Life can be messy, but you don't have to figure it out alone. Hey, it's the Lusko. Join pastors and best-selling authors Levi and Jenny Lusko on Hey, it's the Luskos for honest conversations about faith, marriage, family, grief, ministry, and all the unexpected moments in between. You'll laugh, you'll be encouraged, and you'll be reminded that God is faithful through every season. It will always come back to Jesus in the end.
That's right. Tune into Hey, It's the Luskos with Levi and Jenny Lusko, available now wherever you get your podcasts. Life audio. Yeah. Hi from the Salvation Army, you're listening to Words of Life.
Yeah. These are the words, these are the words of life. These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. Welcome back to Words of Life. Over the past several weeks, we've been sitting around the table with ministry leaders who serve on the front lines of some of society's greatest challenges.
We've talked about mental health, refugees, human trafficking, correctional ministries, and the many ways people can find themselves trapped in cycles that seem impossible to escape. Today, we bring this series to a close with part two of our conversation about poverty and homelessness. For many, homelessness is easy to misunderstand. We often see the symptoms without understanding the story behind them. Job loss, mental illness, addiction, family breakdown, incarceration like we talked about last week, rising house costs can all contribute to a situation that feels impossible to overcome alone.
But throughout this series, one theme has continued to emerge. People need community. They need relationships. They need someone willing to walk alongside them. As followers of Christ, we're called not only to care about these issues, but to care for the people living through them.
We may not have every solution, but we can be present. We can listen, we can serve, and together as the body of Christ, we can help create places where hope can take root. Uh Check out the show notes as always, and we'll have plenty of links to find out more information or resources related to all the topics we've covered throughout this series. Here's our final conversation in this Biblical Justice Roundtable Series. It's interesting that now a month ago, we had Barry Brown, who works with Correctional Ministries.
And one of the things he was talking about is just: you know, maybe you made a mistake. Maybe you're wrongfully convicted. We have no idea what your story is. But then you get out of prison and now you can't get a job because no one will hire you.
Now you have fines to pay that you can't afford to pay because you can't get a job to pay for the fines. And now you're back to jail because you didn't pay these fines. I do think the church should be in a place where we are there to be we should be the safety blanket and help support these families and find avenues and find You know, get them new job skills so that what they can do is so desirable that they don't care about their prison history and all. But yeah, it's so hard. I mean, if you've never been there.
It is so hard to get out of any of these cycles. If possible. Poverty is a problem of community. Then the solution has to be community. And I think the important key here Is that no one of us has all the solutions to all the problems?
That's true. I think just about the mental health side. I've worked a lot with people coming right off the street struggling with addiction, which is a mental health issue, struggling with schizophrenia, and depression, and anxiety, and panic attacks, and all of these other issues. And a local church might not be equipped to handle those things. if that person walks in those doors.
But that doesn't mean that we can't help them and we can't love them and we can't connect them to community resources. And I think one of the most important things that we can do is to be a community for these people. They might not have the skills to. Go and find themselves a job or even rent an apartment. I mean, I was working with people coming right off the street, and as they were transitioning out, They had never signed a lease before.
They didn't even know how to start looking for an apartment, let alone go through the whole process. And so some of these basic life skills that you and I have, because we've just lived in the real world for a long time, are completely lacking for them. and those things can become such huge psychological barriers. That feels overwhelming for them to overcome. They don't know how to navigate the system.
They don't know how to write a resume or apply for a job or do a job interview.
So, for those out there who are listening who want to make a difference and want to help, you have skills. that are valuable to people who are homeless. You have skills that can help people and help them to grow. And even if your skill is figuring out what resources are out there so you can direct somebody. Yeah.
That is an important thing to ending poverty into fixing, breaking this cycle. Hey, you're listening to the Salvation Army's Words of Life. We're going to take a quick ad break and we'll be right back. When life gets overwhelming, true peace isn't found in doing more. It's found in Jesus.
Bible League International wants to help with their resource ABIDE. A free 31-day devotional to help you connect with God in as little as five minutes a day. This resource is designed to help you spend time with the one who gives true rest. Text Abide to 948-78-478-778. your free copy.
That's ABIDE to 948-78. One thing I learned when I was at Atlanta International Corps just a few years ago was that there's a lot of families now living in hotels. That's the cheaper way for them to be, but it's very transient. And we just started a ministry on Wednesday afternoons going out to a hotel, an extended stay hotel, and visiting the families there and doing kids' programs. That is like a very beautiful pastoral way to provide community for families that.
Um are in these places where there is not community and where kids are like not able to even go out and play because they're in this strange environment. They're in these very small units It started with us doing an Easter outreach there, and then we started going on Wednesdays. It wasn't a whole bunch of people, it was just maybe ten kids that came out and played football with the cadets and stuff like that. But I didn't even know that there were families living like this, you know? And so I feel like one of the things you can do is to go do visitation in these places and provide community for these families.
And then one fun thing that me and my husband did when we were in London, we had There was a homeless lunch for homeless and unhoused people that we had once a week. And it was this beautiful lunch that was put on by someone from the church, and they would come. But we decided that on Sunday evenings, we would have a meal and then we would do karaoke. And it was the most beautiful ministry. All these unhoused people would come and eat and then sing.
And like there was a choir, they had a choir, and then they would just do karaoke. And they had the most beautiful voices, most of them. And but it was just like really fun because they got to do something kind of normal as well and kind of feel like they were just part of us. And then I know that there was another church down the road that had this choir that would sing and it was full of people who are unhoused. And, you know, it's not changing policy.
It's not doing anything hugely significant, but it's providing normalcy for people. Community and very simple things that we as the church could do. And so, yeah. But I recommend karaoke.
So, one story that sticks out to me, and I still remember it today, was the church that we were connected to at the Drop-In Center. They knew about the ministry we were doing, and it was around Christmas time. And one of the church members let me know that her daughters had come to her. They were. I think at the time, they're twins, so they were, I think, 15 years old, and they told their parents that they wanted to do something to help.
with the women that were a part of the drop-in center, and they wanted to give up their Christmas presents and use that money to buy Christmas for the women in the program. Honestly, I was floored, and like the Lord really used that to speak to me. That really. Anyone can be a part of Serving and a part of the solution. And they literally gave up their Christmas that year and bought all kinds of gifts for the ladies.
And it was really a meaningful gift for the women. And obviously, they didn't know where it was coming from, but we did. And it really spoke a lot to me that we all can. Be a part of serving. And so I would just.
encourage everyone who's listening, if you feel called to be a part of this, to serve in some way and be a part of the solution that the Lord has gifted you in a unique way and We all, as the body of Christ, can serve in different capacities. And so, whether that's serving with an organization that's fighting poverty, or homelessness, or mental health, or anti-trafficking, or refugees, there's so many ways that, as the body of Christ, we can come together and serve. And so that's my hope that we would continue just to see the church's response grow. We pray that you're enjoying and being blessed by this conversation. We're going to take one more ad break and we'll be right back.
You don't need more discipline. You just need more of Jesus. If your mind won't slow down or you're feeling worn thin, Bible League International wants to send you ABIDE, a free 31-day prayer guide to help you draw close to God in as little as five minutes a day. Experience settled peace, lasting joy, and God's nearness. Get your free copy of Abide Today.
Text ABIDE to 94878. That's ABIDE to 94878. Lord, um Thank you that you Are a God who meets us where we're at? That you meet each and every person in their suffering and. We just pray for Individuals and families who are facing poverty and homelessness.
You know, just the depth of despair that they're facing, just the shame, the worry, the anxiety. And I just pray that you would meet them where they're at, God, that you would continue just to. Empower organizations and churches to be on the front lines serving and to be safe places to welcome in those who are struggling. Give wisdom and discernment and strategy because there's so much need in our communities. And I just pray that you would just help us learn how to show up and be the body of Christ.
And so we just thank you for. Just allowing us to be a part of this work, and we just pray that you would continue just to bless the Salvation Army and other churches. Allow us to be your hands and feet in our communities every day. In Jesus' name.
So at this point, we thought it would be appropriate to pray this beautiful Franciscan prayer as a final blessing over this series and over you, our listeners. Uh Uh May God bless you with discomfort. At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression. and exploitation of people.
so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection. hunger and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them. and to turn their pain to joy. And may God bless you with enough foolishness.
to believe that you can make a difference in the world.
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done, to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor. Amen. As we close this series, I hope you've been encouraged and challenged by these conversations. We've heard from leaders serving those facing mental health struggles, refugees seeking safety, survivors of human trafficking. And while each issue is different, they all remind us of a simple truth.
Every person is created in the image of God and worthy of dignity, compassion, and love. Um Biblical justice isn't just about recognizing brokenness, it's about responding as Christ would. It's about seeing people, building relationships, and becoming a part of the solution wherever God has placed us. Thank you for joining us for this series. Thank you to our group of friends for joining us for the recording.
To learn more about any of the ministries discussed throughout these conversations, check out the show notes for this episode or visit wordsoflifepodcast.org. The Salvation Army's mission, doing the most good, means helping people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army. Visit SalvationArmyUSA.org to offer your support. You can subscribe to Words of Life on your favorite podcast store or visit SalvationArmysoundcast.org.
Join us next time for the Salvation Army's Words of Life. These are the words, these are the words of life. These are the words, these are the words, these are the words of life. These are the words of life. Thanks so much for listening to Words of Life.
We want to thank the team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on the show. Visit lifeaudio.com where you'll find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network. They have shows about prayer, Bible studying, parenting, and more. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for working everything out for my good. Help me trust in your perfect plan. Amen. Father, thank you. for loving and caring for me.
with Christian prayer meditation. You can pray along to prayers based on specific topics. Go to lifeeaudio.com or search your favorite podcast app for Christian Prayer Meditation. You can also download the Abide app for biblical meditations. at abide.com.
Yeah. The Historical Jesus Podcast is the sweeping saga of the life and times of Galilean Jesus of Nazareth, as well as the faith, religion, and church founded to honor and disseminate his acts and teachings. Join me, Mark Vinette, on this fascinating journey through time, exploring the many great works of Christian theology, literature, architecture, music, and art inspired by the words and deeds of Jesus Christ.
