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Ep #179 - Citygate Recap: Part 2 · Our Community, Our Mission

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day and your blessings and provisions.
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: God just thank you for this time to record this podcast And Lord, thank you for all our listeners.
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: Pray that they would be blessed by this conversation and that their hearts would be called to action.
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: Father, in Jesus' name, we pray, amen.
• 0:23
  Speaker 2: Hello everyone.
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: This is Amanda Broyles, the executive director here at the Tpeeka Rescue Mission, and we are so thankful that you are joining us on episode 179 of Our Community, our Mission 179, ms Miriam Craple.
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: Good morning Good morning.
• 0:40
  Speaker 3: How are you?
• 0:41
  Speaker 3: I am wonderful, yes, just wonderful, are you really?
• 0:45
  Speaker 3: Well, you know, i'm wonderful.
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: Do you want to tell people how you started your day off or not?
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: You?
• 0:52
  Speaker 3: know, amanda, i really want people to have a really good impression of you, so I'm not going to share that.
• 0:57
  Speaker 3: You scared me, got it.
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: Okay.
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: And I screamed like a little girl Okay, we won't tell people about that.
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: That I almost didn't give you the treat because it almost flew into the air.
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: You know, i know, but, miriam, today is actually World Day of Music, and so really, i knew that if I just gave you an opportunity to maybe scream your voice was so beautiful it would just make music, and that's how I wanted us to start off our day.
• 1:23
  Speaker 3: Wow, wow, you're speechless.
• 1:27
  Speaker 3: Yes, i do that sometimes to people.
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: Actually, i'm filtering, i'm glad that you've learned that.
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, that was a brilliant lie that you just told.
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: I know.
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: I know I'm going to have to ask for forgiveness.
• 1:41
  Speaker 3: You are.
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: But another thing that is today is National Selfie Day.
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: So real quick, the people that are around this table I want us to all say it in unison When you think of the most professional selfie taker we know that does it all the time What is her name?
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: on the count of three?
• 2:01
  Speaker 2: One, two, three, hailey.
• 2:03
  Speaker 3: Hailey.
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: Sure, and so we actually have Hailey on the podcast this morning, and so we'll be talking to her in just a moment.
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: But if you have spent about 10 seconds with Hailey, most likely you have taken a selfie with her.
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: So today, hailey, we celebrate not only National Selfie Day, we also celebrate you for being that national selfie taker of all of us, so we've got some good stuff.
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: If you listened to, last week, we actually did a part one to talking about our CityGate Network conference, which Merriam and I will kind of dive into an explanation of that again, just in case you missed that episode, but I would recommend you listening to that.
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: We had an incredible group.
• 2:43
  Speaker 2: They talked about their experience, and now this is part two, where it's the same experience but different people, and so we'll be diving into that.
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: But first, merriam, are there any kind of announcements that you are wanting listeners to know about?
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: Well, i know we want to get right into this podcast, so I'll keep it brief, but one of the things that we're really thinking about now, as the weather is getting warm rather quickly I know that tomorrow or the day after or sometime is because maybe it's actually today is the first day of summer and the temperatures are rising, and so we are needing things like water and liquids that have electrolytes in them, or pedialyte popsicles anything that we can utilize then to really help our unsheltered neighbors.
• 3:26
  Speaker 3: Yes, as these temperatures go up, i heard that in the south not too far south, just in Texas their heat index is already forecasted to be 115, 120 degrees, which is brutal.
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: Yes, And we're just middle June And we're yeah, we're, yeah, barely, and so it's definitely a time when we need to be thinking about those things and increasing our stock and our inventory of all of those items.
• 3:52
  Speaker 3: So if people have the opportunity to donate, that it would be wonderful.
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, and if people feel like they want to help or do what, are the ways that you recommend them doing?
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: that So they could buy the product and take it to our distribution center at 401 Northwest Norris.
• 4:06
  Speaker 3: They could go online at Amazon and have it shipped to us at 401 Northwest Norris.
• 4:12
  Speaker 3: They could donate money so that we can buy those products, and they can do that online at trmonlineorg and just hit the give now button and be able to designate monies to this cause.
• 4:28
  Speaker 3: So there's a variety of different ways.
• 4:30
  Speaker 3: Maybe they want to do a drive that lots of people would collect stuff and then they could bring it over and we could take a picture with them and let them know how much we appreciate what they're doing, because every little bit helps.
• 4:41
  Speaker 2: You know and I sometimes we hear like Christmas in July and things like that, and I think that that's something that someone could do too And just be doing that as a way to collect items that we need, and we would very humbly accept those and put them to good use almost immediately, oh, absolutely, absolutely Well.
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: Thank you for that, miriam, and we just want to thank you in advance.
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: If you have just been a supporter of us whether that is supporting us through prayer, supporting us through giving, supporting us through resources or time we thank you.
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: There's not one day that goes by that we are not truly in awe about what all God does and what all he is able to do through his people, because so many people just constantly show up and it's always at the perfect time.
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: So thank you for those who have supported us, and if you're thinking about it now, we thank you for even considering it, and if you are one that blesses us in the next few days with items, we want to thank you about that as well.
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: So enough of that a little bit.
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: Now we're going to dive into the City Gate Network conference.
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: So City Gate Network is an association that over 300 rescue missions belong to, and it's really just kind of a backbone association.
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: They have tons of resources for us.
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: We're able to do different networking groups depending on what our positions are here.
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: They are constantly keeping up with the latest trends and data tracking, and it's just an incredible organization to be a part of, and every year they do an annual conference.
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: And so, miriam, we kind of talked a little bit last week about just what's so remarkable about this time, and you and I both talked a little bit about there's just power in the numbers that are there and just this collective heart.
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: So, just in case we had some listeners that maybe didn't tap into last week's episode, just talk about that, talk about the numbers and just what it feels like when we're all in that same room.
• 6:41
  Speaker 3: Well, you know, lemanda, i think that sometimes we can feel like we're in this work alone.
• 6:45
  Speaker 3: We always have the Lord, but it's tough work.
• 6:49
  Speaker 3: It's hard work.
• 6:50
  Speaker 3: We see a lot of things that are difficult to see.
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: Every day We see brokenness, but then when you go to the conference and you are with 1200 more people that are experiencing the same thing, that see the same things we do, and you have the opportunity to learn together and worship together and just lean on each other in different ways, there is just a feeling there that is almost indescribable, because you do feel very much surrounded and held up, because you know people know.
• 7:25
  Speaker 3: They know.
• 7:26
  Speaker 3: They know what we're experiencing, they know what we face every single day, and so we can learn so much.
• 7:33
  Speaker 3: We can be supportive as well as getting support.
• 7:36
  Speaker 3: So it's just an amazing, amazing experience, and I think that in every one of the situations, especially in the general sessions, the Holy Spirit just shows up.
• 7:46
  Speaker 3: Right, he just shows up And you see people reacting to the Spirit in very different ways.
• 7:52
  Speaker 3: Some people are filled with joy, some people are taken to their knees you know.
• 7:58
  Speaker 3: So you just you see all of it and you feel a camaraderie that I'm not sure I've ever experienced in any other venue.
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: I agree, and it's almost like in those moments whether it's that you know they're making the announcements and there's the silliness and just kind of fun to the speakers that are addressing us with just incredible deep topics, that we could go around this table and there was a theme of the talk but God used it in very different ways for all of us, From that to the worship.
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: It is just an incredible experience.
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: And I found myself especially I mean I know this is a shock to everybody around the table, but I don't stop a lot And so having that hour to two hours in those sessions where you're surrounded by 1200 other believers and 1200 other people who are in this fight of making their communities better, but doing it in a way that is also so compassionate to the individual, there's just beauty in that.
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: And then when you take it a step further and you realize what Courtney's walking away with is so precious and it's touched her heart and I walked away being touched and it's so precious in a total different way, and to me that is what explains that we have a good, good father.
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: He tailors it, he takes it, he then gives us exactly what we need.
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: And so I found myself so many times just thinking I wish I could just pause, because I don't normally stop, and I felt like God was telling me to stop, to be still, to just be in him.
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: But it was also such a beautiful experience.
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: I just thought I wish I could just pause it right now and just soak it all in, reflect, make sure I have it all in my notes and then start it up again.
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: So it's beautiful, it's exciting to be able to take this podcast and hear just some amazing hearts.
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: I love dearly the people that are seated around this table right now.
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: They are precious to the Lord, they are precious to me, their supervisors and precious to TRM.
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: So we'll just kind of go around and if you'll introduce yourself, just your name and your department, then I'm gonna kind of dive in and we're gonna start talking about our experience, courtney.
• 10:22
  Speaker 5: My name is Courtney and I'm the director of trauma, education and development.
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: Yes, And was this your first time to go to CityGate?
• 10:28
  Speaker 5: The annual national conference.
• 10:31
  Speaker 5: Yes, so we've done like the Midwest Hotels before, but this was the first larger scale conference that I went to.
• 10:36
  Speaker 4: Okay, My name is Rachel and I'm the director of the Hope Center at the Topeka Rescue Mission, and this was also my first annual conference with CityGate.
• 10:45
  Speaker 6: Yes, my name is Hayley Hipscher.
• 10:48
  Speaker 6: I'm an outreach advocate at the Topeka Rescue Mission and this was my first time going as well.
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: Yes, so let's dive in.
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: and, rachel, we're gonna start with you.
• 11:00
  Speaker 3: And you pick me first.
• 11:01
  Speaker 3: Rachel loves it, I know.
• 11:02
  Speaker 2: Rachel loves it when I pick her first.
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: For some reason, she just holds her hands up and she starts jumping up and down.
• 11:09
  Speaker 4: I can't wait to go first.
• 11:10
  Speaker 4: Begging means for her to go first.
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: But, rachel, talk to us a little bit about what were your thoughts going into CityGate?
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: So you had not been to a conference before.
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: You were really excited when we talked to you about it.
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: Just kind of talk to us about maybe what you were hoping for or maybe nervousness that you had, or maybe you had none because you knew this is what God was doing.
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: But just talk to us about what your thoughts were going into the conference.
• 11:35
  Speaker 4: Well, first, i was very grateful to be a part of the chosen group.
• 11:39
  Speaker 4: to go Florida is always fun, regardless of what you're going for Palm trees and beaches and it's just the thought of it is exciting.
• 11:49
  Speaker 4: Yes, going into a conference?
• 11:51
  Speaker 4: I didn't necessarily.
• 11:53
  Speaker 4: I mean, you never really know where the where's it gonna be held.
• 11:56
  Speaker 4: Where are you gonna stay?
• 11:57
  Speaker 4: Is it gonna be in the same setting But this hotel?
• 12:01
  Speaker 4: I remember when we were pulling up it was like there's the front of it but like we kept driving and driving and driving.
• 12:08
  Speaker 4: Like where's the end of this hotel at.
• 12:09
  Speaker 4: So it was a very large hotel and then a ton of people, so just a lot, but also beautiful to have so many people in one space.
• 12:22
  Speaker 4: Yes, doing the same thing, mm-hmm.
• 12:25
  Speaker 5: There's just power in it, i'm not gonna cry.
• 12:27
  Speaker 5: Well, we have tissues if you do, so it happens.
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: Yes, there is.
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: there is just something remarkable about the level of hope, the level of excitement and people.
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: you don't even know them and they're just like, hey, how are you, How was your trip?
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: I mean, there's just this friendliness that you just you get out and you're almost, on one hand, overwhelmed because the magnitudes of people, but then, on the other hand, you're like I'm at home And so it is.
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: it's fun, courtney, what about you?
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: What were some of your thoughts going into it?
• 13:00
  Speaker 5: So, going into it, i would say that you both, miriam and Amanda, did a great job of like drumming up excitement.
• 13:07
  Speaker 5: I think that that makes a difference when your leadership is just like hey, we're gonna go to this conference and then like leaves it at that, versus like hey, this is what you're gonna see, this is what you're gonna experience, like the Lord's presence is gonna be thick, like just be prepared.
• 13:19
  Speaker 5: And so I think that the word that comes to me is just like expecting, like I was expecting something and going knowing I would like walk away filled and with like a purpose, and so that was kind of what I was going into it as, and I will say, day one, our team did a little bit of beanbag toss for like the emerging leaders groups.
• 13:42
  Speaker 5: Everyone at this table won $20 from that, so that was a good start to day one.
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: So, yes, you know, i'm glad that you bring that up too, because and this is totally me but sometimes I think we just get so caught up on thinking that professional means serious, and even if you are a new creation in him, one of the biggest attributes that he wants us to carry is joy, and joy comes in the form of laughter and camaraderie and it's contagious, and so that was probably one of the things that warmed my heart the most.
• 14:20
  Speaker 2: You know, y'all call me Mama Hen and stuff like that But just to see you all go from having these in depth conversations about salvation and seeing souls the way the Lord does and just how you all incredibly support each other, to doing the beanbag tosses and those games And I think there was kind of some trash talk a couple of times too amongst yourselves But seeing this just friendship and just enjoying the time in between the sessions and all of that, that's a personal connection And so much of what we do at the rescue mission.
• 14:59
  Speaker 2: If we try to just have this wall up and our face really doesn't show what we're feeling and we're not gonna really let people in and we're gonna be serious all the time and we're afraid of what people are thinking about us, or are we too much of this or not enough of that?
• 15:16
  Speaker 2: First of all, we're not gonna make any gains with our guests or our neighbors because they see through that.
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: But two, we're in some tough things together and it's in the moments of being personal, the friendships, the fun and all of that that help us build the trust so that when the storms come and they come every day at the rescue mission for my teams we weather it, and we weather it well because of the camaraderie we have too as well.
• 15:43
  Speaker 2: Hailey, talk to me about what you were thinking going into this.
• 15:47
  Speaker 2: What were some of your thoughts?
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: nervousness, excitements.
• 15:50
  Speaker 6: Well, i was about to say, stand up and preach about having that wall up because, amen, yes, i think going into it I really didn't feel worthy to go.
• 15:59
  Speaker 6: I just thought about myself and then the rest of TRM and I was like God, why did you choose me out of everybody?
• 16:07
  Speaker 6: And I would say that thought it lasted all the way until we got off the plane because my neighbor let's just take a second and talk about the plane I was blessed with the middle seat.
• 16:17
  Speaker 6: We had no AC and my friend to the right of me was just curious about TRM and how we had the financial ability to go and do this conference.
• 16:30
  Speaker 6: I was like you know what?
• 16:30
  Speaker 6: I really don't know, maybe you're right.
• 16:32
  Speaker 6: And then the Lord just met me off the plane and said I'm glad you came And from there I'm excited to talk about what I learned.
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: Yes, It is, you know, and one of the reasons why we're doing these podcasts, too, is we want to be a wise steward of every resource that comes in here, whether it's through a volunteer, through a donation, financial support, all of that.
• 16:58
  Speaker 2: And so one of the ways that we do that is when we take these learning opportunities to pour into staff, so that when you know better, you do better.
• 17:07
  Speaker 2: We also want to shout it from the rooftops what we've been able to do.
• 17:11
  Speaker 2: It's not a vacation, it's not just a trip we're taking.
• 17:15
  Speaker 2: It is something where we say, god, we want to serve better, we want to serve more, we want to be more like you, and in order to do that, we have to take the time out to do that and to participate, and so, but it wasn't all lavish because, yes, the air struggled and the plane ride was a little rough at points and all of that, but we made it and you're right, god was there and was excited to welcome us.
• 17:42
  Speaker 2: So once we get there, you are met with 1,200 people and we're signing in and we're getting our rooms and we're doing all of that.
• 17:52
  Speaker 2: And then you see the program, which we had looked at ahead of time, so we kind of knew what of the track sessions we were going to attend and we knew a little bit about the general sessions.
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: Just start talking to me about something that touched you Once we got started and the training start.
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: What impacted you?
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: What's something that stood out?
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: It can be in a track session, it can be in a general session, it could be in the emerging leaders.
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: It could be just kind of a God-driven encounter you had with someone in the hallway.
• 18:26
  Speaker 2: Anything that you feel like made an impression on you.
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: Talk to me about that, haley.
• 18:32
  Speaker 2: Let's start with you.
• 18:34
  Speaker 6: Okay, well, i have been going through this season of my life with the word intentional.
• 18:41
  Speaker 6: I just, like you said, these walls up, they protect us to a certain degree, and then there's a piece of us that's longing for those relationships And I've learned that and whenever I sat down in one of the sessions I was like, all right, here we go, we're going to keep on with this intentional word.
• 18:58
  Speaker 6: So the conversation came up and it was based around the fact that so many people, they give their life to Christ and basically it's just to get a spot in heaven And so.
• 19:10
  Speaker 6: Lord, I give my life to you and I'll see you when I die.
• 19:14
  Speaker 6: Thank you for the spot.
• 19:15
  Speaker 6: But the question that brought it down to earth was ladies, if a man came to you and got on one knee and said will you marry me so that I don't have to be homeless, what would you say?
• 19:25
  Speaker 6: And in that it was an obvious answer of course not.
• 19:29
  Speaker 6: I deserve more than that.
• 19:31
  Speaker 6: And then I just started reflecting and I was like Lord, i'm so sorry for the ways that I have maybe gone through this relationship with you, of not being intentional and then asking God how can I receive your love?
• 19:48
  Speaker 6: I don't know how to do that and he's showing me.
• 19:51
  Speaker 6: I really am still trying to learn how to take the love from people, yeah, but I know what's starting with saying God, i want to be better for you and yeah, that was a big takeaway for me, just intentional you know the thing that I took away from that too, haley.
• 20:08
  Speaker 2: I had that marked down in my notes, and what I felt like resonated in my heart is we, i think, sometimes put unrealistic expectations on ourselves and by doing so, we also put unrealistic expectations on our father.
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: And what I mean by that is, you're right, we can accept Christ and then something happens and we put him to the wayside, or we feel like we've messed up so much that we can't continue to engage with him because we're not worthy or the lies that the enemy wants us to make, and instead of us just realizing that, the truth is, with any relationship there's going to be ups and downs.
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: There's gonna be times where, yes, we should be praising his name all the time because of who he is, but there are times where we can also mourn and cry out to him, like David did, and that we can tell him when seasons are hard and we can come to him with concerns and all of that.
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: That a relationship is that it is staying committed, it is talking about things, it's prayer and all of that, and sometimes we box the Lord in or we box ourselves away from him, because of either shame of what we've done, or dread of what's to come, or even just feeling like, well, god can do that for other people, but he can't do that for me, and those are just the lies of the enemy.
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: And so I love how God just revealed himself to you in a deeper way, and I think that that's just the start of many breaking chains for you, for things that have held you back, for you to not know your worth, and I think God is just showing you that and it's coming.
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: Courtney, what about you thinking through just the experience, all of that?
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: what's something that just really touched your heart, got you thinking those kinds of things?
• 22:13
  Speaker 5: so that is such a difficult question because there's literally like 17 different ways that I could take that, but I think I'm gonna piggyback off of what Haley was saying just to stay in that same vein for a little bit.
• 22:23
  Speaker 5: There was a general session and John Jenkins was a pastor from First Baptist, i think in Maryland, and he preached on Isaiah 61, 1 through 7.
• 22:38
  Speaker 5: So I'm gonna read it for us and then I'll say what my takeaway was.
• 22:41
  Speaker 5: The title of this is the Year of the Lord's Favor too, and that's just walking into this and the Lord's favor upon us and this year and the years to come.
• 22:51
  Speaker 5: But starting in verse 1, the Spirit of the Lord, god, is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
• 22:58
  Speaker 5: He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to grant to those who mourn and Zion, to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit, that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified.
• 23:25
  Speaker 5: They shall build up the ancient ruins and they shall raise up the former devastations.
• 23:28
  Speaker 5: They shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
• 23:32
  Speaker 5: Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks, foreigners shall be your plowmen and vine dressers, but you shall be called the priests of the Lord.
• 23:40
  Speaker 5: They shall speak of you as the ministers of our God.
• 23:43
  Speaker 5: You shall eat the wealth of the nations and in their glory you shall boast instead of your shame.
• 23:49
  Speaker 5: There shall be a double portion.
• 23:50
  Speaker 5: Instead of disarner, they shall rejoice in their lot.
• 23:54
  Speaker 5: Therefore, in their land, they shall possess a double portion and they shall have everlasting joy.
• 24:01
  Speaker 5: So he did a like I don't know 45 minutes room on this, so I'm gonna do this in like two minutes but, one of my favorite things that he pulled out of it is verse three says that he will grant to those who mourn, and Zion to give them a beautiful headdress of instead of ashes, and the oil of gladness instead of mourning.
• 24:21
  Speaker 5: And so, as he was talking about the oil, he was saying when we use oil, like in cooking, what do you?
• 24:27
  Speaker 5: what is oil for?
• 24:29
  Speaker 5: and so it is a lubricant to get something from like not sticking, or to keep it or to get it to move around.
• 24:35
  Speaker 5: And so was describing oil as we don't need the oil of joy unless we're in motion, unless we're moving and we're doing something, and that's when we need it.
• 24:44
  Speaker 5: And he talked about how bacon you don't need to put oil in the pan because the oil is in the bacon, but the heat is what makes the oil come out.
• 24:55
  Speaker 5: Yes, and so in relationship to like our lives and like our hurts and the shame and the things that we're carrying, those things are the heat of life that comes, but then that brings out the oil of joy and gladness in us only through the Holy Spirit, nothing through any work of our own.
• 25:11
  Speaker 5: But that just stuck out to me, that you have to have the heat sometimes to bring the oil out.
• 25:18
  Speaker 5: And so when you're going through those trials and tribulations and the heat is there like what, what is being leaked out in those timeframes, and then that's the testimony of like who's you are and what you believe in truly is, when the heat is really hot, like what's using out of you in those moments yes, i love that, courtney.
• 25:40
  Speaker 2: You know, i think that this trip for me was a very needed personal trip, and by that I mean normally anything that I attend.
• 25:51
  Speaker 2: I kind of have my CEO had on the executive director level, and this time I felt like God just continued to remind me.
• 25:57
  Speaker 2: Before you're anything, you're my daughter, and so what you just described was also something that I took personal.
• 26:04
  Speaker 2: Not only did I think about it for the neighbors and our staff, but I was also like okay, god, what are you speaking to me?
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: and in one of the general sessions, the speaker Matt.
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: He was talking about ways that you should be on your journey to help with healing and practical things, but also spiritual things.
• 26:23
  Speaker 2: And point number three was Jesus heals by revealing our greatest failures.
• 26:30
  Speaker 2: If you want to heal, you have to get real, and that spoke to me.
• 26:35
  Speaker 2: And then he goes on to say when we go to a doctor's office because something's wrong, we don't want the doctor to stand in front of us and be guessing what's the matter.
• 26:43
  Speaker 2: We want to go in with symptoms and we want the doctor to be able to tell us what's wrong.
• 26:47
  Speaker 2: We need to do the same thing with the Lord, and so, instead of hiding struggles or instead of feeling unworthy by them those kinds of things, god wants us to just bring it at his feet, and when he picks us up through failures or our weaknesses or anything like that, it is in such a loving, protecting way that a father should do, because he's taking those impurities and making us beautiful.
• 27:14
  Speaker 2: And that is something that is pretty hard, i think, for most people to accept and to know that he is so loving of us and he delights in us so much that, regardless if it's a failure, regardless if it's an impurity, an addiction, those kinds of things, he's right there ready to say you don't stay like this, and I'm catching you, i'm healing you, i am purifying you, and that's beautiful.
• 27:45
  Speaker 2: And it was just amazing how there were nuggets of that concept sprinkled throughout.
• 27:51
  Speaker 2: Where we don't stay in the ashes, we stay in the beauty, and it's because of him that we go from that ash to beauty.
• 28:00
  Speaker 4: So thank you for sharing, rachel, that last statement you just said is like what's exactly on my heart.
• 28:07
  Speaker 4: Beautiful how it all ties together.
• 28:08
  Speaker 4: Yes, so just to say that even when we're in God's will, we can still face challenges, which kind of goes along with everything that we've been saying.
• 28:18
  Speaker 4: Circumstances that we face do cause pain and hurt And, like for me specifically, had I not gone through certain situations or pain, i wouldn't be sitting here right now.
• 28:34
  Speaker 4: So to say he uses broken people to heal is an understatement.
• 28:41
  Speaker 4: We can much like him.
• 28:43
  Speaker 4: because of Jesus and, like Amanda was just saying, we no longer are sitting in the ashes of our own sins or sins against us.
• 28:52
  Speaker 4: He saves us, he gives us hope and love and renews us.
• 28:57
  Speaker 4: The deep parts of our hearts that have been wounded and are hurting are healed because he loves us.
• 29:04
  Speaker 4: So just his redemptive power and ability to change difficult and painful situations is beautiful, just praiseworthy.
• 29:17
  Speaker 2: You know, one of the speakers along those lines talked about how, when we're at our lowest, god can be working at our deepest.
• 29:27
  Speaker 2: And let's be real for a moment.
• 29:31
  Speaker 2: That sure doesn't feel like it.
• 29:32
  Speaker 2: So think about that job loss, think about that mental illness you're battling, think about the addiction, think about the divorce We could go on and on.
• 29:45
  Speaker 2: At just the level of trials people face And for whatever reason well, we know it's because of the enemy.
• 29:53
  Speaker 2: But we then think that we're alone.
• 29:56
  Speaker 2: We think that whatever we're facing, that that's the end, all be all, that it can't get better.
• 30:02
  Speaker 2: It's like all the truths that we know about the Lord kind of go out the window because it doesn't feel that way, when in actuality God is right there saying cling to me, all you have to do is touch my garment.
• 30:17
  Speaker 2: Well, what does that mean?
• 30:19
  Speaker 2: when we're not talking in cliches like that?
• 30:21
  Speaker 2: It means that we're crying out to him, we're talking out loud to him.
• 30:25
  Speaker 2: We are realizing that it is temporary, because circumstances don't define kingdom And that's not always easy.
• 30:39
  Speaker 2: And so one of the things that I think I'm so grateful for at the rescue mission is I see every day team members find someone's lowest point And when they can't wrap their brain around that this is only temporary, when they can't wrap their brain around how they can come out of this, when they can't wrap their brain around what really truths are, because they have condemned themselves and been condemned by others so deeply.
• 31:17
  Speaker 2: It is so often our teams that go and say those are lies.
• 31:22
  Speaker 2: Here is the truth The Lord is with you.
• 31:27
  Speaker 2: You are gonna be able to be redeemed from this, to talk about what all that means and what that looks like.
• 31:33
  Speaker 2: And sometimes that is not through some philosophical discussion, it's not through some huge revelation or evangelist.
• 31:44
  Speaker 2: It starts with a bottle of water, a smile, a sandwich.
• 31:52
  Speaker 2: So what could appear to some as being enabling is really our team saying you're in the dark, we're gonna be in the dark together And I'm gonna shed some light on this And I'm gonna be able to talk about and to be able to do that is such an amazing responsibility And I think that Just sitting around this table, Rachel and Courtney and Haley and Miriam, knowing some of your stories too, there are people that are feeling different about their darkest times, because you've used your darkest times to be able to empathize, and to me that's beautiful And that's part of making disciples It's that we don't leave anyone in darkness, we don't leave anyone as ashes And we fight every day to bring truth and to say there is a different outcome and it's through Jesus that it was made possible.
• 32:59
  Speaker 2: And so powerful stuff.
• 33:02
  Speaker 2: Powerful stuff, as we are kind of wrapping up, just share a minute or two each, just kind of based on the training you got, what you heard, your own personal relationships with the Lord.
• 33:17
  Speaker 2: What's something that, because of this conference, you either feel like you're a different leader or that you're wanting to bring back to your teams something you're excited to share with the board.
• 33:29
  Speaker 2: Something like that, that you're just like I can't leave this piece of information or this feeling at the conference.
• 33:35
  Speaker 2: What would that be, courtney, you want to start us off?
• 33:38
  Speaker 5: Sure, also, just talking about meeting people in the darkness, i have to.
• 33:44
  Speaker 5: I don't even know if this is gonna make sense.
• 33:45
  Speaker 5: It makes sense on my head, so it makes sense on my head.
• 33:47
  Speaker 5: But if you think about it, we're in a room that's well lit right now, but we all have the light of Christ, right?
• 33:53
  Speaker 5: We literally sing this little line of mine at the conference which was so silly but fun.
• 33:58
  Speaker 5: If we turned on a lamp in this room, we may notice it, but it's not going to change the room drastically, much So when we walk into our churches that are filled with beautiful, wonderful people who are carrying the light.
• 34:13
  Speaker 5: That makes a difference and that's needed.
• 34:15
  Speaker 5: But what we've been called to to not let the Great Commission be the great suggestion how much more prominent is the light when it's in a complete darkness.
• 34:27
  Speaker 5: If you walk into a complete dark pit and you light literally a lighter and that's the only light, how impressionable is that?
• 34:36
  Speaker 5: Yes, and that's just beautiful that we're invited in to that space and that the church is the big sea church.
• 34:43
  Speaker 5: It's not just inside of a building, it's going to the people and meeting them where they're at, just like we were given a demonstration of Jesus going to the people and meeting them where they're at.
• 34:54
  Speaker 5: Yes, that's beautiful.
• 34:56
  Speaker 5: Yeah, but my takeaway probably from the break one of the breakout sessions I went to was, like all things, trauma, informed, which, as trauma education, as being my job, i was just like I wonder if there's going to be like just reaffirming things or like new suggestions and like what can I like potentially pull out for the department and for the Tipeek Rescue Mission as a whole, and one of the things that was just like repeated that I've heard over and over again is like protection over connection and how relationships bring the healing.
• 35:31
  Speaker 5: But the relationship is the one thing that brought the hurt, and so I'm literally avoiding the one thing that could potentially bring healing, and so that was just like one takeaway that I took.
• 35:43
  Speaker 5: But as well as they, it's Lynn Nashville Rescue Mission who was the speaker for that, and what he does for their trainings is he breaks it out into four two and a half hour sessions.
• 35:56
  Speaker 5: So like once a week, once a week, you, like the new hires, come in and go for a two and a half hour training session, leave, come back a week later, do another two and a half hours, and so everyone at this table has sat through one of my eight hour trainings and like, thank you so much for sticking with me during that.
• 36:11
  Speaker 5: As much as great content that it truly is, and we believe in it, it is a long, long, long time to sit through eight hours of training and then how much transfer of learning is actually happening after like hour three, when you're getting tired and like you're not probably retaining everything that you potentially could.
• 36:28
  Speaker 5: And so my takeaway was like how can we reformat our trainings to have a higher level of transfer of learning and breaking them into smaller sessions and then also gives them time to just like process what I just heard and what I'm learning and then like go try to use it in the field for a week and then come back and then have a safe group to like have those discussions with and then like add into my toolbox of additional things that I can use.
• 36:51
  Speaker 5: So that's my takeaway for our mission.
• 36:55
  Speaker 2: And I love that about you are always looking at ways to enhance the learning because of those we serve and those who are doing the serving, so I'm excited to see what comes.
• 37:07
  Speaker 2: Haley, what about you?
• 37:09
  Speaker 6: The confirmation that came from the Lord of Haley.
• 37:12
  Speaker 6: Hipster, i have you where I want you.
• 37:15
  Speaker 6: It was more of a personal takeaway for me from this trip, because right now there's a lot of conversations about homelessness and you know just the negativity, and being around so many people that do what we do every day was so encouraging because it just reminded me that, even though we may be doing, what everybody else is saying is a waste of time, the Lord notices that and when I'm in the tree line under a bridge helping somebody, that one person like you said, amanda, their eternal life is impacted by the sandwich, the water bottle, and I just have to share.
• 37:55
  Speaker 6: Last week we were doing outreach and this woman never initiates prayer and we always offer it and she's like you can pray whenever you know I leave and we left her some items and we were getting in the truck and she said, wait, are we going to pray?
• 38:11
  Speaker 6: And it was just amazing and I thought, god, only you could do that.
• 38:17
  Speaker 6: So just remembering that what we do is so important and taking that and owning it and being honored to do it.
• 38:24
  Speaker 2: Absolutely yes, and you do it well, haley.
• 38:28
  Speaker 2: A lot of people see a new day and a new day differently because of you and that team, rachel.
• 38:36
  Speaker 4: Yes, i would say, like overall, god definitely has a plan and a purpose as far as being still and knowing that the most effective means of communication is the ability to listen.
• 38:54
  Speaker 4: So it's not what we say or what the people are hearing, it's what they actually see.
• 39:00
  Speaker 4: So just allowing God to work through us and continue planting the seeds.
• 39:07
  Speaker 4: A lot of times, the symptoms are developed as a coping mechanism for a lot of the guests that we're serving and the neighbors, and symptoms are actually messages that we could use to see their potential through their stories.
• 39:23
  Speaker 4: So just being more intentional and listening to our guests and being able to help them move forward in their journeys.
• 39:37
  Speaker 2: Absolutely.
• 39:37
  Speaker 2: And, rachel, i have seen you do that time and time again And I know that you had, at a real pivotal point in your life, a group of ladies that listened.
• 39:47
  Speaker 2: They didn't talk, they listened.
• 39:49
  Speaker 2: And now I see you just repay that back every day and your ability to listen to people.
• 39:56
  Speaker 2: Maryam, as we close out, i know your heart is just warm and touched because of these three, so just share why these three matter?
• 40:08
  Speaker 3: Well, i think it's pretty obvious just by listening to them talk why they matter.
• 40:11
  Speaker 3: Right, but this isn't what they're talking about, and how they're sharing their hearts is not unusual.
• 40:17
  Speaker 3: No, right, this is something that we get to experience with them every single day, and I am just filled to overflowing with how the Lord has blessed us with these three, with the other three that went with us, but just his faithfulness to us and bringing the right people who will serve his children the right way is just amazing, and I just love these three And I am so proud of them And I'm just so touched by the things that they took away.
• 40:54
  Speaker 2: Yes, You know, we've said before, nothing comes out of an empty cup, and so the city gate network annual conference is a way that pours into our people so that our people can then go and pour out the goodness and the forgiveness and all of that to others And just telling the good news.
• 41:16
  Speaker 2: So we are grateful, we're grateful for all of our listeners who have tuned in today.
• 41:23
  Speaker 2: We are grateful for our board of directors, our staff, our volunteers, our guests and our neighbors.
• 41:30
  Speaker 2: And just as we have listened today, you know there's a theme, and the theme is that we don't stay the same way, and I think it's important for us to remember that the road to healing starts with a wound but, because of Jesus, can end in redemption, and that's what we do here at the rescue mission all the time, and we are grateful to do so.
• 41:52
  Speaker 2: So, as we wrap up episode 179, we just want to thank you for listening.
• 41:56
  Speaker 2: We thank you for supporting.
• 41:58
  Speaker 2: Please remember that if you are listening to this and you are wounded, you are in the midst of something that has taken you over.
• 42:05
  Speaker 2: Know that redemption is coming and that there are people that you can reach out, because, even though circumstances are different, we have all been wounded and we are standing here today redeemed, and we want that for you.
• 42:18
  Speaker 2: We hope that you have a blessed rest of the day and we want to thank you for tuning in.
• 42:23
  Speaker 2: Please, if you like, our community, our commission, our mission.
• 42:26
  Speaker 2: Please subscribe, rate and share, and we hope you tune back in next week.
• 42:31
  Speaker 2: Thanks everyone.