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Grace to you, my friends, and peace from God our Father.

I’m praying that this note finds you and yours well, and that you are busy letting your light shine, so that men might see your good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

I apologize for the lateness of this month's newsletter. I’ve been struggling with what the contents should be, but in recent days I've talked to quite a few kids in the program. While I’m grateful for the contact with each of them, I must confess to you that I’m somewhat frustrated and almost overwhelmed. I say almost, but because of my assurance that God has already provided all I need to do the work, I must trust Him to help me stay the course.

There's so little in our culture today to support the ideas of a biblical lifestyle. It amazes me how calloused the hearts of some of my protégés are at such a young age. And the arrogance which allows some of them to bluntly say that if God wants them to believe, He needs to prove Himself to them. I tell you this, not to shock you, but it should. When people don’t fear God, they are capable of doing anything. I confess to you, that I would be much more self-absorbed, dysfunctional, and ungrateful, if I didn't know the Lord Jesus. I’m frequently reminded of my humanity as I read God’s Word. It’s like a mirror keeping me in focus. I take no confidence in my flesh. God’s Word is like the air I breathe. I would not last long without it.

Recently, at lunch with one of the kids, he claimed that God had done nothing for him. To which I replied, “What am I? Why am I pursuing you? And what do I owe you?” I then proceeded to tell him the truth. I reminded him of his mother, who for years had been strung out on drugs, walking the streets as a prostitute, without any concern for his well-being. I reminded him of his older sister, who is openly living a lesbian lifestyle, and while I do not judge her for this, she has an extremely hardened heart, because she feels that Christianity would deny her the privilege of living her life according to the desires of the flesh. All of our carnal desires are an abomination to God. Hers no worse, and ours no better. We need Jesus. His sister is working diligently to distance him from us as we share the love of God with him. I pray that she does not win this battle. I cannot give you his name, but I ask you to pray for him and all of the young men and women that we are serving with your love and support.

If this note is too heavy for you, then your heart is in the right place. We need to grieve over the direction of our nation, and the lack of family values that is choking us by the throat. We will be judged. When I say we, I’m talking about people who profess faith in Christ. How are we living and what are we modeling? One of the things I find so difficult is understanding how so many parents leave their children to raise themselves, and then by the time they are ready to be a parent, the children have nothing but contempt for them.

Please pray, and remember to tell your story. If you’ve failed your children, ask their forgiveness. If your children have failed you, offer forgiveness. And pray for wisdom on how to work through issues with your children and your grandchildren. But for God’s sake, and I literally mean God’s sake, do not give up on your children or your grandchildren, no matter how old they are. Pray, pray, and pray some more. And when you can, please give. We are also still in need of some used vehicles. We would be happy to talk to you about it.

You have my gratitude.

Earnest ... See more

Dear Friends,

I want to share some thoughts with you from a recent morning quiet time. If you remember, in the last newsletter I talked about being impactful, not pursuing the sensational, but simply living faith out loud. I’m convinced that we can be far more impactful than we are presently being. Fear of offending; ignorance concerning Scripture; insecurity about our own example. All are easily fixed when we diligently seek to let Christ be Lord in our lives.
I do not mean for this to sound arrogant. Please forgive me if it does. We, however, are not winning the battle as far as influencing our culture is concerned. In fact, in silence we are yielding to the pressure of accepting, and thereby approving things that are not biblically correct. You would never say yes to murder, but if you watch murder and don’t denounce it, you are in essence, lending your vote.

The number of young people we are serving who have already committed such crimes is staggering. The number locked away in correctional facilities is heartbreaking. The desire to be friends with children, rather than parenting them, rules the day. All of this may sound a bit harsh. You see, even I am worried about being liked. But more than anything, I want people to be saved. In some very simple ways, as you will read in the Scripture after this paragraph, we must be intentional.

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
-2 Timothy 2:1-2

“This is multigenerational multiplication: You may have heard this question before: If you could have 1 penny doubled every day for 30 days or 1 million dollars today, which would you take? You should take the penny. In 30 days, it would be worth $5,368,709.12.
This demonstrates the power of multiplication.

“Jesus is really smart, obviously. Since he is really smart, we should recognize that his way of doing things is the best possible way to do them. This includes his method or strategy for affecting world change. His method was to invest his life in a few.

“What are the barriers to you investing in a few to impact the world? Insecurity, time restraints, lack of knowledge, passivity? Whatever they are, they are not insurmountable. God has invited you to get in on his plan to change the world. Invest in a few, it’s not flashy, it is how the world is changed.”

The penny, by itself, seems insignificant. Most of us would simply step over them if they were lying on the street, rather than pick them up. That would be like me sitting in the chair at the dialysis center and someone around me saying something that is morally wrong. Should I politely stay quiet, or should I pray for courage to gently disagree? And if they allow me, to explain why.

Recently, I was praying for a car for a single mom. All of the donations received last year had been given out. This young lady confesses faith in Christ and was recently subjected to a horrible situation, where her boyfriend took his life in her presence. She was feeling crushed by the pressures of life. Out of the blue, a friend called me, and said, “I have a car. Can you use it?” He said he would make sure it was roadworthy at his expense, which he’s doing. Hallelujah!!! What can you do to help us? Please pray, and if you can, please give. You have my love and prayers.

Earnest ... See more

Life on Life Newsletter "Sensationalism" April 2022

Dear Friends,

I hope this note finds you all doing well. It’s a bit chilly and damp outside, but we're warm here in the house. For some time now, I’ve been wrestling with my own questions about ministry and the temptation to want to be involved in something more sensational.

For many years, I felt like I was on the backroads of humanity, as though I would live my life in service and someday die without ever really making a difference. It’s amazing how the enemy manipulates, tempting us with the desire to be front and center, making a big splash, impressing people, receiving accolades and awards, and making lots of money.

When we look at the ministry of our Lord, no life was more impactful than His. For 30 years, He lived His life in the shadows, and then for the last 3 years of His life, He lived out in the open, not trying to capture the sensationalism of the day, but just serving. He was, however, very impactful.

Why am I saying all of this? Perhaps you are tempted like me. You want your life to matter, and we should. However, frequently we miss God, because our idea of what’s important is inconsistent with His.

I was very humbled as I recently contemplated a message written by my friend Dane Massey, which spoke to the temptation of pursuing the sensational aspects of ministry. Below are a few excerpts from this message.

"Jesus did many miracles during His ministry but He never gave way to the sensational. You never get the impression of: “Hey everyone come and watch this!” When He wanted to teach His disciples how to “love one another” He didn’t give each of them a “miracle” and say, “Go and do likewise!” He washed their feet! The Kingdom of God is not found in the sensational, but in the mundane, in the everyday giving away of our lives. The danger of this temptation is that we live in a world enamored by the sensational. We love the “highlight reels”.
"Nations, cultures, communities are built on the backs of “mundane” people! The janitors, the plumbers, the mechanics, the executives who hold the line with ethics, the health care workers who wipe butts, clean up blood and vomit, the farmer, the soldier who will never get the medal but stands the lonely guard every night! The one who prays but will never stand in the front delivering the message. The little old lady who gives a dollar. I could name a thousand more.
"It doesn’t take much thought to understand why celebrity entertainers and athletes, who “produce” nothing of value, are paid millions. We long to be like them, so we buy their junk, paying them so we can “live through them”, and worship at the throne of their “achievements”. You and I need to reject the shallow sensationalism of this world and find “life” where the “rubber hits the road” whether that’s in the “boardroom” or “digging ditches”!

At Life on Life, we are feeding young people, helping them with the bare necessities of life, writing to them in prison, talking to them on the phone, helping them to find transportation, working with them to obtain their GED. If they need a birth certificate, driver’s license, or social security card, we help them through the steps to obtain these documents.

Through these mundane tasks, we endeavor to show the love of Jesus, while we share the Word of God and the hope that Jesus gives with these young men and women. There’s no glory in it. No glamor. But it is what Jesus would do. Please pray, and when you can, please give. We are also in need of reliable used vehicles for the year 2022. If you have an extra vehicle that you would consider donating, please contact us.

With gratitude,
Earnest Alexander

Life on Life, Inc.
P.O. Box 864
Goddard, KS 67052 ... See more

Hey friends, I hope you are all doing well. I hope you are praying for Ukraine and Russia. So many innocent people suffering. And while you are praying for them, please remember the young people we're trying to serve here in Kansas. We're looking for used vehicles that would be reliable for transportation to and from work. They don't have to be fancy, just dependable. We were able to assign all of the ones that were given last year. I would like to give at least 5 for this year. Please let me hear from you if you are interest in helping. Thank you. -Earnest

Life on Life Inc.
PO Box 864
Goddard, KS 67052 ... See more

"Throwaway Kids”

Many people today think of children aging out of the foster care system in the same way they consider people coming out of jails and penitentiaries or drug rehab facilities. This is unfortunate and untrue. While many of the young people have issues with the law, and as you read this letter, other challenges, you should be keenly aware of the fact that they were victims first and foremost. Victims, because their mothers and their fathers had issues, and for whatever reason, were ill-prepared to parent. This is not to say they didn’t love their children, but perhaps in their own brokenness, they worked from a distorted view of what parenting really is. With that in mind, look at these statistics and thoughts we shared in a recent grant application, written by our friend Paul Williams.

'Our hearts are burdened by the 20,000 desperate 18-year-olds who are not adopted out of state custody, but are instead, merely aged out of the system every year. Of those, 20% go into instant homelessness. Only 50% will be gainfully employed by the time they reach 24 years of age. Without help, less than 3% will ever obtain a college degree.'

'These high-risk individuals are incredibly unprepared to live a satisfying life or cope with the realities of adulthood without a high school diploma, social security card, driver's license, or other vital documents that would allow them to obtain jobs, go back to school and so forth. With no extended family or additional support, no possible employment opportunities, frequently homeless, and on foot, they give up.'


'But these kids are not at fault. Most came from single parent homes, a demographic group which accounts for 73% of high school dropouts and 63% of teen suicides. Many of them were abused, abandoned, traumatized, or neglected by adults. Furthermore, the human brain is, on average, not fully developed until age 24. Due to life’s particularly harsh wear and tear, many of these youths will never have a normally developed brain.'

For two years now, in response to these issues, I have ministered to scores of young men and women, visited some in prison, given donated cars to young people in need, placed some in driver's education programs, and much more. Contributions have been generous and included funds in addition to used cars, as mentioned above. It has been an extraordinary beginning to something great.

This is a reminder of the mission of Life on Life: To help at-risk young adults ages 18-35 become productive citizens. Life on Life does this through Christian mentoring and life coaching.

Please pray, and when you can, please give. We are also in need of reliable used vehicles for the year 2022. If you have an extra vehicle that you would consider donating, please contact us.

With gratitude,

Earnest

Life on Life, Inc.
P.O. Box 864
Goddard, KS 67052 ... See more

November Newsletter

Dear Friends,

I hope this letter finds you doing well. Since I last wrote to you, I’m doing considerably better. For almost two years I haven’t been sure of my life expectancy and my quality of life has left a lot to be desired. Somehow with God’s help I’ve continued to see kids and work with them. However, it has been a tremendous challenge for me. As I dictate this letter to you, I’m so grateful that I’m feeling well and I’m breathing a lot easier.
Over two years ago, a few of you know that I had gastric bypass surgery. I started at 394 pounds and lost 160 pounds and was feeling great. Then out of the blue, my health began to fail. I resisted starting dialysis because of my failing kidneys and began to retain toxic water. This may be too much information for you but I want you to know that I am only here by the grace of God. A cardiologist saw me and said you need to get this water off of you now or die, and he meant very quickly. They put me in the hospital and over a two week period removed an excess of 82 pounds of water. No wonder I was so sick. It’s a miracle I survived. I can breathe again. My heart seems to be working better. A heart cath showed that my arteries were pristine, no blockages anywhere, but I was suffering because of the tremendous amount of water I was carrying.
During all of this, you all have stood with me, prayed with me, and continued to support the ministry financially. Thank you. While this note is to bring you up to date on where I am physically, it is also a personal thank you for the part you helped me play in helping the least of these. Thank you. Forgive me for being so slow in saying thank you. I have been too sick to write. Thank God I’m on my way back and with God’s help we will carry on. Happy Thanksgiving.
I'd like to encourage you if you can, to give something to Life on Life in honor of my 66th birthday which is Thanksgiving Day. If you would like to mail it to PO Box 864, Goddard KS, 67052. You can also designate Life on Life Ministries, Inc. as a benefactor if you shop using Amazon Smile.

With much love,

Earnest ... See more

Life on Life
October 2021 Newsletter

Some years ago I was invited to sing for a Singles Conference in Chicago, Illinois, at the Willow Creek Church. Several friends from Wichita were going to that conference and were instrumental in getting me that invitation. I bought tickets for my accompanist and myself, and the group of us flew to Chicago. I sat on my seat during the whole conference that evening, waiting to be introduced. The program ran long, and I was one of the things they cut from the program. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. The expense I had incurred would not be paid back to me by the church or the singles ministry. The session ended, and there was a big reception in the fellowship hall. Some of the guys went on back there, and I stood in the auditorium trying to figure out what to do. I turned around to head out of the auditorium and there was a teenaged boy standing in the doorway. I heard that little voice say, "Go speak to that kid." To which I replied to the voice, "I'm a stranger here. A big Black man in a white church, and you want me to go speak to a total stranger who's a teenager."

I turned back around toward the front of the auditorium and prayed, "God, if you're in this you have to work it out." I turned back around to head out of the auditorium and the boy was gone. I assumed it was not God speaking to me. I decided to go outside and get some air. As I walked outside into the parking lot, standing alone under a lamp, was the boy. That voice spoke to me again, and said, "Go speak to that boy." From the time I started to walk toward the boy until I reached him, the Holy Spirit told me what I was going to say.

I opened my arms, and he literally fell on my arms and wept on my neck. He said, "I was standing here praying, 'God, if you're real, send somebody to speak to me.'" I proceeded to speak to him what the Spirit had told me to say; it was a matter between him and his parents. As I shared with him, he affirmed that I was accurate, and he was amazed. My other friends came out of the church building and invited him to their apartment. To my amazement, he came. That night he gave his heart to Jesus. We called and talked with his parents for a good while; they consented to let him return home and try again.

The young man said to me that night, "I will never doubt the existence of God again." I want to make one point here. Several weeks before that boy had ever prayed that prayer, I had already bought the tickets to fly to that city. God knows your name. He knows your needs. He's willing to show Himself to you. Take a chance: buy the plane ticket, walk across the street, visit someone in jail, or visit a school. Be available.

Since the last newsletter I have had many positive comments and responses. It would appear that there are many of us who are still seeking to know God's voice. We are greatly frustrated that after so many years, it takes so much energy to hear and know when it is the voice of God. I can assure you, however, there are no significant relationships in your life where there is good communication that there haven't been times of frustration and total disagreement. However, if it is a genuine, significant relationship, you work through it, you choose to lose, and you wait for calm. I say this because it takes a lot of energy to communicate effectively.

The problem is not God; the question is, do we want to know God and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering? Jesus says if we preserve, we will reign with Him. If you think God is speaking, search the Scriptures. If you don't find a contradiction--take a chance! Taking that chance may you look silly to some people, but you might also reveal the glory of God.

There are some things you don't have to pray about. The Ten Commandments have laid out some pretty specific rules, so there isn't ever a time when it's okay to steal, lie, and so on and so forth. What I personally know about God has come at some risk. I've had to humble myself and know that I could be misunderstood, and even discredited. In the few times I've gotten it right, I have soared on eagle's wings at the thought of the Almighty speaking to me.

With regards to my health, I've started dialysis. My white blood cell count is moving in the right direction; it's a little over 2 so it still has a ways to go. My red blood cell count was well over 9--the highest it's been in a couple of years. Thank you to all of you who are praying and have expressed concern. The work continues to go on, and yes, we need your help. It's time to pray about what to do for 2022. We will send you some idea of the budget in the November newsletter.

You have my love and gratitude,
Earnest ... See more

Hey friends,

If you are doing any shopping today or tomorrow with Amazon, amazon smiles - a portion of your purchases will be donated to Life on Life Inc. if you have identified Life on Life as your charity choice.

Prime Day begins June 21 and will run through June 22. When you shop for deals using Amazon Smile, we'll donate a portion of the eligible purchase price to Life On Life Inc - at no cost to you. ... See more

Life on Life Inc. is now on Amazon smile. Click the link below to donate portions of your Amazon shopping purchases to Life on Life Inc.

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/85-1769785

Meal at Earnest’s House on May 10th, 2021 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm.

One of the best nights I’ve had in a long time. The young men were medicine for my soul and my body. I got their attention last night when they first got to my home and I told them my purpose for the meeting. Initially, they were a little nervous. I then told them about the generous gift from Mrs. Willa, a very good Honda Accord in great working order. I told them that one of them could possibly have that car in a short period of time. Then I told them what they would have to do to get it.

1) Have a high school diploma
2) Have a driver’s license
3) Have a job
4) One year’s worth of insurance - either comprehensive or liability

From that point on, for the rest of the evening, I had their undivided attention. I had initially planned the meeting to go from 5-7; however, everyone showed up at four or shortly thereafter. After serving a great meal that Mrs. Willa had prepared, I offered to let them pick a movie to watch on the big screen. They asked, instead, if they could take turns driving the car around the yard, to which I said yes. After awhile, and my nerves could take no more, I had them come up and we sat on the front porch. Again, I gave them the opportunity to watch a movie. I was gratefully humbled when they all replied, “We can watch a movie anytime. It’s not every day that we get time with you.” As God is my witness, I fought back the tears. It humbled me that they wanted to hear words from my mind and mouth. Over the last few years I have felt very silent and unsure of myself. But thank God, he has used that time to let me rest. The young men talked about all kinds of things. Anything was acceptable in that conversation. They talked about jobs; they talked about girls and homosexuality. They talked about absent parents. How they felt the state had failed them after so many years, and the fact that they were now out in the world, some of them homeless and afraid, and others delusional, not just sure of who they are and what they are capable of. And then we talked about Jesus. The fact that he is the only hope for them, for us, and trusting him today may not save us from heartaches tomorrow, but it will certainly equip us to contend with it.

Over the next few months, I hope to be finding cars to donate, because I have a lot of young men who have no way of getting to and from work. If you would like a tax write-off, you can donate a good-working vehicle to life on life, and we will make sure it gets to a deserving kid.

Tax deductible contributions can be made to Life on Life Inc., P. O. Box 864, Goddard, KS 67052

Sincerely,

Earnest Alexander ... See more