I am neck deep into my studies as an online college student. I am currently taking Old Testament Survey and TheologyI. Let me say this. Online education cannot necessarily be translated into EASY education. There are five lectures each week for each class. Approximately 100 to 150 pages of reading each week in addition to reading the entire Old Testament in eight weeks. There are quizzes, exams, and critiques to write and comments about critiques to write, and then there are comments in regards to the comments to write. I am between overwhelmed and flabergasted. I get up at five a.m. and go to work. I return home about 4 p.m. and bury my head in the Bible or a text book about the Bible and I stay there until 9:30 or 10 p.m. everyday. Having said that, I am having the time of my life. Do not concieve the thought that I have abandoned this post. I am merely following in the direction that God is leading.

Okay, it has been a few weeks since I posted. I’ve been busy getting enrolled in school at Liberty University and getting classes scheduled, and attending webinars. But then one excuse is as good as the next one and none of them are worth the breath it takes to express them. So I’ll not waste anymore time making excuses.

Roberta Beckman, her daughters, Anna and Danielle, and her friend Sally came down to East Tennessee all the way from Lombard in the Chicago area to visit the first weekend in October. We really had a good meeting where I laid out the entire vision of the ministry to her and I think that she was somewhat impressed by the entire scope of things. Not that she was impressed my me at all but with what God has shown me and the work that He has ordained.

We took them all to church Sunday morning and had a good meal afterwards. Then we took them into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park for a drive around Cades Cove. I believe that they had a good time as Roberta’s daughter, Anna, was  ready to move lock, stock and barrell to East Tennessee. We enjoyed having them and treasured the moments we got to spend sharing, praying, and enjoying God’s great creation around us. God Bless!

You know, I must admit that at times I have been legalistic and judgmental in my beliefs. I guess that the faith was weak and I was looking for an excuse to be disobedient to our Heavanly Father. I have come to realize that we are all sinners despite what ever position is held. This applies to Pastors, Evangelists, Deacons and other people who may or may not be in Church Leadership. I know that I have been guilty of harboring ill and judgmental thoughts towards someone for slight inconsistancies in conversation. Now it is true that we all (Church Leadership and those of us who are not in Church Leadership) should be mindful of our thoughts, words, and actions. Matthew 7:1-5 states: (1) Do not judge so that you will not be judged. (2) For in the way you judge you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. (3) Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (4) Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye, and behold, the log is in your own eye? (5) You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (NASB)

It doesn’t get much plainer than that. It is not our place to judge or strike out in an ill manner at others, especially our leaders at church. Yes, they are leaders but they are human and humans will disappoint you from time to time. Even in the best marriages spouses will disappoint each other from time to time. It is pure love that keeps them together. Likewise it is pure love that we should show towards others when they falter in the slightest. Many people are so legalistic that even the slightest infraction or sin will cause them to condemn the other to no resolution. I know because I have been guilty of it myself. The Holy Spirit led my wife to show me a piece of scripture that explained clearly what I should be doing when I am genuinely slighted or I merely think that I have been slighted.

2 Corinthians 13:7-9 (7)  Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. (8) For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. (9) For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete.

Father I pray that when I see or hear one of your servants falter that You do not allow my faith to be decreased. Grant me the faith and love to lift them up to you in prayer that You may convict their heart that they repent. I pray that You make them complete. Let not the thoughts of legalism, judgement, or contempt even flicker within me. I am Yours as they are. Forgive us all and place us upon your path of righteousness.

God Bless,

Lonnie Richardson

Hello to everyone! I do hope that you are all having a blessed day. If you feel that you are not having a blessed day, then I can assure you that spending some quality time with God in prayer and meditating upon His Word will soften the hard knocks you have taken today.

For the longest time I felt as if my calling in regards to teaching the church about programs for the special needs and their families was a ministry of two. Well, actually three. I know that God is in on it because He is the one who told me about it and called me to serve Him in this area. I know my lovely wife, Cheryl, was with me because I have her support, as it should be. That adds up to three right?

Then God sent me a tall woman from Kentucky who grew up in a poor background (as I did) and resides here in Knoxville. Her name is Dr. Sandra Newsom. Sandra is a Speech Pathologist whom I have had the pleasure of working with in the past and I know her have a heart for God, a heart for the special needs, and she is dedicated to her cause of helping people. I have seen her stand toe to toe with Medical Doctors advocating what she knows to be best for her patients. I have seen her go to the point of being reprimanded by her employer for seeing that her patients have what they need. Basically, she knows what she is doing and she is not afraid. She has a brilliant intellect and was instrumental in starting a non-profit in the State of Tennessee in regards to Brain Trauma victims. On top of all this, Sandra is not afraid to be Sandra. Sandra has a style and taste all her own that she likes and if someone else doesn’t like it, well, that’s just too bad. She pays them no mind and keeps on being Sandra. The good Dr. Newsom has volunteered to be a part of the advisory council that I am putting together and I am glad to have her. Her knowledge and experience will prove greatly beneficial as will her heart and desire to help others know God. Sandra is also talking to other people who will become great members of the team when the time comes to begin dealing with the legalities of setting up this ministry.

Okay so that’s four that is in the boat. There’s me, my loving wife, Dr. Newsom, and God. Now I actually have three to talk to. But wait, it gets better. God went all the way to Lombard, Illinois and dragged a woman by the name of Roberta Beckman to my web site. Roberta contacted me in regards to a booklet that I’d written and asked a LOT of REALLY good questions. Other than my wife, Roberta was the first person that I talked to that could actually finish sentences that I’d started. Roberta is a single mom with three (count them) three special needs children. She knows where I am coming from. Roberta is working diligently to establish a major respite program in Lombard which is in the Chicago area. She has recently been appointed to chair the PPC in her Parish. Yes, Roberta is Catholic. Now before my Protestant brethern gets their hackles up let me say this. Roberta has forgiven me for being Protestant. I have forgiven Roberta for being Catholic. And you know what? God has forgiven us all. Jesus said that we are to love God and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. It just happens that God gave me a neighbor in Lombard, Illinois who is Catholic and has a burning desire to bring God’s people back to HIM. As Forrest Gump would say, “That’s all I have to say about that.” Roberta is driven by the Holy Spirit. I could tell you everything that she is involved in but I’d be writing for quite some time and I still have some Bible study to do this evening. Just let me say that Roberta  is a Johnny on the spot get up and go get it done kind of girl. She is also working with her contacts to assist in getting the ministry untracked and up and running. She and her family will be visiting with us here in Tennessee next week and I can’t wait. I am looking forward to the blessings to rain forth.

In the mean time, I have applied to Liberty University Online to persue a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion with an emphasis in Pastorial Leadership. This is what God has laid on my heart. Are my intentions to become a pastor? Well, God has not dropped that bomb on me as yet. However, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, this program will best prepare me for the long term management of God’s Special Angels Ministries. I’m not asking God “why” I am simply going to be obedient and let God work things out from there. I have applied and all Liberty is waiting on is my ancient college transcripts to arrive before granting acceptance. YEA! Go God!!

There is so much going on. God is sending me people who love Him and are not afraid to work for His kingdom. He has me in school and has provided the financial means to attend. He has given me a great church to attend and a Pastor who teaches me God’s Word. Now Father, at sometime in the early part of next year I have this Subject coming up in which  there are at least four classes called GREEK. Father, I’m putting you on notice. I am beginning to pray NOW about this subject for your Divine help and intervention.

As tough as it has been, it has been a blessed day, God bless you all.

Lonnie Richardson

Been awhile since the last post. I can give many reasons. Hard drive crash. Personal sickness. Sickness in family. ect. But reasons are just excuses. One excuse is good as another and none of them are worth the effort it takes to express them. I have been properly flagellated and spanked. Having admitted that and asked for forgiveness it is time to move on.

I’ve heard several pastors ponder whether or not to baptize an individual with special needs or mentally challenged. Most have had problems with the idea stating that the individual was not aware of what was going on or why. My reply has been, “How do you know that?” This question has been met with frowns or other facial expressions of deep thought. I continue to say that these individuals may actually be aware  more so than is thought possible. When these pastors ask how this can be my reply is, “Just because an individual cannot express their thought in a way that we can readily recognize does not obliterate the possibility that they are aware.” I gather further looks of questioning when I tell them that possibly it is their lack of understanding and awareness that these individuals should be baptized.

Let me tell you about Megan’s baptism. We were in church one day and the service had wound into the altar call. Megan pulled on my sleeve and said, “Dad, I need to talk to that man.” I asked her why and she merely repeated the statement. “Dad, I need to talk to that man.” Well who was I to tell her that she could not talk to the pastor during altar call. Afterall, she was autistic and only twelve years old. When we got to the pastor the pastor turned to Megan and asked her, “Megan, do you want Jesus to come into your heart?” To which Megan replied rather matter of  factly, “No, I know Him.” The Pastor looked at me and then back to Megan. “Megan,” he asked again, “Do you want Jesus to come into your heart?” Now Megan became frustrated with this line of questioning. “No!” Megan was almost shouting now. “I told you I already know HIM!” The Holy Spirit revealed it to me in a split second. “Pastor,” I said, “She is trying to tell you that Jesus does not have to come into her heart. He has always been there and it is only now that she is able to express it.” The depth of this concept shook the man of God who had preached his entire adult life (over forty years) to the point that he was visibly shaken. “My God,” he exclaimed, “Lonnie I’m sorry I didn’t realize.” He then turned to the congregation and told them that we were going to have baptism the following Sunday. “No!” Megan exclaimed. “Tonight!” The pastor tried to explain that baptism usually took place the following Sunday but Megan stood her ground. “Nope, Tonight!” The pastor turned with a smile to the crowd and announced that we were having baptism that night.

Megan stepped into the baptismal pool that night and the pastor immersed her in believer’s baptism. However, he failed to pinch her nose well enough to prevent water from getting into her nasal passages and Megan came up spitting and sputtering. It was then that she announced to the church that the pastor had attempted to drown her! Hey, who said that God has no sense of humor. But it was at this time that things began to get serious.

The next day, Megan told us that there were three men in black robes in her room but they had left. This sent a chill through my core. “What did they want?” I asked. “I don’t know Dad.” Megan seemed very non-chalant and unconcerned about this. “I don’t like them though. They are not good people.”

I told Megan that if these men in black robes came back to ask who sent them. If Jesus sent them they could stay but if the “devil” sent them for her to tell them that Jesus said they had to leave. She agreed, still not very concerned.

The next day Megan announced that the three men in black robes had returned and she had told them that Jesus said they could not stay. “And Daddy, there are three angels in my room.” I dropped the book I was reading. Megan stood there before with a perplexed look on her face. “But Dad, all three angels are men.” It was apparent that she was confused because all the pictures and depictions of angels she had seen had been feminine.

“It’s okay sweetheart,” I said, “there are men angels too.” Megan studied over this for a moment and seemed to accept it. “Oh. Okay.” She replied. “But dad the big one at the foot of my bed, he has a beard and he told me that his name was THOMAS.” By this time I was officially weeping and crying big crocodile tears. Megan to this day does not know who Thomas was. She didn’t just pull that name out of a hat. I have no doubt that Satan’s crew had shown up thinking to snatch a simple minded child and she merely turned them away with the name of Jesus. I have no doubt that God sent Thomas and two other angels to watch over Megan, indeed, my household. Megan never exhibited any fear or doubt.

Now pastors you can say that I’m making it all up. You can say that Megan made it all up. I say God used my daughter as a tool to teach me a valuable lesson. I believe that Megan is much more “aware” than you or I who supposedly have awareness. According to the knowledge and wisdom of man I would never have expected it. But by the grace and power of God I do not doubt it. So I ask again, “Since most, if not all, are unable to express themselves in a manner that we would recognize, who are we to say that they are “unaware”.

Now about my statement earlier in regards to a special needs individual not being aware should be baptized. Were Adam and Eve aware of the knowledge of good and evil before Adam ate forbidden fruit? Were they aware that they were naked? No. It was in their “unaware” state that all was well and good. It was when they became “aware” that their problems actually began. Just something to chew on.

Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit. Don’t miss the blessing. Baptize them!

God Bless!
Lonnie Richardson

When I talk to churches (and pastors) about a special needs program, I am immediately bombarded by reasons (excuses) why a special needs outreach can not be done “at this time”. I’ve heard, “We don’t have the room.” “We don’t have the volunteer base.” We don’t have the money.” ” “I’ll have to take it through the appropriate committees.”  “If God wants us to have such a program then it’ll just happen.” Or, (and I love this one) If it is meant to happen then God will send us someone to guide us through it.” Well, What do they think that I’m trying to do?

The reason that I am calling all of these reasons excuses is because of one common fault that they all have. Certainly you will need room, a volunteer base, and some money. But I’m sorry it will not just happen and God is sending someone to help them get through it. However, all these reasons (excuses) have left God completely out of the equation. They are looking at the proposition from the perspective of what they or their church can do in the real world. They are not even considering what God can do in the supernatural realm.

It is true that without realization, spiritual maturity, education, training and support that a task undertaken is ill fated. However, when you bring God into the mix along with these things then there are facets that are to be revealed.

It is in this day and time of economic hardship that church leadership is looking at the dollar and how it can be stretched until George Washington gasps for air. However, I do not believe that God is confined by any economic or financial difficulty. It matters not if a church has thirty in regualr attendance or thirty thousand. God will provide something out of nothing. How do I know this? I’ve seen it happen.

My first special needs outreach program started with four children, a kitchen table and chairs, and printed material from the state church organization that was absolutely worthless. Oh yeah, we were meeting in the church’s kitchen. Within thirty days we had twenty eight children, the largest room in the building outside of the sanctuary and furniture. We had computers, software, baby beds, craft materials, books, tv, video tapes (pre-DVD era), books, and audio tapes (pre-CD era as well). We started with nothing, mixed in a generous amount of faith and prayer and hey we had a genuine outreach ministry going before we knew what was happening.

Church Leadership and Pastors act as though I’m asking them to gather funds to pay for an extended missionary stay in Africa to build a church, hospital and school while I”m there. That is not the case but I will talk about that a little more later on. All I am proposing is to provide a safe and nurturing place for special needs individuals so that PARENTS and SIBLINGS can come to church and WORSHIP like everyone else does.

If only it were that simple to get people to understand.

Speaking of churches, schools, and hospitals in Africa, or India, or Southeast Asia I will offer these comments. If every “Christian” just in the United States would tithe according to God’s Word there would be no need for Government to get involved in healthcare. There would be no need for Social Security. There would be no homeless, sick, hungry, or uneducated ANYWHERE! PERIOD! Don’t believe me? I challenge you to gather stats and sit down to do some simple math.

It really is that simple.

God Bless,

Lonnie

I understand the wrenching of the heart when someone in the health care field steps forward with authority and announces to you that there is something indeed “wrong” with your child. All the fears and uncertainties come flooding in and there seems to be no end which only brings on more fear and uncertainty. Well, I have learned the hard way. Let me give you some facts. The first fact is that Satan is taking this vulnerable situation as an opportunity to attack. But to understand that, Imust digress and begin at the starting point. Let’s begin at the beginning.

God is Soveriegn over all things. Always. When good things happen, God is there in the process. However, when things happen that we interpret as “bad” God has a hand in that as well. Isaiah 45:5-7 states,  (5)”I am the Lord, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known me. (6) That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no other but Me. I am the Lord and there is no other. (7) The one forming Light and creating darkness, causing well being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these things.”

Isaiah is saying that God is in control. Even if you have not known God, God will provide for you if you submit that there is no other God. My father died a horrible death of cancer. I was devastated. But if my father had not died, then I would never have become a nurse and helped (literally) the thousands of people that I have known through my nursing career. Good can come out of the bad.

We should not question God when He delivers to us a specially wrapped child. Nor should any one else. Let no one question the gifts that are given from God. Do not grow bitter at God because your child is special. Likewise, no one should ever question you, the parents, about your child’s condition.

Isaiah 45:9-10 (9) Woe to the one who quarrells with his Maker – an earthern ware vessel among the vessels of the earth! Will the the clay say to the potter, “What are you doing?” or the thing you are making say, “He has no hands?” (10) Woe to him who says to a father, “What are you begetting?” or to a mother, “To what are you giving birth?”

This next passage is one of my favorites. Psalms 127:3 Behold, children are gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.

Our children are a reward! The Bible does not say that our children is a reward unless they are born with special needs in which case they are a punishment. Speaking of punishment. I know many parents often wonder what they did that God would punish them by giving them a special needs child. Well, the Bible is very clear on this issue as well.

John 9:1-3 states, (1) As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. (2) And His diciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he would be born blind? (3) Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Our children were created so that the great works of God may be displayed in them. The man in this passage was healed. As I have shared previously, Megan can sing with the angels. Your child may be the one who moves a heart to become a pastor, a teacher, or an evangelist. We do not know how God will use our children but I believe that He has a divine purpose for each child he creates. I’ve heard parents complain, “If God is so great, then why did He make my child this way?” (Refer to Isaiah 45:9-10) My answer is Romans 11:33 which states, “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and unfathomable His ways.” Basically, the answer is, no one really knows. God has a purpose. Just as God had a Son that He allowed to die that we may escape the penalties of sin. There must be faith.

Psalms 139:14 is perhaps my favorite passage. (14) I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.

To say that our children are flawed, defective, or that something is “wrong” with them is saying that God does not know what He is doing. God is not prone to accidents. God does not make mistakes. “Ooops!” is not in God’s vocabulary.

Yes, your child may require extra care and provision. Yes, you will experience heart ache dealt by a society that gains pleasure from others pain. Yes, you will be stressed and tested. So was I. Still am at times. But the one verse that brings it all back into perspective for me is as follows and I will write in bold letters for emphasis only

Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say unto you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.“ 

My daughter has her angels. So do your children. Megan claims to see her angel occasionally and I believe her. I believe that your children know that they have angels as well even if they are unable to communicate it to us in a way that we would recognize. I wonder. Lucky them.

God Bless and remember, you and your children are significant to God.

Lonnie Richardson

M

Well it’s been a couple of weeks since the last post and there’s a reason for that. I took actually took a week’s vacation the first week and spent some time with my Step son, Shane, and his family who came in from Colorado to visit with us. Got to spend some quality time with two grand daughters (Phoebe and Ayva) whom we’ve not seen for almost three years. This past week had to do with pure exhaustion from work. We were two nurses short which meant that I had to float between two floors to pass medications, do treatments, and attend to the minor and major emergencies that pop up from time to time. Found out that I am too old to run like that as doing so completely burned me to the ground. In addition to that, Darcie (one month old grand daughter) has been ill and extremely fussy. No one has been getting much sleep. I’ll be posting something relevant to the blog very soon. Right now Darcie is giving her grandma and mama a fit and I must leave to see if I can assist in calming her.

God Bless,

Lonnie

So why aren’t more families with special needs loved ones in the church? Well, we live in a cruel society that gains pleasure from other people’s pain and suffering. The special needs family has had to protect their loved ones from the said society. The truth be told, many of these families see the church as being made up of the same society that they have had to protect their children from so why should they believe that the people at church would be any different than the people walking around on the street. The sad truth is they may not be far from being right.

The church is not prepared for the special needs or their families. Isaiah tells the story.

Isaiah 59:10 ¹⁰We grope along the wall like blind men, We grope like those who have no eyes; We stumble at midday as in the twilight,
         Among those who are vigorous we are like dead men.”

Without being properly prepared the attempts will fail. How does the church become properly prepared? Well, begin by being obedient to God’s Word. Begin by becoming prayer warriors, by bringing the tithe, and by giving offerings and gifts of giving. The church can be prepared by opening their hearts and ears to the Holy Spirit. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and the directions given. However, that cannot be done by a mere five minute devotional two or three times a week. You see our faith is not about religion. I believe that our faith is about a relationship.

Let’s think about a relationship for a moment. When you enter a relationship with someone of the opposite sex or if it be a friendship, you want to spend as much time with that person as is possible. I don’t want to leave home to go to work because I want to spend more time with my wife and children. I have friends that I enjoy spending time with. Well, why shouldn’t we have that kind of relationship with Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit? We say we love them so why shouldn’t we be willing to spend time with them on a daily basis? Well, we should want to spend time with them daily. In our fast paced economy parents complain that their children will not listen to them. Could it be that they are not spending time with their children to teach them, listen to them, and be there for them? Could it be that in this fast paced world that we live in that we are too busy to spend time to our Heavenly Father so that we can be taught, listened to, and that we may be sensitive to the words of God and the Holy Spirit? God is NOT too busy for us. WE have become too busy for God.

Not only do most churches not know about the difficulties faced by the special needs family, but most churches do not even suspect that they don’t know. Churches cannot serve or even appear to be able to lead someone to a changed life if they are not displaying a changed life in their daily walk. Believe me when I say, until the church is overtaken by God’s love for other people, they will fail. They will grope about in the day as the blind and stumble about in the night with nothing or no one to save them. Only through obedience will eyes be opened and hearts shipwrecked for the cause of leading these families to Christ.

The church does not recognize that there are two types of people who come through the doors. There are those who need salvation and there are those who need discipleship. Parents of many special needs individuals are believers. However, they may be babes in their faith and need loving discipleship. Yet these parents are usually extremely dedicated to the well being of their special needs loved one. I slip of the lip the wrong choice of words in regards to their loved one could send them packing never to be seen again and even worse, turned from God and the church forever.

The short story told simply. The church is unaware of these families in the communities because they rarely, if ever, see them out in the community. The church has no direction as to how to serve the needs of these families or how to contact these families in an outreach program. The church is unaware as to how to provide the proper care for the special needs individual so that moms, dads, and siblings can enjoy church services and fellowship with their peers. The church is not prepared to teach from the nursery to the elders about how to love and how to welcome these families and to show them that they are truly loved and accepted.

Now I’m going to step down from my soap box for a moment not because I’m out of soap but to prepare you for something else to think about.

I have been to a FEW churches that have exceptional programs for the special needs and their families. They have excelled at what they are doing and the fruit has been greater attendance, greater offerings, and tremendous spiritual growth throughout the church. I have seen many churches attempt special needs programs and their programs fluctuate. They are up some. They are down some. Most times they fluctuate into non-existence. Which church do YOU want to be? Do you want to be a church of EXCELLENCE or a church of mediocrity?

Which church will yours be?

God Bless,

Lonnie

The previous post was published a little pre-maturely. What that means is that while I was writing the post I rec’d a call from my wife that one of our friends had broken his leg. I hit the published button without proof reading the post, grabbed the crutches and other things I thought we would need and she picked me up to go and minister to our fallen brother. Short side of the story is this. This blog is important to God and it is important to me. I prefer to not have any mis-spellings or grammatical errors. But, a brother was down and in need and I went immediately to see what I could do for him. Jesus said to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. At the moment my brother in Christ’s  well being was more important than the post so there may be some errors. I thought about going through and editing the post but if there are any errors I think that I’ll leave them. It serves as a reminder to me that I should never be too busy to reach out and help someone in need. Which is what we should all be doing. We should all be open and mindful to identify these opportunities to minister to others who are hurting and in need regardless of what our own agendas may be. Rest easy tonight.

God Bless,

Lonnie Richardson