“The guy said he was going to take his life that very night by jumping off the cliff. I was able to talk him out of it and share how much the Lord loved him.”
Some might say that Richie Pacheco just happened to be in the right place at the right time to save this man from committing suicide. I say, God had Richie there for a divine appointment. And it was Richie’s incredible sensitivity to the Lord and his servant’s heart that God used to spare this man’s life.
Richie didn’t always have this desire to be God’s servant.
In fact he went through a time of darkness and nearly self- destructed. He was hopelessly addicted to alcohol and drugs for years, desperately trying to fill a void in his life.
But one day he found himself in jail because of his addictions. “God stopped me in my tracks and showed me my entire future,” Richie says. Right there in that cold jail cell he surrendered and cried out to the Lord, “I’ll go anywhere you want me to go and do anything you want me to do.”
When he got out of jail, he learned he had lost his job and his apartment. He ended up living in his car for three and half months. Yet Richie knew God had brought him through this darkness for a reason. Every night he would go to a particular place, pray and seek the Lord.
On this one particular night, he felt the Lord telling him to go and speak to a stranger who was simply standing there looking out over a cliff. As Richie talked to him and shared the love of God with him, the man broke down and told Richie that he had come there to take his life.
But praise God, because of Richie, the man was delivered. Richie was even able to connect him with a church the next day to help get the man’s life back on track.
Richie is one of my caregivers. Believe me, I am so humbled by his amazing humility and willingness to serve. And I’m incredibly blessed because I get to be on the receiving end of his overwhelming generosity.
Richie’s heart touches my heart almost every day. As Richie says, “God certainly gives us gifts and talents, but those are for ushering in salvation. Jesus said He came to serve not be served. And that’s exactly what I can’t begin to say how much Richie, and all my caregivers, mean to me. Obviously, there’s so much I can’t do that they have to do for me. Yet I never hear grumbling or complaining. In fact I have to say my spirit is lifted because they are so utterly selfless.
Jesus said “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” But Jesus didn’t just preach this, He actually demonstrated it by washing the disciples’ feet.
At Life Without Limbs we want to shine this light — this servant’s heart, this selfless spirit, the very spirit of Christ — for everyone to see. Imagine if people truly gave up themselves and gave to others. They would not only be set free, their actions would radically change the world!
I’m humbly asking you to join us in sharing this servant’s heart — the heart of Christ Himself. Please consider becoming a monthly donor.
When you commit to support Life Without Limbs with automatic giving of only $20 or more each month, I’ll send you our new DVD The Valley featuring our visit to the Centinela State Prison during our Imperial Valley outreach. Also included as a bonus feature is The Lost Sheep mini teaching video – a powerful drama for the soul that shares the Good News in a bold new way. The documentary The Valley demonstrates how just a few faith warriors can make an enormous difference in an entire community and organize the biggest evangelical event that county had ever seen! 
If you can’t make a monthly pledge, then please give a one-time gift. For your one-time gift of $15 or more, I’ll send you the 2012 Transforming Lives for the Lord Calendar. Each month’s photo is a testament to how God is moving through this ministry around the world.
Your gifts will help us share the love of Christ at events around the U.S. as well as through our new radio program we will be broadcasting across America and even internationally.
Please join with me and say, “I want to serve and not be served. I want to give to others that they will know the gift that Christ gave to all.”
I can’t thank you enough. I am deeply aware, that every gift that comes to this ministry is because someone gave of themselves. I am forever humbled by your generosity and self-sacrifice. May God bless you with every good thing.
In Him and through Him and for Him,
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