A few days after Easter, I was sitting around the table doing morning devotions with our Breakfast Club boys. Al spoke up right away—not at all unusual for him—and said something that caught everyone’s attention right away:

“Pastor Scott, Easter was different this year for me.”

I asked Al what he meant, thinking that maybe he would talk about how he ate different food or went to someone else’s house. I asked if he went to church and got an Easter basket. 

But he said, “No, none of that was different. But it was different because of the decision I made at camp last summer.”

That got my attention! I asked him to explain, which can sometimes be very risky, but Al surprised me again.

“Pastor Scott, I now know the true meaning of Easter and celebrated the real meaning for the first time in my life. At camp I was told the true meaning of Easter—that Christ came, lived and died, and rose again. He is now alive, and He did that all for me because I believe. I started believing that last summer at camp and this was my first Easter I could celebrate and tell my family.”

Wow.  I had no idea he made that decision at camp, and I have no idea how many others like Al have made the same decision.  

Our week-long summer camp is one of the most important parts of our ministry each year. We’re able to get these at-risk teenagers away from their normal lives and share Christ with them. 

But these kids have no way to pay their own away to camp. That’s where you come in.

Would you be willing to help us take as many kids just like Al to camp as we can this summer? You can choose to sponsor one or more kids at $400 each or you can give a general gift to our camp scholarship fund. 

You can give online at www.leverageministries.org/give-now or send a check to Leverage Ministries, PO Box 1533, Auburndale, FL 33823.

Thank you so much for your support—both financial and through prayer—of Leverage Ministries. 

“Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner [just like Al] who repents than over  ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:7 ESV 

In His Service,

Scott Hirdes

A couple days ago at Breakfast Club, I was talking with a young man named Jay about his life goals, future plans and his relationship with Jesus. Jay looked at me and said, “Pastor Scott, life has robbed me of most of my choices and opportunities.” That caught my attention, so I asked him to explain what he meant.

Jay said to me, “I would have liked to have grown up with a mom and dad in the same house. But my dad is dead, and my mom is in jail. You see, Pastor Scott…life has robbed me of living in a nice house with hot water and food I want to eat and clothes I want to wear. I would like to do well in school and be able to go to college some day, but to be completely honest with you, I will probably end up in prison like the rest of my family and people I know.”

Unfortunately, that is the story I hear way too often. Each story is a little different than Jay’s, but so many of the kids we worked with feel they have no choice and no hope.

This year, as you sit around your Christmas tree to share gifts and gather around your dinner table with your family and friends, would you remember those who do not have that same opportunities? Teenagers like Jay who who need the one true Hope that comes from having a relationship with Christ?

Luke 2:10 says, “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.’” That good news is salvation.

Titus 2:11 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” That includes Jay, who feels like he was robbed of some of life’s opportunities. But no one has been robbed of the opportunity to trust In the Saving Grace of Jesus.

Would you prayerfully consider a year-end gift to Leverage Ministries that will enable us to continue sharing this Hope with the at-risk youth of Polk County through our Breakfast Club ministries, at the Runaway Shelter, at summer camps and at the various sports camps throughout the year?

You can give online at www.leverageministries.org/give-now or send a check to Leverage Ministries, PO Box 1533, Auburndale, FL 33823.

From our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

In His Service,

Scott Hirdes

Do you know what Shoe Goo is? To be honest, it’s really spelled “Goop,” but that didn’t rhyme so I went with “Goo.”

Shoe goop is glue for shoes. You can buy it at Walmart and most hardware stores. When your shoe starts to fall apart and you want to be careful with money, you go get some Shoe Goo and glue it back together. This saves you from having to buy new shoes; they’re good for at least another couple of weeks! (Really I have personally used the stuff and it does not last long.)

Now I can only imagine what you are thinking: “How is Scott going to tie Shoe Goo into missions during this prayer letter?” I’m very glad you asked and that others witnessed this, because you would not believe this story.

A couple of weeks ago, we arrived at the runaway shelter for our normal Wednesday night program. As I was finished speaking, a young man named VJ came up and said he really liked what I had to say and wanted to know if we would be back next week. I told him that we come very Wednesday night. His response? “Great! Could you bring me some glue?” Unsure of what he meant, I asked him why he needed glue. VJ said, "You see, I have these shoes and need to glue them back together. I have all the pieces right here.” I offered to take VJ to buy some shoes, but he insisted that he wanted glue for his shoes. I promised to bring some the next week.

The next week, I walked into the shelter, and VJ ran up to me asking for the glue. Unfortunately, I had had forgotten all about the glue, but my wife heard and offered to run to the store for glue as I started the program. We had a great evening, and VJ listened to every word. As soon as I was done praying, VJ jumped up and asked for the glue. Thankfully Joy was back with the Shoe Goo before anybody knew she was gone. VJ brought me his shoes and all of the rubber pieces that had come off and asked me to glue all of the pieces back together for him. So I sat there and glued the dirty old sneakers back together, piece by piece while VJ watched. When I finished, I reminded him not to wear them until the glue had dried overnight.

A week later as I walked back into the shelter, VJ met me at the door to look at his shoes again. He said, “They are perfect, and all of the pieces are still on. Check out how good they look!”

At first, I didn’t understand why he wanted to fix the old, worn out shoes. But later I learned why. VJ was taken from his home, and the only thing he could grab was this pair of shoes his mom had bought for him. She used all the money she had to buy him the shoes and told him to take good care of them. VJ said to me, “Pastor Scott, I know my mom is coming back for me, and I am going to show her that I am grown up and can take care of myself, just like I took care of my shoes. I know she is coming back.”

VJ wanted to make his mom proud, and I’m honored that I was able to help VJ. Without your support of Leverage Ministries, this wouldn’t be possible. Because of your support, we were able to buy shoe goo and glue VJ’s shoes back together. Because of your support, we are able to share Christ with VJ and also every young person we come in contact with each and every day.

Matthew 10:42 says, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

In Jesus’s time, it was a cup of cold water. In our time, it was a tube of glue.

Would you be willing to give a special gift this holiday season to help Leverage Ministries continue to glue lives back together with the glue only Christ can provide? Give online today at www.leverageministries.org/donate or mail a check in the enclosed envelope.

Thank you again for your continued prayer and financial support. We appreciate you!

Scott Hirdes
Executive Director