The Insignificant in West Virginia

Recently, I have had no time to blog, from work at Chick-fila (40 hours a week), to editing videos and creating blogs for missionaries (which has taken me a total of 40 or more hours to finish — more to come…), to SO MUCH going on with the family and my sister, Lauren, moving to Cleveland, OH… It has been an overload, and I haven’t been able to share it with you lovely people as much as I have wished. So this post is not about all of that, but rather about some really cool things that will be happening in the next few months and a guy I talked to today that is going to be taking me around the rough parts of town here in Charleston. 

His name is Shawn McMullen, and he has been practically everywhere. From living house to house with foster parents, to living on the streets of New York City to Charleston and Huntington, WV since the age of 16, to being in and out of Juvi he has seen a lot. He has an amazing story to tell, and today he asked if I would document it. Not only that, but he is going to show me all throughout Charleston and Huntington, where he lived on the streets, slept, ate, did drugs, and where the homeless children sleep at night. Yes, there are homeless children in WV, right in our backyard my friends who live here. We just haven’t seen them because they have been hidden from society; truly the insignificant ones of this world. I will be documenting it all and telling these peoples story. 

What am I going to do with it? Well, what do you do with all kinds of footage of people in need right in your backyard? You spread it around anywhere you can and where people will listen. 

My plan is to take it into as many churches, community centers, and homes as possible. Let them see the need first hand that they can take that hand and reach out the door of the Four Walls to touch it in the face. People have no idea what is going on, even right here in Charleston, WV. There is a lot of need, and because of growing up here and knowing so many people, and having no idea myself this was going on, I have to do something about it. I feel an obligation. 

 

It might be a small city, an insignificant city, but it is a needy city.

Come and join me on this journey.

Stephen

a desire of a man

So I don’t make many posts of just talking about my life. So here it goes…

It’s been a good couple of weeks, in and out of myself, traveling, searching, loving. I am just kind of stuck in a rut, it seems sometimes… other times, I am so uber excited about life, and what is to come. 

One thing that has been on my mind lately is money… I work at Chick-fil-a, and it is O.K. money, but I know I can’t do that for the rest of my life, and I don’t really want too… What I would really LOVE to do, as I’m sure most people do, is travel, travel, travel. It is hard to do that these days though, and actually be able to eat… I know that I am called to be a missionary, a good father (but not just to my own children, but as a spiritual father for God’s purposes…), an blogger, a videographer (but not for money), and of course, as I have mentioned, a world traveler; I want to make a difference in this world. I’d love to start a mission to help people around the world, in poverty, with disease, help get people out of slavery, being a father, love, be affectionate towards, and be compassionate to the world, giving up of myself to those who need God, and who need to be encouraged. I have been told I am going to be a man who blesses, lives with, or is helpful towards, the most insignificant people of the world. And with all my heart, I want what God wants for me, I know that is this. I feel it all within my bones, within my eyes, within my mind, within my gut, the utmost parts of my body, and my heart (which is the most strong). I desire so much to live with God, be with God, loving Him, being with Him, being best friends, and loving others while I love God. I want it with all that I am, I could cry for years, for eternity, if I don’t do it. If I don’t strive for these things, I know I will cry for eternity. 

So as I live in this moment, day by day, striving to be the person God wants me to be, messing up, confessing my sinful ways, and loving those around me in intricate ways, ways I hope no one else has loved before. It is as if I will burst, blow, die if I don’t do what I know God wants to do through me, in me. I have to do it. 

Pray for me, that all these things, my flesh mostly, that make me fall, that make me fail, leave, and I find strength in God. 

With tears, many tears, I ask for you to pray for me, that God will be in me, and I will be in Him, and that I will do what He does, what He desires, what His heart longs for. Thats all I want. 

 

And in these final moments of this day,

I know what I must do.

I must pray, I must earnestly pray,

for God’s mercy,

for God’s grace,

for God’s forgiveness of this broken state,

I must earnestly pray,

pray, pray,

for His return to me,

for my return to Him,

for the end of myself has come,

at the end of this day,

and for it all to never come back.

buy my t-shirts!

I just opened a small business selling t-shirts, shoes, jackets, and other such products! If you are interested in buying something, head to my business site!

 

Some things I’m selling now (more to come!)

[more here]

 

There is more to come as well.

I am also looking into using this website as a resource for my future endeavors, to work in the missions field and lift up those who are down, and be with those who are insignificant to the rest of the world. 

Please buy a t-shirt, jacket, mug, or anything else, and the proceeds will go directly to aid me for my basic necessities: food, water, shelter, as well as traveling expenses. 

Thank you.