by Rick Pidcock

Jesus said that the poor would always be with us.  In fact, there are 12 million children that are at risk of going hungry in America today.  Every month, thousands of people are being forced to leave their homes due to foreclosure in Denver.  And to make matters worse, 45% of all of Denver’s homeless are women and children.

In Matthew 25:35-40, Jesus says, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Providence Ministries is a Denver-based ministry that seeks to love the poor by providing after school tutoring, fatherless outreach, homeless family mentoring, addiction recovery, teen outreach, and drug and alcohol classes.

On December 4, 2009, a group of people are going to spend a night in a box in order to raise funds and awareness that will go to existing programs currently helping the poor (Denver Rescue Mission & Denver’s Road Home) as well as renovation costs of a newly acquired community center (Providence Ministries) located in the heart of Five Points, Denver.

I am going to be one of the people spending a night in a box.  So if you would like to support these great causes by sponsoring me, please either let me know or fill out the sponsor form online here.

For more information, be sure to check out the official website here.

by Rick Pidcock

On January 1, 2009, my wife and I found out that we were going to have a baby after trying to get pregnant for a long time. We were so excited to let all of our friends and family know. And then the day before we were going to fly out to tell our families in person, we found out that we were having a miscarriage.

The sorrow that we feel in this world reminds us that we are between two worlds. This world has tastes of beauty, love, and grace. But it is still a world marred by sin.

As Christians, we hope for a better world. That world is where we will experience beauty, love, and grace to the fullest.

It is with that hope that we hold on to our Savior. It is with that hope that we listen to His words, “Do not be afraid.”

About three weeks after we found out that our baby was going to heaven, I wrote this song as the longing of my heart for something beautiful–a world of no more tears and no more suffering.

Oh, and btw, our new baby is due March 8, 2009!

BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
Words and music by Rick Pidcock

Between two worlds,
Between two places I call home,
One is where I really long to be.
Beyond my dreams,
It is a place I’ve never been.
But it’s the place I was created for.

A world of no more tears and no more suffering.
A world where worship is an endless offering.
Where I will finally see my Savior face to face,
And I will fully know I was created for

Another world,
A better moment than today,
A promise that, at last, I’ll finally see.
Then I will live
With joys I’ve only now begun.
I’ll dance before the One who set me free to

A world of no more tears and no more suffering.
A world where worship is an endless offering.
Where I will finally see my Savior face to face,
And I will fully know something beautiful.

Hold on. Hold on to Him.
Hold on to Him. And do not be afraid.

(c) 2009 Rick Pidcock

by Rick Pidcock

I wrote and recorded this song a few days ago for a fundraiser that is being held this December by a new non-profit organization in downtown Denver. It is based on the words of Christ in Matthew 25:34-40.

I’ll be sharing more information with you soon regarding the fundraiser.

by Rick Pidcock

Five years ago this week, Ruth Ellen and I packed up our first apartment, and moved temporarily into my parents house for a couple of weeks before our big move to Denver, CO.  I was a young graduate with a Bible degree, and had big dreams of spending the rest of my life leading worship in one church–the church that we were moving to Denver to start.

These past five years have been the most exciting, challenging, and sometimes discouraging years of our lives.  Eight vehicles later, a number of failed jobs later, and even a miscarriage later, we have been through quite a bit.

But perhaps the most difficult decision of all, was the decision to move on from the ministry that we loved so dearly.  Over this past year, God has made it clear to both of us that it was time for a new chapter in our lives.

The one thing that has remained constant in all of our ups and downs is the gospel.  In the first two chapters of Job, Job loses his health, wealth, influence, and family.  And then as he lay there in a pile of ashes and dung, with blistering sores and worms covering him, his wife looks down at him and says, “Curse God and die!”

But when man says to curse God and die, the gospel says that God cursed God so that we can live, so that we can have hope, so that our souls can find their vindication in the Redeemer.

Though we have been through alot of suffering, we have a Redeemer who took it all on Himself so that we can experience, enjoy, and glorify Him forever.  So our trust and our hope is in Him, not in unfulfilled dreams, or ever-changing circumstances.

It is with great excitement and anticipation that we have decided to join the ministry of Providence Bible Church in downtown Denver. Providence began just nine months ago, led by Jay Janz and a group of elders from the Denver area and around the country.

I will be involved in the worship and children’s ministries.  And Ruth Ellen is going to help out with the children’s ministries and some of the decorating opportunities.

We are currently trying to rent out our townhouse and sell our Montero so that we can make the move downtown to be closer to the church community.

Thank you so much for your prayers, encouragement, and support over these past five years.  We have great memories.  But we also have alot to look forward to–not because of how gifted we may think we are, or how incredible we may think Providence is, but because we have a Redeemer who was cursed on the cross so that we can experience an abundant, eternal life in Him.

by Rick Pidcock

God has given me the opportunity over the next few weeks to preach through a series on our God of Hope as found in the book of Job.  You can listen to the audio of the first sermon here.

Also, check out this great video preview for a new John Piper book on Job.