Home sick today! Sick most of yesterday. But there is good news. Got final grades in Philosophy today. Scored 91% for another A! I am now considered a Junior with a 4.0 average. Is God not awesome!  Been to the doctor. According to him I have some kind of viral bug going around. He will not sign off for me to go to work tomorrow. Bummer. God knows I need the money and time at home is lost income. But He has always provided. I have no reason to think that He will not continue to do so. More good news. I have the first draft of bylaws completed. I expect that there is still a lot of work to do on them. Now, I have other documents that must be drafted. I’m so tired. I think the medications the Doc gave me for nausea are beginning to take effect. I’ll lie down for a little while and go at it again shortly. Thanks for being here and thanks for your continued prayers.

God Bless,

Lonnie

Greetings everyone! April was a dry month here and I sincerely apologize for that. School at Liberty University has had my hands tied to the extent that I have been bobbing to the surface now and then just to get some air. There is good news however. This session is complete or nearly complete and I have about six or seven weeks to work on some writing and to get things together for ministry. More good news! I scored 98.6% in my Evangelism course! My professor in philosophy has yet to grade my final paper so I am still hanging in and waiting. Hopefully, I have an “A” but I’ll take a “B” and run with it! Philosophy is an exasperating discipline. The first thing that we are told is that there is no correct answer. How do you pass exams with no correct answers???!!! The answer to that question is that there is an amazing amount of reading and more terms and definitions than I care to commit to recall. Also, there is a great deal of writing involved in regards to providing answers or solutions to given situations and circumstances. It really makes my head hurt.

Sitting here at the moment, I can say that I really don’t know what to do with myself. I have nothing to study for or do research on in regards to school work. I’ve done nothing but study and do research since January. A season of rest is welcome. But what do I do with myself while I rest? I find that sitting and doing nothing leads to a nervous energy that borders on anxiety. So, I am back at work after two afternoons off. I am writing Bylaws for the ministry and drafting other documents that are necessary for non-profit organizations and 501 (C) 3 entities. I am developing ministry materials that have been put off too long. Also, I am learning the enjoyment of journaling. I’ve been journaling for some time now during my quiet time with God but I am also journaling for myself as well. I find that I can vent, express new ideas, and explore my inner most thoughts in a way that harms no one. It is a means of getting rid of all that could potentially hold me back. It feels good. It offers an exercise in the use of words and language that is comforting. I’d like to keep up the practice. Another thing I plan to do is actually spend some much needed time with family. They have sacrificed so much in my absence while chasing after academic excellence. Darcie, my grand-daughter, is enjoying playing with Papa and I must admit that my wife, Cheryl, as well as my daughters, Leslie and Megan, seem to be enjoying my return to household participation as well.

There is some breaking news. I have been asked about heading a Special Needs group at our church. I attempted this three years ago without success but on this occasion the staff has approached me in regards to this issue. I am praying that God will open doors that need opening and that His will, not mine, be done. I have been a busy man lately. It would appear that things are not going to slow down any time soon. God knows that I am tired. This year He is granting me and my family the first vacation we have had in three years. Thank you Father for that. We (I) really need that.  I feel that God is telling me at times, “Suck it up Lonnie! We have work to do! Rest is soon coming but don’t stop now! We are so close to the next chapter not only of your life but in the lives of others as well.

God Bless,

Lonnie Richardson

Well there is news. The new session of school began yesterday. I am taking philosophy and Evangelism. Evangelism is something dear to my heart and I believe that God is going to get me through without a great deal of angst. Philosophy, however, appears to have the potential to cleave my skull and induce major headaches. I know that God will get me through it. He has gotten me through thus far. I’m just wondering if there will ever be a class that just cruises through. The answer is decidedly NO! Anything worth accomplishing is going to require real dedication and effort. I know God has a plan in regards to subjecting me to all this study. Sometimes I wish that He would let me in on it. But somethings have to be done in faith. This seems to be one of those things. My abilities to read and comprehend have been greatly expanded and my writing skills have improved dramatically. God is a great God and I am honored that He has moved me in this direction of learning.

The meeting with Dr. Sandra Newsom Saturday was enlightening. She was a fountain of information and posed serious questions in regards to planning the legal formation of the ministry. She also had sound answers for many questions. The search for a Board of Directors is on. There is so much to do. There are surveys to be written. Contact information to be gathered. There are many documents to be drafted and filed. Dr. Newsom is also helpful in that she has contacts with attorneys and certified public accountants that will help with setting up the structure that will benefit the ministry. God has granted me a vision and held me for so long while He grew me to the point that I can be used. The growing pains have been tremendous yet I know that the growing pains are only just beginning.

“For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.” (Zechariah 4:10)

Well this session of work at Liberty University is completed. I scored 93.5% in the second course of Theology and 97.8% on the New Testament. Since mid-October I’ve read the entire Bible! I have written eight critiques and forty five responses to critiques written by fellow students. I have also read through about 4000 pages of text books, listened to 72 hours of lectures and taken a great number of quizzes and exams. I have fared well to maintain a 4.0 average. Each of these classes is a standard college course crammed into eight weeks.  God was there with me every step of the way and He worked me hard for it but I know that I could not have done it without His support and guidance from the Holy Spirit. I have found myself “preaching” to myself through many of these studies. I guess it is the Holy Spirit’s way of teaching me that if I can’t state it in a way that makes me believe it then how can I hope to help others believe. It has been tiring, exhausting, and the most fun I’ve had in years. I’ve always been told that you get out of your studies what you put into them. Well, I’ve put everything I have into them to the point of collapse, literally. I wouldn’t drive myself so hard if I didn’t care. God deserves excellence in all that we do. After all, Christ gave all He had for me. I have this week off, or so I thought until I opened up the Course Content for my classes starting next week. It looks like there is much to do and yet I have but just so much “free” time to commit. Add to that, I am now leading a prayer group at church on Wednesday nights, so I’ve cut out one evening of study altogether. But you know what? God is going to let me learn from all of this. I am certain that the time for rejection, opposition, consternation, and ridicule are coming. I am certain that the day will come when no matter how tired I am God will call upon me to give that little extra push. So, I guess you could say that I am in basic training. Now, bring on those classes in Evangelism and Philosophy. Bring on the Wednesday Night Prayer groups and Sunday evening Discipleship classes. With God’s on my side, we’ll grind them all out joyfully and come out victorious!!!!

This Saturday, I will be meeting with Dr. Sandra Newsom, a Speech Pathologist, to begin the planning stages of making GSAM legal. Dr. Newsom is a cherished collegue in the health care profession that I have worked with to a great extent. She is an active and vocal advocate of her patients but more importantly she has a heart for God. She was instrumental in starting a non-profit organization in Tennessee for those who have experienced brain trauma. She is the daughter of a coal miner who worked hard for her education and she has never forgotten where she came from.  She is very intelligent, a most capable communicator, a focused listener, and is not afraid to stand her ground and press for what is right. She is a verifiable fountain of knowledge. I welcome Sandra as a valuable resource to the ministry. I will update you all in more specific terms regarding her credentials very soon. In the mean time, I ask for your fervent prayers that we serve God according to His plan. I am excited to begin the process of putting together the ministry that it will be recognized by our state and federal governments. The time to act has arrived. The real work is about to begin. So be it according to the will of God.

God Bless

Lonnie Richardson

I was discussing the issue of this ministry with one of my college professors from a previous Theology class. I pointed out Psalms 139:13-16 (I am not going to write it out for you, pick up your Bible and READ it!) and explained that if we view the special needs as having something “wrong” with them then we are in essence stating that God is prone to accidents. Not only that, but God is subject to make mistakes. Now, we know God does not experience accidents nor does He make mistakes. “Ooops”, is not in the vocabulary of God. What IS wrong with the special needs is how WE perceive them. They are different than the status quo thus, there must be something “wrong” with them. This could not be further from the truth. I would have hoped that you actually  picked up your Bible and read Psalms 139:13-16. If you had you would realize that even those with “special needs” are indeed perfect creations of God. My professor, a Godly man and a true Scotsman who walks closely with God and is much better trained than I am, posed the following statement that made me stop and think. “I wonder if our greatest handicap is not our fallen state. Running from this state of being fallen instead of embracing it (that we may come to know Christ intimately) may be the reason that we often times overlook our own deficits, and seeing the pronounced “deficits” in those with “special needs” take note of and highlight those deficits instead of our own.”

Wow! That is a mouthful of wisdom! I know that I would have come up with that if he had not beat me to it! Seriously though, there is a great deal to think about in that statement. Our society is one that laughs at the misfortune of others because it has highlighted the “deficits” of others to prevent them from recognizing their own. The sad fact is that the Church is much the same. Are the special needs really “special needs”? Are they really handicapped in God’s eyes? Who has the wrong perception? Is it society? Is it the Church? Is it God?

I believe that God has had it figured out for ages. He gives us the Word and the Holy Spirit that we may arrive at His solution, not necessarily our solution. That’s what we should all be striving for, God’s solution.

God’s blessings,

Lonnie Richardson

It has been a tough month. Cheryl has had bronchitis, I have had some  kind of head cold for two months now, and the grand baby has had a persistent cough that no one seems to know what the cause is much less how to get rid of it. The weather has been hard for travel to and from work. School has been very difficult and nerve wracking. But you know what? It will be alright. The only way that we are going to get through this, just as we have gotten through other difficult times, is by declaring a total dependence upon God. God tests us occasionally to see if we will remain faithful. He never promised smooth sailing, just a safe place to land. Indeed, with all that is going on, I know that we will come through intact and stronger for doing so. It is not the situations that we find ourselves in that get us down and weaken us. It is how we react to those situations. We must continually and unceasingly continue to “LOOK UP”.

Enough said for now. I will be back for a more relevant post Sunday afternoon.

Until then, God Bless,

Lonnie Richardson

Yes, it has begun. 2K10 is opening up a new year and God is opening doors in the process. Back in October of last year, a woman, her two daughters, and a friend came down to East Tennessee for a short weekend visit from the Chicago Area, Lombard to be exact. Her name was Roberta Beckman. Roberta is the single mother of three special needs children and believe me when I say that she has a story to tell of trials and tests in raising her children. Yet, she discovered a faith that has consumed her and despite the hardships that she has endured she has continued to “look up”. During our visit I “indoctrinated” Roberta in regards to my findings in the Bible regarding God and His Special Angels and their families. She listened aptly and praise God she understood exactly what I was talking about! Just kidding about the indoctrination but we did share a lot about our beliefs and how we came to accept those beliefs from the Word of God. Roberta confided in me after she left and had returned to Lombard that God had spoken to her in my house as she was packing. “Ten months,” is what He said to her. No more. No less.

Well, it has begun. As I write, she is hard at work putting together a respite program. The first ever within Gods Special Angels. She has negotiated for facilities, and is preparing a web site, procuring volunteers within the health care profession and within that “Ten Months” time frame will have a working respite program for families. Now this is being done by one woman with little or no resources, an extremely limited income, and three special needs children. You want to talk about faith? You want to talk about obedience? Let me direct you to Ms. Roberta Beckman in Lombard, IL. She WILL NOT accept being told that she CANNOT bring forth this ministry. She KNOWS that she CANNOT do it, but she KNOWS that GOD can do it THROUGH her! And my friends, He is doing just that. She is building a ministry that God gave her and confirmed it through me that she is to do it. I can see a time when I will call upon Roberta to travel this nation to assist others in building similar ministries in communities throughout the land. She is a warrior for God. You know what? She does not have anyone there to pat her on the back, or offer encouragement when things do not go right, or to give her praise for what she is doing. She would not accept the praise even if it were given. She would say, “Give God the praise. I am just a tool He is using to break the ground so that seed can be planted.” Father, I pray that you would send me one thousand Roberta Beckmans.

Now let me say this. Roberta has a long, difficult road to travel. She has already traveled a long, hard road to get to where she is. Matthew 22:14 tells us “For many are called but few are chosen.” It took me a long time to understand this Scripture. God calls many every day to do His work but few will step forward to accept the calling. Roberta has stepped forward, accepted the calling, and has set about the work appointed to her. Have you accepted YOUR calling?

It HAS begun. God has taken writing from this ministry, taken it from East Tennessee to Lombard, Illinois to a woman whom He had prepared and called to do His work and set the wheels in motion. Thankfully, she stepped forward to be chosen and accept the call.

Having said all that I would like to challenge all of you. Have you heard the Holy Spirit calling you? Have you heeded the call? Or, have you ignored it? This is just one ministry that has begun to help special needs families in this great nation of ours. Will your ministry be the next? Pray about it.

May God pour His blessing upon you all abundantly,

Lonnie Richardson

Greetings to all! I do hope that the holidays are being kind to everyone. God has greatly blessed me in that my family is healthy, we had plenty to eat, and we were able to share a few gifts among ourselves. Nothing elaborate mind you but we had a wonderful Christmas. Darcie viewed her first Christmas without much excitement as if it were just another day which is what I expected from a six month old baby.

I regret that I have been lax over the last nine weeks or so in regards to posting on the blog. I was involved in Biblical studies that took up every spare waking moment and, I believe, more than a few hours of what should have been not to be spared sleeping moments. God allowed it for the time but has impressed upon me that now I know how classes are conducted that I am to plan ahead to take care of the blog as well. This post will be different in that I will begin explaining one of the “disabilities” that affect the population and provide additional resources for further reading and education.

Asperger Syndrome is a neurological disorder named after a Viennese physician, Hans Asperger, who in 1944 published a paper describing a pattern of behaviors in several young boys who had normal intelligence and language development but exhibited marked deficiencies in social and communication abilities. It is noted that these deficiencies were autistic like in nature. However, it was not until 1994 that Asperger Syndrome was added into the medical world by being included in the DSM IV with diagnostic criteria.

Asperger Syndrome is a diagnosis that falls into the Autistic Spectrum of disorders. Individuals with AS have a normal IQ or greater and many exhibit exceptional skill or talent in very focused or specific areas. Vocabularies may be extraordinarily rich. However, persons with AS may be brutally honest or blunt and have difficulty using their advanced language skills in a socially acceptable manner. Some researchers think that Asperger Syndrome is merely a highly advanced state of autism known as High Functioning Autism (HFA).  As a nurse and the father of a HFA child, I do not agree with this thinking. AS individuals usually have too great a command of language even though they may use their language skills in a manner that is socially unacceptable. The Diagnostic Criteria for Asperger Syndrome according to DSM IV is as follows:

A) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

1) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye to eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction.

2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level.

3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people.

4) a lack of social or emotional reciprocity

B) Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities as manifested by at least one of the following:

1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus.

2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals.

3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms

4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

C) The disturbances causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D) There is no clinically significant general delay in language

E) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age appropriate self help skills, adaptive behavior (other than social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

F) Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia

A few people with AS have been very successful but until recently were not diagnosed with anything. These people were viewed as brilliant, eccentric, absent minded, socially inept, and physically awkward. Albert Einstein is believed to have had Asperger Syndrome as well as Isaac Newton and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Notables diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome include Nobel Prize winning economist Vernon Smith, industrial rocker Gary Numan, Vines frontman Craig Nichols, and Satoshi Tajiri who created Pokemon.

On the common front, many people with Asperger Syndrome demonstrate gaze avoidance or eye to eye contact and/or may actually turn away from people at the point of greeting. Most have a desire to interact with others but my observation has been that they seem to have difficulty in deciphering how to make interaction work. There seems to be a pre-occupation with certain and varied tasks or interests that is individualized. In adults this pre-occupation may well lead to a successful career in the desired field of interest. In younger cases this will appear as a rigid routine which, when interrupted, may cause the individual to become apprehensive. Many people with Asperger Syndrome are very blunt to the point of being brutally honest. To them it is merely stating what they consider to be fact. An example would be telling a singer, “You are singing out of key”, or “You might consider voice lessons.” Then, when the individual is made aware that their comments have hurt the feelings of others they seem greatly remorseful that their comments have hurt others. Tact is usually not in the tool kit of someone who has Asperger Syndrome. Although it is difficult, people with Asperger Syndrome can have relationships, families, and very productive lives.

I hope that this has been helpful. Many people in society may indeed be involved or have contact with someone who has Asperger Syndrome and not even know it. However, the church can be helpful in helping parents and adult individuals “fit in” better within the church setting and in the public at large.

Peace and Blessings

Lonnie Richardson

Well, the first eight week term at Liberty University has been completed. With over 3000 pages of text read, read every book of the Old Testament, about 10% of the New Testament, 70 hours of lecture on DVD, 8 papers written, 20 critiques written, two midterm exams, 8 quizzes, and two final exams God got me through with scores of 97.3% in Old Testament Survey and 98.6% in Theology. I can honestly say that it was 98% God and I contributed maybe 2%. Yes, God did it but He worked me hard to do it. As one of my dearest friends with a Phd. in Psychology once eloquently stated, “Lonnie you are a stuff knowing dude.” But that is not accidental either. My dad had a sister in law who was a teacher, a very dedicated teacher. She taught my dad in the second grade and held off on retirement until she taught me in the second grade. My folks were thirty seven years old when I was born so that should give you some idea of the time this lady spent teaching. She was an “old school” teacher and not learning in her class was not an option. She had my folks start reading to me when I was an infant Mom began by reading me nursery rhymes and dad read farm journals to me at night. By the time I was five I was reading newspapers. By the time I was eight I was reading on high school levels. Growing up in a very rural area where resources where slim to none and being an only child, books became the primary source of entertainment. I read everything about anything and I learned a great deal in the effect that I can talk to just about anyone about anything. Now that may sound like I am bragging but I assure you that I am not. Those who know me will tell you that I have learned to be humble with humility to a great extent. Those same people will tell you that I am not afraid to take a stand and fight for that which is right should the time and need arise. I have made mention of all this for one simple reason. To give God the Glory. He made me what I am. He gave me the intellect, skills, talent, and gifts that I possess. These gifts were developed, not necessarily at the time for His glory but ultimately that He may be glorified.

My reasoning behind all this is really simple although I may have made it appear complex without meaning to. Simply, I put myself into the Bible with prayer and a dedicated discipline to not simply know about God, but to know God. I have never read or studied so intensely or with such focus on anything in my life as I have in the past eight weeks. I have come to some primary conclusions. (1) I am confirmed that this course of study is what God wants me to do although I am as yet uncertain what His overall plan is for having me go through it at this time. Yet, I will be obedient in faith. (2) I believe that if you can get people into the Bible, the Bible will get into people. Once this is done the family will be stabilized and God can do His best work. (3) Pay attention pastors, I believe that if you apply the second conclusion and practice what you preach, then you will have prepared an army to go into battle of spiritual warfare winning souls to Christ whereby hell will be plundered to populate heaven.  (4) That II Timothy 2:2 “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” should have a very special meaning for all of us.

Get into the Bible. Allow the Bible to get into you. Therein lies the truth, wisdom, and strength that will be necessary to grow in spirit that will allow you to reach out and meet the needs of the special needs and their families. More than likely, you will find that many of your own needs have been or will be met in the process.

God Bless,

Lonnie Richardson