Violence. Hate. Anger. Injustice. From the election to our streets, these themes seem to prevail. Recently, I’ve been asked by people – What can I do? I feel a burden that there is so much wrong in the world, and that I need to do something. Protest? Start a campaign? Shelter my kids away from …
Our youngest son Jack, who is now almost 8 years old, suffered the first eight months of his life with colic and acid reflux. Although he wasn’t severe enough to be considered “failure to thrive,” he was on the cusp. He couldn’t keep anything down, and cried in pain all night long, unable to sleep …
I read an article the other day that struck me to the core. Its message touched the deepest part of my heart and put me in a state of gut-wrenching sobs. Many of you may know the message, but even with my psychology degrees and time spent learning and teaching about human behavior, I was …
Prior to coming to Desire Street Ministries, I worked in the corporate world and spent the past 7 years of that time pursuing a call to transform distressed neighborhoods. Although God gave me some amazing vehicles for that call, I found myself very impatient as the years passed, wanting to see initiatives spring up in …
I recently returned from our annual ministry partner retreat at Wind River Ranch in Estes Park, CO where we invited our ministry partners and a few others to bring their families for a week of fellowship, fun and rest. A few months ago, I wrote about the purpose of retreating, which in summary means to withdraw …
Every summer in June, Desire Street Ministries offers a retreat for our ministry partners and their families. I was asked once if the name “retreat” was appropriate, and if it would be better to call it a leadership conference, gathering, or something else that would make it sound more purposeful. That made me ponder not only …
Every summer, our partners and their families come together at DSM’s annual Wind River Retreat in Colorado for fellowship and fun. Because they have learned how valuable that time is, they requested a mid-January retreat to connect and learn from each other. They’ve found they draw strength from each other when they leave their neighborhoods, …
One reason, among many, that I love the way Desire Street Ministries operates, is how we don’t operate. We are not a consulting firm being hired by ministry leaders to help them reach their mission. Instead, we have a partnership model, in which our intent is to walk alongside ministry leaders working in the most …
“This kind can come out only by prayer” Mark 9:29 Just in the past few months, our partners have had some very intense circumstances occur in their lives. A fire broke out in one of our partner’s houses – ruining years of pictures and memories, two families in another partner’s neighborhood suffered drive-by shootings and …
I spent several years leading prayer in a mobile home park in one of our most distressed neighborhoods in Orlando. One day I was driving past it with my then four year old son, and I said to him “Alex, this is where mommy prays every week that Jesus will come to this neighborhood.” He …
