A heavy heart.....

It is with a heavy heart that  I sit here and write this out.  This has been a week of ups and downs, moments that make me want to throw in the towel and moments that push me to do more, to be stronger, and never give up.

I have been in my office for the past couple hours enjoying a "Pumpkin Pie Spice" candle (if you want one I have the hook up), a hot cup of Dutch Bros Coffee (only in the western US, visit and I will treat you to one), and prepping for Teen Night.  All that sounds and is amazing but my hear is still heavy, as I sit here I can hear a still small voice and it is saying "It is okay, your heart breaks for what breaks mine and all I ask is that you don'y give up keep fighting for what is mine."  That loosened up the tear ducts a bit.

 As I mentioned above there have been some ups and downs.  A few that I will share with you are Stephanie and I recently celebrated 8 years of marriage, we got to enjoy a night out last evening no kids just the two of us (thanks KARI MILLER), another is Madison our soon to be 5 year old has been begging to go on a date with daddy (just like mom) and that will be happening tomorrow.  Madison has it all planned out and knows exactly what she wants to do Chik-Fil-A, Costco, Nami (vegan bakery), and the Mall (did I mention she is only 5).  Some other exciting things are we have a yard full of green grass, neighbors that are amazing, and most importantly a Savior that promises to never leave us or forsake us!

Now for the heavy heart; all the above lifts it up but it still hearts for others who need Jesus.  A few weeks ago a young guy that I have been working with was arrested for the second time in a month and a half.  This young man is one that I had the privilege of helping baptize this summer as well as create some very meaningful memories over the past couple of months.  Due to his current charges the road ahead looks very rocky and very difficult and it breaks my heart.  It breaks my heart when young people that we have been working with for a while leave little to no room for God in their life.  My heart breaks when I see brokenness in young peoples lives; when I see them searching in all the wrong places and the answer is right under their nose. It is very easy to let all this get to me and bring my spirit down and cause me to feel like I have failed but my faith is in someone who never fails, who never leaves my side, and who always loves.  I know I haven't failed I know we are continuing to do what God has called us to do and that is share the Gospel with young people here in downtown PHX.

Please keep Stephanie, Madison, Carter, myself, and Aim Right in your prayers as we continue to reach out to young people.

Check out Psalm 136
 

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew[a] Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;

17 to him who struck down great kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
18 and killed mighty kings,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
20 and Og, king of Bashan,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
21 and gave their land as a heritage,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
22 a heritage to Israel his servant,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
24 and rescued us from our foes,
    for his steadfast love endures forever;
25 he who gives food to all flesh,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.

Your Last Cup of Coffee.........

I know it has been a while since we last posted on here, this is proving to be more difficult than I had originally thought.  All that aside things are going great for the Reed's here in PHX.  The past couple of months have been busy but a blast, they have consisted of birthday parties, Bible Studies, Kids Klubs, Teen Nights, hiking trips, fall parties, and half marathons.

Recently we spent a week at a resort in Scottsdale for a mini family stay-cation.  We had a blast spending some quality time together as a family, we got to hang out by the pool, play putt-putt golf, and eat lots of ice cream.  As with any vacation there is a little bit of shock when you enter back into reality but Stephanie and I look back and know that God used that time to help us continue to grow as husband and wife and as a family.

Today I want to challenge every person that takes time to read this post.  Recently I was talking with one of our Pastors from City of Grace a local Church in Downtown PHX that Stephanie and I are a part of and he left me with some encouraging words.  I am rewording it a little to help paint a picture of how it looks for me.
Imagine with me that you were sitting down for one last cup of coffee (I love coffee, the darker the better) with your best friend, brother/sister, mom/dad, a non-believer, you fill in the blank.  Upon sitting down with this person you know that it is going to be a long time till you see them again and there is a possibility that you may never see them again.  What would you talk about?  How would you approach that last sit down to coffee?  For me and probably most of us it is easy to answer that question ahead of time, it is easy to think I am going to pass on as much knowledge and wisdom to them as possible.  When we get into the actual conversation if we are not intentional about every moment we have with that person we may miss an opportunity that God has placed right in front of us.  An opportunity to share the Gospel, to Encourage, and to speak life and truth into that individual.  Paul in 2 Corinthians 6 says "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."  Later in the NT James tells us in James 4:13-17 that our life is just a mist that appears and then vanishes, he says we don't even know what will happen tomorrow.  Is this how we approach every day and more particular every person we meet?  When Pastor Jon shared with me that he looks at every opportunity as possibly the last that he can share the Gospel. encourage, and speak what the Spirit leads him to speak it made me look at my own life.  Do I actually do that?  Do I take advantage of every opportunity?  Since our conversation I can definitely say that I am working on this and trying my best to take advantage of every opportunity God sends my way.  I don't write this to point a finger at anyone, I write to encourage and challenge each one of us that if we approach life this way that God will open up the Heavens and pour His love and grace out one each person.  If we approach life in this way we will see lives transformed, relationships restored, bondage's broken, and the list could go on.  Isaiah 55:11 (read the whole chapter) says: so is my word that goes from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.


We pray that this is as encouraging to you as it has been to us, have a great week and know that God's Spirit is living inside of you to go with you through every part of life.  Know that God has called each one of you to build His Kingdom, it is only by His strength and grace that we can even begin to do this.  Check out this video in closing.