Hands of Love

“In His hands that bring us life, in His hands we come alive. In His hands, He's holding us!”

In Crowder’s “Hands of Love” we are reassured that the hands that hung the stars, the hands that bore the scars are the same hands that bring us life and these hands are holding us! The past few months Tascha and I have been immersed in orphan ministry. We have been serving at the Africa Gospel Church Baby Centre where the kids are our number one priority. The Baby Centre is not an orphanage or a children's home, but rather a rescue centre for orphaned and abandoned babies. The goal is to be the hands of Christ to these babies until they are adopted into forever families. Tascha has been spending a ton of time in the three wings working with the kids and loving them unconditionally. My ministry here at the Baby Centre has been working on the new AGC Baby Centre website and doing media. I also spend some time with the kids. For more information about the Baby Centre and to meet the kiddos here, visit our new website at www.agcbabycenter.org 

This past week, Tascha and I had the privilege of serving with the Least of These ministry (www.wgm.org/leastofthese). I had been asked to do a video for the ministry showing what they do and how you can get involved with it. This is an amazing ministry and Tascha and I are so blessed to have been able to be a part of it. I wont say too much about the ministry and let Robyn, Mwali and Anthony tell you about the Least of These in the video below. 

The Least of These Ministry 2014 from Jeff and Tascha Fyke on Vimeo.

No eye has seen, no ear has heard the depths of the love God has for us all. Our God is great and mighty and doesn't start caring for us when we are grown. In Matthew 19:14 it says Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

These beautiful children, made in the image of God, are precious. God loves them, and has entrusted those at the AGC Baby Centre, the Least of These and many other organizations with their care. It is not a light responsibility and takes all that we have, but these little ones are worth our lives and more. They are the face of Christ and all we do for these, the least of these, we have done for Christ (Matt. 25:40). 

So I encourage you, pray for these ministries and get involved! You don’t have to physically be here in Kenya to touch the lives of these kids

Cornerstone

As many of you know, I love music, photography and videography. What many of you may not know is that in middle school and high school, I painted a lot with oils and also did quite a bit of chalk and oil pastel drawings. I love art and creating things. Whether it is depicting my rendition of something already in existence, or creating something totally original, I love spending time drawing, painting, taking pictures and shooting video. 

Spending hours editing video is not done purely for my own satisfaction, butI to convey a message. I feel God has gifted me in such a way that I can capture a story through my camera lens and depict it in such a way that people can connect with it when they see it. I take pride in my work, not that I am glorified, but that Christ alone is glorified. It is hard and tedious work, but I love it and it is what God has called me to do. 

The story of God begins with Him hard at work. He is the Author; the Creator; the Architect and the Builder. When finished, He rests to admire His work. God enjoys His work. This similar enjoyment we experience in both what we create and in the creating itself, is surely an echo of the image of God in us.

We want other people to enjoy that which we have enjoyed creating. We start our work with the end point in mind, spurring us on to completion.

Jesus is the foundation of our faith. He is the centerpiece of God’s story. He is the climactic depiction of the love of God, the One the whole story is pointing towards. He is also the starting point and the reference by which the rest of the story is written. Jesus is the cornerstone. I see this written on many buildings here in Kenya, including this one here at the Baby Centre. Jesus is recognized and declared as the Cornerstone. 

Just as the cornerstone was the first stone that was laid; the stone to which all the other stones are set and find their reference; so Jesus is the cornerstone for our lives. He is the centerpiece of our hope and the compass for all of our endeavors.

Imagine the enjoyment God takes as His story unfolds, as we are built brick by brick into His Church, fixed firmly on Jesus Christ Himself. What confidence we can take in building our lives on the very same foundation that God Himself has chosen for what He is building.

"Christ alone, Cornerstone. Weak made strong, in the Savior's love. Through the storm, He is Lord, Lord of All!" These lyrics from Hillsong Live's "Cornerstone" are powerful and ever so true! I have loved this song since I first heard it. By singing that Christ alone is our cornerstone, we are declaring that Jesus is the firmest of foundations. Jesus is the reference point for our worship and indeed for all that we have and all that we are. He is the One who holds all things together. Jesus Christ, my Cornerstone, is the One and only one I worship. I do that through the things I say, the way I act in public and in private, through my camera lens and through the things I say. Christ alone, Cornerstone. Firm Foundation, Savior and Lord, forever and ever. 

“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. Together, we are His House, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself." 

Ephesians 2:20 (NLT)

F.R.O.G.

Do you remember the F.R.O.G. bracelets you used to wear as a kid? They came out shortly after the WWJD bracelets and they stood for Fully Rely On God. I had one as a kid; probably more as a fashion statement in a Christian school more than a statement about my faith though. You were cool if you had a FROG bracelet, WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelet, DOG (Depend On God) bracelet and any other acronym you can think of to cover your wrists and go up your arms.

However as the years have gone by, I have forgotten about my FROG bracelet and the meaning behind it, until this week. I am an independent person and like to take care of things myself without help if possible. And if I do need help, I am the one who calls the shots because I know what I need and how to do it. Monday, on the way home from work, my car died after stopping at a gas station. After countless attempts to revive it on my own, I finally asked the clerk at the station if he could jump me off. This was totally out of my comfort zone. He were unable to so I then reverted to asking people who came into the gas station for help. Now I was really out of my comfort zone and just praying to God that He would get me to an auto parts store. Finally, a good samaritan jumped me off and off I went to NAPA get my battery changed. Well, the guy at NAPA tested my battery and said it was fully charged and that I must have just left something on. I was relieved and then went home.

The next morning I went out to start my car to go to work and it was dead…again. I was distraught, mad, confused, and irritated. I rode with Tascha, dropped her off at work before taking myself to work. That night Tascha’s dad jumped me off and we took it to the dealership to get checked out. The next morning the dealer called and said the battery stem was bent and the battery was dead and needed to be replaced. Situation resolved…or is it?

The entire time was car was out of commission, I was totally stressed. I was stressed because I was out of control and could not fix it. I relied on my own skills, abilities, and strengths and totally left God out of the picture until I was desperate for someone to jump my car off. Far too often in life we seek God’s guidance, help, grace and love only when we have tried everything in our own power to provide for ourselves. This isn’t just a secular thing either, it’s a ministry thing. That’s usually what causes burn out for so many people in full time ministry. God tells us in Matthew 6: 25-34 not to worry about our lives. He takes care of the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. How much more does He love us and will He take care of us and provide! God provided a random stranger to jump my car off the first time and an awesome father-in-law to do it the second time. He has provided a car for me to drive that hasn’t had any major issues (needing a battery is not a major issue) and more than that, I have shelter, food, a job and more love from my family and friends than I could ever repay on my own.

My God is sooooo good! There is no one like Him! Listen to this song, “You Never Fail” by Hillsong Live. The chorus states “Strong through every trial, Faithful through the night. Our God will never fail. Our God will never fail! Anchor through the flood. You keep holding on! I know You'll never fail. Jesus You'll never fail!” God has been this to me this week and I hope that whatever situation you are in, you will find comfort in Him.