"If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." ~ Jesus in Luke 9:23-26
Over the past few months God has been drawing me closer and closer to a life of total depravity. Exactly why, I am not sure. Possibly to bring me closer to Him by having nothing else to lean on. Possibly to show me what it's like to have nothing so that I will have a greater compassion for those who do. Possibly to jump start me into a homeless ministry. Possibly all three. Whichever reason it is, I am called to obey. I'm not called to know why I am to take up my cross and lose my life for His sake...I am just called to do it. Whatever it is. In my case, I am called to live a life of homelessness for forty days. A fast of sorts from "stuff". From all the busyness and distractions that come with a middle class life in the United States. My hope is that I can speak the words of Paul in Philippians 1:12-14 "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident in my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." I know I'm not going to be in prison but my hope is that other believers will be spurred on and challenged to take the gospel to the places that we don't want to go.
On Wednesday, February 8th, I will be getting on a bus to Waco, TX to live on the streets with the homeless community and go to the Church Under the Bridge. I am going with a couple sets of clothes, a sleeping bag, my Bible, and a journal so I can remember the things God teaches me on this journey. I have no idea where I will be staying or what I will be eating. I am leaving all of that up to God. While I am there I will figure out a way to get a bus ticket back on the 18th of March. I am so excited to see what God teaches me through this trip! I'm also extremely nervous but trusting God with the details!
The day after I get back I will post my first journal entry and post one a day after that. See you all in forty days!
SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!
Dylan Yelton
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Hi Dylan ! Remember us your cousins. I will be praying for you everyday that God will protect you and that people will be saved and delivered through your
ReplyDeletetestimony! Alicia Hare
"Anyone who thinks hard work will never hurt you has never had to pay to have it done. Jesus now has many lovers of his Heavenly Kingdom, but few bearers of his cross."
ReplyDelete--Thomas p Kempis
You are one of those who does bear the cross of Christ as well as you can.... God will be faithful to you.
Dylan,Brother, I am excited to see you striving to walk by faith and not by sight. This can be extremely difficult thing to do amidst our current Christian culture ridden with materialism, consumerism, and alot of other stuff you see warned about in 1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
ReplyDeleteSo brother, keep running hard. You'll never on this side of heaven truly know how impactful this leap of faith will be to those coming up behind you.
Love you, Luke
Hi this is Adrienne too. Just three things. the week you left I woke up at 3am on a Saturday and prayed that you would have a really good breakfast... then this past wednesday I was feeding the fish in my classroom fishtank and thought, Hey Dylan used to work at Petland, and then I prayed for you. Then saturday night I had a dream that you were in a bar and I was talking to the bar tender and asking if it was really you, or if it was someone else because you seemed different in my dream, like God had changed you. Then I talked to your mom in real life :) on Sunday and she said you were in a bar playing worship songs- too weird. Anyways, praying for you and can't wait to see how God grows your faith.
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