Latest / Our Community, Our Mission / Ep #317- Love Has to Stay the Source of Our Mission

Transcript

Ep #317- Love Has to Stay the Source of Our Mission · Our Community, Our Mission

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Let's pray.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_01: Father, we thank you.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_01: We thank you for um just another day.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_01: Another day to seek your truth, and another day to just gain understanding of what you've called us to do and the reminders that fill us that um we at TRM are called for your mission.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um and that is just to love and to bring um your hope and your good news to those that are experiencing brokenness and um who uh just are going through a lot of trials that this world um poses.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Lord, uh thank you for the City Gate Network and the experience that uh we're about to discuss and all that we learned and um just the level of spiritual and practical and legal and so forth support um that that association provides all of us.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh just continue to be with um Tom and Alice and Lisa and Sam and all the other leaders, Lord, um, as they do really important work for a lot of rescue missions that are on the front lines.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Lord, thank you for this podcast.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for every listener who's listening.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and Lord, I just pray that your command, um, but also just your heart of loving everyone would come through on this podcast and um remind the person listening of our calling to love, or if someone is not feeling loved right now, for them to know that they do uh by you and uh by those of us that work at TRM as well.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: In your name we pray.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_01: Amen.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_02: Amen.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_06: Hello, everybody.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_06: Thank you for joining us for our community our mission, a podcast of the Topeka Rescue Mission on June 23rd, 2026.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_06: This is episode number 317.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_06: I'm your host today, Barry Fieker, with Lamanda and Miriam, our regulars here on our community our mission.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_06: And so good morning, ladies.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_06: Good morning.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah, you uh just recently got back um from a trip to Michigan.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_06: And we want to talk about that today.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_06: Um you guys don't get away very often, but when you do, it's for a purpose, and we want to talk about that purpose.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_06: Um, our research and development department just comes up with a ton of things, and on this day, the 23rd of June, they came up with a whole bunch of stuff.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_06: We're only going to focus on one though.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_06: Uh but it is National Detroit style pizza day, it is National Pink Day and National Pecan Sundays Day for all of those who pecan Sandys, Barry, not Sundays.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's because he loves Sundays.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, we've talked about them.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: I know.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: And the frappes from McDonald's.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_06: We were going right over this, and now we have to pause.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_06: What is a Sandy?
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, that's one of my favorite cookies.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_03: It's a really yummy cookie.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_03: It's like a butter cookie with pecans in it.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_06: Well, I'm declaring National Pecan Sunday because I do like pecans as well.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_06: Not pecan pecan, whatever.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_06: Anyway, one more thing.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_06: And normally we spend some really ridiculous time on this thing.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_06: So today we're not going to, so we'll have more time.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_06: But we do want to focus on another important part of today on June 23rd.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_06: It's National Hydration Day.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_06: Did I get that word right?
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_06: Hydration.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_06: That's right.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_06: Okay.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_06: Hydration day.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_06: So that means like getting hydrated, watered up.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_06: Right.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_06: So it's get it it really hasn't been hot, hot yet here in Topeka and surrounding areas.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_06: Actually, pretty cool.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_06: But um it was going to get hot.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_06: Talk about the importance of hydration and what people can do to help people the Topeka Rescue Mission uh ministers to um to be hydrated.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: Mm-hmm.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: You know, one of the reasons why we talk so much at the Rescue Mission about hydration is because hydration is really the best thing that any of us can do proactively to help prevent things like heat exhaustion or heat strokes, or even just um, we've seen some people not be at those levels yet, but have kind of these delirious thoughts and everything because they're malnourished.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: And so hydration is just a way to really prevent a lot of sometimes life-threatening things that can come.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there's a lot of research, even tied, um, even if we're not talking about the heat part, just hydration that our brain needs and um to really increase uh cognitive ability and cognitive functioning.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_01: And so I just feel like we are always like, Do you want a water?
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_01: Do you need a water from staff?
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, the connection groups that we do, it's part of TBI.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_01: It is, it's part of our TBRI, the trust-based relational interventions we do.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so I think it's just extremely important.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_01: Now, I do think TRM pivots that importance of just knowing every day all of us need to hydrate more to a more serious conversation once the summer months start.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because a lot of times, especially our unsheltered neighbors spend an excessive amount of time outside, um, sometimes not in properly shaded areas, and sometimes it can even just be both dry and humid, which can cause issues.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, dehydration can sneak up on you.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, there's even just been on minor things occasions where even my husband and I are just doing yard work, and the next thing you know, you kind of feel lightheaded and you're really parched.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so the folks that we love and care for on the streets, um, if they don't have options of coming into air conditioning and they don't have um things such as Gatorade and propels and water to keep their uh body nourished internally, and then you have the external heat temperatures or whatever it is that we're facing, it can really be serious pretty quickly.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_06: So if you don't have a home, you don't really have access necessarily to a way to get a drink of water.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_06: And so um homeless individuals experience that.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_06: Topica rescue mission, though, has access to meals with water and also water fountains if people are in shelter.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_06: But to your point, people who are not, maybe people come in for a food basket, maybe they don't have running water in their home, um, which Topeka Rescue Mission helps out with that, also as you mentioned, the unsheltered.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_06: So how can people help with something that is fortunately one of the least expensive things to do in the food category?
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_06: Uh, how can they help buy water and uh help Topeka Rescue Mission?
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I think um the easiest way, most convenient ways uh for people is to um get on to their local Dillons or Target or Walmart or even Amazon um and send a water donation, water, Gatorade, the packets, um popsicles.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_01: We also freeze popsicles here and hand them out on distribution days and water necessarily maybe Gatorade and electrolyte type drinks.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_01: And that's pretty convenient because you can get on and order that and have it sent directly to 401 Northwest Norris.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: And so you don't even have to get out and shop for it.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um so that's one way.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_06: So you don't have to break your back.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: You don't have to try to carry it all.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um and again, you know, I will just reiterate even the electrolyte packets, us being able to uh put those in water for people or hand those out, uh, especially if they've already been out in elements for a while.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes we see them need more than a water.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_01: Water's the first step, but really trying to get appropriate electrolytes and sugars in um depending on what they're facing.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: Uh another thing that I'm it's a bit more difficult, but I think um we've seen a lot of businesses and partners and church groups rise to the occasion, and I don't think some people think to do it, but it's hydration drives.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we have the um ring gold uh realtors right now that have been doing a hydration drive for us where they have been using their locations and other partner locations to um as places where donations can come in.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: And so if you're going to their location or you're driving by one of their places, you can actually bring donations of water, Gatorade, and such.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, sometimes I think I hear, well, my small group is pretty small, or the ladies' Bible study I'm in, there's only eight of us, or whatever the case may be.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_01: But what we see time and time again is even if we just get two cases of water from that group, God puts it right when we need two cases of water somewhere.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I know that sounds cliche, but we see it all the time where it doesn't matter how small an effort is, God doesn't view it that way.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: But then what's funny is that will be a week that mobile access partnership here with CIC may need an additional case.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: Or it might be that someone contacted us and said, hey, we've got this location and we these people need extra.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: And then we have it.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_01: So I would just encourage anybody, whether you it is your workplace, you own a business, you work for a business, church groups, anything, even being able to spend a week or two putting on social media, texting some of your friends that you know, um, asking people to give either dollars for um those purchases to be made or any type of hydration drink that would help.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_06: Keeping hydrated, getting hydrated is important to all of us.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_06: There's nobody's exempt from that.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_06: And it can be a game changer in helping us to maybe start thinking differently and and and maybe responding to things differently.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_06: Okay, well, hey, you know, a number of different podcasts we've talked about, the City Gate Network.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_06: Um it's an association of rescue ministries, North America.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_06: Um three hundred and I think three hundred and ten or fifteen, the last I checked.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_06: So kind of like Topeka Rescue Mission, not all doing the same thing.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_06: It's an organization that's been around for over 100 years, which is pretty cool.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_06: Um it's gone through a lot of uh changes in time.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_06: I think I don't know the very first name of Citigate Network, but when I came along, it was called the International Union of Gospel Missions.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_06: So I just heard IUGM.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_06: I thought it was some Hollywood movie producer or something like that, you know?
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_06: And then years later they called it the Association of Rescue Ministries, um, I believe it was, or Gospel Rescue Missions, and now the Citigate Network has changed since I think about 2018, 2019, something like that.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_06: So, Lamanda, you and Miriam, you you've been involved with this as well, even maybe a little bit longer than Lamanda has in regards to awareness of Citigate Network.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_06: So they had a big conference, an annual, um, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that you guys went to here just um a few days ago.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_06: And so share with the listeners about the value of this association of people coming together, um, and from your from your viewpoint and what you have done.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_06: Lamanda, you've been here about five years now, what you have done in relationship to that.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_06: I know you and Miriam have gone to, I think, to every conference together.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_06: I want to hear from you, Miriam, about the value of it from your uh chief strategy officer position now, the CSO.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_06: And uh and so um, yeah, just talk about it.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_06: So talk about it in general and then let's drill down.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_06: What was the big takeaway from the theme uh all for love um at this year's Grand Rapids um or Citigate Network in Grand Rapids, Michigan?
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, that was a mouthful, huh?
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_06: Sandys and Sundays.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah, you know, so the um annual Citigate conference is, in my opinion, so special and beneficial because of how it is completely organized and balanced.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_01: And what I mean by that is every year they have a theme.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so um each day has a general session where all 1,200 to 1,300 participants come into this large room and we hear not only the guest speakers um provide teachings to us centered around the theme, uh, but we also get to engage in corporate worship.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_01: And that's probably one of my favorite things is you just get to come into this room, and it's already so beautiful when you hear music, um, worshiping the Lord and about the Lord, but also touches your heart.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: But then you look around and you're with 1,200 other people, and everybody's walking through different parts of life and different things professionally, personally, and just to know that we're all just trying to lay it aside to just really acknowledge who the Lord is, um, but then also to welcome him into our hearts and our minds as well.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_06: What does it mean to come into a room of 1,2, 1,300 people and they're in rescue ministry?
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_06: You don't see them all the time.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_04: No.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_06: You know they're all around these 300 plus different ministries doing their thing in their own communities.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_06: Could be Washington, D.C., New York City, Dallas, Texas, and Topeka, Kansas, could be Pueblo, Colorado, you know, a smaller community, all those things, but yet there's a commonality.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_06: What does it what does it feel like that you know you you're here on the front lines in Topeka, Kansas, every single day?
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_06: And then you get away and you go, we're not alone.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think the first thing that stands out to me is it is this for me sometimes a conviction, right?
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but it's this reminder that our calling is so much bigger than each individual mission.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_01: And let me birdwalk for just a second.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_01: So the other thing that Citigate provides us with are all these opportunities to break up into different groups, and sometimes they're based on track seminars, which we can talk about in a minute.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: So you could have a room that is full of um uh maintenance and facilities, CEOs, board members, um, strategy people, program people, all coming to listen to the seminar.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: So you get this opportunity to interact with different positions.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_06: You got really frontline people maybe working in the kitchen or working in facilities all the way to the CEO and the CEO uh uh positions.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: And so you get to like know people in that session and you're hearing their questions and and all of this stuff.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: Well, then you might go to a next session and the way the City Gate organizes it, it might be in your networking group.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_01: So like Miriam may break off with other finance people or other uh back office support groups, and I'm with other CEOs.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_01: So, all that being said, because of how intentional and balanced CityGate is with these opportunities where you're mixing with not only different locations, different positions, but then you're also networking so that you meet people in your same area.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: You then bring all of that in.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_01: And if we're blessed to go each year, which we have been, you then build relationships with these people.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: And then we all come together in this one room, and it is just this reminder, sometimes because of what you just heard someone say in that track session, or maybe you know someone's struggling with this because you're in that networking group, maybe it's because of the forums we participate in all year long.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: You then have all of these more intimate, smaller groups, and then you come together in this one room, and you're not only seeing people from sometimes all over the world, but then you're also seeing, man, I remember that person, and they are responsible for 12 buildings within all their ministries and this operations, and you think to pray for them.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, and I was like, wow.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and then you know, you look over and you might see a CEO that you know is retiring in two years, and he or she's devoted her entire life to this work.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_01: And then I look over and then I see some of my emerging leaders that I lead that are just now getting into sometimes entry-level leadership.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't know, it's just the the people aspect is so special.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_01: And then to know that we are all doing the best we can, we're on our own personal journeys um at what God has called us to do, and you realize, like, yes, Miriam and I's slice of this is the Topeka Rescue Mission.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_01: But from the Lord's viewpoint, the Topeka Rescue Mission is only a slice of everything else that's in that room.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and to know just the importance of salvation and souls and loving people, even when it's not easy, and the correction that comes at us, you know, all of these things is just part of our own journey to uh be better people, be better leaders, but most importantly to be more like the Lord.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_01: And that isn't always easy.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_06: We could go into that.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_06: So, Miriam, um you've been involved with a little bit of United Way work in your life, um both in uh California as well as here in Topeka.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_06: Sure.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_06: And so being together, United, uh of course United Way is a national organization, international organization.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_06: And uh so coming to the Citigate, there's some similarities there.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_06: What's unique to you about Citigate?
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_06: Uh not better, but just unique.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_03: I think it's that Citigate has a much more specific why.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_03: And that that's a little bit unusual.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_03: Um to be in a room with that many people that have the same why.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_03: Why are we there?
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_03: We're all there to serve the Lord.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_03: And um in United Way.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_03: They have they have similar whys, right?
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_03: They want to help the community, they want to do this, they want to do that.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_03: But it just has a different feel.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_03: You know, Barry, I don't think that you can compare City Gate to too many other nonprofit groups that are not completely Christ-centered.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_03: Because that centering our work around we're doing this because of the Lord, we're called to do this, we're we're um we're in love with Jesus, right?
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_03: There is something that makes the environment different then.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_03: Um, because how you how you deal with discouraging situations, how you deal with being unbelievably overwhelmed, how you deal with being um exhausted.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_03: It isn't just words, because we know, and that was so much of part of one of the general session speakers, too, there is a way that we all look to deal with it, right?
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_03: And it's that we're all looking toward Jesus and that makes it different.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_03: Um that makes it um almost uh indescribable in terms of the feeling that you can have in that room that goes f so very, very far beyond what any of us can do.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_06: I think it's a really unique way and a good way to explain the the the difference, not that it's not say the other organizations aren't doing wonderful work.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_06: Correct.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_06: Uh but there's a commonality here if you can come back to a foundational reason for the why, as you said, and that's that's Jesus Christ in regards to this association.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_06: And you all have that commonality.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_06: So you walk in a room with 1,200 other people, they're uh big cities, small cities, some major in massive food distribution, others not, others in shelter, street outreach, whatever.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_06: And it's vastly different with a lot of different challenges in the community.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_06: I want to talk about that in a minute, but but you can all come back to square one.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_06: Yes.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_06: And that is the central theme of why we do what we do.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_03: And I know we'll get into some of the general sessions, but there there was something that one of our general speakers, general session speakers talked about, which was the Romero prayer, um, which really stressed this piece about we are not the master builders, we are the workers.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_03: And we are not we are not um the minister.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_03: We are the ministers, not messiahs, which is thankfully reassuring, right?
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_03: And that often we are prophets of a future that we'll never see.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_03: Right?
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_03: There was this feeling because I think Lamanda and I both had a feeling this year that there was I don't even know what the right word is, so I'll just use this word.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_03: There was kind of a heaviness or a discouraging overlay, right?
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_06: Like a heaviness?
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_03: Like we're just all feeling the pressure of what we do.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_03: And that it's not enough.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_03: And that we are not enough, that we're not able to do enough to make a dent.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_03: And we all want to, right?
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_03: We're not in this because we're making tons of money and this and kind of thing.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_03: We're here because we're seeing this significant piece of humanity that is just struggling.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_03: And it leaves us with a heaviness if we don't feel like we're making a big enough difference.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_03: And so I feel like there were so many parts of this session that talked about love and that talked about how we do this work, but really what our role is.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_06: So I I think that uh by and large, most people don't understand what Topeka Rescue Mission does.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_06: Uh most people say, I had no idea.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_06: I think you guys joked around maybe a gift in t-shirts that give to volunteers.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_06: I had no idea.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_06: And new staff members.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_06: Uh there's a lot that goes on here.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_06: Same thing with rescue ministries around this this association, which are doing phenomenal work.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_06: But yet what I'm hearing is there's this feeling that we're not doing enough.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_06: Okay, where does that come from?
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_06: Because by and large, people from the outside go, my, I can't believe what all you're doing.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_06: Why do you think maybe you're not doing enough?
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_06: And what is enough?
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_03: Well, you know, there could be so many different answers to that question, right?
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_03: Why do we feel like we're not doing enough?
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_06: I opened that can of work.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_03: I know you did.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_03: Wait ago.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_03: Um My mic is muted, so I can't answer.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_03: I think, Barry, in some ways we feel like we're not doing enough because we're We see people still struggling.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_03: We see people who are heartbroken.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_03: We see people who are spiritually broken.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_03: We see people who's who are just hurting in every possible way.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_03: And we see those situations growing.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_03: And so then often it feels like, okay, well, what are we not doing?
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_03: And I think then sometimes we look at such a big picture, which is so important, especially when you're in leadership.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_03: You know, you're you're always looking at the 30,000 foot level and you're looking down and you're like watching the pond get fuller and fuller and fuller, more full.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_03: I'm not sure what the right word is.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_03: You're still to say this.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_03: There you go.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_03: Um and so it feels that way.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_03: And you tend to then forget that it really is about the one right in front of us.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_03: Um and also that if we are not caring for each other, for our teams, that our ability to see the one in front of us and to recognize that we may never see the results of efforts because it's really not about us.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_03: This is about how the Lord is using us in every situation.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_03: And but that causes a heaviness because we're all doers and people that want to make a difference.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_03: Otherwise, why would we do this?
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_03: We wouldn't.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_06: I think that's a really great, great way to express that.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_06: I mean, uh what I heard there is that there is um a limitation of what we can do.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_06: And we're we don't want to forget the one in front of us for the massive numbers of people who are coming.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_06: When you just look at Topeka Rescue Mission numbers of people who come for shelter, who come for food, who come for all kinds of services, who are coming throughout a community with needs and see that growing need, seeing more people in the streets than we used to see, those kind of things, seeing different financial assistance programs going bye-bye and all those kind of things.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_06: It's very overwhelming, but still focusing on we don't want to forget that one in front of us.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_06: And uh, you know, even Jesus faced a little bit of a challenge here when he said the field's ready to harvest.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_06: However, the people to work the fields are few.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_06: And so um that is a commonality, but it didn't stop Jesus from saying, we're gonna go change the world.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_06: We're going to press forward, we're going to go ahead and move forward in this.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_06: And so, Lamanda, CEO, gonna give Miriam a break now.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_06: Uh how do you balance that out with this?
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_06: Hey, you're responsible for this ministry, this organization, and Lamanda, do you ever feel like you're totally responsible for all the homeless, the addicted, the mentally ill, the compound trauma, the trafficked, the hungry, the thirsty?
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_06: Do you feel like sometimes people think you're responsible for all that?
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_01: Why did you bring this up, Mario?
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I do, Barry.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_01: And I um total group therapy, by the way.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah, that's right.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_06: Exactly.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_06: Um thanks for listening.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, and I I'm not sure I have the right.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not sure I'm at a place where I'm anchored accordingly.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we talked about this a couple of weeks ago, the the thought of balance versus anchored, and that I've accepted that as a leader of a ministry, I'm not sure balance is what I find.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um because I sure as heck have been searching for it.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm not sure that's how this life that the Lord has called me to.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_01: I I think I'm viewing it wrong.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_01: What I need to be is so anchored daily to the Lord, praying with him, listening to him, um in scripture, knowing that some of them, although they are bizarre, are not just crazy stories out in left field that happened thousands of years ago.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_01: They are true and authentic stories of ordinary people called to do extraordinary things.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that those truths still apply to myself, to my staff, the people we serve, our ministry as a whole.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_01: And so when I'm thinking about all of these external pressures that sometime I recognize I put on myself, um, you know, like my family, it's it's a struggle to even go to Walmart because we see somebody in need.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_01: And do we stop each time?
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_01: What do we do?
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_01: What do we not do?
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_01: Is it safe?
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_01: Is it not safe?
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_01: Like all of these things, I'm not exempt from processing all of that just because I'm the CEO of TRM.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so there's a lot of external um pressures that are there, sometimes self-induced.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, when I read on different groups, um, people upset that people are walking by with shopping carts and someone's laid out and they're sleeping on a bench, or maybe even the crime piece, all of these different things.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_01: I'm constantly, when I see that, it doesn't matter if it's 8 p.m.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_01: at night or 4 a.m.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_01: in the morning or throughout the night, not only am I on call for the operations of this piece, but then there's these external community things, this undercurrent that I know is happening too.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes I self-inflict and thinking, man, how do I, how do I reach this business owner?
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: How do I reach this individual neighbor?
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_01: How do I reach this group that is upset and struggling because I understand what they're facing, but how do I, and this is what I tell the Lord every day, how do I stay so truth to what we're called to do, even if it's not popularly heard?
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_01: And so sometimes I think I'm probably owning stuff that maybe the Lord hasn't even called me to.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but then there is this other side of it that because I am CEO here at TRM, that I can just fix everything.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_01: And when there is any issue in this community, sometimes I'm one of the first to be blamed.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_01: And that is something where I realize now I can't necessarily answer all of that by making sure I have all these parameters in my life and keeping it balanced.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_01: What I have to do is sometimes when everything's shaking, I can't feel like I'm going to drown because I am anchored to the right thing.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_01: And giving the Lord, praying about that person that I know is upset, praying about this issue that just happened in this neighborhood, praying, and it is my responsibility to always try to be a part of the solution, but not without scripture and what we're called to love people.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_06: You know, uh to to balance a ship that's going back and forth, anchoring the ship sometimes is very important.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_06: And then I think that uh to what Miriam was talking about, there's an anchor here with the network, and that's Jesus Christ.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_06: And yet there's an expectation um for people to keep that ship moving um and forget the anchor and just keep it just keep it rolling and just go fix the problem.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_06: You know, you talk about maybe people being upset about somebody pushing a cart, grocery cart down, or maybe laying on a bench somewhere.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_06: Well, they should be.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_06: They really should be.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_06: But not but who at who?
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_06: At who should they be upset with?
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_06: And we all want to find somebody we can blame for a thing and say, you go fix this, but not everything can be fixed by one organization or one person or anything like that.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_06: So we shouldn't be, oh, it's okay that people live in outdoors, or it's okay that the somebody's being abused in a home, or or whatever the case might be.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_06: We should be upset.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_06: But we should go beyond being upset to what's the best way to find a solution to this.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_06: And so so I think we understand to some degree, um, some of us a little more than others, about that pressure that you feel in regards to that.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_06: So you walk into a room with 1,200 people and they're all facing some similar kind of pressures because the issue of homelessness seems to be getting more problematic.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_06: Uh there is just a lot of confusion in regards to things that maybe have been kind of uh um uh staples in regards to housing and services, and those seems to be seem to be shifting, which is absolutely not brand new.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_06: It's just maybe a little more brand new is the wrong term, but just uh just so many abruptly right now, and uncertainties of where that's gonna go.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_06: So so what can and I I'm not sure that you have an answer to this, but what is the value of this association you coming together?
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_06: And and I know we want to talk a little bit more about the meeting, but what is the value of that coming together?
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_06: What when you feel see people that are feeling overwhelmed and they're feeling the pressures of how you can, yes, go back to the anchor, which is Jesus Christ, but also support each other and to lift each other up.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_06: So you just don't go, man, we're all bummed out.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_06: We're going back now, we're more bummed out.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_06: No, you you probably like you said, you come into a room of 1200 to 1300 people, you're worshiping, you're focusing on Christ, you're getting those relationships.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_06: What kind of positive aspects or energy, for some people, the way they'd put it, do you take away from that association?
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, me, it's probably more on a personal level, maybe, than professional.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um Professionally, at this conference and throughout the year, this association has provided me a plethora of people that I can go to at any time.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_01: And it doesn't have to be success talks.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_01: It can be, hey, we've been threatened with this, or hey, we've got this issue that's circulating in the community.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_01: How did you navigate this?
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_01: How did you be bridges to help everybody, you know, work together and all of this?
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_01: So professionally, there is this um beautiful support that happens at the conference where sometimes because of conversations you've had all year, somebody's saying, Hey, how's it going there?
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_01: What you know, follow-up, and you can just tell they genuinely want to know.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_01: But each year, this is such a personal special thing for me too.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, again, because of the relationships you are making, the bonds you are forming, you're able to check in on people authentically, pray with them.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but then it's done for you too.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_01: And you could just be walking into a general session and you see so-and-so, and you know, the next thing you know, you're hugging, talking, catching up, and you're either praying with them or they're praying with you.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_01: And you just go, How cool is that that I know somebody in California right now that just reminded me to do this or whatever the case may be.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: And so um I'm not sure, Barry, that we can accurately put in words the value of these general session times or the corporate worship because I'm not sure with our own naked eye and just our own perspective, what all truly transforms in that room.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_01: I can tell you about easily half a dozen to a dozen beautiful moments I had just in the general session and worship alone.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_01: I'm one of 12 or 1,300.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_01: What about other people if everybody could just talk about one thing that impacted them?
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_01: You know, on a on a personal level, um, a couple of weeks ago, I had a pretty significant um skin cancer removed and not from a place I could hide, right above my lip and my nose.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I said one thing about it on social media because there was starting to be some discussion about what had happened, and um, I had like not done a podcast for a week and certain things.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_01: So I made one post so that people could see what I looked like with the stitches or the stitches had just come out, I can't remember.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_01: And I ended up having almost 40 stitches on my face, and it was very unexpected.
• 33:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so I come to Citigate, and many people who are on my social media said, I have been waiting to ask you because I wanted to ask you in person.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_01: Four of those people said, and I wanted to really be able to check in on how you're doing.
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_01: And I said, Well, I saw your comment, thank you.
• 34:00
  SPEAKER_01: And one of the gentlemen goes, Yeah, but no, really, how are you doing?
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_01: That looked painful.
• 34:06
  SPEAKER_01: I know it messed up your work schedule.
• 34:08
  SPEAKER_01: I know you probably had to recover stuff.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_01: I know you're financially having to pay for it.
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_01: Something that major can really take a toll on you.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_01: And I just looked at him and I said, Well, it was rough, and yes, I'm thankful, but it was not what I had planned on top of everything else.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_01: And he just prayed with me.
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_01: He said, Well, we're just gonna give this to the Lord because he's gonna use it somehow.
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_01: So I mean, just things like that.
• 34:30
  SPEAKER_01: And when you think about all these other people who had skin cancers, all these other people who had deaths, all these other people who had life stuff because we're people doing this work, and to know how many other people were there to pray, to smile, to laugh with, to say, reach out if you need something, it's hard to even put that in words.
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_01: And that's just these general sessions and and the large worship, that's only one part of this entire time.
• 34:56
  SPEAKER_06: So it's just yeah, and and just to you have your local support, your team at the rescue mission, your team in the community, and then to know that there's others outside of Topeka that are also part of a larger team.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_03: Aaron Powell You know, Barry, I think the other thing I would say though is that, you know, sometimes we get so deep in the weeds with our own work that we don't always see the positives or the successes that we're having.
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_03: And so I think one of the benefits of being in this kind of group is that we get to hear what other people are doing and we get to validate them, right?
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_03: We get to say, oh my goodness, that's really wonderful.
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_03: That may cause them just to stop for a moment and say, we are making a difference, right?
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_03: So this validation that can come because people hear it different than maybe what we're we're seeing it in our own place, right?
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_03: Because we're in the middle of it all the time.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_03: So we have a different view of it.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_03: But I think the interaction that we have also helps kind of pick up that heaviness because we get to tell people, gosh, no, you're doing really good work.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_03: You know how special that is, how great that is.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_03: And oh my goodness, what do you mean you only have two staff?
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_03: You know, or what do you mean you've only been doing this for 60 days?
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_03: And those are the six.
• 36:12
  SPEAKER_03: So you get to kind of build people up because you get to hear it from not the home perspective, but the the visitor kind of perspective, which is great.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_06: Somebody outside that understands the business, so to speak.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_06: Yes.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_06: And and uh so we've talked about, and I won't I want to jump into a little bit of time that we have left about some big takeaways that you learned there.
• 36:31
  SPEAKER_06: Um but uh uh the the value of reflection from somebody that understands what you're doing, that's huge.
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_06: And this some tools you can pick up and also share.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_06: Uh you guys have been sharing uh uh things that you do here in Topeka that have been then replicated or maybe not replicated, but that those ideas have sparked some interest somewhere else, and the same thing here.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_06: So it's a information sharing back and forth.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_06: Miriam, I know historically, and this just isn't just a Christian ministry event.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_06: There are people from different avenues that are working with the homeless at the federal level that are coming, uh HUD being one.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_06: Did they have representation there this year?
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_06: And did you attend those sessions?
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_06: I did.
• 37:14
  SPEAKER_06: And what did you take away from that?
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_03: Um I took away that I'm really glad I don't work for the federal government.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_03: Um they were wonderful, though.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_03: You know, it's it's about realizing that everybody has confusion on how to deal with this best.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_03: And that there are probably situations that have cur occurred that need to maybe revert a little bit because maybe we're not looking at things the way we should in terms of the number of people that are homeless.
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_03: And I think that there was an excellent conversation on why are we reporting data the way we are?
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_03: Is it so that we look good or is it so that we really know what's going on and can really come up with better solutions?
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_06: That's awesome.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_03: I I think so.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_03: And and you know, they were so open and I know they're under tremendous pressure.
• 38:04
  SPEAKER_03: It doesn't matter which administration it is, you are under a spotlight that is not any place that I would ever want to be, right?
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_03: Um, because somebody is always gonna think you're wrong.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_03: Um but they were very open to talking about changes that are coming, they were um very open about hearing from us saying you're not measuring outcomes right, right?
• 38:26
  SPEAKER_03: You think that getting someone into housing is a success.
• 38:29
  SPEAKER_03: And frankly, it's not, because in three months they can be back on the street.
• 38:33
  SPEAKER_03: So how do we do how do we look at this different?
• 38:36
  SPEAKER_03: How do we measure success different?
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_03: How do we measure success in stages?
• 38:40
  SPEAKER_03: So is it great that we got someone into housing?
• 38:43
  SPEAKER_02: Uh-huh.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_03: And that's the first step.
• 38:45
  SPEAKER_03: And now what's step two, three, four, ten, fifty, whatever it might take, until we can keep someone stable and not returning to the streets within a short period of time.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_06: It's really significant.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_06: So we're talking about billions of dollars of tax dollars being allocated to try to address a particular issue.
• 39:01
  SPEAKER_06: It's really good if maybe they visit with some people who are on the front lines of what works and what doesn't.
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_03: Now, yeah, here's something interesting.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_03: So HUD invests about four billion, a little over four billion into homelessness every year.
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_03: Rescue missions invest over two billion on our own.
• 39:18
  SPEAKER_06: Trevor Burrus, Jr.
• 39:18
  SPEAKER_06: On our own.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_06: Which is not with the federal dollars.
• 39:21
  SPEAKER_06: So those are nongovernmental dollars, double what the federal government invests in this.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_06: So two million, we're half of the Trevor Burrus.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_06: And those numbers are obtainable because you can look at budgets and how much it's absolutely depends on what's not.
• 39:33
  SPEAKER_03: We are grateful that the the feds are investing four billion into this issue nationwide.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_03: But we also need to recognize there is an additional two billion that's being invested by churches, individuals, businesses.
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_06: Two billion.
• 39:49
  SPEAKER_06: Two billion.
• 39:49
  SPEAKER_06: So we about half.
• 39:51
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
• 39:51
  SPEAKER_06: Okay.
• 39:51
  SPEAKER_06: But that's six billion dollars.
• 39:53
  SPEAKER_06: Six billion.
• 39:54
  SPEAKER_03: Two of that is coming from churches.
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_03: Our individual donors, businesses, associations are supporting this issue as well, which is equally as important.
• 40:03
  SPEAKER_06: So Laman, how many billion is Topeka Rescue Mission getting out of that annually?
• 40:07
  SPEAKER_06: Let's not even go there, right?
• 40:08
  SPEAKER_06: Right.
• 40:09
  SPEAKER_06: But I think that's that that that says something about you as a listener, of your part of this community, this mission, Topeka Rescue Mission is you are a vital component of this.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_06: It's it's even if it's uh just a a small amount in the bigger scope of things, if it's ten dollars, if it's a hundred dollars, fifty cents even, um a case of water, whatever, that is making a huge difference as we collectively, not just rescue ministries, not just the federal government, not just the churches, not just the nonprofits, working together, and I think that's what we're beginning to see a little bit more of.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_03: It's got to be a community effort.
• 40:45
  SPEAKER_06: So And uh Lamanda, uh we're gonna run out of time here, but what was your um other than the relationship piece, the just the what you gained from this on a personal level, and what was some of the the theme was all for love coming out of 1 John 4 21 was the theme scripture.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_06: What what did you see out of that that's gonna be helpful to Topeka Rescue Mission?
• 41:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so you know, if you look at that scripture, um it says, and this commandment we have from him, whoever loves God must also love his brother.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_01: A couple of scriptures before that, it's talking about we love because he um first loved us.
• 41:22
  SPEAKER_01: If anyone says, I love God and hates their brother, he's a liar.
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_01: For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_01: And so um there's a lot that I could talk about.
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_01: We may even want to think about doing a part two as well, so we can dive in.
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_01: But one of the things that Tom DeVries, who is the um president and CEO of Citigate Network, he kind of he was the um one of the general session speakers.
• 41:51
  SPEAKER_01: And so he really talked about those scriptures um and used just some personal things of him, his calling into ministry.
• 41:59
  SPEAKER_01: But one of the things that he led with, once he kind of talked about his why a little bit in the calling, is he started off with a question.
• 42:08
  SPEAKER_01: And the question was, how fresh or stale does God's invite to you to be a part of his mission feel?
• 42:18
  SPEAKER_01: And that's really what kind of set this parameter of his talk to us and the encouragement and the uplifting, but then also for us to really evaluate do we feel fresh into this calling or do we feel stale in it?
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because it is a lot.
• 42:36
  SPEAKER_01: And um he really honed in on particularly what I took away from this was this meaning TRM or even this work, it is not my mission.
• 42:50
  SPEAKER_01: It's God's mission to bring hope and healing to those who are lost.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_01: It's my calling to be a part of it.
• 42:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so he really just talked about the power of love, the importance of love, and not just um how we're loving those that we serve, but to look at ourselves and how are we loving ourselves as a human.
• 43:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and one of the things he talked about was um when leaders grow, ministries flourish, and that it is okay as leaders that we really um take the time to walk with the Lord and to have a network around us and to pour into our own journeys because that then um tips over into all of our staff and everybody that we are leading.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_01: And so um there were a couple of things that I appreciated and that we will be able to carry over it into TRM.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_01: But one of the things um is the reminder that love what we just learned from scripture.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_01: And there's lots of scripture about it, but love is not the strategy for homelessness.
• 44:06
  SPEAKER_01: Love is the source.
• 44:09
  SPEAKER_01: And how incredible is it that the Lord entrusts ordinary people like us to stand on the foundation of love, but then be given wisdom of strategy.
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_01: And that is one thing that if I can say I'm proud of, um, that I'm proud of the Topeka Rescue Mission, that I'm thankful for what you lead with Compassion Strategies, Barry, Mobile Access Moving Ahead Partnership, that was mobile access partnership, and how that has now been a primary operator of our new Compassion Impact Center.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_01: Those examples, TRM, Compassion Strategies, all hands on deck with that, all these different things, we are foundationally doing it in love.
• 44:59
  SPEAKER_01: We love people, we want them to know they're loved.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_01: And we see that a huge reason why a lot of people are in this boat is they lost that connection of love.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um yet God gives us wisdom to match the love with logical strategy.
• 45:19
  SPEAKER_01: And that's why we're trying to move forward the work of the city innovation team from a couple of years ago.
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_01: That's why we knew we needed to pursue a one-stop shop.
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_01: That's why we know we need a saferest shelter.
• 45:29
  SPEAKER_01: That's why we know we need transitional housing.
• 45:31
  SPEAKER_01: All of these things, however, I have to be reminded as a follower of Christ that I cannot be overly saturated in strategy and lose the foundation of doing it because scripture tells us to love God and to love people.
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_01: And what's a blessing is when certain groups allow myself, Miriam, leaders, TRM, you, whoever, into the room, I hope that they are hearing and seeing so that it's not squashed.
• 46:03
  SPEAKER_01: We're doing it because we love Christ and we love people.
• 46:06
  SPEAKER_01: But I also hope they know when they welcome us to the table, we have some pretty good ideas as well.
• 46:10
  SPEAKER_01: That is based in strategy and logic, and with the heart of how do we not compromise one person's dignity, yet how do we also not compromise a business?
• 46:20
  SPEAKER_01: Or how do we not make things harder for a neighborhood?
• 46:23
  SPEAKER_01: And when we get in those circles, we are able to do that.
• 46:26
  SPEAKER_01: And so I just loved how Tom really talked about love is the source of what we do, not a strength, not a strategy.
• 46:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 46:34
  SPEAKER_01: And we are blessed to be able to do such cool and stressful work where both of those blend.
• 46:42
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 46:42
  SPEAKER_03: And another quote that Tom used was from a gentleman by the name of Os Guinness, who I had not heard of before, but the quote that he used that I thought was great is that we are not primarily called to do something or to go somewhere.
• 46:56
  SPEAKER_03: We are called to someone.
• 46:58
  SPEAKER_03: We are not called first to the special work, but to God.
• 47:01
  SPEAKER_03: And if we can remember that, we're called first to him.
• 47:07
  SPEAKER_03: That makes it our why, and it makes us our motivation and everything like that.
• 47:11
  SPEAKER_03: That's where the love comes from, correct?
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_03: And so if we can remember that, we're not called to this work first, even though it's very special work, and we all feel called.
• 47:22
  SPEAKER_03: We are first called to God.
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_03: And now because of that, this is where he has led us.
• 47:28
  SPEAKER_06: Wow.
• 47:29
  SPEAKER_06: There's a lot here.
• 47:31
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and we haven't even scratched the surface.
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_06: So we're gonna have a part two, okay?
• 47:35
  SPEAKER_06: Uh love is the source.
• 47:36
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 47:37
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
• 47:37
  SPEAKER_06: Love is the source.
• 47:38
  SPEAKER_06: There's gonna have to be a part two on this because you guys have opened up some real important thinking that applies to the body of Christ um uh globally in regards to we get really caught up uh in our churches, in our ministries, anything we do with strategy, uh build a bigger church, build a bigger rescue mission, create more beds, um, this, that, and that thing.
• 47:58
  SPEAKER_06: Those are all important, but we can get stale in what we do uh because we're only focused on strategy, or we put strategy above the source.
• 48:09
  SPEAKER_06: And so the the cool thing is though, the source, which is the love of God.
• 48:13
  SPEAKER_06: Yep.
• 48:14
  SPEAKER_06: The source is Christ um loves those he's called us to minister to.
• 48:19
  SPEAKER_06: And so then he get downloads the strategy for us to be able to do that.
• 48:23
  SPEAKER_06: And so I think we need to spend a little more time on that because uh I know with myself, um, I'm very much a strategy guy, and uh uh and that's important, which we have to have some systems to be able to do a thing, right?
• 48:36
  SPEAKER_06: We can't just love somebody and uh say, be well, be fed, be you know, not thirsty anymore because we love you.
• 48:42
  SPEAKER_06: You have to do something about it.
• 48:43
  SPEAKER_06: James talks about that.
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_06: Um and so but we have to have the first things first, to back to your thought here.
• 48:51
  SPEAKER_06: We don't balance this lamanda, we anchor it with the source.
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_06: And then if we get that right, then we could move on to the next thing.
• 48:58
  SPEAKER_06: Well, I'm glad you guys were able to go again this year to the Citigate Network.
• 49:02
  SPEAKER_06: It's a part of Topeka Rescue Mission in regards to that bigger picture of helping people.
• 49:08
  SPEAKER_06: Uh, you as a listener to our community, our mission, or supporter of Topeka Rescue Mission, or both help support for Lamanda and Miriam and sometimes others to be able to do this and not just once a year.
• 49:18
  SPEAKER_06: Um they have an opportunity to network today, whether it's an email, a text message, a phone call, or our wonderful online pictures when they work on Zoom or Teams or whatever, to be able to stay connected, to learn from each other, to lift each other up.
• 49:32
  SPEAKER_06: And we hope that you have been encouraged by this today as someone I know some of you are every time listeners to our community our mission.
• 49:40
  SPEAKER_06: Thank you for being faithful in that.
• 49:41
  SPEAKER_06: Thank you for supporting.
• 49:42
  SPEAKER_06: Thank you for praying.
• 49:43
  SPEAKER_06: Thank you for being a part of our community our mission.
• 49:46
  SPEAKER_06: If you'd like more information about Topeka Rescue Mission, you can go to trmonline.org.
• 49:51
  SPEAKER_06: That's T RMonline.org.
• 49:54
  SPEAKER_06: Have a blessed day.