Waiting in His Presence

The past two weeks here in Jacksonville, Florida have been amazing. I've gotten to meet with some incredible people and see the Church move in ways I never thought I would. But on the flip side of that there has been a lot of waiting periods as well. The first week I was here I was primarily in the room I'm staying in writing up blogs, working on videos, searching Churches and other tedious tasks. While this hasn't been the most fun it was much easier to do than what God has called me to do this past week: wait.

That's right. He's having me wait on Him. Go figure, right? This small season of waiting on Him has been so different from any other season I have had to do it. This time I have had absolutely no answers, no way out, no fall back, but only what He has given me. It is so hard to just sit and listen without praying, having my mind wonder off, or anything but longing and listening for His voice to show up.

While it has been a bit of a struggle personally for me just to sit and wait, it has also been one of the most peaceful weeks I have had in quite a while. I've had some pretty awesome experiences with the Holy Spirit and God has promised me a lot and shown me who I am in ways I hadn't seen before. But still there has been little direciton as to what is next.



This has gotten me to realize how often I focuse on the next thing in life. Often times I am so focused on what is next I miss what is happening right in front of me. More importantly within that I miss His presence. That has been a major part of what this past week has been about for me...His presence.

While I may not be 100% positive about where, how, or when, I do know this: His presence isn't going to leave me. As long as I let Him He can be Lord over my life and with that I don't have to worry about a single thing except keeping my focus upon Him.

If your interested in helping support me financially you can e-mail me here or by sending any donations to my PayPal account through my e-mail: kyle.g4k@gmail.com. Thank you so much for you prayers and support!

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Rethreaded Video Interview

Here's a video interview I did with Kristin Keen, the founder of Rethreaded.

For more information about Rethreaded click here!

The 12 Disciples: What Were They Thinking?

This past week has been hard. I've said this so many times before and each time I say it, it becomes more and more true: this is the hardest thing I have ever done. I'm currently in Jacksonville, FL with a little over $70 to my name. I'm on ATL (Ask The Lord -  click here for details) and it is the most faith stretching thing I have ever done.




I keep asking myself what the twelve disciples must have thought when Jesus commanded them to go out with literally nothing but was on their person at the time so that they could do the Father's work (Mark 6:7-13). While times have certainly changed between then and now I can't help but think about how they must have reacted to Jesus telling them this. "You want us to go where and do what?", "What do you mean we can't bring anything with us? Not even money?!" - But, they still went...and God showed up.

I wonder if any of them doubted what Jesus was saying. It takes a true act of faith to step out and truly depend upon God like that. It's something the world deems irresponsible, distasteful, and frankly quite crazy. Having grown up in the world like everyone else, I would be lying if I didn't admit that sometimes my mind tends to doubt myself and if I'm truly hearing from the Lord. But you know what's crazy? He's still showing up. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, people to love, and some alone time with Him every single day. When I realize this, it brings me to the realization of how stupid it is for me to doubt what He's doing.

Last night I had a huge wake up call from God. He exposed to me some of my "junk" that I didn't realize was there. As soon as I saw it thoughts started flowing into my head that I wasn't good enough for this journey or that I wasn't ready. I began thinking of solutions to the current problem I thought I had and decided that I needed to find a good community with an awesome mentor who can help me work through my junk until I'm good. THEN I would be able to go back out and do this ATL. - Lies. All lies.

I ended up skyping an awesome squad mate and friend of mine from my World Race soon after making the decision that I was probably going to quit this ATL and seek out discipleship. As soon as I got online with him his first words to me were, "You're not quitting." Quitting for me would be so easy. I didn't see that whenever I was thinking about making plans for discipleship school. I thought getting back in community again would be beneficial, but in reality it would just be a place for me to hide again. Being on this ATL where I'm exposed to the world and completely dependent on God is where I'm going to get the most growth and where discipleship is going to happen for me on a whole new level.

I still think God is crazy for choosing ME to do this ATL. Never before have I asked the question, "Why me?" so much. I guess I've never really seen how bad my "junk" really is. But what is amazing is that even though I see the junk, He just see's Jesus in me and my created value. He reminds me of all of the prophets of the Bible. They were drunks, adulterers, murderers, and more, yet God still used them to bring His name glory. He's showing me that really, I'm no worse than anyone else in the world and I don't have to be better or worse than them. I just have to maintain a relationship with Him so that He can teach me who I am and through that the junk will fall to the side.

So, yeah. The disciples must have been out of their minds! But that's a good thing. Because when we're out of our own minds we can start focusing on His mind and the things He has in store for those who love Him.

Rethreaded: Sewing a New Story

Rethreaded’s Mission

Rethreaded loves people affected by the sex trade by fostering relationship and life-giving community. Our vision is to unravel the effects of the sex trade by fighting business with business on a global and local level. Rethreaded seeks to unravel the effects of the sex trade, whether it takes the form of human trafficking, prostitution, pornography or strip clubs. This multibillion dollar industry is founded on the exploitation of mostly women and children. As an organization we want to provide safe, viable, and dignity-giving work to survivors of the sex trade.

Local Impact: Sewing a New Story

Rethreaded provides a four-month holistic training program for women in the Jacksonville, Florida area who are coming out of lives of addiction, violence, human trafficking, and prostitution. Many of these women leave prison with felony records, creating significant challenges to employment. Rethreaded is a safe place where women are paid a living wage to become artisan seamstresses and “upcycle” donated t-shirts into new creations for sale. See their products here.

Global Mission: Supporting Freedom Businesses

Rethreaded also operates as a distribution company that sells products made by women from all over the world who have found freedom from the sex trade. We sell these products at our warehouse, local events, seasonal home parties, and online. Read about our freedom business partners here.

Values

Love: Love is the transforming agent of Rethreaded. We seek to love others unconditionally, healthfully, and in a way that speaks to the source of our Love.  

We believe that God is the purest source of Love and seek to love others like God has loved us.  The greatest model of love is shown through the grace, mercy, and compassion of Jesus.  We will humbly try to follow His perfect example of what perfect love tangibly looks like in a very messy world. We trust that love can guide our business and help us overcome anything that comes our way.  

Acceptance:  All men, women, and children have the possibility to be redeemed, healed and freed from the effects of the sex trade.  

We believe that both the oppressed and the oppressor can be given a  chance to “Sew a new Story”. Whoever walks through the doors of Rethreaded, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, sex, or past will be welcome into the community of Rethreaded.  We do recognize that there will be instances where boundaries must be put in place but those will be for the safety of our employees.  

Acceptance comes from knowing someone’s story. By knowing each other we are more free to love and enter into each other live in a healthy non-judgmental way.

Community: In a world that is filled with individualism we seek to offer a radical alternative in which people can experience what it truly means to be a part of a community.

This is where our mission becomes real. Our commitment to each other will keep us knitted together when our relationship and community is at stake. We will come together in hard times, celebrate the successes, and press each other to become more of who we were created to be.  

This sense of community that will be developed within Rethreaded’s own walls can then be taken and used to transform, our city, and our world.

Employees

Rethreaded celebrated the graduation of its first employee from its four-month holistic training program on March 1, 2013. Beginning in November 2012, an all-volunteer staffed training program began to provide healing in the form of daily devotionals, journaling, and collage, and instruction in color theory, nutrition, budgeting, and of course, sewing.

Our employees are artisan seamstresses, meaning they take ownership of the products by making design and color choices during production. Using donated t-shirts as the raw material, the possibilities present a creative challenge and an opportunity to express individuality. Rethreaded believes that art and creativity can heal the brain by strengthening existing connections and sparking new neural pathways.

Rethreaded is currently raising money for its next round of training. Click here to donate.

ATL 2014 Video

Since I left North Carolina last Friday I've been feeling God giving me direction for this ATL. Below is a list of cities I feel that He is going to lead me to. Of course I am more than willing to go wherever else He may call me to and this list is not exclusive.

Jacksonville, Florida

Panama City, Florida

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana

Houston, Texas

Dallas, Texas

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Las Angeles, California

San Francisco, California

Redding, California (Bethel Church)

Portland, Oregon

Seattle, Washington

If you have questions or are wanting to donate please e-mail me or send donations to my PayPal through: kyle.g4k@gmail.com

Restless and Alone

For almost my Christian life I have been strangely against the unity of the Church. Why? Probably because like most people I have been hurt deeply by people in the Church and in efforts to protect myself I have distanced myself from it. That was the way I felt until I went on the World Race last January and experienced what true community was. Now it's hard not to be apart of the world changing movement that is the Church. 

(Suntrust Mortage (left) and Wells Fargo (right) buildings in Jacksonville, FL)

I have to admit that right now one of the hardest things I'm dealing with and experiencing is the loneliness of doing an Ask The Lord (ATL - see Mark 6:7-8) with only the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide me. It's been quite the journey so far and already I've seen God show up in many ways, but I would like to share this experience with someone else as well. 

Many people have suggested to me that I need to go with one other person as "it is Biblical." While Jesus did send everyone out in two's, I also realized they didn't have the Holy Spirit living inside of them. That's why I'm so okay with doing this ATL with Him right now. But I feel as awesome as it is to go with just me and Him, my heart is longing for something more. We were created to live in radical community and that's what I need.

Please help me spread the word about what I'm doing. If you know someone or have questions please contact me. My information is located in the footnotes at the bottom of this page.

I'm not entirely sure when or where God is going to have this other person show up, but I hope it is soon. I feel so small right now compared to the rest of the World, but I know He is with me and guiding me. Prayers of protection are greatly appreciated!

I have a few interviews this week and may start filming today! Be on the lookout for my next blog this upcoming Thursday (1/23/14).

Railroad Tracks

       

Earlier this month I went to an Adventure in Missions seminar for World Racers called Project Search Light. While there I announced that God was about to send me all over the U.S. on ATL (Ask The Lord) and I had my fellow alumni Racers pray over me. 

After they finished praying I had various people come up to me with words they deemed they had received from The Lord for me. While they all were very powerful, one has stood out in my heart and The Lord is assuring me of its Truth. 

                         

As I was walking back to my seat a girl came up to me and told me she had received a picture for me: railroad tracks. "Most people walk down a path, but I feel like The Lord has placed you on railroad tracks. As long as you listen to The Lord and follow what He says your path cannot be altered or moved. You will be in the perfect will of the Father." 

How true are these words, not only for myself, but for us all? To listen to our Daddy and choose His way over ours is the greatest thing we can do with our lives.

Please continue to pray for me as I travel to Jacksonville, FL today to for my first stop. I am speaking and proclaiming truths over myself and boldly asking God to show up in radical ways that will alter lives and bring Him glory!

If God has spurred your heart to donate to this ATL you may send donations to my PayPal account through the following email address: kyle.g4k@gmail.com.

Kyle Stinnett

Kyle.G4K@gmail.com

Atl2014.blogspot.com

(828)-606-9029

ATL 2014: FAQ

What is ATL?

ATL stands for (Ask The Lord). It's an idea I picked up from the World Race after spending a month in South Africa with no contacts, no place to stay, and little money to spend. We were completely dependent upon God. Basically ATL is the modern day version of the Matthew/Luke 10 & Mark 6 version of sending out the 12/72. I'm leaving home with the bare necessities that I will need to survive in hopes that God will show up on various accounts because I need Him to.

Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned them to preach the news of God’s kingdom and heal the sick. He said, “Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns—get a modest place and be content there until you leave. If you’re not welcomed, leave town. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on.” - Luke 1:1-5

I'm not bringing any money and support raising is very limited. My heart is to never ask anyone for anything, but instead give everything I have to be a blessing to them with no expectation of anything in return. Why? Because that is love. "For God so loved the world that He GAVE!" Love gives! The only "set" income I will have is to sale Thread of Hope bracelets that were made in the Philippines by children who have been brought out of the sex slave industry. Half of those proceeds will go back to them and the other half will help support me in means of gas, transportation, food, lodging, and other necessities that I will need.

Jesus was curt: “Are you ready to rough it? We’re not staying in the best inns, you know." - Luke 9:58. While on this journey I'm not staying at the finest hotels, inn's, sweets, what have you. In fact I never expect to stay in a hotel or anything of the sort. My desire is to stay with people in the Church so that I may bless and encourage them, but never become a burden or inconvenience.

Vision:

My vision for this ATL is to see the heart of the American Church re-awakened. Jesus called us to live a radical life for Him because we don't live for ourselves anymore. I want to make a personal encounter with various people in the Church who are doing radical things for the Kingdom to show the world that one of the richest countries in the world can still love like Jesus.

Mission Statement:

My mission on this ATL is to awaken the hearts of the American Church by sharing what radical Christians are doing in America through media and film.

Filming:

As of right now I have a Kodak Playsport video camera that shoots 1080p video. It may not be the greatest camera to work with, but it will get the job done. My plan is to capture the heart of the American Christian by meeting with people who are actively living the Christian life, interviewing them, hearing their stories, and hopefully getting some footage of them working in action. These videos will not be to glorify any one person who is making a difference, but rather my heart is to glorify Christ by showing the world how the Body of the Church is truly making a difference.

My hope is that at the end of my trip I will be able to make a full documentary out of my travels and hand it out to people for free.

Transportation:

I own a 2003 Ford Ranger that I will be taking on my travels. This is going to be one of my biggest prayers that God will not only provide the gas money to get me from place to place, but also provide safe passage wherever I go. With just over 100,000 miles on my truck there are some things that should be replaced that I do not have the money to replace as of right now. So, my biggest prayer is that God will allow my truck to make the venture without any problems and if there are problems He will provide a way for them to be fixed.

Questions:

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments you can e-mail me (Kyle) at kyle.g4k@gmail.com.

Reignited

At the end of November 2013 I had planned with the Lord a trip across America to find the heart of the American Christian. After two months of planning my dreams crashed as Satan came to do what he does best, steal, kill and destroy. I was told by my parents that I needed to come home, get a job, support myself, and pay back the $7000 debt I had occurred from my "little" legal incident back in 2010 (click here to read about it). I was devastated. 

I remember how it felt to have everything that I had planned all of a sudden fall to the ground and shatter (or at least it seemed that way). Even then I understood where my parents were coming from and never did blame them for asking me to come home and pay them back. After all it is biblical to honor your parents and pay back your debts! So that was my excuse for not following what the Lord had told me to do. I chose honoring my parents and paying back my debt a greater cause then serving the Almighty God of the Universe.

So I did what most people do when their yanked from a world full of God's loving life into a world that says money is everything and the American Dream is the only way to live life...I got depressed. The entire month of December felt like life had lost all meaning. I had no community, no real desire to dig into the Word or commune with Holy Spirit. I was dead.

Looking back on the past 2 weeks it is no surprise to me that God decided to "come in like a wrecking ball" and destroy all of the plans I had come up with this month. I had it made up in my mind that I was going to work a 9 to 5 job and it 6 to 8 months pay my parents back and then see what God wanted me to do. As I attended Project Searchlight with Adventures in Missions (a week long seminar for World Race Missionaries who have just come off of an 11 month trek around the world) I felt as though God was about to do something awesome in me.

During one of our breakout sessions I decided to check out Jonathan Little's Mission in Guatemala. I had met Jonathan a few times before and knew someone who was working with him and his wife down in Guatemala, but other than that had no basis of a relationship with him. As I entered into the room that they were going to speak in I found that only one other girl and myself had decided to come talk to them. Right after sitting down in front of Jonathan I could sense that he had something he was going to tell me that was from the Lord. 

Jonathan & Ann Little

"So what has the Lord told you to do now that the race is over?" Jonathan asked me. I explained that I was going back up to Asheville, NC to get a full time job and pay back the $7000 I owed my parents. "Well that's nice, but is that what the Lord told you to do?" Jonathan asked again. I could tell that he was already reading through my mail. "Well, no. The Lord actually told me to do an ATL (Ask The Lord)." I told him and then continued on to give him a brief story about why I wasn't doing the ATL. Then Jonathan told me, "I'm not trying to get you to go against your parents wishes or anything, but I think you should do what the Lord told you to do. Take a few days and pray about it."

From that moment on I knew that I was suppose to do this ATL. I took about 5 days extra and stayed in Gainesville, GA to be around community, get spoken into, and most importantly ask God exactly what it was He wanted me to do. So, now I'm off! Jacksonville, FL is the first destination that God has told me to go. I'm currently looking for connections with Church's that are doing radical things in America for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Stay tuned for another blog that will have my mission statement and vision for this ATL along with other tid bits of information!