The Spirit Lives Ministries Newsletter: Mike R.- Saved in doghouse, now brings Christ to the homeless!

February 15, 2003
Mike R.- Saved in doghouse, now brings Christ to the homeless!
Hi, my name is Mike. I am 56 years old. I have a wonderful wife that I have had for almost 38 years. I have a son that is 28 and two wonderful granddaughters. I was brought up in the church. My father was an old time Baptist preacher. I was required to be at church every time the doors were open. I truly burned out on God and church. I accepted Christ at the age of ten in my dog house out behind our house. I made myself a promise when I grew up I would stop this church going. I married a wonderful girl that I had dated in high school. She is a Methodist and believed in going to church. I thank God for that one. We did not attend church every Sunday but we did still attend. Like most people my age I drank a little. I was not a drunk, but I did drink.

I received a letter in 1966 that said your friends and neighbors have selected you to represent them in the United States Army. What a great bunch of friends. I went into the Army in 1966.I went to Viet Nam in 1967,where I stayed 11 months 29 days 3 hrs and 42 mins. I began to drink rather heavy while I was in Nam. I was wounded twice during my tour of duty and lost a lot of close friends. I came home in April of 1967.I continued to drink, but now it was heavy at times. I would relive the memories on certain days of the year and get plastered on those days every year. Thank God for that wonderful wife that stood by me and brought me through those times.

I was asked to sing in a gospel singing group in 1980.They did not like the idea of one of their singers getting drunk, so I had to cut back. I did not say that I quit. I sang with two groups 15 years before I joined the group that I am with now. I have been with a group called “Just Three” for a little over 7 years.

In 1995 I felt a call of God to the ministry. I am a Methodist and I am too old to start seminary. I started to attend Lay Speakers classes in the Methodist Church. I spoke at my church several times and realized the closer you walk with him the more doors he will open for you. Dr.Warren Lathem started a Lay Missionary School in March of 2000, which I graduated from in April of 2001. During this class I discovered what my call was. My call is to minister to the homeless and people that will not attend our very fine churches. Myself and another Lay Missionary started a mission church in Marietta in January of this year for the homeless. There were 6 people who attended church on the first Sunday. This past Sunday the mission fed 112 homeless people and 62 of them stayed for church. There have been 22 homeless people accepted Christ as their savior this year at the mission. We have another mission in Holly Springs at Whispering Pines Trailer Park. We rent a trailer there and are there 24x7.

I told Dr.Lathem when we started this that we can’t do this He said, “Good if you could do it God would not of had to call you to do it.”

Since I have tried to walk closer to God I have received so many blessings that I can not even start to count. I am blessed with a wonderful wife that gets up every Sunday morning at 4:30 to start for the mission and get a jump on breakfast. I have a great sister that I lean on sometimes to heavy to talk with, and two other sisters and a brother that gives me support. I thank God for my family and his Holy Spirit. If you would like to do mission work and do not like to travel there are plenty of things that can be done in our on community. Call me 770-889-2821 or 770-363-4551.God bless you and pray for New Hope Ministries
Your Brother In Christ,
Mike Ridings
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