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)
Continual Conversion: St. Augustine and Me
"Conquer yourself and the world lies at your feet." St Augustine of Hippo. Like Augustine, I squandered God's gifts throughout the days of my youth in riotous living. Only by the grace of God was I able to survive and function with relative effectiveness. Were it not for God's sufficient grace, my behavior would have led to an early grave. But also like Augustine, I had people praying for me. My mother, Patsy, was like Saint Monica, refusing to give me over to forces within and around me that tried to steal my soul. In time, I came to my senses. God set me straight and I began the long journey home. I have turned away from addictive behavior and devote each day to continual conversion. Taking one step at a time, living day by day, I focus not on gratifying my own cravings but loving God and others, even [...]
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 [...]