David Deloache :

Hi, my name is David Deloache. I was born in Atlanta Georgia, and grew up in Macon, Georgia. I was raised in a non-denominational church, but am now a member of Tucktson United Methodist. I graduated from the University of Georgia in 2001, and currently work for Nutter and Associates, an environmental consulting firm. In June of 2005 I married my unbelievable wife, Amy. I first found out about the Sparrow’s Nest through a group of guys, at my church, that I meet with each week to pray with. I called Pastor Earl Delmarter one evening a couple of years ago, not knowing much about the Sparrow’s Nest, to ask how I could help. He talked to me about helping serve food, if I wanted, to the youth on Thursday nights and also about serving at a gathering called “Food for Friends”, held once a week. I have been blessed and encouraged beyond measure ever since. There are many ways that the Sparrow’s Nest reaches out to the people of Athens, but I would like to tell you about two aspects of the ministry that have impacted my life in a way that I can hardly describe.

The first is the youth group of the Sparrow’s Nest. I started out just coming and hanging out with them on Thursday nights, helping in whatever way I could, which wasn't much. The more I hung out with them the more they encouraged me. As I began to see their courageous, yet subtle hearts in everything they did, my eyes were opened to a whole new world. You see, these children of God came from nothing, as we would see through earthly eyes, but the way they stand in the face of adversity, through the grace of Jesus Christ, gives them a spiritual richness that is rarely found in this world. They weren't dealt a great hand, but they have persevered and surpassed their environment, when most would have yielded to Satan long ago. They are truly amazing to watch, as they find peace, by seeking Jesus.

The second is a gathering of poor and afflicted people on Thursday afternoons, called “Food for Friends”. Let me start by saying I have never walked away from this shared time not being tremendously blessed. You could be having the worst day of your life at work and walk away from this time truly believing that nothing is too big for God to overcome. It is a total reversal of the way in which our flesh wants to deal with and interact with this would. We praise the Lord for a little while, listen to Pastor Earl give a message, and then pray for whoever and whatever needs to be prayed for. Not a bad way to spend your lunch hour. Every Thursday my life is put into perspective and the Lord grants me victory over whatever earthly thing the enemy has tried to tell me “matters”. I am speaking of the seen and temporal distractions that we become so caught up in, that they choke out the most important thing, our communion with God. At “Food for Friends”, a freedom and love exists in the eyes and hearts of these needy people that has only been produced, in their lives, through reaching rock bottom. Like the youth of the Sparrow’s Nest, these precious souls gain a richness in faith, through their trials, that few will ever know. They need nothing else, but the fullness of the Lord’s Spirit dwelling inside them. I thank God for them, because they bless me with their love and faith, far greater than I could express to you through words.

In His Love, David Deloache