Our Community, Our Mission
Our Community, Our Mission
Ep #282 – Unity in Worship: Night of Praise 2025
What makes Night of Praise more than just another event? In this episode, John Ostenson, TRM Board President; Greg Armbruster, Vice President; and Mike Rinehart, Treasurer, join CEO La Manda Cunningham and Deputy Director of Supportive Services Miriam Krehbiel to share how the heart of Topeka Rescue Mission is rooted in both freedom and faith. From moments of prayer with shelter residents to stories of unexpected gratitude, listeners will hear why TRM is not just “a monument” but “a movement”—living out its mission of Faith With Its Sleeves Rolled Up.
Together, this team reflects on how the theme Loving in the Gap is inspiring unity across churches, volunteers, and the broader community. With worship teams coming together at Fellowship Bible Church on September 12th, Night of Praise offers what La Manda describes as “a glimpse of heaven”—diverse believers worshipping side by side while lifting up those in need. Whether you’ve walked with TRM for years or are just learning about the mission, this conversation invites you to experience the vision, testimonies, and collaborative spirit that make Night of Praise such a transformative annual tradition.
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Gracious Heavenly Father, we just come humbly before you today and thank you, lord, for your blessings and this time to be together to record this podcast. Lord, we thank you for all of our listeners and Lord just thank you for this upcoming night of praise that we get to talk about today. And, lord just pray that your will would be done and, lord, that listeners today would be blessed and encouraged. Father, we love you and we praise your name, Amen.
Speaker 2:Hello everybody, thank you for joining us for our community, our mission. A podcast of the Topeka Rescue Mission. This is Tuesday, september 2nd 2025. I'm your host today, barry Feeker, with a big crowd of people here today to talk about a very special event which Josh mentioned in his prayer. So Josh, go ahead and talk about that. Then we're going to talk about what's special about today and then we're going to introduce our guests.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I'm excited to talk about Night of Praise today. Night of Praise is coming up Friday, in 10 days, friday September 12th. It's the third annual Third annual Starts at 6.30, doors open at six and we want everybody to be there.
Speaker 2:So we've been talking about that for a bit, getting led up to this and so having our special guests here today, which are three board members in addition to LaManna Cunningham and also Marion Crable, so we got a lot of folks around mics today. So we're going to be doing a little sharing back and forth, so we're going to talk about the importance and really try to help people to understand why this is a really good thing to attend.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So, um, I think just to start like to try and like kick it off is one thing that's always been really important, for night of praise is like unity and coming together as the body of Christ, and that's one thing I've always loved about it is, um, it's not like one church like you know FBC, and then you know they help it put, help us put it on, and everything, but there's different bands from, and different band members, um, from across different churches, and there's different people that come from different denominations and it's, you know, one true body of Christ, glorifying God and the work that he's doing, and that's like the big thing that I always love about it the most.
Speaker 2:So we're going to take a deep dive here in a minute. So good morning, lamanna, miriam, good morning. So are you ready for the quiz of the day, the research and development?
Speaker 3:department has done their due diligence again. Never but sure.
Speaker 2:Josh and Alec. They work really hard on these things and so-.
Speaker 3:I think they do this to torture us. I'm just saying.
Speaker 2:Well, that's good. So you know, I mean it's. You know, I mean you had a day off. Yesterday it was Memorial Day, right, mm-hmm? Labor Day.
Speaker 3:It was Labor Day.
Speaker 4:Yeah, labor Day, oh yeah, I'm getting ahead of myself, I'm behind myself.
Speaker 5:No, we still labored on Labor Day and Saturday night and yesterday after church.
Speaker 2:You think I was inintentional about Labor Day or Memorial Day. It's always Memorial.
Speaker 5:Day it is. That's right, that's right. It's all about labor.
Speaker 2:So anyway, LeMahon and Miriam, today is National Live Fearless Day.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Why is there just one day?
Speaker 3:Because it's not. It's dangerous, barry, and yesterday was one of those days. As I was trying to drive home, I was on roads that have no business having two-way traffic. I came around the curve and there was a massive pickup with the bull guard with everything, and I'm like, oh, oh, you don't know what that is well, it's okay, you're not a rancher.
Speaker 3:It's not a problem, it's the big thing that protects the front of the truck. Oh yeah, so I had a close encounter. But, barry, you need, and I was not fearless. But the reason she had to scream.
Speaker 5:That's right Well yeah, let's call it that, let's call it that, but. But the thing is, the reason why that was a close encounter is all of us, like myself, that only drive the speed limit. We never have to worry about those things.
Speaker 3:But Miriam, she was probably driving 95 miles an hour around that curve. I wasn't, because it was a dirt road that was this wide, only this five inches wide.
Speaker 5:Because our listeners can see. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2:That's why I threw in the five inches. But today is National Live Fearless Day, not yesterday.
Speaker 3:Well, that's why I think it's a bad idea.
Speaker 2:Okay, so we don't have to do that anymore. Well, just somebody came up with this stuff and Josh found it, and so basically, just September 2nd urges people to live fearlessly. So I think in America you live fearlessly all the time.
Speaker 1:So yeah, you know, the nice thing is, you don't have to participate though. This is just, they're there today and you can pick to not do it.
Speaker 2:You don't want to. So if you're not into it, just go home and lock the door and try to do it tomorrow. Okay, so it's also National Calendar Adjustment Day. Lamanda, how many times have you adjusted your calendar already today? Three, three okay.
Speaker 5:Well, that's not bad. And it's what 9-17?
Speaker 2:Yes, in the morning.
Speaker 5:Yes.
Speaker 2:So, yep, it's one of those days adjusting calendars. Yeah, we won't get into all the details, but also for people who really aren't quite ready for NFL season to start, it's Spalding Baseball Day.
Speaker 1:Josh, why did you?
Speaker 2:choose this.
Speaker 1:I love baseball. It's America's pastime. Also, just to plug my son who's playing Little League he had a home run this summer. Yes, he did. I was pretty excited about that. I never had a home run playing baseball. You're already beating me, buddy.
Speaker 2:Living vicariously through your kid the video was so cute.
Speaker 5:I don't know who was more excited him, dad or mom Exactly. I don't know either.
Speaker 2:So, anyway, those are the things about today, but also, again, josh talked about a special event coming up, and so here in the studio of Topeka Rescue Mission, which is kind of a makeshift studio, we have the president of the board, john Ostenson. Good morning, john. How are you? Good morning, I'm doing well. Good to see you. Greg. Armbruster is vice president. Good to see you again, greg.
Speaker 6:Good morning. I'm doing well too, Thank you.
Speaker 2:Good, good.
Speaker 6:I didn't ask you that, Mike?
Speaker 2:how are you doing Mike Reinhart, who is the treasurer of the board?
Speaker 4:I guess I'm living fearlessly.
Speaker 2:I came to be part of this party. That's right, Mike. We know you love this kind of stuff. But anyway, lamanna, why haven't three board members here this morning, about Nine of Preys? Board members are important to the Topeka Rescue Mission to help give a lot of guidance and accountability and checks and balances and those kinds of things. What is it about this group and the rest of your board that's important to the special event coming up?
Speaker 5:You know, I think one. I just appreciate our board and I know some people are probably like, oh, she's saying that because they're sitting right there. But even when they're not in the room, I mean I talk a lot about what their level of support means to not only just me as their CEO but our organization. I mean, I think they are balanced in their approach of knowing their roles as board members and the responsibility and they take that seriously and they take that seriously, Um, and they humbly serve. Many of them you will find um definitely serving in different capacities at the rescue mission outside of the monthly meetings. Uh, there are an added level of support to me when we have challenging days here. Um, things happen. I get text messages from them praying for.
Speaker 5:You had a small incident yesterday or Sunday here had a board member drive by as I was standing outside the building, he and his wife just to tell me that they loved me and appreciated what we were doing. So when you take just the integrity that they have and their stance all year long, year after year, serving the rescue mission, To me that carries over into when we do events like these and so, again, I appreciate their vision. With it. I appreciate their feedback that they give us. I appreciate that they serve leading up to the event, like right now doing this podcast to promote it, and then you'll see all of them the night of night of praise, as well as greeters and at different tables and stuff. And to me, I love that this is not only an activity and a fundraiser that we put on. When Josh mentions the unity of our community, it's also incredible to see the unity of board leadership here, employees here, donors here, volunteers here, and we all come together to make this night happen as well, and to me that's incredible.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so this is like the third annual. So where did this start? What was the reason behind it and why so much involvement with board and staff and volunteers? Obviously, any event takes a lot of folks to make it happen. There's a lot of complications when you're a first time doing something of that nature. So what was the genesis of this?
Speaker 5:You know, I think it's kind of twofold. One is, you know, our board and myself really want to find the balance of communicating our needs to the community so that we continue to have a healthy budget, a budget that can keep up with the demands that our community is facing. And so, looking at this from a financial standpoint of we need to be doing something every year that is intentional, to not only try to secure financial donations but also try to secure monthly donors and different types of committed donations so that we can maintain the budget that's needed to serve our community. And then the other side of it is, you know, myself, miriam and several others here we're just seeing the need in our community of something that brings hope.
Speaker 5:And I think that there, you know, at times can be division or maybe even controversy when we try to look at all the different churches and things like that.
Speaker 5:And so what could we do as a ministry that is not just associated with one? How can we bring like-minded people together? But how can we also be a place that, if somebody is questioning that, they can come and hear about the work of humanity and what that looks like, but then also how it's rooted in the gospel here. So that was really two folded of looking at what we need to do annually to try to secure additional funds to maintain our budget, but then also being intentional at what type of event we did that didn't take us away from a mission drift or didn't, really wasn't outside of our scope and sequence, and so what a better way. Uh, a team member that used to work here was like hey, what do you think about a worship night? And instantly my heart was like yep, that's what we need to do. It blesses the community, but it also is an opportunity for us to educate, um, anybody that comes about TRM.
Speaker 2:So I'm going to throw this out to any one of the three board members who are here to answer this question, but a lot of fundraisers and this is a fundraiser for Topeka Rescue Mission talk about a particular thing they're trying to raise funds for. It could be, in this case, a fundraiser for Topeka Rescue Mission help the homeless, save the children, save the whales. Whatever the case might be, this is called Night of Praise. That is a very definitive, different way of identifying a fundraiser. I think Amanda addressed it a little bit. But from a board member's perspective, why is it important to you and, you think, to the Topeka Rescue Mission, to not specifically run out and say helping the homeless or helping the hungry or whatever? That's all built into this, as we've seen before, but why call it the Night of Praise?
Speaker 6:I'll try to answer that. I think one of the things we do at the Night of Praise is provide personal testimonies from people who have been helped by TRM, and so it gives us a chance to praise God for the healing, the people who have been helped, how God has worked through TRM to provide this healing, and just give God all the credit for it. So I think we're praising God not only for who he is, but for what he's doing with TRM.
Speaker 2:John. Thanks Greg. John, as a board president, a lot of responsibilities being a board member, being in the president's position. I've known you for a very long time when you were Shawnee County Sheriff's Department, working with us on streets and different things like that. And here you are at Topeka Rescue Mission being a board member. I think I know the answer to this, but I would like for you to say what your answer is the emphasis on worship night of praise God Jesus Christ, to praise God Jesus Christ. How's that different from what you might see in other nonprofits or organizations about the importance of that aspect of Topeka Rescue Mission? Freedom.
Speaker 7:Because this TRM is obviously very faith-based, and so we love God Jesus, and so we love God Jesus, Holy Spirit, and we worship him, and so the freedom is that we can outwardly express that in many, many ways, and this is just one for the night of praise. When Josh opened up at the beginning of this, he alluded to the just coming together in unity and there's something very, very powerful about that where the different denominations come in together worshiping next to somebody that might worship a little bit different Christ-awareness and not so much self-awareness, if that makes sense.
Speaker 7:We feel that we are commissioned by God to take care of TRM and do his work, be his hands and his feet, and I just feel like that's what we can do with freedom.
Speaker 2:And God just takes care of us to be able to do that. Miriam, you've worked in other nonprofits before Topeka Rescue Mission. I think we've talked about that many times. Coming to TRM meant a lot to you from a spiritual standpoint, from your relationship with Christ. Talk about what John just said and how important that is, do you think, to yourself, as well as the ministry of TRM, the primary, I think that a lot of people don't understand is um, um, honoring God, um and serving others as a, as equal part of that.
Speaker 3:I. I think it's the game changer, right? I mean, if that's your focus, then everything you do takes on a different tone.
Speaker 3:You know, because it's something bigger than just what we do on a daily basis. It has a deeper purpose. It's um less focused on who we are in terms of an organization and more focused on why we're here and who we actually serve, and I think that's completely different than other organizations that don't have that central focus. That is Christ right. That is advancing a kingdom beyond what we do right here. Right, it's about um LaManda talks about it all the time. It's about understanding that each person we come in contact with is Imago Dei, even when they don't act like we would like them to act is made in the image of God, right.
Speaker 3:Even when they don't look like they've got their stuff together, even when they're not behaving in ways that we think are appropriate and, frankly, aren't appropriate, even when they're not behaving in ways that we think are appropriate and, frankly, aren't appropriate, even when they're angry with the world and with us, all of those things, each one of those people is still made in the image of God and that brings our understanding of that and our striving to always do that also brings glory to the Father, and it's just different.
Speaker 7:It's just different. Trm is unique in the way that we're very relationship-oriented, very relationship and serving others and servanthood is the prescription for healthy relationships. Prescription for healthy relationships and LaManda says it many, many times about reaching out to those in need, the ones that we serve, and hoping that they're ready for that next step and our relationship with them helps them to get to their next step.
Speaker 6:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:You know we talk about the importance of God and being the primary factor here and reaching out to people and not judging them but to help them right where they are. But also there is a significant, equally important part of this and that is good stewardship of the resources that you get in and to have enough resources to bring that in. And so it's a challenge sometimes to be able to balance between the spiritual and the business side of and, mike, I'm going to throw you the hardball question here as treasurer, mike, how do you balance this trusting God aspect that we're here to serve him and serve the people he brings in our path? And it takes resources, it takes good management of those resources and, as the treasurer of the board and your experience and your expertise in accounting, how do you balance that? Between my gosh we have this big, huge need that's come up and trying to do the business part as well as the spiritual part.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so it's. You know, I think when I think of the night of praise, that's one of the biggest things, that, how I think it came apart and was developed, is that we balance. At Topeka Rescue Mission we put our faith that God is going to provide. Now I call myself a struggling Christian. The rest of the board and staff members sometimes have to keep me on track because I get a little nervous sometimes.
Speaker 4:Maybe you're honest as to, hey, we need this or we need that. But you know, in my time on the board, I've been continually amazed at how things God provides for us. And that, to me, is part of this night of praise is that God provides through a outstanding community of Topeka, and Shawnee.
Speaker 4:County in helping provide resources and Shawnee County in helping provide resources, not only financial but volunteer resources and prayer for the people that we're serving, and it's, you know, sometimes for me a difficult balance. But I go back, barry, I think when you were leading TRM. I think you wrote a book at one point of all the things that had been happened, where maybe we didn't know at a certain time I can't remember what decade it was or what day Decades but are we going to have enough food tonight? Yes, and there'd be this call that says, hey, our freezer's broke and we got all this food. Can you use it tonight? I mean just amazing stuff like that, and to me that's part of Night of Praise. We praise every year, but we are very blessed with God's providence and through the hearts of this community.
Speaker 2:And I think there's such an incredibly important balance of that between the CEO and the staff and the board to okay, we've got this need we just talked about back to school and the once again miraculous provision wasn't seeing, it wasn't happening. Got the people coming here, they come. Do we pray and wait or do we go and try to break into reserves or do we put the peel out for money and to know the balance between all that? And so some people say, well, faith based ministry, to sit back, kick your heels back, you know, and bless people and the money rolls in. It doesn't happen that way. You have to have a proactive approach to this, but not to make it become a business.
Speaker 2:And, john, that freedom that you talked about, speaking to that freedom just a little bit more. You're free to worship the Lord, you're free to focus on Christ. It's a relational ministry. But as board president, as Mike kind of spoke to this, how do you view this in regards to the stewardship? And this is really what NIDA's praise is about. It's part about raising awareness and funds and also praising God putting the whole package together. How do you balance that in your own view of leading as board president?
Speaker 7:Yeah, that is a tough one because it comes down to faith and trust and sometimes that can be very challenging. I often say when I leave a meeting I got a pretty good pounding headache because the needs are great.
Speaker 5:Don't say why, and he needs ibuprofen and Tylenol when he meets with me on our monthly meetings.
Speaker 7:Yeah, you know, as a believer, sometimes I wish that I could not not care as much but, I, can't, because life would be easier if you just didn't have a deep level of care and I do and everybody at this table does, and everybody who works here at TRM and supports TRM are very caring people and that can be hard. But I'm very familiar with 1 Peter, 5, 7, because I'm always casting all my cares over to.
Speaker 7:God, because it is hard and you mentioned it. I mean, how hard do you push out to say we're in need and we are. Prices are up, families are struggling and people that never thought they would come to TRM for help are coming here, and so how do you balance that out? But it is faith and trust and, just like Mike mentioned a moment ago, I mean God provides and he provides in mysterious ways. I'm thankful for the listeners right now who are going to listen to this and feel God nudging them to help TRM in some way, if that's volunteer or if that's being a reoccurring donor Ministry or just volunteers and and donating dollars. Those are all very competitive and there's a lot of great needs out there in Topeka and there's a lot of ministries helping out. But I'm speaking for TRM. We are in need and it's. It's not. We're not in crisis, but we also don't want to be, and LaManda mentioned earlier just how many. You know the people who, the layers of ministry, and I'm kind of rambling, but I've got a good thought here.
Speaker 7:Every time somebody comes to TRM and wants to help out or you know, interested in being on the board and are like me and we often say I had no idea. And I've been here for four years and I'm still saying that every once in a while. I had no idea. No idea about what that TRM is doing. That too, and doing that kind of ministry and reaching out, and there's just so many layers of TRM and I think many people experience that. That's why I love these podcasts. This is number what 280 something 282.
Speaker 7:282 podcasts and they're beautiful because our listeners can hear exactly what is happening day, every day, here and getting the word out. And that's another thing that I like about night of praises. You can praise God in a lot of ways. You know we might think, well, it's, it's singing and and that kind of thing and praying, but it's also. We praise God by our giving and we praise God by being together and being Christlike and there's a lot of different things to it. But TRM is, is God's and we are we're just taking care of it for him. And so an answer to your question faith and trust and hope. And that's what we put into this, our faith in God to supply all of our needs.
Speaker 2:And that is not common. It is. It's a goal, it's talked about a lot but it actually has to happen to at Topeka Rescue Mission. Greg, you're a business leader in our community and also you've been involved in many different ministry activities in the community and elder in your church. Just different things that you've done over the years Kansas Prayer Breakfast, the list goes on and on and on. Why Topeka Rescue Mission for you? There's a lot of things that you have done you could do. Why here?
Speaker 6:Yeah, it's interesting. I was invited to join the board by a friend of mine who was on the board, kevin Swift, and my experience is I had no idea. And my experience is I had no idea. I mean, like John said, I had no idea what you all did or what we all do, and I had no idea of what the circumstances are different circumstances for people that are homeless, the unsheltered homeless, as well as those that stay at the mission. So, you know, I guess it just had to be the Lord led me here, because maybe he wanted me to find out. I don't know, but yeah, I had no idea and I'm learning something new every time.
Speaker 2:What and this is thrown out to the three of you, LaManda we'll get back to you. Okay, this one here from the board. What do you look forward to each month when you come to a regular scheduled board meeting? What is that thing you really look forward to?
Speaker 5:They might not have anything.
Speaker 3:No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2:They keep showing up and have been for a long time.
Speaker 5:They just also have a lot of responsibility. I mean, they get to see the beauty, but they also get to see the beastie parts too. That's right.
Speaker 2:But there still is something that you're looking forward to, because there are enough complications, enough reasons to not want to assume these responsibilities. We're talking about life and death here. We're talking about an organization that is standing in the gap for people who can live or they can die, and that's a huge responsibility, not just for the CEO, not just for the staff, but also the board of directors, and you never know where your next dime's coming from. You don't. There's no guarantees here. There's no set government grants, there's no donor that's signed up that's going to give you perpetually a million dollars every year for the rest of your lives, or whatever. None of that. So what do you look forward to when you come with the enormous responsibilities? What fuels your jet to keep coming?
Speaker 7:Well, for me, it's relationships Again. Well, for me, it's relationships again. Trm is so connected to so many facets of Topeka and from city government and other ministries and so, and so the success with relationships is so critical to the mission of TRM, and I love to hear that breakthroughs, relationships have gotten better, or we've developed a new one with somebody else, some other ministry, because it takes all of us to get this work done, and so I love relationship building and I don't really look forward to the financial report.
Speaker 2:Sorry Mike, so much it. Sorry Mike, so much. It's all on Mike, okay. So kind of what I'm hearing in there, john, is there's always something to look forward to as the next thing. There's kind of an expectation here of something is happening, moving in the right direction, besides Mike's reports.
Speaker 7:Because the better we are at that, the better the end user is, or the end person who needs. Because it just works that way If we have the funds, we have the relationships, then that person in front of us, whoever that is, their needs can be met and they can go to their next step.
Speaker 2:Mike, I would think that there are some times you really look forward to coming to a board meeting because you got a good financial report, and then other times not so much. But why do you keep coming? You've been doing this for a number of years now.
Speaker 4:Well, I think I probably mentioned this before with other people and stuff, but TRM, it's faith with its sleeves rolled up. What I like to hear, obviously and we have to hear the bad things as well as the good things but what's always good when we're in a group with the board members is one we have a broad representation of people that have different experiences but we get to hear from lamanda and miriam and they bring staff, other staff and leadership people in occasionally, but it is always good to hear the impacts that we have had.
Speaker 4:And it's not us, it's God, but God working through us, and it's with our faith, with our sleeves rolled up. That is such a key thing for me with Topeka Rescue Mission and I just you know it's very humbling to see what God has done through our employees and our volunteers and everything. And if I had to say what I was coming back for, that's probably what it is, it's just. Trm makes me a better person, in my opinion.
Speaker 2:So I think that would go with any of us. Mike, Really do. Greg, I want to give you an opportunity. What do you look forward to once a month?
Speaker 6:Yeah, I think mine's similar to what Mike just said learning and hearing about the different things that we have happened that have an impact on people's lives and changes their lives, and I like to tell the stories to my friends, my inner circle. So when I hear something I think is really cool or really a great thing, I always make sure everybody I know knows about it. So I kind of look for those opportunities to when I can spread the word on what TRM is doing.
Speaker 2:John, it said it had no idea there are so many different moving parts to this and it never is doing. John had said it had no idea there are so many different moving parts to this and it never is static. It just keeps evolving and growing and changing based upon needs. And also there are the big challenges that we've talked about in many different ways, whether it be with decisions made outside of the auspice of TRM, decisions made at the government level, decisions made in people's lives, the suffering, the hurt that we encounter every day.
Speaker 2:Yet you keep coming back. It's kind of like back to that National Live Fearless Day. When you come to Topeka Rescue Mission every day as a staff member or a volunteer, you're living fearlessly. But also, john, what you'd said you live in freedom. You live in freedom to know that you're not the only one that's working this show, to have that freedom to be able to step into this. Amanda's over here grinning. Yeah, she didn't know three and a half years ago she was going to step into this live fearlessly role. But, amanda, I want to dive into a night of praise here in just a second. But you're hearing your board members talk. You're hearing the why. As they see it, what are you hearing?
Speaker 5:So I think I'm supposed to share Saturday night. It was pretty late, I think, 1030 or so, maybe a little bit later, and I get a call that we have a technology technology issue at the shelters and you know, of course we have plan B and C. Always we try to be. I think that helps us live fearlessly better when we know we have a couple of plans.
Speaker 5:But anyway, so that's right. So I get in the car and I'm headed to the mission and called in a couple of other people just so that we could navigate, uh, josh being one of them. So I appreciate him spending some time with me on Saturday night. But on the way down here, um, you know, I was trying to figure out if this is not an easy fix, what can we do, this, that and the other. And I'm praying, of course I'm praying for just safety. I'm praying for us to have wisdom. I'm praying for the bill that we might be having to pay when it's triple.
Speaker 5:It feels like on weekends and holiday weekend, all of this. Get to the shelter and I walk in and, um, my hair's on top of my head, glasses on Right, and there's probably 10 to 12 men in the front lobby and I come through and I greet the front desk people and then I walk into the shelter and they turn around. They're like and then I walk into the shelter and they turn around, they're like hey. And I said, hey, guys, how are you? Happy Saturday? And they're like boss, lady. And then they all like 10 of them boss, lady, boss, lady. And I had this moment and I'm thankful for it and it was part conviction and then, I think, part encouragement. But I thought I don't know what this is going to cost. I don't know if this is going to be an easy fix. Oh, we probably should have had five other computers on backup instead of just three and and and and. In that moment all I could think about is those 12 men that I had in front of me that were safe, those 12 men who had community, these 12 men who had eaten, and the 12 men who were waiting up there to make sure everything was going to be okay with the technology, because they were willing to help and so fast forward. It was actually an easier fix than we thought, but it was a good learning opportunity, because we need to put probably three or four more things in place.
Speaker 5:And so we're strategizing and then I find out that one of my staff members that's working. It's his birthday, so I bust us all out Some of the guests that were still up there, six or seven staff member we all bust out and singing him happy birthday. I know that staff member's story and I just think it's so incredible that he has walked the journey he has and that then we're celebrating his birthday, right. And then, to top it off, an hour passes, an hour and a half passes, and a gentleman comes up to the front desk and he says are you all like the big leaders here? And I looked at him and I said well, we're just part of the team. And he looked at me and he said I'm pretty sure you're the top leader. And I laughed and I said if you have a compliment, yes, and if it's a complaint.
Speaker 5:And I pointed at Christian, and Christian, I laughed and I said if you have a compliment yes, and if it's a complaint and I pointed at Christian and Christian was laughing and I said I'm just kidding. And this guest kind of unfolded some things and he had been talking to a front desk worker and then he looked at the front desk worker and he said should I tell her about my struggle? And the front desk worker goes man, that's your business, she cares, but you decide what you tell us. So he does and he unpacks this stuff. And one of the things that he shared is that it's so hard to fight the demons and I won't share much more than that. But he said something about he doesn't want to fall backwards, but the other side is, sometimes it's just easier to not fight the demons. And so I gave him some practical advice, as much as I could, right, and then shared with him. You realize that you do have the power. I don't know if it's a real demon or not, but when you walk with Christ you do have the power to tell that demon or that struggle, that that that there's no place in you with that. And he was like well, how do I do that, you know? And so we walked through this and then finished the conversation and I said can I pray with you? And he said, yeah, yeah, and this big guy a lot bigger than me, and I said can I put my hand on your shoulder? And he said, yep, and so we did. And whoever was standing there I'm not even sure goes into prayer of praying for him and what his next steps are, and that I knew he had already overcome a lot of challenges for him to even be willing to stay in a homeless shelter, and I prayed that I would just continue to try to understand what these people face, even when maybe I haven't walked through the same thing, prayed all that, and so walked away from him.
Speaker 5:To then, the cherry on the cake right was a gentleman and I've talked about him on this podcast an unsheltered neighbor who I have a great relationship with and not because it's always been pretty, there's been a lot of bumps in mine and his relationship. But he walked through and I saw him and I said, hey, I'm glad that you're still in here. And I walked up to him and as I was walking up, he pointed at all of us and he said I just want you all to know that it's 11 o'clock at night and I can't believe all of you are here for us, and I'll remember that and that might just sound like any old, like, oh, that's just a form of appreciation, but coming from someone who often distrust us and just distrust people because of struggles and all of that, that is probably a bigger compliment to me than Noah Fritz, tom with CityGate CEO. I love him. But if Tom would have given me a compliment and so I got in my car after all of this and there's a component of me that's still like what is this going to cost? We've got to reconfigure some things on Tuesday morning, like the practicality, the responsible part of me as a CEO.
Speaker 5:But then I was reminded that I cannot put financial, financial strains, I cannot put the weariness, I cannot put the challenges of relapse, I can't put all of that in front of what God is doing when none of us are here.
Speaker 5:And so I got in my car and I was like, lord, I give you right now the finances, I give you the cost of what this is going to be, because you're really running this place.
Speaker 5:But, god, thank you that I had the opportunity to be welcomed by 12 men who really don't know me, yelling boss lady eager to see me.
Speaker 5:Thank you that I had the privilege that someone trusted me enough to pray with him and to pray over something so deep and then to receive gratitude from someone who has been hurt, by people saying they're going to help him.
Speaker 5:And I got in my car and I thought that, as the CEO, that work has got to remain my focus and I just prayed to the Lord all the way as I was driving down Topeka Boulevard. God, please, let me always have the balance of the financial responsibility, the stewardship to do things right, the business aspects of ministry, but, lord, always keep me so connected to the work that you think is important. And that's the transformation that happens. And that convicted me, because sometimes I think I focus too much on paying the bills or too much on do we continue with this program or too much on this. But all of that seems so minute when you look at the fact that that night we had 267 people in these buildings with needs met on a practical level and spiritual, and so I just want to continue to try to trust the Lord for his provisions, and that trust needs to be greater than my fears of the failures that could come.
Speaker 2:Tons of stories like that and how sometimes God will allow a problem to occur yeah. Not at the most convenient times.
Speaker 6:No.
Speaker 2:To be able to have that encounter with that particular individual at the time. Well, I think we've heard some of the why here. We've heard about freedom, we've heard about the challenge, the burden, but also the expectation of God doing something, and something being vastly different in regards to an opportunity, through a ministry like Topeka Rescue Mission, to make all that happen. And so, whether it's the guest or the CEO, or the board member, the volunteer, the community person, the person listening to the podcast, we're all looking for something that shows us that we're not alone. And we know at Topeka Rescue Mission we're not alone because the Lord established this and he sustains it, but he also gives us opportunity to get up at 10 o'clock at night and go try to fix the cameras that are all out at Topeka Rescue Mission safety issue in all the buildings. So, fortunately, it got fixed, and so, john.
Speaker 7:I feel like you're going to conclude soon and I got to make sure I say something, cause how do you know?
Speaker 2:I know you talk a little bit more about night of praise before we conclude. John's listened to every podcast he knows your tone.
Speaker 7:Yeah, I actually have. So I just feel heavy on my heart to really express to all of the podcast listeners out there. You just heard LaManda's heart and we see it. I speak on behalf of the entire board. We love LaManda, we support her 100%. You know, as I was listening to her just then, it just kept coming back to me that she's not going to allow just TRM to be a monument.
Speaker 7:It's a movement. We're continually moving and there is no complacency in her and so no cruise control not going in neutral. We're always moving forward and, uh, lamanda does that and she does it, I know, because she's so deep in her faith and that drives her. It's not LaManda, it's LaManda through her faith in God, um, and so I want her to to just know um and and all the listeners to know how much that we love her and support her. She makes a lot of sacrifices to be our CEO and um, and she is amazing. And so if you're out there, uh, listening to us and you want to go to the night of praise, uh, please, please, show up and um, and introduce yourself to us and to the Amanda. If you've never done it before, we'd love to see you come out to us and to LaManda.
Speaker 2:If you've never done it before, we'd love to see you come out. Well said, thank you, john. So let's talk real briefly. Uh, what, uh can we expect at Night of Praise? Um, josh, again, it's about 10 days from now Um, we've got uh the 12th coming up. Let's talk about that. I want to hear from some board members what they um, what they think people can expect as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you want me to go through the program? Yeah, I mean we'll leave some stuff. I mean we've got stories, We've got some amazing bands coming to do worship, Like I talked about. This year we're doing a little different. We've got members from different churches making I don't like using the word conglomerate.
Speaker 3:They're collaborating, collaborating.
Speaker 1:There you go. That's a lot better, uh, collaborative bands, um, and so we've got a gospel band and we've got a kind of contemporary Christian band and, um, but again it's that unity in in in the church, and so you know, we've got stories, we've got great worship and, uh, we just need you the listener.
Speaker 5:Yeah, the theme is loving in the gap so we can share that.
Speaker 5:We've been focused on that all year with our newsletters, which I just wanted to say thank you to Mike Schottel and Josh, and we do that together.
Speaker 5:Those meetings are pretty humorous, those are fun they consist of. We know this is what we need to communicate. We know this one needs to be about night of praise. We know two guys like I've not heard the Lord say anything. So we're going to pray and we're going to talk, and it's so incredible to see the message of this loving in the gap come out in each newsletter, and so we are taking really kind of the heart that we've talked about all year in the newsletter the different ways our donors love in the gap, the different ways our staff love in the gap. You're going to hear a heart wrenching one about loving in the gap, and so we do hope that this is a mixture of definitely educating the community about what all God does at the rescue mission, but also the very practical ways that people can get involved with us to love in the gap. But I also think that it is neat to kind of see this year long theme come together in some pretty cool ways with decorations and such.
Speaker 2:Greg, real quick. From your perspective, what do you expect I?
Speaker 6:think the personal stories, personal testimonies, that's where we really learn the effect we're having on people's lives. And you can publish statistics and numbers how many people we've housed or how many people we've fed but when you hear personal testimonies of how TRM has helped them, that's just so much more effective.
Speaker 2:Yes, john.
Speaker 7:Oh same, I love to see transformation in people's lives and those next steps. Yeah, I mean really, it just comes down to that and I love to see people show up and see what TRM is doing and sort of remove some of the. I had no ideas.
Speaker 4:Good Mike. Yeah, I think for me. I put out I think I said this before as well Ultimately probably won't ever happen, but ultimately we'd like to be out of the business at TRM and not have to serve any homeless or other Got a plan.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's a goal that I think we should have as a society society. But again, just the Night of Praise is an opportunity to see all the good things that have occurred, to hopefully help some people that maybe haven't been involved with TRM or know as much about get a little information on what we do do and how we do impact and how God helps us do that, you know what I didn't hear from any of you.
Speaker 2:It's going to be a hard sell to bring money. It's going to be a hard driver as a fundraiser. Didn't hear any of that. It is still that I talked about the financial needs of the rescue mission, but I heard it's about story and testimony and relationship and opportunity to thank God, and I think if you've been there to a night of praise, you know what we're talking about. If you haven't, you might want to come this time, because it's going to be a time that is going to inspire you. It's going to maybe challenge you a little bit, but you're going to be able to see. Well, I didn't know that. Like, we've heard that before here and there will be things that you will learn that won't just be about Topeka Rescue Mission. It'll be about you. Everybody who comes, it's about you and it's about this God who is just crazy about you and he wants to invite you to be a part of this. Josh, one more time, tell us when, where and how.
Speaker 1:Yes, so a night of praise uh loving in the gap is going to be Friday, september 12th. In 10 days days, a second uh doors open at six. Uh event starts at six 30. Um, there's going to be some cool stuff. So come early, come at six, come look around the fellowship Bible, cause that's where it's going to be.
Speaker 2:And you can bring a non-perishable food item um to that um, if you can, and there'll be a truck to put it on, and also you can also bring your checkbook and there'll be a QR code that you can help participate in this, as you are invited to be a part of some amazing Ask people to love in the gap with us.
Speaker 5:Yes, and I just yeah, I just wanted to end also with some gratitude of people who have worked really hard I would say months, but really we start working on it the night of praise, that night for the next year. So I think it's just like an ongoing yearly effort of love. But I really want people to come because there's a lot of God led hard work that's been put in it from. We appreciate man, all of our partners, uh, bill and Brody, and every the team at fellowship Bible church.
Speaker 1:Huge shout out to them. I mean those guys put in a ton of work behind the scenes for us and and have a huge heart. So yeah, big shout out to yeah, Brody, Bill Dalton, all those amazing guys there.
Speaker 5:On top of everything else that they're doing, Um, but I also know, you know, we've got people working on the tables that we're setting up right now and just the vision of it and, uh, there's just a lot of gratitude. But I also want to thank Josh because, um, he does not like being in the limelight and, um, he got pretty used to being only behind the mic and the camera. Uh, but through this, um, he has really embraced the talents that God has given him to be able to tell God's story and this is a whole different platform for him. He's doing red couch visits and he's doing the KSNT morning show and he's doing interviews, the night of night of praise, which, yes, you will do that again this year. But, yeah, I just appreciate Miriam's vision on this. Josh's Kim's done it because she was instrumental a couple of years ago as we were forming it. I appreciate the board's support in it. So, you know, we've heard the heart, We've heard the why and I just want people to know that you are welcomed.
Speaker 5:And, lastly, I did a personal invite that has hit social media at the end of last week and I said in that personal invite regardless, if you are in the middle of a very successful time and you're on the mountaintop and you want to just come give God glory. Come do that. But I also said you know, regardless of position and job or no job, if you're really struggling, we've got a seat for you. This is a time where you're going to be around other people who probably relate more than you think and you're not isolated. So a lot of hard work has come into it. I'm thankful for everyone who's poured into it, Thankful for the musicians that are coming together in a very unconventional way to, I don't know, show us what I personally think a glimpse of heaven is going to look like. So hope you all there.
Speaker 2:Excellent, it's good. There's nothing to be expected of you other than to come and just join with everybody else who is there. I'd like to thank our board members for being here. Greg, john, mike, if you guys want to come back anytime, mike, I know you love this, so come on back anytime.
Speaker 2:I love hearing your perspectives, really do. I think it's very valuable. But again, thanks for joining us here today and thank you for listening to our community, our mission. You've heard a lot about the why of the night of praise that's coming up on the 12th of September. Doors open at 6 pm at Fellowship Bible. The program starts at 6.30 pm. It'll be a night that you will not regret coming, and if you'd like more information about this or about Topeka Rescue Mission, you can go to trmonlineorg. That's trmonlineorg. Thanks for listening to our community, our mission.