>>Johnny: Looking back in the past 35 years of my life I realized that
I was focused on success at work and it left me very little quality time for serving God.
The result was that, guess what?
I made more money, but I didn’t do ministry the way I knew I should be doing it,
thinking that, “Oh well, I’m young, I’ll have more time."
So thirties, turns to forties, forties turns to fifties and now I’m in my late fifties.
Finally I’m trying to flip it in the right direction.
Spending quality time doing God’s work.
The process of identifying which ministry my wife and I should select was very important to us
and we put a lot of thought into it.
So when we discovered that over 600 refugees come to our city every year
we felt compelled to participate.
>>Bethany: So, we've got a family for you. They are from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
And it's a family of seven, and they're all girls.
>>Johnny: Wow.
>>Bethany: The DRC, it's been civil wars within the country. And that’s why they've had to flee.
The family arrives this Thursday night.
Everything is going to be new to them, and
they are really going to need a little bit of stability and y'all offer that.
We've got an apartment and we need to set it up.
Would y'all be interested in being involved in that process?
>>Johnny: Sure. Yeah. >>Bethany: OK
>>Johnny: The way I'm wired, it's important to me
to not be involved in huge events that are "Billy Graham-ish."
I'm not made for the spotlight. I'm prone to pride.
And that's what I have to fight.
So put me in a spot that doesn't foster that. And that's where the Lord is putting us.
When I read scripture I see that it is incumbent upon all Christians to love God and to love others.
Someone who shows up and didn't think he would ever get there,
and he came here by the skin of his teeth, and he knows not what the future holds.
That to me is a ripe situation to love others. And I want to be a part of it.
>>Johnny: Do you want to see it? You wanna go see?
One bedroom here. And their bedroom is here.
So mom and dad you sleep here and someone else sleep here.
>>Interpreter: I think the little one?
>>Johnny: The little one. Yes.
>>Johnny: Love is not that complicated. It’s actually quite simple.
It sort of looks like making yourself very helpful to the people in your life.
Some people need a soft word. Some people need a couch. Some people need a friend.
>>Johnny: Tell them that I’m sure they’ve had a long trip but they’re home,
and we’re glad they are home.
>>Interpreter: They’re happy to know that they have people who really care about them
and people to help them.
>>Johnny: Yeah.
>>Suzzi: I brought some banana bread
>>Interpreter: They think that they are going to keep seeing you in their lives.
They want to see you again.
>>Johnny: Tell her yes. Yes.
>>Johnny: When you're my age you realize the weight of idolatry.
And realizing that other things have been more important and have taken the place of God.
But at the same time what I’m encouraged about is the direction of my life.
I will befriend this family. I will become aware of needs. I will pray for this family.
Where that will lead, I'm not sure.
Everybody's aiming at something, it's incumbent upon us to know what is that and what should it be.
My aim in life is what God wants.
What brings him pleasure.
What is his desire?