply tagging along with a few normal volunteers as they went to their regular floor.

With each knock I felt like I was on the edge of my seat in an action movie. You never know who is behind the door. Sometimes you hear a small shuffle then a slight crack opens up to reveal a pair of eyes peering out at you. As you hand them a drink and ask them how they are doing, you smell the stank of rooms not cleaned in far too long. Many simply say thank you and close the door. Others will open up and tell you of their lives, explaining how their week was and allow you to pray for them.

It is these small five-minute conversations that the light of Jesus is shined into these dark single-room apartments. As we would stand in a circle in that narrow hallway praying for these people, I cannot help but see the joy on their faces.

Every time I go out with any ministry, I am reminded that this is not a microwave outreach, this is a crock-pot ministry. It takes time and energy to be able to see the results, but if you are willing to put that consistency in with the people here, God will use your efforts to bring in the harvest for Himself.

Matthew 9:37-38(NIV)

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

-Joel