From the Desk of Melissa Reinert…

“And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.’” Genesis 2:18

One of the first dilemmas faced by mankind was loneliness.

In Genesis 2:18, the Lord Himself said it was not good for Adam to be alone. The Lord recognized Adam’s need for companionship, not only with Him, but also with a friend, a help mate, another human being like him. So, God created Eve.

And Adam’s response is so beautiful. He said, according to verse 23 of Genesis 2: “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh…” This was the start of a relationship, not only the companionship between a husband and wife, but also human to human.

Relationships are essential to relational beings, like God’s children. As the old adage says: “Two heads are better than one.” We naturally thrive off each other.

In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 King Solomon says: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

And in Proverbs 27:17, he writes: “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

The early church and today’s church thrive on fellowship. Paul throws out a warning in Hebrews 10:25 to not forsake the assembly of ourselves. Instead, we are to strongly encourage one another. Paul goes on to note that it’s even more important to do this as we see “the Day approaching.” He’s speaking of Christ’s return, which we are closer to than other generation of believers.

Relationship is biblical. It’s practical. It’s necessary. For the next several weeks we are going to embark on a study of relationship, delving into the Word, reviewing the biblical standards for the various types we experience in our lives. Stay tuned.

“Exceptional,” said STORM Chaplain Lynn…

“That is the first word that comes to mind when I think of Ricardo. Since day one he has shown up to truly be a blessing to those we serve at the gym. Through volunteering he has now earned his membership and we’re praying that God would continue to send servant leaders like Ricardo to help us fulfill the vision of seeing transformed lives!”

Ricardo, 32, came to Lord’s Gym Ministries in Price Hill by chance. He was walking by and wanted to “check it (The Family Activity Center) out.”

“I was hooked,” he said.

Ricardo started coming over the summer and can’t believe the wonderful friendships he has made so far.

“Lord’s Gym is a great place,” he said. “It’s the safest place in Price Hill. I enjoy most the friends I’ve made. It’s a fun place too. I like to play ping pong here.”

 He said he enjoys volunteering to clean and help however he can because “volunteering is important. It keeps me out of trouble. Also, I like helping out and making a difference.”

 Chaplain Valerie said that she enjoys Ricardo’s company and appreciates his willingness to always “jump in and help.”

“Ricardo is the first to pick up a rag, pick up the broom or mop,” she said. “Ricardo does this daily and without ever being asked if he would. He is an amazing example for all who enter Lord’s Gym Ministries doors. We need more Ricardos in the world.”

From Melissa Reinert…

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

A few weeks ago, Scott and several adult leaders guided a group of four young men, ages 14 to 17, on an eight-day, 353-mile trip from Pittsburg to Washington D.C. The experience is dubbed the Resiliency Ride.

It was an amazing trip, and I had the pleasure of speaking with the kids a few times along the way and report on our blog their thoughts and experiences.

One thing has stuck out in my mind about the trip. That is the reward of rain and resiliency.

Resiliency is the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

Early in the ride, the Resiliency Riders were met with a downpour. The rain made for some muddy trails which created many challenges. They powered through.

The reward, yes, of course the power of knowing they can do anything they put their minds to. And, of course, knowing that the Lord is with them, seeing them through. But also, some fantastic moments zipping down a natural water slide!

This was one of the top moments for all the boys. They repeatedly slid down with happy smiles, bumping against rocks, and getting bruised, but as one Resiliency Rider said: “It was all worth it.” That slide down was AMAZING!

The thing that strikes me is without the rain, they wouldn’t have had such a great experience. Without the rain there wouldn’t have been enough water to send them shooting down the natural water slide. With the rain came great challenges, but also a great reward.

This is a good reminder that the “rain” that pours into our lives may present us with challenges; but it’s also setting us up for something great. It may be hard to get through the muck and mud, but we must keep going. We must withstand and recover. When we do, we’re going to be prepared for a great reward, something even more amazing than zipping down a natural water slide. So, let it rain!

From the Learning Center…

This summer the kids in the afterschool program participated in a different activity each day of the week. Tuesdays were set aside for Community Service.

They worked with Revive City Church on various projects which included stacking wood, cleaning up trash in the parks and pulling weeds.

“We wanted to do community service activities because we want to teach that serving others is important and should be done with a happy heart,” said Bailey Family Activity Center Learning Center Coordinator.

The kids have worked hard at the tasks they’ve been given.

Chloe, 10, said “It’s been fun.”

“If you volunteer you are rewarded,” she said. “It feels good to help.”

According to research form the University of Nevada, community service helps children and teens learn to respect others; learn to be helpful and kind; learn to understand people who are different; develop leadership skills, become more patient, and better understand of citizenship.

From the Desk of Melissa Reinert…

“Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” Proverbs 17:27-28

I’ll always remember the scene in the animated classic Bambi where the adorable young bunny Thumper shares a timeless piece of advice.

Replying to his mother’s heeding: “Thumper, what did your father tell you?” He replies, ever so sweetly: “If you don’t have somethin’ nice to say, don’t say nuthin’ at all.”

It’s a cute moment in a precious child’s film, but it’s also scripturally sound.

Proverbs 17:27 says, “whoever restrains his words has knowledge…” We should be careful with what comes from our mouths. And keep a high standard for our talk.

These past several months through our devotional series we have been exploring our culture at Lord’s Gym Ministries. A final component of that is the phrase: “No blaming, complaining or defending,” or no BCD. You’ll find this phrase posted in both our Family Activity Center in Price Hill and our Covington gym.

No BCD is a true embodiment of our culture and the transformation we hope to see in our friends’ lives.

No BCD requires pause, discipline over default, intentionality and follow through or doing the work.

So often we find ourselves in some sort of predicament or snare. Our initial reaction is to vocally place blame. When we do that, we are not being good stewards of our words and we create division among God’s people and disrupting the fulfillment of the Lord’s purpose for our lives. Proverbs 16:27-28 says: “A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.”

 So, no blaming.

 Another knee jerk reaction is to complain. But Philippians 2: 14-16 says, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.”

 Finally, there should also be no defending. Take ownership of the circumstance, buckle down, and do the work to make a change. This applies to you personally, as well as those around you who you are an example to. If you see someone out of line with the scriptures, gently correct them.

Let’s look at Matthew 18:15-17: “If your brother sins against you, go, and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.”

To live BCD free, you gotta do the work. It’s hard. It’s also rewarding. Get to it!

They Made It…

Tez, 13, of Price Hill is feeling “pretty proud.” He and his fellow Resiliency Riders just finished 335 plus miles traveling by bike from Pittsburg to Washington D.C.

“It’s been so fun,” Tez said on Saturday night after pedaling through D.C. catching some great historic sites like the Washington Monument and the White House.

For Madden, 14, it was “a dream come true.” One of the main reasons he decided to the Resiliency Ride this summer was to be able to see the White House in person.

“It was smaller than what I thought,” he said. “No bullet holes like in the movies and there were no helicopters on the room or tanks in the field. But I still liked it.”

Poptart, 17, said it was “pretty fun,” biking through D.C. on a Saturday afternoon and that he enjoyed most seeing the Washington Monument.

All the riders were a bit tired on Saturday, after completing their journey and relishing in their reward of scenic and historical views. The 335 plus miles were a challenge. However, they all pushed through, and God showed up.

“I’ve learned a lot on this trip,” Poptart said. “The biggest thing I learned is that you can do anything if you try hard enough. If you put everything you have into something you like or want to do, you can get it done.”

According to Poptart, God showed up for him every time he was about to give up.

“Right when I’d had enough, it ended up being our break time,” he said. “It was always perfect timing. We’d stop for snacks and drinks and it just fueld my energy and I was able to get back on my bike and push on.”

Madden said that at the end of the ride he started slowing down, but when he learned they were just five miles from the Whitehouse, he started speeding up again.

“God gave me my motivation,” Madden said. “He helped me get through all of it. That’s how He showed up for me. I learned that whenever you think you can’t do something, you just try hard, trust God and you’ll make it through.”

That was a major takeaway for Tez too. Tez’s favorite things about the Resiliency Ride was having the opportunity to get to know more about God and grow closer to Him. The ride was a true challenge, as is life, but Tez learned with God, He can make it through anything.

“God always showed up,” Tez said. “He got me through this trip. That’s pretty amazing.”

Update from Scott…

Experiencing History…

From Scott Bowers (Free Bird)…

From Scott Bowers (Free Bird)…