We are a Community FOR the Kingdom!

Genesis 50:20You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Psalm 34:17 “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.”

Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Two weeks ago today, this specific area of our city suffered from part of a tornado that traveled 17 miles. In it’s path were churches, schools, homes, businesses, day cares, traffic lights, and more.  As a result, thousands were left without power.  Hundreds with damage to their homes, including trees through the center of them. Dozens flooded out.  ALL were left in shock. “That doesn’t happen here”, as so many have said.

 

 

At MissionFiT, we teach our athletes from the ‘getgo’ the true meaning of fitness. That meaning is not to have a certain pant size.  It’s not to have bigger biceps.  It’s most definitely NOT to look a certain way.  The Bible does not teach these things.  These are the tales that built Madison Avenue, advertising designed to play on what we think we want from life.  Consequently, how we will look and feel if we try this diet plan or buy this exercise video DVD plan has nothing to do with fitness.  MissionFiT athletes believe “fitness” is:

F aithful

I n

T raining

…so you can be fit for the mission the Lord lays before you.

 

…….

This month, The Lord allowed a “big one” to be laid in front of us.  Our little town of Matthews was destroyed and needed help.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

 

 

On Thursday, everyone watched as severe thunderstorms and an F-1 tornado carved paths through area neighborhoods. However, Friday was another story.  School had been cancelled, several businesses closed and the winds remained high. We shut down the gym on Friday and decide to take our athletes into the field for a practical application of why they show up day in and day out,  training so hard.  Families and individuals from 5 years old to 65 years old raised their (virtual) hands and said “Yes, I’ll help”.

Our team learned of damage to a friend’s parents’ home on Route 51.  Every single tree in their front and back yard was uprooted…and we’re not talking small trees. Eight to ten foot circumference tree trunks had ripped up a concrete driveway and destroyed a metal fence. So, our team starts here.  Even so, as the day went on more needs cropped up.

 

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.”

We divided our team between a few homes in one area and went to work. Lord knows how many dead-lifts, shoulder presses, rows, axe swings, and farmer-carrys were accumulated that day. With a coach at each location keeping one eye open assuring athletes were moving safely, we could walk away sore and tired but built up from the tribe effort. We could also be encouraged that we had served these families in such a time of need. God’s team made a difference! Pant size never mattered nor bicep circumference. But training functional movement prior this event DID!

WE are a Community FOR the Kingdom!

Loving Our Neighbors

Our teams helped several families over the next week.  Still, there’s one highlight story to tell. The ‘lemons to lemonade’ story.  While we trudged through one yard to get to another, a seasoned couple came running to us asking if we were there to help them.   And if not, how could they get on our list. With more than a dozen large trees down, it was clear they needed help, too. I said, “give me 20 minutes to get the first team set up and I’ll be back”.  When I went back to tour the damage and assess needs, this sweet couple was clearly in shock after this event.   They were frozen in their tracks.  As part of our 101 course, we teach stress management: Fight, Flight or Freeze!

Sunday night, this was our Facebook post:

Have you ever moved? Was it a stressful event?
Have you ever done a major renovation? Was it a stressful event?
Have you ever endured a traumatic event? Was it stressful? Did it send your body into a bit of a shock and brain fog?
Have you ever had a financial hiccup that you wondered how you would ever pay for that?

What IF I told you in about 10 seconds you were about to:
-experience a traumatic event
-move
-do a major renovation
…all for time on the clock!

Cancel anything you had on the books for the next 10-15 days. You’ll eventually catch up on life.
I need you to make about 10 major decisions over the next 3 hours and some will be financial.
And, by the way, I will collect a minimum of 25K from you in the next 48 hours. Let me know how you want to pay. Don’t worry, if you don’t have the money sitting around, I have good interest rates.

Here’s the reality people. #Naturaldisasters are real. And for the home owner going through it, it’s even more real. Insurance adjusters do not come quickly. You’re often on a LONG waiting list…And not everything is always covered.

Don’t assume every #neighbor is taken care of and fine. ASK! The worst (best) thing they can say is “yes, we’re good”.

WHAT Do We Do?

When we first assessed the needs, this sweet woman looked, with tears in her eyes, and said,”What do we do?”
I smiled back, hugged her and said “It’s gonna be alright. We won’t leave leave you. But I’m gonna need some plastic bags.  Can you find those?”  A little task to lighten to the mood, some assurance of support, and they were ready to move to “fight” mode. Throughout the weekend, there were bouts of tears with the weight of it all. At one point when there was just no room to lay anything else in the family room upstairs, she mustered up, “There was one time I had to tell someone that God turns lemons into lemonade. I just never thought I’d have to have someone else reminding me of this.” From then on, we knew we needed to stay committed to walking through this journey with them… to the end.

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.”

I drove to their home the next morning.  The radio played Elevation’s “Victory” song.  To me, that song acted as a reminder to watch Christ’s activity through a new friendship…turning lemons into lemonade.

WE are a Community FOR the Kingdom!

Then the next morning my son made this in Sunday school…more reminders to share with this wonderful couple.

WE are a Community FOR the Kingdom!

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

WE are a Community FOR the Kingdom!

Fourty-three people came together to help this couple….from several churches in the city.  They were removing a tree from the HVAC unit and cutting, chopping, and bringing limbs to the road.   They were finding and repairing the root of a leaky sink from the storm, and gutting an entire flooded basement full of stuff.

God’s Army showed up. The love and care that this couple felt through this experience was immense. They have thanked our team over and over – not that we needed that – but it’s good to know that they felt cared for and supported through this traumatic event.
WE are a Community FOR the Kingdom!
WE are a Community FOR the Kingdom!

So, THIS is MissionFiT.   We are an army of believers training hard day in day out, stewarding our temples well, serving in the Kingdom! Whether that mission is keeping up with 3 kiddos, full time ministry, care-taker, doctor, or “carrying your neighbor’s burdens (or tree logs ;))” through a natural disaster, WE are a community FOR the Kingdom.