Rick shares the events surrounding the Summer of 1991 when Teen Rescue almost stopped after 4 years. Rick always wondered as a school year came to an end, if he would travel to schools again in the fall. Starting in 1987, after doing about 18 schools the first year, he wondered if he was going to do even one more school the coming year; but September rolled around and schools started calling. They did about 25 schools the second year and were up to about 50 schools by years 3 and 4.
The summer of 1991 was no exception. The band had just come off of their biggest year ever and they made some administrative decisions moving Teen Rescue to another town and enlarging the staff. But, as a young entrepreneur, he didn't foresee some financial calculations which then caused Teen Rescue to have to dramatically pull back. Rick met with the band and staff to share what his heart was to do but in his mind wasn’t sure how to make the business end of it work.
Rick pretty much released the whole group and explained that he couldn’t promise anything as they came upon their fifth year that would be solid enough to tell them to stick around. One day Rick, concerned that money was getting scarce, went to an employment agency. All day everything inside of him was saying this was not right, he shouldn’t be getting a job. One side of him was thinking he wanted to be faithful to provide for his family, and on the other side he was hearing, what has God called you to do as you are waiting faithfully.
He worked one day and was given cash for the job. He put the money in his wallet and went home. While he got out of the car, he put his sunglasses and his wallet on top of the car. He walks into the house, he realizes he has to meet somebody, so he goes back out and jumps in the car and takes off. Suddenly he realizes he set these items on top of the car. Returning home, they were on the road, glasses run over and the wallet open. The money he had just earned for that day was gone. He should have listened to his heart.
Feeling discouraged, he walked into his office and saw messages on the answering machine. One call was from a superintendent who had a consortium of 18 high schools and wondered if he was available in the coming year. He couldn’t call back fast enough.
He assembled the band back and they went into their busiest year ever. From there, Rick didn’t have another summer where he questioned should he be doing this or will there be another school that will call. It was a time of great growth and excitement for what Teen Rescue was doing.
As easy as it is sometimes to get discouraged, it is just as easy to say, “Do not be discouraged.” When you wake up in the morning, it is your responsibility to begin to encourage yourself. The bible says to speak to your soul, to live. When your bones feel dry, you have to speak to those dry bones and tell them to come alive. The Lord wants us to be refreshed and it starts with your own words. Are you either a pessimist or an optimist? Rick says he is neither one, he is a psalmist. His cup isn’t half full nor half empty, it is running over.
Ricks story also reminds us to be very careful when you are waiting on God not to jump ahead and try to make things work when you think God isn’t doing anything or taking a long time. It is the difference between moving forward in the flesh or walking in the Spirit. Rick says it is a thing you have to learn. You have to live in this world in your flesh but with the Spirit in your heart. The Spirit part of you is bigger than the flesh part of you. If you feed the flesh instead of the Spirit, then the flesh will win every time. If you feed the Spirit, your spirit grows, your spirit is encouraged and your spirit encourages others. The best way to be encouraged is to encourage others. Give to others. The way to get is to give. The way to receive is to spread the love around.
