Delight in Disorder Ministries
Tony Roberts, Chief Shepherd
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
(Psalms 37:4)
Happy St. Joseph the Worker Day!
Novena to St. Joseph the Worker Let us praise Christ the Lord, as we celebrate the memory of Saint Joseph. In Praise of Saint Joseph Joseph, patron saint of workers, blending skill with charity, silent carpenter, we praise you! Joining work with honesty, you taught Christ with joy to labor, sharing his nobility. Joseph, close to Christ and Mary, lived with them in poverty, shared with them their home and labor, worked with noble dignity. May we seek God’s will as you did, leader of his family! Joseph, inspiration for workers, man of faith and charity, make us honest, humble, faithful, strong with Christ’s true liberty, Make our labor and our leisure fruitful to eternity! My father was a very faithful worker and provider for his family. At age 14, he became the principal breadwinner -- setting pins at a bowling alley and serving as an orderly at a [...]
A New Creation: Delighting in Recovery
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! - 2 Corinthians 5:17, NRSVCE To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often. ― John Henry Newman 'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free, 'Tis the gift to come down where I ought to be; And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 'Twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gained, To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed; to turn, turn, will be my delight. Till by turning, turning we come round right. - Joseph Brackett Many changes have taken place in my life and in our ministry here at Delight in Disorder. At the same time, one essential thing stayed the same. In the midst of [...]
Hope Remains for Katie Dale: From the Psych Ward to Serving in Europe
Dear Mom and Dad, Do you recall how depressed I was in 2003? It seemed like I was on the brink of the blackest bottoming out. Then, without notice, my mind was a buoy, bobbing on cresting waves of euphoria. Evidently, the changes I went through my junior year of high school lent themselves to my breakdown. I guess the switch to private school wasn’t all I expected it to be. I wanted a Christian education with a Biblical worldview, but it wasn’t black and white that way. I was ignored by my classmates, sidelined for my poor soccer performance, shamed for being late or showing any opposition to the rules, and undermined when I began to have a voice. My actions and behaviors may have been a bit strange, especially when I stalked my class crush, but I don’t think I meant to embarrass him or you. I [...]
A Father’s Legacy: Hope Remains for Kevin “Earleybird” Earley
Kevin "Earleybird" Earley writes: My father has been a major force in my life. A mentor, a friend, sometimes a fierce combatant, a towering figure of authority, and a lighthouse-like guiding light in the world that has instilled his values, ideas, morals, and flaws for me to wrestle with as I define and continue to redefine myself throughout my journey. I am fortunate to have a present and involved father-figure, when I have friends who had fathers who were never around, and siblings who lost their biological father at a young age. My father stood up and faced the pressures of fatherhood head-on. He's been with me through my heartbreaking struggles and statistic-defying triumphs. He is still here, still alive, and still among his family, while many of my peers have lost one or both of their parents. I cherish and value his friendship, mentorship, and vitality. As long [...]
Hope Remains: My Sister April, A Psych Nurse Who Follows Her Heart
From: "Dear April" in Hope for Troubled Minds I want to tell a story I’ve told many times before. But I can’t tell it enough. It’s the story of what happens when someone with a mental illness falls into the pit of despair and is lifted up by the loving faithfulness of one who cares. December 1, 2016. I am in the Goodman exit lane off I-490 in Rochester, New York. An unusual light shines in my rearview. In seconds, I hear a loud crack and feel a tremendous lurch. Someone traveling too close, going too fast, hit me. Hard. I called 911 and a policeman showed up, followed by an ambulance. I was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital where they ran tests and found nothing conclusive. But I became increasingly agitated. I became convinced that I was paralyzed. Three doctors ran tests on me at separate [...]
Holding Onto Hope: The Legacy of James Mark Rippee
Until We Are Reunited by Catherine Rippee Hanson My sister and I thought we were strong. Though burdened with a heavy wrong. We lost our brother to injury and disease, Leaving us with bittersweet memories. We tried to fix it, to make it right. So much love and hope in sight; But darkness would not be denied. And his life...the world would not abide. Schizophrenia...was his last undoing. Making his world wild and confusing; And though we tried to keep him safe, He turned away, lost in life’s dark maze. Homelessness was his final fate. The streets...his home; there’s no debate. Our hearts were broken, tears were shed. Before the end when he was dead. Our brother’s death is sad and tragic. A simple illness, but too late for magic. His soul departed from this world. Leaving us unraveled, thoughts unfurled. We grieved in sadness; we kept some hope. Remembering [...]