September 9, 2025 • 51 mins
What does it truly mean to love someone through their darkest moments? In this episode of Our Community, Our Mission, Mike Schoettle, TRM’s Director of Spiritual Wellness and Discipleship, explores the transformative idea of “Loving in the Gap.” The gap is the space where people find themselves trapped in homelessness, addiction, or trauma. Instead of offering help from a distance, true ministry means stepping into that space, walking alongside others with patience, dignity, and compassion.
Guided by TRM’s seven biblical pillars, this conversation shows that loving in the gap is not about quick fixes but about unconditional acceptance and recognizing the image of God in every person. Practical acts such as meals, shelter, and case management become living expressions of a deeper truth: every life is worth standing with, no matter how difficult the journey. This same theme of Loving in the Gap will shape TRM’s Night of Praise happening this Friday, September 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Fellowship Bible Church. It will be an evening of worship, gratitude, and community you will not want to miss.
To learn more about Night of Praise, Click Here!
To support TRM, Click Here!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Gracious Heavenly Father.
We thank you, Lord, for thisday and your blessings and your
provisions.
God, we thank you for this timeto record this podcast and all
of our faithful listeners.
Lord, pray that thisconversation would bless them
and encourage them today, Lord,to continue to stand in the gap
for those who are just needingyour love, and we just thank you
, Lord, for our supporters andthank you for this time In
Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
In Jesus' name, amen.
Hello everybody, thank you forjoining us, for our community,
our mission.
A podcast of the Topeka RescueMission on a rainy Tuesday,
september the 9th of 2025,episode number 283.
I'm your co-host here today,barry Feaker with Josh Turley.
First time doing co-hostinghere, I think yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I mean I've been on the mic but you know, we've got
Miriam and Lamanda out onassignment today, so you got me
in, so I got you.
I'm so sorry.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
No, that's great, that's great.
So we've got Alec down herethat's ready to push the button
on or off for us here, so we gotquite the ability to do this
today.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Oh man.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
So we talk about the research and development
department of the Topeka RescueMission, and that's you and Alec
, and so you're right here.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah, nancy's actually helping me out now.
If you call Nancy, yeah, so ifyou call the Topeka Rescue
Mission Tuesday, wednesday orThursday, you're going to hear
the lovely voice of Ms Nancy.
She's our front deskreceptionist here at the palace
and she's wonderful and so she'sactually kind of helping me
pull some of these days doingthis too.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah Well, we got quite a team and we interviewed
her.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So if you've listened to the podcast, you know, nancy
.
So we have a, we have a complexproblem.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Here today we do our first international day.
Yes, we have a debate on whatit's called yes.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
So Well, there is only one correct answer, and so
which one is it?
It's International Sudoku DaySudoku.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Sudoku yeah, sudoku, sudoku, yeah.
So everybody that knows whatthat means, raise your hand.
You can't see, but everybody'shands are raised.
No, I was talking to theaudience.
Can't you see everybody out?
Speaker 3 (02:00):
there.
Yeah, if you're driving, keepyour hands on the wheel.
I got my magic mirror.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I'm looking out there , there's Billy and there's
Susie, never mind, so anyway,what is this Sudoku?
All right, I got it right.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, sudoku, it's a numbers puzzle.
It's like a nine by nine gridand it's I don't know, it's kind
of hard to explain.
It's a puzzle.
It's a numbers puzzle.
It's I don't know, it's kind ofhard to explain.
It's a puzzle.
It's a numbers puzzle.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
And it's for people a lot smarter than I am.
It's incredibly frustrating.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
It is.
So why would we have aninternational day for that?
Is that just kind of thecondition of the world right now
?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I think, so I think, people, it's just so that people
who are good at Sudoku knowthat they're better than anybody
else.
Like those people that canspots they probably could do so
as well.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So it's also you, I mean.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
No, no, no.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
No, no, no.
Okay.
The other voice over here isMike Schottel.
We're going to talk to himlater, but probably while we're
doing this too as well.
Mike, how are you doing?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I am fantastic.
This day really is the mostloveliest weather in my opinion.
I love the rain.
You do yes cool rain, yes,thunder lightning yes, oh man,
yeah, that sends all the feels,just want to curl up and read a
good book.
Yeah, but you're here with us,but I'm here, yeah, not reading
a book, not doing sudoku you'renot doing that back into the
(03:13):
parking lots, or I just getreally frustrated with sudoku,
just like no that's not yourthing, like no I didn't get it.
And then I throw the book acrossthe room and then cry eat some
chocolate I have an episode ofthe Closer and I'm good to go.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
I've used the app.
There's a Sudoku app, but italso gives you hints.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Like it tells you that you're wrong.
No, you're wrong, okay, erasethat Just button mash numbers
Got it First try.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
So if Sudoku is not your thing, we also have another
day for you.
Yeah, it's national, it it'snational, it's not international
.
Don't know why it's notinternational, but it's National
.
Win Pigs Fly Day.
Now, shaddle with all yourjokes and everything you do.
There's got to be something inhere about this particular day
for you, on September 9th, whatcomes to your mind?
Win Pigs Fly Day.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I will complete a Sudoku square.
Win Pigs Fly Day.
There we go, there we go.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
I'm with you there, brother.
I'm with you there, brother.
I'm with you there, brother.
So how many times have you seenpigs fly?
Speaker 3 (04:10):
With wings, or like from a trebuchet A catapult.
Sorry, that's French for acatapult.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
All right, all right, we're going to have people who
are very upset with us now.
So, anyway, pigs don't fly.
But it is National Win PigSlide Day.
Which means what?
Josh?
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Yeah, just when you see the miraculous, when
celebrating the things that youdon't expect to happen, like
Mike completing a Sudoku puzzle,yes, or like it ain't going to
happen day.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
It's not going to happen, Okay all right, all
right, so anyway, but you neverknow.
So finally down to somethingthat's more acceptable to most
people.
We have Teddy Bear Day.
Teddy Bear Day, teddy Bear Day,Teddy bear day.
Do you have a teddy bear, mike?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Actually, yeah yeah, it's like a four foot teddy bear
.
Uh-huh, uh-huh, we call him.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Mr Bear.
Yeah, mr Bear, yeah, yeah.
Why do you call him Mr Bear?
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Well, because if we called him Barry, that'd be kind
of weird.
But why is that?
My bear was called?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
this is Barry.
I looked at talks all the timeyou didn't call me hey, me yeah,
sort of.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Josh, did you ever have a?
Speaker 2 (05:10):
teddy bear?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
oh yeah, I had.
I had lots of stuffed animals.
I don't.
I don't think I had like ateddy bear, though I remember.
Do you remember the, theanimated movie Aladdin?
Oh yeah, aladdin had his littlemonkey Abu Abu, yeah, I had a
little stuffed Abu that Icarried Wow, I carried it
everywhere, me too, and he had alittle tuft of hair that stuck
out of it and so I'd carry himby the tuft of his hair.
That's a weird childhood memorythat just like unlocked really
(05:38):
quick.
We better stop right there.
My kids, though my my youngest,he just turned four.
He has he calls them hisstuffies, but they're all kinds
of things all over his bed.
I don't even know how he sleeps, but he loves exactly how my
daughter is yeah, uh, shoot.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
I think she's been sleeping with probably about 10
lately.
It's a lot, yeah, and a lot ofthem have been care bears like
those are coming back, whichthat's a whole other thing.
If they have care bears, doesthat mean that there's don't
care bears?
They didn't do as well.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
It's really a discrimination thing.
It's the only bears that careand they sold a lot of them
because they care.
Yes, yeah, the rest of themdon't care.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Even the rainy bear, like he, even cares.
There's a rainy bear, I'mpretty sure.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Like, like he even cares.
There's a rainy bear, I'mpretty sure Like a storm, I
don't know.
None of them top Yogi Bear.
That was my bear.
Hey, yo boo boo.
And until just recently, whenmy wife said, do you have to get
rid of Yogi Bear?
I kept Yogi Bear in a trunk.
What about Winnie the Pooh?
Well, winnie was another friendof mine.
Yes, whole, not other story.
There's actually a video aboutWinnie the poo bear and me.
That's actually how I got hired.
(06:46):
That's right.
Josh does such an amazing jobon this video.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Someday that might be one of those short foreign
films Is that the safari poobear.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
He's on adventures.
Yes, he's on adventures, yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, that's about the.
Yeah, I had that one in mydriver's seat.
I was told to take it down to206 once.
When I first started I was likeokay, a lot of people wanted to
kidnap that bear, but we kepthim around, he made his rounds,
he did, he really did.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
It's a great video and that's why Josh got hired.
Hey, you know what?
Lamanda's going to listen tothis and never let us do this
again just ourselves, becausewe're way out there.
But let's pull it around.
We got some really specialthing finally coming up this
Friday.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
This Friday We've been talking about Night of
Praise for feels like months,but it's probably been a couple
months.
Night of Praise this Friday,September 12th, Doors open at 6,
events at 6.30, and we reallyhope to see you there.
Fellowship Bible FellowshipBible Church.
Bring some food with you.
Yeah, free admission.
We don't charge anything foryou to come.
We just ask that you bringcanned food item, non-perishable
(07:47):
food item, to help stock ourdistribution center.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
And then obviously it is a fundraiser, so we ask for
it.
So if you don't know anythingabout, it until now.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
You don't listen to podcasts like Topeka Rescue
Missions.
You don't read anything.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
You don't get a newsletter, so on and so forth
forth.
But now is your opportunity tocome.
Night of Pray is going to besome different music groups
there, some testimonies,opportunities for people to
praise the Lord together andparticipate in helping raise
funds for Topeka Rescue.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah, absolutely, it's an awesome night.
I'm really excited.
This year We've got bandmembers from different churches
making up a couple of differentbands, and so it really is an
all church effort, which I love,and so, yeah, we've got some
amazing stories of the Lord'sprovision and his work, and so,
yeah, come be a part, come joinus in doing the thing, so it's
going to be a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
And so there's been a theme that's been going on all
year, and we got Mike here today, mike Schottel, who is the
director of spiritual wellnessand discipleship.
That's correct.
What's that mean?
Speaker 3 (08:46):
wellness and discipleship.
That's correct.
What's that mean?
So when I took over theposition, uh, we wanted to do
something a little bit more thanjust the chaplain.
Um, one of the things withworking.
Spiritual wellness is evenbetter than a job title right
there, sorry, um, yeah, so oneof the things while I've been
going through the process of oftaking this position uh, I just
(09:11):
finished my master's, uh got myuh master's degree of Christian
ministry and leadership with aconcentration in Christian
counseling Um, so one of thethings through that entire
process of doing doing myschooling, I really wanted and
felt led that we really need tofocus on our spiritual health.
How are we spending time withthe Lord?
(09:35):
What are we doing to help ourrelationship with him grow
deeper?
So if we're not spirituallywell, if we're not filling
ourselves with the love ofChrist, then how are we going to
reciprocate that to the peoplethat we come in contact with?
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Why is that important ?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
to speak, a rescue mission.
Well, I mean, we're a city on ahill.
We're shining brightly, and ifwe are called to speak up for
those who can't speak forthemselves, we're not able to be
in tune with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus teaches in John chapter15, I am the vine, you are the
branches.
Abide in me.
If you do not abide in me, thenyou will produce no fruit.
(10:15):
So if we're not abiding in him,we're not going to produce what
he wants for us.
So it's been a challenge, beena challenge.
Um, I've been in this positionfor a year and a half or now.
So a year and a half.
So, yeah, there's a tongue tiedright there, um, but it really
(10:38):
just it's like what the Lord'sdoing in me.
That's what I, that's what Ifeel like I need to then
reciprocate and help the staffof the rescue mission work on
too, because I'm not going totell people to do something if
I'm not going to do it.
Um, yeah, so, with us diggingdeep in our faith and being
(11:06):
intentional with drawing closerto him, when we draw close to
him, we start acting like him,we start living like him.
So when we're living like him,he moved with compassion.
That's what brought up thewhole loving in the gap when
LaManda wanted to introduce thatfor this year.
(11:28):
Yeah, loving in the gap is it's1 John 4.10, straight up.
This is love, not that we loveGod, but that he first loved us
and sent his son as an atoningsacrifice for our sins.
And then verse 11 says for God,so loved us.
(11:50):
We ought to love one another.
We can't say that we love Godand then not love our neighbor
as ourself.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
So, mike, not everybody, but most people that
um have a position at TopekaRescue Mission.
Uh, attend a church, um, have apastor.
Yep, maybe you're a part of aSunday school class small group,
uh, maybe very involved intheir church, right?
So, um, one of the things thatuh that I think um some people
(12:22):
don't know is that it's not adenomination here, it's not a
particular brand of Christianity.
There are people who haveworked here Presbyterians,
catholics, baptists, nazarenes,assembly the list goes on and on
and on and on and on, right,right.
So why wouldn't that be goodenough that they go to church
and then come to here kind ofprepackaged, ready to rock and
(12:45):
roll with the scriptures thatyou just talked about?
Not that there's anything wrongwith the churches, but why is
it important to have a person inyour position here to be able
to help guide that for theministry of Topeka Rescue
Mission?
Speaker 3 (13:00):
We're all the body of Christ.
We all make up different partsof the body.
The hand's not going to tellthe nose what to do, because
what does the hand know that thenose doesn't know?
Vice versa.
So there are differentdenominations, but we all work
together as a core to be thebody of Christ.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
So specific assignments here may be
different than the church Iattend.
Yes, yeah, so the church has aunique role wherever it's
planted, whether how God hascalled that church to present
the good news of Christ in theirneighborhood, in their
community.
Topeka Rescue Mission has aunique call.
Yes, that's not necessarily,it's not one size fits all.
(13:41):
No, yeah, so I just wanted tohelp people to understand you
know why this position?
And so a spiritual coach, kindof keeping people on the field
and keep them moving the rightdirection, not that they don't
know anything, right, we havepeople come in at all different
levels.
We have people that work at thePika Rescue Mission who have
(14:01):
spent 10, 20 years on thestreets and this whole thing
about a job and a home to livein, right, and this relationship
with Christ.
They're all new to them and sosometimes they don't feel like
they fit in church, traditionalchurch, very well, and so we
have that opportunity here.
So this Loving in the Gap isthe theme.
It's been going on since thebeginning of this year and it's
(14:23):
going to be the theme Fridaynight, right, josh, absolutely.
So we hear about, we thinkabout, standing in the gap, uh,
living in the gap, being in thegap, what does loving in the gap
have in a relationship to anyof those?
Speaker 3 (14:39):
We can't do anything of what we do here at the rescue
mission without the love.
We can't do anything of what wedo here at the rescue mission
without the love.
There are very hard to lovepeople, but we can't just put
somebody in a box and be likeyou know what they're hard to
love, so I'm not going to reachout to them because we ourselves
(15:04):
are hard to love.
I brought that up a couplecouple days ago with some staff
members Um, we're workingthrough, uh, protecting the
self-esteem and dignity ofeveryone we come in contact with
, because we are the Imago Dei.
We were all created in theimage of God.
So when we put labels on peoplethinking, well, they're weird,
or they're broken or I wouldn'tbe caught dead, you know
spending time with them becauseyou know that's just, they're
(15:26):
them, I'm me.
I'm not going to do any of that.
And one of our staff members,when I brought up the the
question of you know, how do welook at people without thinking,
man, they're weird?
And this individual said well,what makes us think that we're
(15:47):
normal?
Right, look at the mirror.
Right, define normal.
Nobody's normal.
So it doesn't matter wherewe're at, it doesn't matter
where we're from when we look atpeople when we pray to the Lord
.
Lord, let me see your peoplethrough your eyes.
(16:07):
Our flesh is going to obviouslyput those barriers up.
We're not going to look atpeople with a loving,
compassionate way, because it'sthe fleshly side of us.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Well, why not?
I mean, if you want to work atTopeka Rescue Mission, you want
to be on staff, you want tovolunteer here, why would that
even be a question?
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Nobody's perfect, absolutely nobody is perfect.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So we may come with good intentions here.
We want to help people.
We want to talk about what gapmeans here in a minute, but we
want to come help people.
But, for whatever reason, fromthings that I've experienced or
haven't experienced in life, I'mgoing to look at people through
my lens and sometimes that maybe helpful to them or may be
(16:53):
harmful to them, as well asmyself and the people I'm
working with.
And so the love aspect of thisis some people might call it
secret sauce is what makes theit's, it's the ingredient that
takes it over to the next level.
So what?
What is the gap?
What was loving in the gap?
Standing in the gap?
What do we mean by being inthat place, in the gap?
(17:17):
What's the gap?
Speaker 3 (17:18):
The gap could be anything from unemployment to
homelessness, to addiction,addiction to past trauma,
whatever it is.
We will get down in thatdirtiness, that filth, that,
whatever they're stuck in, andsit with them in it, not really
(17:40):
to be like, hey, give me yourstuff, because we don't have the
power to take what they aredealing with, but we do have the
power to show them what love wehave, and that is of Christ.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
So you've named some different things that people
face that take advantage of theservices to be a rescue mission
homelessness, unemployment,other things.
It could be addiction, mentalillness.
The list goes on.
The list is almost endless.
Yes, so how okay, these are theother things.
It could be addiction, mentalillness.
The list goes on.
The list is almost endless.
Yes, so how okay, these are thedifferent things.
(18:14):
So when we think about gap justkind of taking us to the next
thought process here a gapgenerally means that there is a
gulf between where I'm at andwhere I need to go.
Yes, there's the gap.
So how is it that Topeka RescueMission helps be in that gap
(18:34):
that is making any kind of adifference in somebody's life
that unemployed to employment,to homelessness, to house, to
suffering from addiction, mentalillness, whatever the case
might be, to wellness, on and onand on?
How does Topeka Rescue Missionpractically be the bridge that
(18:55):
crosses from where people are towhere they need to go?
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I mean, the first person that comes to mind is
Kenny Ball.
He's been on the podcastmultiple times.
You've talked with him that itwas a cold day or whatever and
he was walking to work and youturned around that was one of my
many encounters with Kenny.
Right, I said we'll pay you tonot go to work.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Going to work at the wrong place?
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yes, and that gap is just trying to fill in what
they're trying to get throughand it's not working.
The gap is hope, and if wedon't have the hope to offer
(19:46):
them, then they're just going tocontinue to be in that cyclical
downward spiral of what it isand it's.
It's not a one-time deal, it'snot a well.
This is your only opportunityand if you don't take it, the
ship has sailed.
You're done.
Sometimes it's multiple timesand that's what it was for Kenny
.
Sometimes for Kenny it was hey,you can't be coming in here
(20:09):
high, you cannot be pickingfights with the front desk, you
can't be jumping over thecounter, trying to kill the guy
at the front desk, trying tokill the guy at the front desk
just because he called you.
Sir, you have to see that youhave such potential, um, you
have to see that you have suchpotential, a potential that we
(20:30):
see in you because we see thatyou are fearfully and
wonderfully made.
Yeah, and that gap sometimestakes years, and sometimes those
years turn into decades andthey're still out to lunch.
But when you have somebody likeKenny Ball, it finally clicks.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
According to him, 100 times Yep, 100 times that he
was in and out of speaker rescuemission over a period of years.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I think that's part of like the loving piece, right.
I think that adds another layerof versus just standing in the
gap.
I think a lot of us thinkstanding in the gap and that
love is kind of what keeps itcoming back.
You know, I think a lot ofpeople might come to the end of
that where their Kenny is likeall right, you're at your 50th
time, which is generous, butloving keeps you coming back.
(21:18):
Right, it keeps us coming backand saying we're going to keep
loving you, no matter how manytimes you're walking through
that gap.
And that's like the differencein the loving is that's what
Jesus has called us to is tolove people.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
So what does that mean?
Love?
You know people could say, okayperson is homeless, I'm going
to love them and be kind to themand have empathy for them.
I'm going to try not to judgethem.
Does that help them to get tothe other side, or is that all
that it takes to get to theother side?
What is love?
Speaker 3 (21:55):
The love is defined 1 John 4.10.
1 John 4.10.
I have it tattooed on myforearm In that this is love,
Agape Love.
It is unconditional.
There is absolutely positivelynothing you can do to deserve
that love.
Okay, so the love that we have.
(22:17):
It is unconditional, Meaning itholds no record of rights or
wrongs.
It holds no record of rights orwrongs.
It sees through the lens of nomatter what you choose to do.
I'm going to show you dignitybecause you are created in God's
image.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Does love sometimes have hands and feet?
Yes, does it actually dosomething?
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Yes.
Other than abstractly careabout someone or just be like
just oh, I feel your pain,that's my point.
Yeah, it's not just empathetic,it actually works.
It does something with it.
It's not, excuse me, it's, it'sit's action.
Yes, agape isn't just a noun,it's not or it's not a, it is a
verb Um.
But it's not just a word thatdescribes how I feel, um but
(23:05):
it's not just a word thatdescribes how I feel.
Um, I can say that I love mywife, but if I'm not showing
action in how I love my wife,then it's a subject matter
versus an action.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Yes, and I think that that's the point here.
Um, josh, you well know, andthere's been many things and you
see it on trucks faith with itssleeves rolled up.
Faith with the sleeves rolledup that word faith.
Is about the Topeka RescueMission.
It's a faith ministry.
There's two kinds of faith.
There's one, a subject ofbelieving in something, and
(23:38):
there's another thing that doessomething.
So where does, in your opinion?
Speaker 1 (23:43):
you've been around the mission for a long time now
where does that word faith andlove come together in this gap?
Yeah, I think to kind ofpiggyback off that.
It's also the practical.
Like you know, yes, it's onething to say I love you, but
here is a meal, here is a bed,here is a case manager to walk
(24:03):
through you know difficultthings with you and help you get
a driver's license, help youget a birth certificate.
Here is an education program tohelp you know how to write a
resume, to help you know how tointerview and get a job.
Here is a housing resource tohelp you pay off bills that
you're needing to or debt you'reneeding to get paid off, pay
(24:24):
off bills that you're needing toor debt you're needing to get
paid off.
And that's one thing I've lovedworking here is TRM is in the
practicalness of it.
We're constantly reevaluatingand saying how is this helping
the person?
And if it's not us, who'sfilling that maybe gap somewhere
else?
And saying, all right, well, we, baby, we're not doing that
here, but you know this resourceover here is doing that, so
(24:45):
we're going to get you connectedand plugged in with them.
And those are like thepractical aspects of like love,
right, we're going to be herewith you in it and we're going
to help you walk through it.
And, like, those are thestories you know that we're
going to be talking about atNight of Praise, right Is?
There is definitely thepractical aspect of it because,
like you said, it is definitelyone thing to love and say I love
(25:08):
you, I'm here to be with you inthis, but it's another to say
we're going to figure out how toget through this together.
Um, and that's really what's socool about here is there's
there's multiple approaches tosay, all right, how can we help
the whole person, um, get towhere they need to go through
that gap?
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Mike, who's our best example of loving
unconditionally and go on thedistance.
There are multiple people, butthe one I really have to pick on
right now, the first personthat comes to mind is, honestly,
nancy johnson.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Um she, uh, I've been behind our front desk lady, by
the way.
Yes, so she'll answer the phonetuesday, thursday, lady but
there it was actually last week.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Um, we were, I was printing off the donation
envelopes for the night ofpraise and you could only feed
what there were 500 envelopes,that's what we printed and you
could only feed like 15 at atime into the the bypass tray on
the printer.
So I was in the office with herfor about an hour and a half
(26:28):
and it was a Thursday, so thatmeans that we had our Hope
Center guests coming in at thattime for their trauma class and
the way that that woman justpersonifies just a motherly love
(26:49):
and sees these ladies that arecoming in who have not been,
honestly feel like they have notbeen seen, like seen.
And one of them in particular.
She comes in, just no smile onher face, looks like she's just
had enough.
(27:09):
And she looks up at the clockand Nancy says how are you this
morning?
And she just went, eh.
And Nancy goes oh my gosh, lookat your nails, who did those?
And the gal goes, huh.
(27:30):
And she goes who did your nails?
They're gorgeous.
And she goes well, I did them.
She goes well, you should comein here and do mine sometime.
Holy cow, look at how good.
And she's like really, youreally think this is good and
she's like, yeah, I think you, Ithink you did great.
And I mean I don't knowanything about doing manicures
(27:52):
or anything, but yeah, her nailslook nice.
But Nancy takes her time to seepeople where they are at and
it's almost like the Holy Spiritleads her to like to pinpoint
something, because there'salways something.
And I believe this that we canfind a commonality.
It doesn't matter what somebodyis dealing with, it doesn't
(28:13):
matter where they've been, whattrauma, what addiction, whatever
it is.
There is a commonality that youcan find in somebody and then
immediately, once you get thatconnection, you can't let go of
it.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
And then immediately, once you get that connection,
you can't let go of it.
So the picture with this is wehave these women and men coming
to the education center,children's Palace, required
classes to be in, not alwayshappy about my homelessness, nor
am I required to go in andlearn about job skills and this,
that and the other thing.
And they meet Nancy Johnsonabout job skills and this, that
and the other thing.
(28:45):
And they meet Nancy Johnson.
Just right before we started thepodcast, there was a long line
of folks coming in waiting toget checked in.
And here's the first personthey see is Nancy, and some of
them are really excited to behere.
Some are not so excited to behere.
But to your point, here is thisretired lady who I've known
forever and ever and ever.
Used to be the director of theCommunity resources council in
(29:13):
Topeka for many years.
Um is now, uh, come to therescue mission.
Um, and is standing in the gapto even look at someone's
demeanor and saying your nailsare beautiful to build a bridge
for a hope there there was.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
There was one, because she's off Monday and
Friday, and there was one Friday.
She wasn't here and had one ofthe guests from the shelter come
in and goes.
Is Nancy here?
I was like, oh no, she's nothere today.
He goes.
Oh, I just wanted to come sayhi to her because she just makes
every person feel special andloved and that's what it's about
and Nancy will very humbly andshe's going to die when she
(29:47):
hears we've been talking abouther Deal with it.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Very humbly, will never say I'm doing anything
special.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
No.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
And that's really the kind of love that just emulates
in the people that we hope come, whether they volunteer or work
here, to be a part of this.
So we've kind of taken a littlebit of deep dive.
You know what in the world islove and who's an example that
you've looked?
Speaker 1 (30:13):
at.
I'll piggyback off that, too,real quick.
That's the majority of staffhere, like the majority of staff
, will stop what they're doingand talk to people and love them
where they're at.
I've seen it time and timeagain.
It doesn't matter what positionthey're in, it's all of them
there's.
And volunteers, and volunteers,absolutely Volunteers staff
(30:33):
there is this, you know, cultureand I think that's why it's so
prevalent is this culture oflove.
We all understand this innatething that we all say here is
Imago Dei, everybody is made inthe image of God, and we're all
in that, and so it's.
I don't know.
It's really cool to see that.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
And we started talking about Mike, your
position here as a director ofspiritual wellness and
discipleship.
I want to kind of come back tothat again about how important
that is.
As Josh said, pretty much mosteverybody is in that vein here,
but it takes keeping the teammoving forward in that because
we're humans.
But I want to point out thatthere are a lot of homeless
shelters in the country allaround the world, but not
(31:14):
everybody feels comfortablecoming to a homeless shelter and
there are a lot of streethomeless around the world,
including Topeka, kansas, andnot too many street homeless
feel comfortable coming to wherethere are other people that are
going to provide services andso a lot of reasons for that
disappointments, fear, don'tfeel valued, they feel like
(31:36):
they're a number.
But you look at a full house atTopeka Rescue Mission 260, some
right now, maybe more creatingmore space as we speak and
trying to figure out how to getmore people off the streets.
You look at the mobile accesspartnership, which some of our
more broken individuals lastweek had 88 people found it.
(31:57):
Today it's raining.
Not sure how many people aregoing to come, but they come.
And there was a big questionyesterday in a group I was with.
Why are those people coming offthe streets when they won't
come anywhere else?
And it came down to one thingthey feel valued and they know
it's safe and they're loved.
And so that takes people,whether they're working at the
Stormont Vale Mobile Clinic orthe Vallejo Shower Trailer, the
(32:21):
Rescue Missions Clothing Trailerover at the let's Help Building
right now.
For people to feel that theyare important, valued, safe and
loved, accepted.
Same thing here at TopekaRescue Mission, hundreds and
hundreds of people come throughhere has to have a team that is
doing what we're talking abouttoday the value of the coach to
(32:44):
help steer this, with thedirection of the CEO Lamanda, to
be able to get the team not getthe team, but keep the team
focused in the right direction.
So what are some of the waysyou do that?
Speaker 3 (32:56):
So, excuse me, at the beginning I talked about
spiritual wellness.
Now I'm going to talk about theother part of the director
director of discipleship,director of spiritual wellness
and discipleship.
Discipleship is plain andsimple.
It means a learner to leadpeople to learn.
So if we're not willing tolearn, then we are not willing
(33:20):
to grow, and through the entireprocess of discipleship, I
myself need to learn in orderfor me to teach.
Okay, so about a year, about ayear ago, um, I was in one of my
classes, I was in new Testamentsurvey, uh, with the university
(33:41):
that I went to and they wantedus to begin to create a
curriculum or a culture,something that we could
implement in our work.
And what I started to do wasthe five biblical pillars of the
(34:01):
Topeka Rescue Mission, and Ijust needed approval from
LaManda to say that it is forTRM, and I was just going to do
a five off, five week devotionalseries.
That's all that it was going tobe.
We're going to kick it off andthen boom.
So I did the intro and, likeour, our, our, uh, calendar
(34:23):
wasn't lining up, so I did thekickoff.
And then that week, when thatlesson for all staff was sent
out because I send these lessonsevery single week for people to
read, to study, to discuss sentit out and then LaManda went.
I don't know, I don't thinkit's five.
(34:45):
I think the Lord's working onyou that there's seven, because
seven is a complete number.
I went okay, well, what are theother two?
And she goes I don't know,you're in school, that's you.
You're the one that needs tofigure them out.
But I think one of them needsto be trauma related, because if
this is the, if these are thebiblical pillars of TRM, you're
(35:14):
the one that's doing it.
Figure it out.
And I was like, oh, crud.
And then, not 15 minutes afterwe adjourned the meeting, boom,
the two came just right to me,texted her and she said there
you go, take it and run with it.
Uh, you're going to talk withthe board.
And I was like, oh, excuse me,record, scratch, what she's like
.
You got to get that approved,because we're also going to be
putting this in the handbook.
I was like, excuse me, what?
(35:36):
So now HR has got to beinvolved.
She's like yeah, you're goingto have some graphics too.
I'm like excuse me, what she'slike after january I just need
to pass this class I just needfive.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
I just needed the credit.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
That's all I needed.
So that turned into waitinguntil the beginning of this year
and implementing these sevenbiblical pillars, which they are
seek first to understand.
We cannot do what we do untilwe seek first to understand the
person that's in front of us.
Doesn't matter if it's a guest,if it's a community member For
(36:10):
crying out loud, if it's a staffmember.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
We need to seek first to understand where the person
is that's coming in front of usand I want to just pause right
there, because so oftentimespeople who are needing help
because of the magnitude of thenumber of people needing help,
not just at the peak rescuemission but throughout this
whole nation the frontlineworkers don't have time to find
(36:35):
out about the person.
So they find out what theproblem is and they prescribe or
they say you're eligible forthis, take a number, move on
through it.
But they do not feel seen andheard and you have to see and
hear to understand.
There's the beginning.
That's a huge right there.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
And that's where Nancy, why she has such a long
line for every single class,because she is taking time to
remember people's names to seethem.
If she doesn't, if she isn'tgreeted with a smile with
somebody who initially greetsher with a smile, she's going to
call them out on it.
All right, why was I notgreeted with a smile this
morning?
What's going on?
Yeah, like you're taking yourtime from not answering the
(37:17):
phone's ringing and you're goingto talk to me.
Yeah, because you're in frontof me.
You are my job because I loveyou.
So seek first to understand.
Once we understand, we'relistening and responding with
empathy.
So that's the second one listenand respond with empathy.
Number three is speak the truthin love.
(37:38):
So you hear, the truth hurts.
Well, yeah, the truth does hurt, but the truth should be spoken
to people to build them up, nottear them down.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
So if you really really want that job and you
really want to have the abilityto live on your own, we've got
to address the addiction.
Yes, we have to address thehygiene.
We have to address the way youdress, maybe the way you talk
those are hard conversations tohave sometimes that we maybe
have to look at a whole way ofdoing things a little bit
differently than what you'vebeen used to, and not judging
(38:10):
them for the way they've donethings because they've been the
best they can Right, butspeaking truth and love means
maybe we need to look atsomething different.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Yes.
And then after that, um, whilewe're speaking, the truth and
love brings us to the next one.
When you're doing that, protecttheir self-esteem and their
dignity.
And the one that I really drivehome on that is when Jesus is
at the well in John, chapter 4.
You have a Jewish maninteracting with a Samaritan
woman.
(38:38):
Whether it was a Jew and aSamaritan, that is a cultural
faux pas.
You do not do that.
You do not talk, absolutely not.
And then a man and a womanabsolutely not.
And he is the or she excuse me,she is the first one that he
publicly announces that he isthe Messiah too, and then he
(39:03):
tells her Took some time to doit, though didn't it?
Yes, he did.
And then he tells her Took sometime to do it, though didn't it
?
Yes, he did.
He saw the need, that she wasthirsty, that there was shame in
her thirst, and coming out, hesaw the brokenness.
He knew the brokenness.
He knew that she was marriedfive times and the man that she
was living with was not herhusband, because he's the
Messiah.
But he didn't condemn her on it.
(39:28):
He showed the restoration, thepossibility of the restoration
that can come forth with it.
And then, of course, you knowwhat does she do?
She runs away with her armsflying, saying I've had it, I've
had it.
No, she goes into the town andsays let me tell you about the
man who told me everything thatI've ever done in my entire life
, and what happens from that.
The town comes and sees Christ,and then they say to the woman
(39:54):
we now believe, not because ofwhat you have told us, but
because of what we have seen inhim.
So when we protect theself-esteem and the dignity of
the people that are in front ofus, covered in their puke,
covered in their filth, withtheir track marks from their
needles and shooting up, we'reloving them.
We're protecting theirself-esteem and dignity because,
(40:15):
no matter what, if they're ajunkie or whatever, they are
created in God's image.
The lies that they havebelieved through their entire
life, of family members who theyshould trust, telling them that
they're worthless, that theyare scum, that they might as
well just be dead there's notruth in that.
(40:36):
You are fearfully andwonderfully made.
Let me show you how loved youare.
You have a potential.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
You have a meaning to be here and so much value and
potential.
You don't have to stay doingwhat you've been doing.
That's the other part of thatbridge the gap.
How can we help you see yourvalue and it's not going to be
fully realized when you're doingthis Right.
So try this.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
Yeah, and then it all makes sense.
And then, finally, this was myfifth one.
This is what I was going to endon, boom done.
And then LaManda's like no, andI was like, yeah, advocate for
the lost and broken.
Proverbs 31, 8 and 9.
Speak up for those who cannotspeak for themselves.
That Proverbs 31, 8 and 9.
Speak up for those who cannotspeak for themselves.
That's what we do here Forthose of us who love our job at
(41:28):
the Topeka Rescue Mission.
You know why do those people?
Why are they camping underneatha car wash?
You know what's the deal withthat?
It's just an eyesore.
Well, what is the deal withthat?
Let's see why they're doing itand what we can do to help,
instead of just throwing therocks.
When you've got a plank,there's two completely.
(41:51):
You know you're throwing,you're you're calling them out
for the speck of dust in theireye and you got a two by four
sticking out of your eyeball.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
That's so oftentimes what the people who are in that
situation have heard, whatthey've received and what
they've owned, and that thenperpetuates more of the downward
spiral Right To no hope, right.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
Gap, big gap, a gorge .
So that's where I was going toend it.
But there's got to be a side upon all of those actions,
because these actions are alsofor us to do for ourselves.
So the sixth pillar, uh, healand restore through compassion.
(42:33):
The Lord moved and feltcompassion.
Um, the, the Greek word issplankna, uh, meaning that it is
a guttural intestinal churningthat you feel so broken for the
person that is in front of youthat you can't do anything other
than need to help them.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
That's where we get the word spleen from.
Yes sir, hit him in the spleenWasn't just an emotional feeling
.
Yep, hit him in the gut.
That's true compassion.
Oh, I got to do something forthem.
Speaker 3 (43:02):
So heal and restore through compassion something for
them.
So heal and restore throughcompassion.
And then the final one was uh,which?
This one's a doozy, because howoften is it that I?
You know, I'm the director ofspiritual wellness and
discipleship.
I have a graduate degree from auniversity, so I have a
(43:22):
master's of Christian ministryand leadership with a
concentration in Christiancounseling.
Uh, from a very loving family,but I've messed up a lot in my
life.
So who am I to feel totallyadequate to be in this position?
Because I don't feel adequate.
I feel like there's somebodyelse who could do a better job
(43:44):
than me.
Why?
Because I'm not trusting in theLord's redemption, I'm not
trusting that he has set meapart to be in this position to
point people to him.
In positions here at the rescuemission, there are people who
are fighting to get theirsobriety back, that are
(44:08):
believing the enemy's lies ofyou are worthless.
Remember what you were toldwhen you were six years old that
you're never going to amount toanything, that you're just a
screw up.
So quit asking stupid questions.
No, no, the Lord has said Ihave redeemed you.
I came, I lived, I died, Iconquered death and came back
(44:36):
for you.
He would leave the 99 to go forthe one.
We have to trust in hisredemption.
Because when we trust in hisredemption, that's when the
shackles come off, that's whenwe're going into the fisticuffs
and we are going toe to toe withthe enemy and saying you know
(44:58):
what, not this one.
We're going to fight, we've gotthe Holy Spirit on our side,
we're fighting for this person,and that's just what brings up
the whole.
The final charge of above allelse we need to abide in Christ.
John 15, abide in the vine.
So pillar number seven isPillar.
(45:19):
Number seven is trust in theLord's redemption.
So I guess there's kind ofeight, but the eighth's the roof
, the eighth is the roof, theeighth is the roof Above all
else.
Abide in Jesus.
But it all boils down to it's acalling.
Is this an easy job?
Absolutely positively not.
(45:41):
But is this the best job thatI've had my entire life?
You bet your bottom dollar,little orphan Annie.
It is.
I love it.
I love why?
Because I'm doing what the Lordcalled me to do.
I didn't even know that I wouldbe in Topeka, kansas.
(46:02):
But Luke, chapter 10, verse 2,says the harvest is plenty, the
labors are few.
Therefore, pray to the Lord ofthe harvest to send labors into
the field.
Since, before I was born, thepeople who were intentional in
my life and my spiritual growthprayed at 10 o'clock, at 10.02,
(46:26):
every single morning.
Lord, your harvest is plenty,your labors are few.
There's people who don't evenknow.
There are children that don'teven know that they're going to
be called into the ministry.
Work in their hearts, work intheir families to have them be
called into this ministry andtheir families to have them be
(46:46):
called into this ministry.
That prayer started in 1986.
I was born in 1991.
I am now here in answer to thatprayer.
So when I found out that thatprayer was being prayed over me,
that's now my intentionalresponsibility that you can be
darn sure that at 10.02, whattime is it?
(47:07):
Right now we're close to 10.02.
My alarm is going to go off onmy phone.
It's going to say 10.02 prayertime.
Therefore, pray to the Lord ofthe harvest.
The harvest is plenty, thelabors are few.
Pray to him that he would sendlaborers into the field.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
So that prayer was pretty powerful.
I started here in 1986, andhere you are.
What took you so long?
Speaker 3 (47:34):
I had to be born, I had to grow up, barry, I guess
so I guess.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
so we have an eternal God who sees the before, the
beginning, the beginning, thecurrent and the future, forever
and ever, and so we're invitedto be a part of that.
And, without a doubt, anybodyknows anything about Scripture,
from the very beginning of theBible to the very end, and it's
(47:58):
about God's love for mankind.
And if there was ever anythingthat you don't want to do, it is
to turn your back on the poor,to treat the poor wrongly.
People are judged for it,nations are judged for it.
Countries, communities, cities,counties are judged for how
they take care of the poor.
And there's a standing in thegap for the city of Topeka, and
(48:21):
it is the body of Christ.
It is those who have stepped upand stepped in to reflect the
heart of Christ.
When you were talking about thewoman at the well, she took off
to go tell people.
Because of what she said, theycame to see him, and when they
saw him, they became transformedthemselves, and so standing in
the gap is to help people to see.
(48:43):
Just like night of praise isgoing be on Friday is an
opportunity for people toconnect with what Mike's been
talking about here, notnecessarily in the full detail
we've walked into here, but justbits and pieces of glimpses of
what it means to love in the gap.
And so, mike, thank you forwhat you're doing, thank you for
saying yes.
If anybody knows Mike Schottel,he's a pretty ornery guy, has a
(49:06):
lot of jokes.
I do want to have a one-linerbefore we leave here, but before
that, or one joke, excuse me,my pen, josh.
Once again, what's happeningFriday night.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
Yeah, friday night, night of Praise.
If you've heard this and it'smoved your heart, come to Night
of Praise.
If you're not sure where tostart, there's going to be
opportunities for you to learnhow to volunteer, to learn what
prayer needs we have to donatefinancially.
There's going to be ways foryou to learn how to love in the
gap.
And so come, enjoy some amazingworship, enjoy some hearing the
(49:38):
incredible stories and getinvolved.
That's what it's about.
So yeah, night of Praise,september 12th.
Doors open at 6.
Event starts at 6.30 atFellowship Bible Church at 10th
and Urish Yep.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
It's going to be good and it's going to.
You've heard a little bit ofwhat it's all about, so loving
in the gap.
So, mike Schottel, before weleave here, if anybody knows you
and dad jokes, mike Shuttleinvented them, um, even before
he was a dad.
So, uh.
So what do we got here?
About the unicorn and the horse?
Speaker 3 (50:18):
No, no, tell another one.
Why are relationships likealgebra?
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Because you look at your ex and wonder why.
Thank you very much, mikeottles.
Yikes, we were going to end onspiritual, but nope, we not now.
So anyway, but we all have comeshort of the glory of God, and
that's why we're all here.
Speaker 3 (50:35):
So finally, yes, why should you avoid marrying a
tennis player?
We got the US Open going onright now, so why should you
avoid marrying a tennis player?
Because love means nothing tothem.
Speaker 2 (50:48):
That's good.
There you go, all right.
Mike Schottel, josh Shirley,thank you very much.
Thank you for listening to ourcommunity, our mission.
You've heard about Loving inthe Gap.
You've heard about our Directorof Spiritual Wellness and
Discipleship, how this all tiesin together, and you've also
heard one more time about theNight of Praise coming up this
Friday, september 12th.
Doors open at 6 pm atFellowship Bible Church, 6.30 pm
.
It's going to be a night thatyou will not want to miss.
(51:10):
Thank you for joining us.
If you'd like more informationabout Topeka Rescue Mission, you
can go to trmonlineorg.
That's trmonlineorg.
Thank you for listening to OurCommunity, our Mission.
Gracious Heavenly Father.
We thank you, Lord, for thisday and your blessings and your
provisions.
God, we thank you for this timeto record this podcast and all
of our faithful listeners.
Lord, pray that thisconversation would bless them
and encourage them today, Lord,to continue to stand in the gap
for those who are just needingyour love, and we just thank you
, Lord, for our supporters andthank you for this time In
Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
In Jesus' name, amen.
Hello everybody, thank you forjoining us, for our community,
our mission.
A podcast of the Topeka RescueMission on a rainy Tuesday,
september the 9th of 2025,episode number 283.
I'm your co-host here today,barry Feaker with Josh Turley.
First time doing co-hostinghere, I think yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I mean I've been on the mic but you know, we've got
Miriam and Lamanda out onassignment today, so you got me
in, so I got you.
I'm so sorry.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
No, that's great, that's great.
So we've got Alec down herethat's ready to push the button
on or off for us here, so we gotquite the ability to do this
today.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Oh man.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
So we talk about the research and development
department of the Topeka RescueMission, and that's you and Alec
, and so you're right here.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah, nancy's actually helping me out now.
If you call Nancy, yeah, so ifyou call the Topeka Rescue
Mission Tuesday, wednesday orThursday, you're going to hear
the lovely voice of Ms Nancy.
She's our front deskreceptionist here at the palace
and she's wonderful and so she'sactually kind of helping me
pull some of these days doingthis too.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah Well, we got quite a team and we interviewed
her.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So if you've listened to the podcast, you know, nancy
.
So we have a, we have a complexproblem.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Here today we do our first international day.
Yes, we have a debate on whatit's called yes.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
So Well, there is only one correct answer, and so
which one is it?
It's International Sudoku DaySudoku.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Sudoku yeah, sudoku, sudoku, yeah.
So everybody that knows whatthat means, raise your hand.
You can't see, but everybody'shands are raised.
No, I was talking to theaudience.
Can't you see everybody out?
Speaker 3 (02:00):
there.
Yeah, if you're driving, keepyour hands on the wheel.
I got my magic mirror.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I'm looking out there , there's Billy and there's
Susie, never mind, so anyway,what is this Sudoku?
All right, I got it right.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Yeah, sudoku, it's a numbers puzzle.
It's like a nine by nine gridand it's I don't know, it's kind
of hard to explain.
It's a puzzle.
It's a numbers puzzle.
It's I don't know, it's kind ofhard to explain.
It's a puzzle.
It's a numbers puzzle.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
And it's for people a lot smarter than I am.
It's incredibly frustrating.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
It is.
So why would we have aninternational day for that?
Is that just kind of thecondition of the world right now
?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I think, so I think, people, it's just so that people
who are good at Sudoku knowthat they're better than anybody
else.
Like those people that canspots they probably could do so
as well.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
So it's also you, I mean.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
No, no, no.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
No, no, no.
Okay.
The other voice over here isMike Schottel.
We're going to talk to himlater, but probably while we're
doing this too as well.
Mike, how are you doing?
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I am fantastic.
This day really is the mostloveliest weather in my opinion.
I love the rain.
You do yes cool rain, yes,thunder lightning yes, oh man,
yeah, that sends all the feels,just want to curl up and read a
good book.
Yeah, but you're here with us,but I'm here, yeah, not reading
a book, not doing sudoku you'renot doing that back into the
(03:13):
parking lots, or I just getreally frustrated with sudoku,
just like no that's not yourthing, like no I didn't get it.
And then I throw the book acrossthe room and then cry eat some
chocolate I have an episode ofthe Closer and I'm good to go.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
I've used the app.
There's a Sudoku app, but italso gives you hints.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Like it tells you that you're wrong.
No, you're wrong, okay, erasethat Just button mash numbers
Got it First try.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
So if Sudoku is not your thing, we also have another
day for you.
Yeah, it's national, it it'snational, it's not international
.
Don't know why it's notinternational, but it's National
.
Win Pigs Fly Day.
Now, shaddle with all yourjokes and everything you do.
There's got to be something inhere about this particular day
for you, on September 9th, whatcomes to your mind?
Win Pigs Fly Day.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
I will complete a Sudoku square.
Win Pigs Fly Day.
There we go, there we go.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
I'm with you there, brother.
I'm with you there, brother.
I'm with you there, brother.
So how many times have you seenpigs fly?
Speaker 3 (04:10):
With wings, or like from a trebuchet A catapult.
Sorry, that's French for acatapult.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
All right, all right, we're going to have people who
are very upset with us now.
So, anyway, pigs don't fly.
But it is National Win PigSlide Day.
Which means what?
Josh?
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Yeah, just when you see the miraculous, when
celebrating the things that youdon't expect to happen, like
Mike completing a Sudoku puzzle,yes, or like it ain't going to
happen day.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
It's not going to happen, Okay all right, all
right, so anyway, but you neverknow.
So finally down to somethingthat's more acceptable to most
people.
We have Teddy Bear Day.
Teddy Bear Day, teddy Bear Day,Teddy bear day.
Do you have a teddy bear, mike?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
Actually, yeah yeah, it's like a four foot teddy bear
.
Uh-huh, uh-huh, we call him.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Mr Bear.
Yeah, mr Bear, yeah, yeah.
Why do you call him Mr Bear?
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Well, because if we called him Barry, that'd be kind
of weird.
But why is that?
My bear was called?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
this is Barry.
I looked at talks all the timeyou didn't call me hey, me yeah,
sort of.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Josh, did you ever have a?
Speaker 2 (05:10):
teddy bear?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
oh yeah, I had.
I had lots of stuffed animals.
I don't.
I don't think I had like ateddy bear, though I remember.
Do you remember the, theanimated movie Aladdin?
Oh yeah, aladdin had his littlemonkey Abu Abu, yeah, I had a
little stuffed Abu that Icarried Wow, I carried it
everywhere, me too, and he had alittle tuft of hair that stuck
out of it and so I'd carry himby the tuft of his hair.
That's a weird childhood memorythat just like unlocked really
(05:38):
quick.
We better stop right there.
My kids, though my my youngest,he just turned four.
He has he calls them hisstuffies, but they're all kinds
of things all over his bed.
I don't even know how he sleeps, but he loves exactly how my
daughter is yeah, uh, shoot.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
I think she's been sleeping with probably about 10
lately.
It's a lot, yeah, and a lot ofthem have been care bears like
those are coming back, whichthat's a whole other thing.
If they have care bears, doesthat mean that there's don't
care bears?
They didn't do as well.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
It's really a discrimination thing.
It's the only bears that careand they sold a lot of them
because they care.
Yes, yeah, the rest of themdon't care.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Even the rainy bear, like he, even cares.
There's a rainy bear, I'mpretty sure.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Like, like he even cares.
There's a rainy bear, I'mpretty sure Like a storm, I
don't know.
None of them top Yogi Bear.
That was my bear.
Hey, yo boo boo.
And until just recently, whenmy wife said, do you have to get
rid of Yogi Bear?
I kept Yogi Bear in a trunk.
What about Winnie the Pooh?
Well, winnie was another friendof mine.
Yes, whole, not other story.
There's actually a video aboutWinnie the poo bear and me.
That's actually how I got hired.
(06:46):
That's right.
Josh does such an amazing jobon this video.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Someday that might be one of those short foreign
films Is that the safari poobear.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
He's on adventures.
Yes, he's on adventures, yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Yeah, that's about the.
Yeah, I had that one in mydriver's seat.
I was told to take it down to206 once.
When I first started I was likeokay, a lot of people wanted to
kidnap that bear, but we kepthim around, he made his rounds,
he did, he really did.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
It's a great video and that's why Josh got hired.
Hey, you know what?
Lamanda's going to listen tothis and never let us do this
again just ourselves, becausewe're way out there.
But let's pull it around.
We got some really specialthing finally coming up this
Friday.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
This Friday We've been talking about Night of
Praise for feels like months,but it's probably been a couple
months.
Night of Praise this Friday,September 12th, Doors open at 6,
events at 6.30, and we reallyhope to see you there.
Fellowship Bible FellowshipBible Church.
Bring some food with you.
Yeah, free admission.
We don't charge anything foryou to come.
We just ask that you bringcanned food item, non-perishable
(07:47):
food item, to help stock ourdistribution center.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
And then obviously it is a fundraiser, so we ask for
it.
So if you don't know anythingabout, it until now.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
You don't listen to podcasts like Topeka Rescue
Missions.
You don't read anything.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
You don't get a newsletter, so on and so forth
forth.
But now is your opportunity tocome.
Night of Pray is going to besome different music groups
there, some testimonies,opportunities for people to
praise the Lord together andparticipate in helping raise
funds for Topeka Rescue.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah, absolutely, it's an awesome night.
I'm really excited.
This year We've got bandmembers from different churches
making up a couple of differentbands, and so it really is an
all church effort, which I love,and so, yeah, we've got some
amazing stories of the Lord'sprovision and his work, and so,
yeah, come be a part, come joinus in doing the thing, so it's
going to be a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
And so there's been a theme that's been going on all
year, and we got Mike here today, mike Schottel, who is the
director of spiritual wellnessand discipleship.
That's correct.
What's that mean?
Speaker 3 (08:46):
wellness and discipleship.
That's correct.
What's that mean?
So when I took over theposition, uh, we wanted to do
something a little bit more thanjust the chaplain.
Um, one of the things withworking.
Spiritual wellness is evenbetter than a job title right
there, sorry, um, yeah, so oneof the things while I've been
going through the process of oftaking this position uh, I just
(09:11):
finished my master's, uh got myuh master's degree of Christian
ministry and leadership with aconcentration in Christian
counseling Um, so one of thethings through that entire
process of doing doing myschooling, I really wanted and
felt led that we really need tofocus on our spiritual health.
How are we spending time withthe Lord?
(09:35):
What are we doing to help ourrelationship with him grow
deeper?
So if we're not spirituallywell, if we're not filling
ourselves with the love ofChrist, then how are we going to
reciprocate that to the peoplethat we come in contact with?
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Why is that important ?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
to speak, a rescue mission.
Well, I mean, we're a city on ahill.
We're shining brightly, and ifwe are called to speak up for
those who can't speak forthemselves, we're not able to be
in tune with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus teaches in John chapter15, I am the vine, you are the
branches.
Abide in me.
If you do not abide in me, thenyou will produce no fruit.
(10:15):
So if we're not abiding in him,we're not going to produce what
he wants for us.
So it's been a challenge, beena challenge.
Um, I've been in this positionfor a year and a half or now.
So a year and a half.
So, yeah, there's a tongue tiedright there, um, but it really
(10:38):
just it's like what the Lord'sdoing in me.
That's what I, that's what Ifeel like I need to then
reciprocate and help the staffof the rescue mission work on
too, because I'm not going totell people to do something if
I'm not going to do it.
Um, yeah, so, with us diggingdeep in our faith and being
(11:06):
intentional with drawing closerto him, when we draw close to
him, we start acting like him,we start living like him.
So when we're living like him,he moved with compassion.
That's what brought up thewhole loving in the gap when
LaManda wanted to introduce thatfor this year.
(11:28):
Yeah, loving in the gap is it's1 John 4.10, straight up.
This is love, not that we loveGod, but that he first loved us
and sent his son as an atoningsacrifice for our sins.
And then verse 11 says for God,so loved us.
(11:50):
We ought to love one another.
We can't say that we love Godand then not love our neighbor
as ourself.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
So, mike, not everybody, but most people that
um have a position at TopekaRescue Mission.
Uh, attend a church, um, have apastor.
Yep, maybe you're a part of aSunday school class small group,
uh, maybe very involved intheir church, right?
So, um, one of the things thatuh that I think um some people
(12:22):
don't know is that it's not adenomination here, it's not a
particular brand of Christianity.
There are people who haveworked here Presbyterians,
catholics, baptists, nazarenes,assembly the list goes on and on
and on and on and on, right,right.
So why wouldn't that be goodenough that they go to church
and then come to here kind ofprepackaged, ready to rock and
(12:45):
roll with the scriptures thatyou just talked about?
Not that there's anything wrongwith the churches, but why is
it important to have a person inyour position here to be able
to help guide that for theministry of Topeka Rescue
Mission?
Speaker 3 (13:00):
We're all the body of Christ.
We all make up different partsof the body.
The hand's not going to tellthe nose what to do, because
what does the hand know that thenose doesn't know?
Vice versa.
So there are differentdenominations, but we all work
together as a core to be thebody of Christ.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
So specific assignments here may be
different than the church Iattend.
Yes, yeah, so the church has aunique role wherever it's
planted, whether how God hascalled that church to present
the good news of Christ in theirneighborhood, in their
community.
Topeka Rescue Mission has aunique call.
Yes, that's not necessarily,it's not one size fits all.
(13:41):
No, yeah, so I just wanted tohelp people to understand you
know why this position?
And so a spiritual coach, kindof keeping people on the field
and keep them moving the rightdirection, not that they don't
know anything, right, we havepeople come in at all different
levels.
We have people that work at thePika Rescue Mission who have
(14:01):
spent 10, 20 years on thestreets and this whole thing
about a job and a home to livein, right, and this relationship
with Christ.
They're all new to them and sosometimes they don't feel like
they fit in church, traditionalchurch, very well, and so we
have that opportunity here.
So this Loving in the Gap isthe theme.
It's been going on since thebeginning of this year and it's
(14:23):
going to be the theme Fridaynight, right, josh, absolutely.
So we hear about, we thinkabout, standing in the gap, uh,
living in the gap, being in thegap, what does loving in the gap
have in a relationship to anyof those?
Speaker 3 (14:39):
We can't do anything of what we do here at the rescue
mission without the love.
We can't do anything of what wedo here at the rescue mission
without the love.
There are very hard to lovepeople, but we can't just put
somebody in a box and be likeyou know what they're hard to
love, so I'm not going to reachout to them because we ourselves
(15:04):
are hard to love.
I brought that up a couplecouple days ago with some staff
members Um, we're workingthrough, uh, protecting the
self-esteem and dignity ofeveryone we come in contact with
, because we are the Imago Dei.
We were all created in theimage of God.
So when we put labels on peoplethinking, well, they're weird,
or they're broken or I wouldn'tbe caught dead, you know
spending time with them becauseyou know that's just, they're
(15:26):
them, I'm me.
I'm not going to do any of that.
And one of our staff members,when I brought up the the
question of you know, how do welook at people without thinking,
man, they're weird?
And this individual said well,what makes us think that we're
(15:47):
normal?
Right, look at the mirror.
Right, define normal.
Nobody's normal.
So it doesn't matter wherewe're at, it doesn't matter
where we're from when we look atpeople when we pray to the Lord
.
Lord, let me see your peoplethrough your eyes.
(16:07):
Our flesh is going to obviouslyput those barriers up.
We're not going to look atpeople with a loving,
compassionate way, because it'sthe fleshly side of us.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Well, why not?
I mean, if you want to work atTopeka Rescue Mission, you want
to be on staff, you want tovolunteer here, why would that
even be a question?
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Nobody's perfect, absolutely nobody is perfect.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So we may come with good intentions here.
We want to help people.
We want to talk about what gapmeans here in a minute, but we
want to come help people.
But, for whatever reason, fromthings that I've experienced or
haven't experienced in life, I'mgoing to look at people through
my lens and sometimes that maybe helpful to them or may be
(16:53):
harmful to them, as well asmyself and the people I'm
working with.
And so the love aspect of thisis some people might call it
secret sauce is what makes theit's, it's the ingredient that
takes it over to the next level.
So what?
What is the gap?
What was loving in the gap?
Standing in the gap?
What do we mean by being inthat place, in the gap?
(17:17):
What's the gap?
Speaker 3 (17:18):
The gap could be anything from unemployment to
homelessness, to addiction,addiction to past trauma,
whatever it is.
We will get down in thatdirtiness, that filth, that,
whatever they're stuck in, andsit with them in it, not really
(17:40):
to be like, hey, give me yourstuff, because we don't have the
power to take what they aredealing with, but we do have the
power to show them what love wehave, and that is of Christ.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
So you've named some different things that people
face that take advantage of theservices to be a rescue mission
homelessness, unemployment,other things.
It could be addiction, mentalillness.
The list goes on.
The list is almost endless.
Yes, so how okay, these are theother things.
It could be addiction, mentalillness.
The list goes on.
The list is almost endless.
Yes, so how okay, these are thedifferent things.
(18:14):
So when we think about gap justkind of taking us to the next
thought process here a gapgenerally means that there is a
gulf between where I'm at andwhere I need to go.
Yes, there's the gap.
So how is it that Topeka RescueMission helps be in that gap
(18:34):
that is making any kind of adifference in somebody's life
that unemployed to employment,to homelessness, to house, to
suffering from addiction, mentalillness, whatever the case
might be, to wellness, on and onand on?
How does Topeka Rescue Missionpractically be the bridge that
(18:55):
crosses from where people are towhere they need to go?
Speaker 3 (19:00):
I mean, the first person that comes to mind is
Kenny Ball.
He's been on the podcastmultiple times.
You've talked with him that itwas a cold day or whatever and
he was walking to work and youturned around that was one of my
many encounters with Kenny.
Right, I said we'll pay you tonot go to work.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Going to work at the wrong place?
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yes, and that gap is just trying to fill in what
they're trying to get throughand it's not working.
The gap is hope, and if wedon't have the hope to offer
(19:46):
them, then they're just going tocontinue to be in that cyclical
downward spiral of what it isand it's.
It's not a one-time deal, it'snot a well.
This is your only opportunityand if you don't take it, the
ship has sailed.
You're done.
Sometimes it's multiple timesand that's what it was for Kenny
.
Sometimes for Kenny it was hey,you can't be coming in here
(20:09):
high, you cannot be pickingfights with the front desk, you
can't be jumping over thecounter, trying to kill the guy
at the front desk, trying tokill the guy at the front desk
just because he called you.
Sir, you have to see that youhave such potential, um, you
have to see that you have suchpotential, a potential that we
(20:30):
see in you because we see thatyou are fearfully and
wonderfully made.
Yeah, and that gap sometimestakes years, and sometimes those
years turn into decades andthey're still out to lunch.
But when you have somebody likeKenny Ball, it finally clicks.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
According to him, 100 times Yep, 100 times that he
was in and out of speaker rescuemission over a period of years.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I think that's part of like the loving piece, right.
I think that adds another layerof versus just standing in the
gap.
I think a lot of us thinkstanding in the gap and that
love is kind of what keeps itcoming back.
You know, I think a lot ofpeople might come to the end of
that where their Kenny is likeall right, you're at your 50th
time, which is generous, butloving keeps you coming back.
(21:18):
Right, it keeps us coming backand saying we're going to keep
loving you, no matter how manytimes you're walking through
that gap.
And that's like the differencein the loving is that's what
Jesus has called us to is tolove people.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
So what does that mean?
Love?
You know people could say, okayperson is homeless, I'm going
to love them and be kind to themand have empathy for them.
I'm going to try not to judgethem.
Does that help them to get tothe other side, or is that all
that it takes to get to theother side?
What is love?
Speaker 3 (21:55):
The love is defined 1 John 4.10.
1 John 4.10.
I have it tattooed on myforearm In that this is love,
Agape Love.
It is unconditional.
There is absolutely positivelynothing you can do to deserve
that love.
Okay, so the love that we have.
(22:17):
It is unconditional, Meaning itholds no record of rights or
wrongs.
It holds no record of rights orwrongs.
It sees through the lens of nomatter what you choose to do.
I'm going to show you dignitybecause you are created in God's
image.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Does love sometimes have hands and feet?
Yes, does it actually dosomething?
Speaker 3 (22:42):
Yes.
Other than abstractly careabout someone or just be like
just oh, I feel your pain,that's my point.
Yeah, it's not just empathetic,it actually works.
It does something with it.
It's not, excuse me, it's, it'sit's action.
Yes, agape isn't just a noun,it's not or it's not a, it is a
verb Um.
But it's not just a word thatdescribes how I feel, um but
(23:05):
it's not just a word thatdescribes how I feel.
Um, I can say that I love mywife, but if I'm not showing
action in how I love my wife,then it's a subject matter
versus an action.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Yes, and I think that that's the point here.
Um, josh, you well know, andthere's been many things and you
see it on trucks faith with itssleeves rolled up.
Faith with the sleeves rolledup that word faith.
Is about the Topeka RescueMission.
It's a faith ministry.
There's two kinds of faith.
There's one, a subject ofbelieving in something, and
(23:38):
there's another thing that doessomething.
So where does, in your opinion?
Speaker 1 (23:43):
you've been around the mission for a long time now
where does that word faith andlove come together in this gap?
Yeah, I think to kind ofpiggyback off that.
It's also the practical.
Like you know, yes, it's onething to say I love you, but
here is a meal, here is a bed,here is a case manager to walk
(24:03):
through you know difficultthings with you and help you get
a driver's license, help youget a birth certificate.
Here is an education program tohelp you know how to write a
resume, to help you know how tointerview and get a job.
Here is a housing resource tohelp you pay off bills that
you're needing to or debt you'reneeding to get paid off, pay
(24:24):
off bills that you're needing toor debt you're needing to get
paid off.
And that's one thing I've lovedworking here is TRM is in the
practicalness of it.
We're constantly reevaluatingand saying how is this helping
the person?
And if it's not us, who'sfilling that maybe gap somewhere
else?
And saying, all right, well, we, baby, we're not doing that
here, but you know this resourceover here is doing that, so
(24:45):
we're going to get you connectedand plugged in with them.
And those are like thepractical aspects of like love,
right, we're going to be herewith you in it and we're going
to help you walk through it.
And, like, those are thestories you know that we're
going to be talking about atNight of Praise, right Is?
There is definitely thepractical aspect of it because,
like you said, it is definitelyone thing to love and say I love
(25:08):
you, I'm here to be with you inthis, but it's another to say
we're going to figure out how toget through this together.
Um, and that's really what's socool about here is there's
there's multiple approaches tosay, all right, how can we help
the whole person, um, get towhere they need to go through
that gap?
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Mike, who's our best example of loving
unconditionally and go on thedistance.
There are multiple people, butthe one I really have to pick on
right now, the first personthat comes to mind is, honestly,
nancy johnson.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Um she, uh, I've been behind our front desk lady, by
the way.
Yes, so she'll answer the phonetuesday, thursday, lady but
there it was actually last week.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Um, we were, I was printing off the donation
envelopes for the night ofpraise and you could only feed
what there were 500 envelopes,that's what we printed and you
could only feed like 15 at atime into the the bypass tray on
the printer.
So I was in the office with herfor about an hour and a half
(26:28):
and it was a Thursday, so thatmeans that we had our Hope
Center guests coming in at thattime for their trauma class and
the way that that woman justpersonifies just a motherly love
(26:49):
and sees these ladies that arecoming in who have not been,
honestly feel like they have notbeen seen, like seen.
And one of them in particular.
She comes in, just no smile onher face, looks like she's just
had enough.
(27:09):
And she looks up at the clockand Nancy says how are you this
morning?
And she just went, eh.
And Nancy goes oh my gosh, lookat your nails, who did those?
And the gal goes, huh.
(27:30):
And she goes who did your nails?
They're gorgeous.
And she goes well, I did them.
She goes well, you should comein here and do mine sometime.
Holy cow, look at how good.
And she's like really, youreally think this is good and
she's like, yeah, I think you, Ithink you did great.
And I mean I don't knowanything about doing manicures
(27:52):
or anything, but yeah, her nailslook nice.
But Nancy takes her time to seepeople where they are at and
it's almost like the Holy Spiritleads her to like to pinpoint
something, because there'salways something.
And I believe this that we canfind a commonality.
It doesn't matter what somebodyis dealing with, it doesn't
(28:13):
matter where they've been, whattrauma, what addiction, whatever
it is.
There is a commonality that youcan find in somebody and then
immediately, once you get thatconnection, you can't let go of
it.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
And then immediately, once you get that connection,
you can't let go of it.
So the picture with this is wehave these women and men coming
to the education center,children's Palace, required
classes to be in, not alwayshappy about my homelessness, nor
am I required to go in andlearn about job skills and this,
that and the other thing.
And they meet Nancy Johnsonabout job skills and this, that
and the other thing.
(28:45):
And they meet Nancy Johnson.
Just right before we started thepodcast, there was a long line
of folks coming in waiting toget checked in.
And here's the first personthey see is Nancy, and some of
them are really excited to behere.
Some are not so excited to behere.
But to your point, here is thisretired lady who I've known
forever and ever and ever.
Used to be the director of theCommunity resources council in
(29:13):
Topeka for many years.
Um is now, uh, come to therescue mission.
Um, and is standing in the gapto even look at someone's
demeanor and saying your nailsare beautiful to build a bridge
for a hope there there was.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
There was one, because she's off Monday and
Friday, and there was one Friday.
She wasn't here and had one ofthe guests from the shelter come
in and goes.
Is Nancy here?
I was like, oh no, she's nothere today.
He goes.
Oh, I just wanted to come sayhi to her because she just makes
every person feel special andloved and that's what it's about
and Nancy will very humbly andshe's going to die when she
(29:47):
hears we've been talking abouther Deal with it.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Very humbly, will never say I'm doing anything
special.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
No.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
And that's really the kind of love that just emulates
in the people that we hope come, whether they volunteer or work
here, to be a part of this.
So we've kind of taken a littlebit of deep dive.
You know what in the world islove and who's an example that
you've looked?
Speaker 1 (30:13):
at.
I'll piggyback off that, too,real quick.
That's the majority of staffhere, like the majority of staff
, will stop what they're doingand talk to people and love them
where they're at.
I've seen it time and timeagain.
It doesn't matter what positionthey're in, it's all of them
there's.
And volunteers, and volunteers,absolutely Volunteers staff
(30:33):
there is this, you know, cultureand I think that's why it's so
prevalent is this culture oflove.
We all understand this innatething that we all say here is
Imago Dei, everybody is made inthe image of God, and we're all
in that, and so it's.
I don't know.
It's really cool to see that.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
And we started talking about Mike, your
position here as a director ofspiritual wellness and
discipleship.
I want to kind of come back tothat again about how important
that is.
As Josh said, pretty much mosteverybody is in that vein here,
but it takes keeping the teammoving forward in that because
we're humans.
But I want to point out thatthere are a lot of homeless
shelters in the country allaround the world, but not
(31:14):
everybody feels comfortablecoming to a homeless shelter and
there are a lot of streethomeless around the world,
including Topeka, kansas, andnot too many street homeless
feel comfortable coming to wherethere are other people that are
going to provide services andso a lot of reasons for that
disappointments, fear, don'tfeel valued, they feel like
(31:36):
they're a number.
But you look at a full house atTopeka Rescue Mission 260, some
right now, maybe more creatingmore space as we speak and
trying to figure out how to getmore people off the streets.
You look at the mobile accesspartnership, which some of our
more broken individuals lastweek had 88 people found it.
(31:57):
Today it's raining.
Not sure how many people aregoing to come, but they come.
And there was a big questionyesterday in a group I was with.
Why are those people coming offthe streets when they won't
come anywhere else?
And it came down to one thingthey feel valued and they know
it's safe and they're loved.
And so that takes people,whether they're working at the
Stormont Vale Mobile Clinic orthe Vallejo Shower Trailer, the
(32:21):
Rescue Missions Clothing Trailerover at the let's Help Building
right now.
For people to feel that theyare important, valued, safe and
loved, accepted.
Same thing here at TopekaRescue Mission, hundreds and
hundreds of people come throughhere has to have a team that is
doing what we're talking abouttoday the value of the coach to
(32:44):
help steer this, with thedirection of the CEO Lamanda, to
be able to get the team not getthe team, but keep the team
focused in the right direction.
So what are some of the waysyou do that?
Speaker 3 (32:56):
So, excuse me, at the beginning I talked about
spiritual wellness.
Now I'm going to talk about theother part of the director
director of discipleship,director of spiritual wellness
and discipleship.
Discipleship is plain andsimple.
It means a learner to leadpeople to learn.
So if we're not willing tolearn, then we are not willing
(33:20):
to grow, and through the entireprocess of discipleship, I
myself need to learn in orderfor me to teach.
Okay, so about a year, about ayear ago, um, I was in one of my
classes, I was in new Testamentsurvey, uh, with the university
(33:41):
that I went to and they wantedus to begin to create a
curriculum or a culture,something that we could
implement in our work.
And what I started to do wasthe five biblical pillars of the
(34:01):
Topeka Rescue Mission, and Ijust needed approval from
LaManda to say that it is forTRM, and I was just going to do
a five off, five week devotionalseries.
That's all that it was going tobe.
We're going to kick it off andthen boom.
So I did the intro and, likeour, our, our, uh, calendar
(34:23):
wasn't lining up, so I did thekickoff.
And then that week, when thatlesson for all staff was sent
out because I send these lessonsevery single week for people to
read, to study, to discuss sentit out and then LaManda went.
I don't know, I don't thinkit's five.
(34:45):
I think the Lord's working onyou that there's seven, because
seven is a complete number.
I went okay, well, what are theother two?
And she goes I don't know,you're in school, that's you.
You're the one that needs tofigure them out.
But I think one of them needsto be trauma related, because if
this is the, if these are thebiblical pillars of TRM, you're
(35:14):
the one that's doing it.
Figure it out.
And I was like, oh, crud.
And then, not 15 minutes afterwe adjourned the meeting, boom,
the two came just right to me,texted her and she said there
you go, take it and run with it.
Uh, you're going to talk withthe board.
And I was like, oh, excuse me,record, scratch, what she's like
.
You got to get that approved,because we're also going to be
putting this in the handbook.
I was like, excuse me, what?
(35:36):
So now HR has got to beinvolved.
She's like yeah, you're goingto have some graphics too.
I'm like excuse me, what she'slike after january I just need
to pass this class I just needfive.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
I just needed the credit.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
That's all I needed.
So that turned into waitinguntil the beginning of this year
and implementing these sevenbiblical pillars, which they are
seek first to understand.
We cannot do what we do untilwe seek first to understand the
person that's in front of us.
Doesn't matter if it's a guest,if it's a community member For
(36:10):
crying out loud, if it's a staffmember.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
We need to seek first to understand where the person
is that's coming in front of usand I want to just pause right
there, because so oftentimespeople who are needing help
because of the magnitude of thenumber of people needing help,
not just at the peak rescuemission but throughout this
whole nation the frontlineworkers don't have time to find
(36:35):
out about the person.
So they find out what theproblem is and they prescribe or
they say you're eligible forthis, take a number, move on
through it.
But they do not feel seen andheard and you have to see and
hear to understand.
There's the beginning.
That's a huge right there.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
And that's where Nancy, why she has such a long
line for every single class,because she is taking time to
remember people's names to seethem.
If she doesn't, if she isn'tgreeted with a smile with
somebody who initially greetsher with a smile, she's going to
call them out on it.
All right, why was I notgreeted with a smile this
morning?
What's going on?
Yeah, like you're taking yourtime from not answering the
(37:17):
phone's ringing and you're goingto talk to me.
Yeah, because you're in frontof me.
You are my job because I loveyou.
So seek first to understand.
Once we understand, we'relistening and responding with
empathy.
So that's the second one listenand respond with empathy.
Number three is speak the truthin love.
(37:38):
So you hear, the truth hurts.
Well, yeah, the truth does hurt, but the truth should be spoken
to people to build them up, nottear them down.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
So if you really really want that job and you
really want to have the abilityto live on your own, we've got
to address the addiction.
Yes, we have to address thehygiene.
We have to address the way youdress, maybe the way you talk
those are hard conversations tohave sometimes that we maybe
have to look at a whole way ofdoing things a little bit
differently than what you'vebeen used to, and not judging
(38:10):
them for the way they've donethings because they've been the
best they can Right, butspeaking truth and love means
maybe we need to look atsomething different.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Yes.
And then after that, um, whilewe're speaking, the truth and
love brings us to the next one.
When you're doing that, protecttheir self-esteem and their
dignity.
And the one that I really drivehome on that is when Jesus is
at the well in John, chapter 4.
You have a Jewish maninteracting with a Samaritan
woman.
(38:38):
Whether it was a Jew and aSamaritan, that is a cultural
faux pas.
You do not do that.
You do not talk, absolutely not.
And then a man and a womanabsolutely not.
And he is the or she excuse me,she is the first one that he
publicly announces that he isthe Messiah too, and then he
(39:03):
tells her Took some time to doit, though didn't it?
Yes, he did.
And then he tells her Took sometime to do it, though didn't it
?
Yes, he did.
He saw the need, that she wasthirsty, that there was shame in
her thirst, and coming out, hesaw the brokenness.
He knew the brokenness.
He knew that she was marriedfive times and the man that she
was living with was not herhusband, because he's the
Messiah.
But he didn't condemn her on it.
(39:28):
He showed the restoration, thepossibility of the restoration
that can come forth with it.
And then, of course, you knowwhat does she do?
She runs away with her armsflying, saying I've had it, I've
had it.
No, she goes into the town andsays let me tell you about the
man who told me everything thatI've ever done in my entire life
, and what happens from that.
The town comes and sees Christ,and then they say to the woman
(39:54):
we now believe, not because ofwhat you have told us, but
because of what we have seen inhim.
So when we protect theself-esteem and the dignity of
the people that are in front ofus, covered in their puke,
covered in their filth, withtheir track marks from their
needles and shooting up, we'reloving them.
We're protecting theirself-esteem and dignity because,
(40:15):
no matter what, if they're ajunkie or whatever, they are
created in God's image.
The lies that they havebelieved through their entire
life, of family members who theyshould trust, telling them that
they're worthless, that theyare scum, that they might as
well just be dead there's notruth in that.
(40:36):
You are fearfully andwonderfully made.
Let me show you how loved youare.
You have a potential.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
You have a meaning to be here and so much value and
potential.
You don't have to stay doingwhat you've been doing.
That's the other part of thatbridge the gap.
How can we help you see yourvalue and it's not going to be
fully realized when you're doingthis Right.
So try this.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
Yeah, and then it all makes sense.
And then, finally, this was myfifth one.
This is what I was going to endon, boom done.
And then LaManda's like no, andI was like, yeah, advocate for
the lost and broken.
Proverbs 31, 8 and 9.
Speak up for those who cannotspeak for themselves.
That Proverbs 31, 8 and 9.
Speak up for those who cannotspeak for themselves.
That's what we do here Forthose of us who love our job at
(41:28):
the Topeka Rescue Mission.
You know why do those people?
Why are they camping underneatha car wash?
You know what's the deal withthat?
It's just an eyesore.
Well, what is the deal withthat?
Let's see why they're doing itand what we can do to help,
instead of just throwing therocks.
When you've got a plank,there's two completely.
(41:51):
You know you're throwing,you're you're calling them out
for the speck of dust in theireye and you got a two by four
sticking out of your eyeball.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
That's so oftentimes what the people who are in that
situation have heard, whatthey've received and what
they've owned, and that thenperpetuates more of the downward
spiral Right To no hope, right.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
Gap, big gap, a gorge .
So that's where I was going toend it.
But there's got to be a side upon all of those actions,
because these actions are alsofor us to do for ourselves.
So the sixth pillar, uh, healand restore through compassion.
(42:33):
The Lord moved and feltcompassion.
Um, the, the Greek word issplankna, uh, meaning that it is
a guttural intestinal churningthat you feel so broken for the
person that is in front of youthat you can't do anything other
than need to help them.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
That's where we get the word spleen from.
Yes sir, hit him in the spleenWasn't just an emotional feeling
.
Yep, hit him in the gut.
That's true compassion.
Oh, I got to do something forthem.
Speaker 3 (43:02):
So heal and restore through compassion something for
them.
So heal and restore throughcompassion.
And then the final one was uh,which?
This one's a doozy, because howoften is it that I?
You know, I'm the director ofspiritual wellness and
discipleship.
I have a graduate degree from auniversity, so I have a
(43:22):
master's of Christian ministryand leadership with a
concentration in Christiancounseling.
Uh, from a very loving family,but I've messed up a lot in my
life.
So who am I to feel totallyadequate to be in this position?
Because I don't feel adequate.
I feel like there's somebodyelse who could do a better job
(43:44):
than me.
Why?
Because I'm not trusting in theLord's redemption, I'm not
trusting that he has set meapart to be in this position to
point people to him.
In positions here at the rescuemission, there are people who
are fighting to get theirsobriety back, that are
(44:08):
believing the enemy's lies ofyou are worthless.
Remember what you were toldwhen you were six years old that
you're never going to amount toanything, that you're just a
screw up.
So quit asking stupid questions.
No, no, the Lord has said Ihave redeemed you.
I came, I lived, I died, Iconquered death and came back
(44:36):
for you.
He would leave the 99 to go forthe one.
We have to trust in hisredemption.
Because when we trust in hisredemption, that's when the
shackles come off, that's whenwe're going into the fisticuffs
and we are going toe to toe withthe enemy and saying you know
(44:58):
what, not this one.
We're going to fight, we've gotthe Holy Spirit on our side,
we're fighting for this person,and that's just what brings up
the whole.
The final charge of above allelse we need to abide in Christ.
John 15, abide in the vine.
So pillar number seven isPillar.
(45:19):
Number seven is trust in theLord's redemption.
So I guess there's kind ofeight, but the eighth's the roof
, the eighth is the roof, theeighth is the roof Above all
else.
Abide in Jesus.
But it all boils down to it's acalling.
Is this an easy job?
Absolutely positively not.
(45:41):
But is this the best job thatI've had my entire life?
You bet your bottom dollar,little orphan Annie.
It is.
I love it.
I love why?
Because I'm doing what the Lordcalled me to do.
I didn't even know that I wouldbe in Topeka, kansas.
(46:02):
But Luke, chapter 10, verse 2,says the harvest is plenty, the
labors are few.
Therefore, pray to the Lord ofthe harvest to send labors into
the field.
Since, before I was born, thepeople who were intentional in
my life and my spiritual growthprayed at 10 o'clock, at 10.02,
(46:26):
every single morning.
Lord, your harvest is plenty,your labors are few.
There's people who don't evenknow.
There are children that don'teven know that they're going to
be called into the ministry.
Work in their hearts, work intheir families to have them be
called into this ministry andtheir families to have them be
(46:46):
called into this ministry.
That prayer started in 1986.
I was born in 1991.
I am now here in answer to thatprayer.
So when I found out that thatprayer was being prayed over me,
that's now my intentionalresponsibility that you can be
darn sure that at 10.02, whattime is it?
(47:07):
Right now we're close to 10.02.
My alarm is going to go off onmy phone.
It's going to say 10.02 prayertime.
Therefore, pray to the Lord ofthe harvest.
The harvest is plenty, thelabors are few.
Pray to him that he would sendlaborers into the field.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
So that prayer was pretty powerful.
I started here in 1986, andhere you are.
What took you so long?
Speaker 3 (47:34):
I had to be born, I had to grow up, barry, I guess
so I guess.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
so we have an eternal God who sees the before, the
beginning, the beginning, thecurrent and the future, forever
and ever, and so we're invitedto be a part of that.
And, without a doubt, anybodyknows anything about Scripture,
from the very beginning of theBible to the very end, and it's
(47:58):
about God's love for mankind.
And if there was ever anythingthat you don't want to do, it is
to turn your back on the poor,to treat the poor wrongly.
People are judged for it,nations are judged for it.
Countries, communities, cities,counties are judged for how
they take care of the poor.
And there's a standing in thegap for the city of Topeka, and
(48:21):
it is the body of Christ.
It is those who have stepped upand stepped in to reflect the
heart of Christ.
When you were talking about thewoman at the well, she took off
to go tell people.
Because of what she said, theycame to see him, and when they
saw him, they became transformedthemselves, and so standing in
the gap is to help people to see.
(48:43):
Just like night of praise isgoing be on Friday is an
opportunity for people toconnect with what Mike's been
talking about here, notnecessarily in the full detail
we've walked into here, but justbits and pieces of glimpses of
what it means to love in the gap.
And so, mike, thank you forwhat you're doing, thank you for
saying yes.
If anybody knows Mike Schottel,he's a pretty ornery guy, has a
(49:06):
lot of jokes.
I do want to have a one-linerbefore we leave here, but before
that, or one joke, excuse me,my pen, josh.
Once again, what's happeningFriday night.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
Yeah, friday night, night of Praise.
If you've heard this and it'smoved your heart, come to Night
of Praise.
If you're not sure where tostart, there's going to be
opportunities for you to learnhow to volunteer, to learn what
prayer needs we have to donatefinancially.
There's going to be ways foryou to learn how to love in the
gap.
And so come, enjoy some amazingworship, enjoy some hearing the
(49:38):
incredible stories and getinvolved.
That's what it's about.
So yeah, night of Praise,september 12th.
Doors open at 6.
Event starts at 6.30 atFellowship Bible Church at 10th
and Urish Yep.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
It's going to be good and it's going to.
You've heard a little bit ofwhat it's all about, so loving
in the gap.
So, mike Schottel, before weleave here, if anybody knows you
and dad jokes, mike Shuttleinvented them, um, even before
he was a dad.
So, uh.
So what do we got here?
About the unicorn and the horse?
Speaker 3 (50:18):
No, no, tell another one.
Why are relationships likealgebra?
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Because you look at your ex and wonder why.
Thank you very much, mikeottles.
Yikes, we were going to end onspiritual, but nope, we not now.
So anyway, but we all have comeshort of the glory of God, and
that's why we're all here.
Speaker 3 (50:35):
So finally, yes, why should you avoid marrying a
tennis player?
We got the US Open going onright now, so why should you
avoid marrying a tennis player?
Because love means nothing tothem.
Speaker 2 (50:48):
That's good.
There you go, all right.
Mike Schottel, josh Shirley,thank you very much.
Thank you for listening to ourcommunity, our mission.
You've heard about Loving inthe Gap.
You've heard about our Directorof Spiritual Wellness and
Discipleship, how this all tiesin together, and you've also
heard one more time about theNight of Praise coming up this
Friday, september 12th.
Doors open at 6 pm atFellowship Bible Church, 6.30 pm
.
It's going to be a night thatyou will not want to miss.
(51:10):
Thank you for joining us.
If you'd like more informationabout Topeka Rescue Mission, you
can go to trmonlineorg.
That's trmonlineorg.
Thank you for listening to OurCommunity, our Mission.
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