The Christmas Feast

On Christmas Night, residents from Willow Pond and Village Oaks came to Dean Wilson's home to celebrate.  There was a wonderful feast filled with toasts and cheers.  Enjoy the pictures-

 

 

-- Behind Every Door Ministries

Village Oaks Christmas Party Pictures

The Village Oaks Christmas party was an incredible time of unity for our community.  Santa stopped by to take pictures, there were lots of hot appetizers, and plenty of hot chocolate!  About 250 packed the front office area as the Kids Club Choir performed during our program.  The choir was met with loud cheers from the audience!  After the kids sang, we presented awards to the Community Leaders in our community, including a "Man of the Year" and a "Woman of the Year" award.  Enjoy the pictures below!

 

Here are some pictures of this year's award winners:

William Srader - a Kids Club Leader Award recipient.

Samaria McKinney - a Kids Club Leader Award recipient.

Neil Davis - a Kids Club Leader Award recipient.

Louie Morris - a Communtiy Leader Award recipient.

Lawanda "C-Byrd" Thompson - a Communtiy Leader Award recipient.

Patricia "Patrisce" Hill - a Community Leader Award recipient.

Keith "Smitty" Smith - a Communtiy Leader Award recipient.

Cicero Jones - a Communtiy Leader Award recipient.

John "Sarge" Stewart - a Communtiy Leader Award recipient.

Cla'Natia Lane - "Woman of the Year"

Anthony Harrison - "Man of the Year" 

-- Behind Every Door Ministries

Behind Every Door December Update!

 

  

"I've held two boys in my arms at Village Oaks as they died of gunshot wounds."  Those were the words of a man they call "Sarge" (as in Sergeant) as we talked at the Christmas at Village Oaks party last Friday night. Sarge has been around Village Oaks for 18 years and has seen it all. Later in the evening Sarge would receive a Community Leader Award, and he shared a few powerful words with those gathered...about love and the transformation he has seen happen recently at Village Oaks. Praise the Lord.

A few minutes after I talked with Sarge, I talked with a man named Sherwood.  Sherwood is a larger-than-life legend. He was telling me about how he and Will Dowell had managed to recover his stolen cell phone from a drug dealer earlier in the day in a very peaceful way.  Sherwood went on to tell me two other stories from his day.  He has been coming to our Real Men group and has been "trying on" the principles of Jesus.  At one point he said to me: "This stuff works!"

These stories of an unfolding process of transformation amidst darkness and difficulty seem too good to be true!

There was much to celebrate Friday night.  The first performance of the Kids Club Choir...they sang carols and recited a poem about Jesus.  The awarding of Community Leader Awards to partners and residents.  The opportunity to honor our Kids Club Leaders.  The chance to present the first "Man of the Year" and "Woman of the Year" awards to residents Anthony Harrison and Clanatia Lane.

Because of our friends at Providence Energy Corporation, Two Wins Foundation, and Triumph Savings Bank...93 kids at the Village Oaks and Willow Pond Kids Clubs got to write down what they wanted for Christmas...and get it.

After the party Friday night, the kids waited as their names were called and their gifts were passed to them.  I wish each of you could have seen what I saw from the front row.  One of the gifts was a brand new, really cool bike. I saw the name on the card said "Frederick."  In the front row, about 10 feet away, was a boy...and a couple of times I saw him looking at the bike.  But, not knowing his name, and given the fact that there were tons of kids in the room, I didn't necessarily think it was for him.

It came time for us to give the bike.  I called out "Frederick"...and the boy raised his hand.  When I reached over to hand him the bike....it is not possible to explain to you the look of utter joy on his face.  He couldn't believe it was for him.

It wasn't just the awards or the music or the gifts that made Friday night special.  It was the spirit of the place.  The boisterous applause as we announced the award winners...some recipients even had their names chanted! There was a spirit of unity and of celebration.

Isaiah 61 talks about the bestowing of "a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." That pretty well describes the spirit in that Community Center last Friday night.

Jesus. God with us.  It's the story that's too good to be true...but it's true.  We're thankful for the life He brings. He brings beauty from ashes.  He makes us glad.  He is a gift so good we can't believe it's for us...but He is.

Merry Christmas.

-- Behind Every Door Ministries

No One

“What do you think about raising children?”

This was a question from a mother of one of the kids in the Kids Club.

I wasn't sure where she was going with her question, so I made light of it and asked if she was planning to give me some kids to raise.  “Just one,” she said.  She began to cry and tell me that if anything happened to her, I was the only person she would trust to raise her 8 year old daughter.  She added that there was no one in her family where her daughter would be safe.

Remembering that she was struggling with deep depression, I immediately sobered.  The sobriety deepened as the weight of her words washed over me.  No one.  No one in her life to trust.  No one to bring safety.  No one.  The greatest poverty here is not financial.  It is a poverty of trusted relationships.

That's why we are here.

-- Suzanne Wallace

Christmas Party!

We are excited to announce that one week from today we will host this years Behind Every Door Christmas Party at Village Oaks.

There will be Christmas music, hot appetizers and beverages, stories, Holiday pictures with Santa, a tour, and more!  

Click on the invitation below for more information, and don't for get to RSVP!

 

-- Behind Every Door Ministries

The Birthday Party

We have a young man in high school who attends the Kids Club here at Willow Pond.  This young man accepted Christ as his personal Lord and Savior a few months ago.  He has a true hunger to know more about what it means to be a child in the Kingdom of God.

One day, I heard it was his birthday and I asked him what he was doing for his special day.  His response shocked me: "nothing."

I asked him, "If you had a party, what would you want?"

"Ice cream and cake," he said.

Suzanne and I decided to get him just that.

For his party we invited some of the guys at Willow Pond to join in on the festivities.  We sang happy birthday as he waited to blow out his candles.  Before opening up his gift we went around the table and everyone told this young man what we appreciated about him.  One of the young men there, (who has made a drastic change in his own life) said, "I appreciate you because you are a true friend and you keep me out of trouble."

Afterwards the young man opened up his gift: a brand new football with a pump and tee.  We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out and enjoying each others company.

There something to be said about a celebration.  This celebration was acknowledgement of one young mans life and it's impact on those around him.

 

  

-- Rickey Fanning

Christmas Lights

For the first time ever, Village Oaks will have Christmas lights!

Last week, some of the Real Men came out to help put up Christmas lights.  We wrapped trees and bushes in the front of Village Oaks, and many people are excited about the holiday lights.

 

 

 

-- Behind Every Door Ministries

Bubba and Saphirra

I love the freshness of someone encountering the scriptures for the first time.  One resident who comes to our Women of Wisdom Bible study had explained to me that, from her perspective, Catholics don’t believe in studying the Bible so she had never read any of it.

She called with a question the day after we read the story of Ananias and Sapphira.  She asked, “what did you say the man’s name was in that story?  Did you say his name was Bubba? I was telling my friend about what I had learned and she said she didn’t think there was anyone in the Bible named Bubba.”  I told her that it wasn’t his name, but that I liked that name better and we could rename him.  Anyway, who in Texas is named Ananias?

-- Suzanne Wallace

Fall Crafts at Village Oaks

For Thanksgiving, the kids in the Village Oaks Kids Club each created a "Mobile of Thanks" for their parents.

Our mobiles were provided mainly by nature. We went on three different nature walks around the Village Oaks property to gather up unique leaves, sticks, and acorns.  The kids really enjoyed the project, and we hope you like our finished project!

 

-- Jayda Ekundayo

Thanksgiving

84 turkeys were given away this year at Village Oaks and Willow Pond.  Here are a few pictures of some happy recipients!

 

 

 

  

-- Behind Every Door Ministries

Restoring Dignity

 

Thanks to some generous friends, we were able to send some men from Village Oaks to a Cowboys game. It is amazing that something as simple as a ticket to the Cowboys game can create so much dignity in someone's life.

We were so blessed to give the tickets to these men, and encouraged by the way that their spirits were lifted and their confidence boosted.

 

-- Will Dowell

November Update!

53 year-old Village Oaks resident Keith Smith goes by "Smitty." Smitty has been very involved with the activities at Village Oaks.

I asked Smitty: "What is your favorite thing about Jesus?"  His response: "He saves."

After a winding road from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to being homeless on the streets of Dallas for 3 years in bondage to addiction...Smitty was saved.
"Things are looking up now that I'm saved. It's a lot better."  Smitty keeps it profoundly simple.

"God wakes me up in the morning.  Then I pray before I get out of bed.  Then I study."  You like to study?  "Oh yes! Absolutely."

I should have known the answer because I get texts from Smitty several times a week with lessons from his studies.  For example, one day he wrote: "Spiritual armor for spiritual war" with a list of verses to read.

Smitty has shared parts of his story with our Real Men group. He is thankful to have his own apartment at Village Oaks. I recently asked him about his father.  "I never knew him.  Once my mother introduced me to him and he looked at me and said, 'I'm not your father.' That was like being carved with a knife.  I struggled with it for many years."

What about now? "God is a Father who doesn't turn His back on you," he said. He told me his relationship with God has brought forgiveness toward his natural father.  "When I forgive, the blessings start coming down."

And what about the future? "I could see myself becoming a preacher some day.  In God's time."
I'd love to hear Smitty preach.  And his life is preaching a profound and simple truth as we speak: Jesus Saves!

*****

If you haven't seen the new Behind Every Door video "Vigorous, Wonderful Change"... take a look! It is a look back at the last two years. Here is the link:  http://youtu.be/edrZhcvy5vE

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

-- Behind Every Door Ministries