This is why I’m driven

The following is an email I received from a young man with whom I have been blessed with meeting. He is like many of us – challenged by the world while trying to focus on what’s important in life.

In the course of the last few years I have seen both sides of the line that many struggling financially dance: some wind up on the street; some wind up in prison. I have heard the stories of men and women who “merely” lost their home; I’ve heard testimony of a couple dozen men living at Westville who lost so much more. The stories were nearly identical in many cases. For some, it was a matter of getting caught just beyond legal limits; for others, they just got lucky and avoided jail.

The story Justin shares below is one that reminds me that even though I am officially unemployed, I have so many blessings that I started taking for granted – an unbelievably supportive family (wife, kids, mother, siblings, family), decent credit, some “retirement” funds, a house, car, church family and friends. Even with all that, I count Justin as a blessing that God has put in my life far more for me than what I have been for him.

I hope you’ll take a moment to read this story. Absorb it. Let it settle with you. Let it unsettle you.

Thank God for all that is right in your life and take a moment to forget about what’s not. Thank God that there are people out there busting it to do something to help those in need. Search your heart and ask for what you might be called to do to help.

Maybe it’s nothing…maybe it’s a little something…maybe your little is large to someone with nothing.

Sometimes God speaks in a whisper. Sometimes it’s a 2×4 to the head. Sometimes it takes a 2×4. Thank you, God, for your gift of grace, unearnable love, mustard seeds of faith, Justin and the others like Justin willing to have faith and share their testimony.

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march 11, 2010, i left incarceration at westville correctional center. i reside in the ‘new creation men’s ministry’ program. this is a ministry-based response to valparaiso’s growing homeless population. one day i was blessed with a bicycle. shortly thereafter, a friend commented how much i enjoy riding my bike, and asked if i had ever considered making deliveries, like the big-city messenger services. i admitted i had not. over the next few days, i considered the idea. first, i tried to define what a bike messenger service does. in a metropolitan area with much traffic congestion, a bike messenger service ensures that products and goods move efficiently and safely from point a to point b. in valparaiso, such traffic conditions just do not exist. after some brainstorming, i identified two factors that might help me to adapt such a service to valparaiso’s unique geography and special needs. one: time. the other: mobility. there are moments in every persons life when it just does not make sense to stop what one is doing, leave the workplace, and travel in a costly motor vehicle just to pick something up. then again, some folks are bound to their particular area, whether it be work or home. they just cannot get out. this is where i come in. one call, and i’ll have it there ‘just-in time’.

i was blessed to go camping at indiana beach for the memorial day weekend. upon my return to the day center on axe ave., i discovered that my bike had been stolen. after a short period of agitation, i resigned the problem to God, forgave the person, and thanked God for the faith to believe that He had a new bike waiting for me. wednesday, june 2, i was awaiting my father’s arrival at jimmy’s cafe for breakfast, when in walked sheriff david lain. i said good morning to him, and he shook my hand in introduction. last august, while incarcerated in porter county jail, i graduated the chemical dependency and addictions program (iop). sheriff lain spoke to our graduating class. i thanked him for his kind and encouraging words, and the time he spent to visit us. he thanked me, and asked me what i had been doing since my release. i highlighted the new creation program, my job search, my effort to start a business with the bike delivery service, and even gave him a business card. when he asked how it was going, i responded ‘slow’, as my bike had just been stolen. he said, “really? well…the first thing we have to do is get you a new bike. i’ll be in touch with you.” the following morning, sheriff lain called me to update me on the progress of the search for a bike, and asked me to give him one more day. he also said he had contacted a friend down at ‘valpolife.com‘ and said i should expect a phone call from them. i thanked him again for thinking of me, and for his kindness. he said, “i have no problem helping someone who is truly on the path to bettering themselves.” friday morning, like clockwork, sheriff lain called again, telling me this time to report to the county garage on hwy 2 after 1 pm to pick up my bike. and what a bike! i was so blessed by the whole experience, i wanted to share it with everyone. praise God!!!!

thank you for your time.

respectfully,
justin r. lund

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btw – if you need something delivered “just-in time” you can contact Justin at (219) 241-4163.
He’ll earn your business.