Voicing Heaven in Earth's Language

I went into this journey with Jesus a little skeptical, but I have embarked on the greatest adventure of life that has taken me everywhere, from China, to Brazil, to homelessness on the streets. I have not seen it all, but I have seen a lot. Only God could orchestrate such a symphony of highs and lows, joys, tears, and pain. No symphony is complete without the suffering. Only Jesus could convince me to graduate from college with a degree and yet not set out a single resume', but instead give everything away and live among homeless people as one of them for almost five months. Only Jesus could orchestrate taking me with no job or or regular income over the past year to pray in San Diego and in Washington D.C. on two different occasions. Only Jesus could lead me to where I'm living now and miraculously provide for all my needs. Only Jesus fulfilled the prophecies, only Jesus heals bodies, only Jesus brings the dead to life, literally and physically even! Only Jesus freed me

1. I/We (naterick23 and the lady, the one also broadcasting on my channel) do not hate anyone . Do not accuse us of hate because we have expressed a concern about morality. Calling abortion morally wrong is not hate speech. It's just a truth statement. Writing comments that include profanity and put-downs is more in the line of hate. 2. Please do not label us self-righteous or hypocritical. Those terms are way over-used by people who are angry at Christians and they're used without much thought. Why do I say this? Because nobody is self-righteous except God himself! Even Jesus said that! All of us whether Christian or not are born evil and selfish. Nobody is claiming to be better than anybody. Only in Jesus can anybody be righteous. We're all on equal ground, friends. I establish this so that you understand that we're not talking down to you because we have no right to. We're wicked people who are only learning to become righteous through Jesus and

Beloved in Jesus, I am beginning a new series of updates because of an ever-developing chapter that has begun. Welcome to Word on the Journey Volume 2, Number 1. I am no longer living on the streets, but living in a transition phase which has been happening over the past month or so. While I enjoyed the fruit of the experience on the streets and certainly see the purpose of it, I'm so relieved that the Lord has led me on. Living homeless is not fun. It was necessary for the time being for me to live by faith and release myself to God in life. You could almost call it a rite of passage from childhood and a life of reliance upon my parents, to adulthood and a life led by faith and not sight, by the words of God and not my own rationale. I have set the course for the rest of my life and thinking by taking this first step. No matter what the circumstances look like and no matter what any person thinks, I live according to what faith tells me and not according to anything else.

Check out the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyG4uOxCyGQ Abortion is blatantly evil. It is murder. It is fueled by a culture of convenience, self-gratification and death. It is perpetuated by the religion of Humanism. Do not be blinded by so-called progress, change and intellectualism. Do not be tricked by rhetoric and charisma. Murder has always been murder and it's never been right, no matter how it is argued, to take a human life. I cannot force anyone to vote any certain way, but I can inform the conscience and I call people to terms. Do not vote for Obama's extremism, especially pertaining to the murder of babies. He will hurt our country and take away everything about America that is distinctive. He will discard our roots, for the Humanism of the world. He will introduce economic policies which look dangerously socialistic. And we cannot handle the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan like someone seasoned in such matters like John McCain. Vote carefull

Beloved in Jesus, I am beginning a new series of updates because of an ever-developing chapter that has begun. Welcome to Word on the Journey Volume 2, Number 1. I am no longer living on the streets, but living in a transition phase which has been happening over the past month or so. While I enjoyed the fruit of the experience on the streets and certainly see the purpose of it, I'm so relieved that the Lord has led me on. Living homeless is not fun. It was necessary for the time being for me to live by faith and release myself to God in life. You could almost call it a rite of passage from childhood and a life of reliance upon my parents, to adulthood and a life led by faith and not sight, by the words of God and not my own rationale. I have set the course for the rest of my life and thinking by taking this first step. No matter what the circumstances look like and no matter what any person thinks, I live according to what faith tells me and not according to anything else.

There must be more than this. If all there is to Christianity is getting "saved" and then everything is great, you go to church, you witness a little bit, you go to prayer meetings and experience the "fire of God", you keep sinning "only occasionally", but it's okay because it's less than before, you get baptized in the Holy Spirit and prophesy and speak in tongues and you get excited about theology; if we are content with how things currently are, then Christianity is false and no person should have the audacity to say that Christianity is unique among the religions of the world or that it's a relationship with God. If all of the above is it, a few events that happen in our lives, then Jesus is dead and Christianity is a hoax. WE MUST HAVE MORE! We are talking about the resurrection power of God, actually and literally raising people from the dead. We are talking literally about ETERNITY and about a literally ALL-POWERFUL God. How can we

I'm sorry that this email is so long overdue, or maybe it's just right on time, so forget the apology. Everything finds it's time in our Lord and nothing is late in the economy of God. I'm sure you've all been wondering some of the latest with me. A lot of changes and transition happening. As of late, I've not been living as a homeless person, but the transition from that season to the next is still in process and may continue to be for a long time yet. I'm not rushing the transition or assuming anything, but walking it by faith as Yahweh reveals His will to me. I'm far from being called away from the homeless and ministry among them, but God is shifting my focus to His work in our midst in Wilmore which I believe will be the future major platform of His ministry to and through me. A lot of service among the homeless will continue to happen, but I'm not living as one of them anymore. Currently, I'm living with a friend in Lexington, the di

www.cleardigitalsolutions.com/sonshine/NathanRickard08.mp3 I don't know how much longer this link will work, so check it out soon.

A buddy of mine with a terrible toothache a couple weeks ago was concerned that he'd have to go the dentist which he couldn't afford, so I prayed for him and he was healed. Praise God for an outbreak of physical healings!

Beloved in Jesus, Today, I was interviewed by Anne Stephens for her radio show, "Sonshine Today" which will air this Saturday at 10 am on 99.1 (sorry for those of you not in Lexington). I did not just write this to advertise about this radio interview. I write to testify to a miracle of God which happened today as a result of this. Anne uses Adobe Audition 1 to record these radio interviews and has been for several years. We did the 30 minute interview and it was awesome. She actually told me that it was one of the best interviews she'd done. God was all over it. And then, we recorded another five minute story which we wanted to edit into this as well. The tragedy came when Anne, as she was talking to me, accidently saved this 5 minute segment by the same name as the original 32 minute segment, and before our eyes, the original interview was overwritten and lost, just like that. She tried to undo and searched her whole computer for the original and it was nowhere

As of late, I've not been living as a homeless person, but the transition from that season to the next is still in process and may continue to be for a long time yet. I'm not rushing the transition or assuming anything, but walking it by faith as Yahweh reveals His will to me. I'm far from being called away from the homeless and ministry among them, but God is shifting my focus to His work in our midst in Wilmore which I believe will be the future major platform of His ministry to and through me. A lot of service among the homeless will continue to happen, but I'm not living as one of them anymore. Currently, I'm living with a friend in Lexington, the director of Sonshine Mission who I've been helping over the past few weeks. I'm not in any formal sort of work yet, but my plan for now is to work temporary jobs and odd jobs because this is what God has revealed to me. I'm basically just getting by financially in this line of work. My only real bill

Some new things are brewing. I see some things on the horizon in my spirit and I'm excited. I don't even exactly know what they are. I don't know if it means that I'm coming off the streets, although it certainly seems like it will. After almost 5 months out here, God's revelation and presence still seems fresh and His mercies and blessings are new every morning. Amen! I'm seeing in such a clear and awesome way God's leading by faith in my life and it's so simple! It's so very simple. Anything that was so difficult before was because of my overly analytical mind and my Thnatural human fears. The Christian life is so very simple (but not always easy). Tat's it! At this point, faith is all I have to lean on, because I have 0% of my future planned, absolutely zero. Do I have plans and thoughts and expectations? Absolutely! Do I know for sure what's going to happen? Nope! And that's ideal. I'm so excited. For 1.5 years, I&

A lot changed last week when a handicapped guy came rolling through the doors of Lighthouse to get a free meal. I had just finished washing dishes after the normal lunch served to the homeless and I walked out in the main room to find one of the program guys feeding this guy. I took over because this program guy needed to do something else and we launched into a long talk. What a difficult situation! This man was and is facing homelessness and I immediately wanted to do something about it. I didn't realize how close our contact would be for at least the next few days. He needs help with about everything. I saw him again the next day where he discovered my life on the streets and invited me to stay at the motel where he was staying for a night. I graciously accepted and went back to Wilmore for the Sunday like usual. On Tuesday, he faced the prospect of homelessness and I cared for him much of the day. At supper, God deposited the thought into my head of 2 ladies I knew and

In following God, I did not take my cross and was not whole-hearted, because subconciously I received Jesus, but did not receive the suffering which comes with that name. Now, the Father poses the question to me, "Will you drink the cup of suffering that comes with bearing Jesus' name?" He did not ask me to make life hard on myself or to strive to do religious things driven by fear, but to receive the suffering which comes with following Jesus. Instead of opposing it, will I receive it? Will I embrace all that the fasted lifestyle entails and receive the suffering which my flesh endures so that it might find it's greatest fulfillment in Jesus? I've half-heartedly embraced it, but not to the fullest degree yet and I might as well leave it behind and say "No, thanks" to the Lord if I'm not totally going to embrace it. This is a part of the heart of God; that I embrace the suffering which reminds me of my dependence on Him. We must know that when we say

I'll admit that the Lord has been teaching me about his kindness and mercy, his patience and how important faith is even before works, and yet how works are such an important aspect of faith. I've also learned in the past years of my life (or shall I use the word "indoctrinated") to be tolerant and patient toward those of other beliefs. I have bought into this belief mainly for one reason and it's not due to what I've seen in Scripture. I've bought into this belief because I know some people in this world that are sincerely seeking truth that do not believe the same as I do. Of course, that's only an assumption. Some people in this world are probably seeking truth more zealously than I am and I'm probably seeking truth more zealously than some others. Now this brings me to a problem. Those may sound like good intentions, but Scripture proclaims with authority that Jesus alone is the truth. Faith should inevitably result in increasing one'

Yahweh has shown me how much I've bought into the lie of fear and furthering my own ego, especially recently in my approach to Scripture. I have been used by God to facilitate a weekly Bible study for guys in the program at the Lighthouse and lately I've been distracted by the temptation to put together good intellectual Bible studies that reflect my abilities in order to prove myself to them and God. God is certainly putting me through some purging right now to purge that very desire from me. What I'm seeing is that the rhetoric of faith is not just rhetoric. I have believed the lie (not whole-heartedly, but subconsciously) for much of my life that the Scripture was just good philosophical rhetoric without truly practical application and that to live life, it was really just up to me to produce. God has been using this time in me to expose that lie in the strongest terms. The rhetoric of Scripture is actually absolute truth with practical application! I say this not

Beloved, I have had a hiatus recently as I returned to Michigan for almost 2 weeks. What a good time. It was great to see old friends and be with family, but I also realized how much I belong in Lexington, KY. I was so ready to return after those 2 weeks. As much as I love and miss Michigan, I could not be happy there unless God called me back there, even though some of my favorite people are there. I enjoyed the beach, and sitting on rooftops watching fireworks, speaking at my dad's church, and spending 2 a day in Cincinnati seeing the Creation Museum. That museum was my graduation gift from my parents and it was awesome. It's quite a facility they've built, dedicated to perpetuating a biblical worldview. It greatly informed my thinking and provided me with some great resources. Now, it's time to be back on the streets. So far, I do not know how much longer I'll do this, but I'm giving my time to building my faith and the faith of others, studying, and

Beloved in Jesus, How I enjoy sending these updates. They help me to remember a lot of what's been happening, and I always receive so much encouragement from ya'll who take the time to reply! I really appreciate that too because I'm bad about taking time to reply to emails because I don't want to take the time and I'm honored to have some of you which take the time to encourage me in the Lord every time I send one! I want to be more like that! I've had a hard couple of weeks, but rewarding as well. Along side of my struggles with complacency and laziness, Jesus is also launching me into some new territory. Lessons and revelation keep pouring in! There's so much prophetic activity happening that it's hard to sort it all out, but it's so exciting as well. First off, one of my main struggles has been with my own introverted personality. I don't think it's bad to be introverted; I like being introverted, but every personality trait is repl

Some of you are probably wondering how long I plan on doing what I'm doing right now. In fact, many of you do because I've been asked many times. What was going to be a 2 month deal (possibly) has turned out to be longer than that. I think that this will be a summer affair at least. As I've prayed and discerned I've found myself concerned with becoming chronically homeless of apathetic. However, thanks to the encouragement of many and my own relationship with God, I know that this will not happen. I know for sure that I was led into this season by faith and I'll be led out of it by the same. God has always made big life decisions crystal-clear to me and this will be no different. As Psalm 119 states, God's word is a lamp to my FEET and a light to my path. So I know that when I'm in the dark about where I'm going, my feet are being led every step of the way. I can still feel the texture of the straight and narrow path under my feet, even though

Believe it or not, the homeless and street culture actually speak a different language, with a different worldview, different way of thinking, and different way of viewing reality and circumstances. I did not realize how hard it is to cross worldviews. It's very hard. It's even hard to engage in small talk sometimes, but I'm slowly learning how to do this and I've also finally found the point of relationship between me and them (there really is no "me" and "them", but that's how I perceive it). I haven't met a lot of people with a biblical way of thinking in the street culture. What's the point of contact? Our carnality is where our paths cross. I seem to quickly note all of the weaknesses of those I want to serve and help and forget that I have those same weaknesses. I can relate to carnality because I am carnal. Addictions is something I have in common with the homeless because I have addictions too. I too must cast myself on

Lot's of experiences the past 2 weeks. It's been pretty busy and pretty painful too. I'm not complaining, as much as I'm just seeking to be honest. It came to the place where I wasn't feeling like being out on the streets anymore. I just wanted to stop and didn't see how I could continue doing what I'm doing any longer. I've been coming to terms constantly though with the need for me to go through those feelings and know them. This is how I come to terms with the lifestyle. And this is also how I die off, which needs to happen. The Lord has drilled it into me that this experience is largely one of taking the cross and dying off so that He might be glorified. I'm finding with my time that even as I'm out here, my clear foundation needs to be in the place of prayer. As such, the Lord has asked me to dedicate a half day each week to fasting from everything, but Him. My strength and stamina will be rooted in such times. I have had numerous

"1Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God." 1 Peter 4:1-2 I am coming to terms with this. I have suffered on psychological, emotional, and physical levels as I've continued to pursue what I'm certain to be the will of God and it's hard. It's hard because I keep thinking that I have to build some really good professional ministry or program that reflects all the academic education I've had (Everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind). I want to do everything that this world and country defines as success. I want to do everything, but suffer and identify and build relationships with broken people who show me my own broken human state. And I fear. I am afraid that I'm not capable of building earthly success like other peop

Brothers and Sisters, I've had a a busy couple of weeks! This is why I did not send an update last week. Besides that, I felt the need to not be so religious with updates, lest I lose focus on my purpose for being out here on the streets. And by the way, I appreciate all accountability in what I'm doing from ya'll. After spending a good 5-6 weeks feeling aimless and unsure of myself, I've had a very busy 2 week period involving a lot of different divine appointments and opportunities. I've been making an intentional effort to connect with more people who are already doing ministry out here in Lexington. I'm convinced that I need mentors to help me learn some of what street ministry looks like. I've also been helping lead a Bible study every Friday morning at The Lighthouse, I've started getting involved in the 12 step program there (which intersects a lot with the street culture), I've been going through my journal and reviewing what God's

Wow! I saw Matthew 19:16-30 (The Rich Young Ruler) in a whole new light today! Actually I saw it in the way people have always explained it to me, but I never could see it the way that they were trying to explain. I realize now why. God never let me see it the way I'm about to explain because He wanted me to take it literally first. So, I sold my possessions, well actually gave most of them. Some remain up in Michigan. Finally, I've seen this passage as it's meant to be seen. Really, this passage is not about the possessions, though it was in this particular man's case as well as in my case. It's about Jesus painting an impossible ethic so that we must trust God for salvation and the ability to do this ethic. This man was too in love with his possessions and if he'd trusted Jesus, he would have been justified before God and He would have been enabled then to believe and obey his commands such as giving up all his possessions. God can do anything! God

8 April 2008 I'm going to do some things way out of my comfort zone today. I'm going to fast and I'm going to sit all day instead of being busy going from place-to-place. I'm going to practice listening. I ask You to stir up my prophetic anointing. Stir up the Spirit of God in me and my ears to hear. I've heard You interpret the Scripture to me; open my ears to hear You that I might wqalk according to the words I've received and speak Your words into different lives. Later... Today's been good. I decided not to work the system today, but to sit, rest, wait and watch. I hadn't even been doing that long before a brother bought me coffee and another brother came by to give me some rice to eat. A. J., the one who gave rice is a prodigy who speaks 6 languages fluently and won the Lexington Chess Championship a few years back. It's so cool to be a subject of love and God's provision, not working the programs which are impersonal and more focus

Beloved in Christ, You cannot imagine what I went through on Monday night when I came out to Lexington again and had reason to believe that my sleeping spot had been discovered and then I started getting nauseous and began shivering uncontrollably, even with a sweatshirt and wool shirt on. I thought that I was in for a long night of who knew what. I ended up over at a prayer tent on the University of Kentucky campus which was hosting 24-7 prayer for the entire week. I figured I'd pray there as late as I could until I went to sleep and hope that know one would kick me out of there. Praise God, He had better ideas. A friend whom I met one time before at Church of the Savior happened to come into the prayer tent that night and lo and behold, when finding out my issue, invited me to the apartment he's been staying at. For the next day and 2 nights, he took care of me, giving me food, letting me sleep and relax the whole time. Talk about a good samaritan (except he's not

Brothers, Sisters, family, and friends, I'm currently in my 4th week out on these streets and I'm in a stage of monotony. Life seems to be getting monotonous. Imagine how people who've been out here for a couple years feel. I'd imagine they're pretty numb to it now. Either this will make me stronger or really mess me up. I choose the former. I haven't slept in the Hope Center at all this week; I've been outside every night, and last night I was flat out exhausted. I slept without waking once, even on the hard cement and even after I woke up at 6:00 am (my natural alarm clock), I was still quite exhausted. I laid down again on a church porch that smelled like alcohol for another half-hour (I hope I didn't pick up any alcohol scent along the way). Wow, what a week. I've still been enjoying the week though. I have received encouragement from several people and God's provision too. I did an experiment on Tuesday this week and instead of ru

Intercessors, friends, and family, I love you all very much. I've had amazing support from so many of you that I'm quite undeserving of. It's always been hard for me to just receive God's grace without paying back, but I'm learning too. I do pray, however, that I can one day aid many of you as you've aided me, not to pay you back, but just to do what Jesus would do. This week has seen things pretty bright, still hard sometimes (late last week), but lot's of blessings and so much to be thankful for. Provision has abounded for me-I love how God works. Lessons have also abounded. See my blog ( manofyahweh.blogspot.com ) for some of those and some of my questions. I still struggle with the idea of becoming complacent-something I just hands-down do not want to do. I've had to be pretty patient as I seek to learn what God would have me learn and do what God would have me do. Am I here to zealously evangelize or build deep relationships. Some would sa

To the body of Christ, Well these past few days on the streets have been hard-mostly emotionally and mentally as I adjust to a whole different perspective-worlds different from my own perspective previously. I spent the first night under an overhang in a parking garage and the past 2 nights in the Hope Center (the only shelter in Lexington for men). They have drug and alcohol rehab there and then they have a service called "General Population" for guys like me that just need a place to sleep. General Population needs to be out during the day and returns at night for supper. It costs like $1 each night, but my first 5 days are free. I've met a lot of people and it can almost be a little overwhelming. It's been an uncomfortable adjustment. Even yesterday, it rained and poured like crazy and I was cooped up in the Hope Center most of the day-it felt like prison from the food to the type of people I was around. It's so different being out here as a homeless

As I continue in my journey out here on the streets, I'm beginning to learn about real dedication and the faith it requires. I'm alive to enjoy and know God and next to fulfill His purposes for my life. What I'm doing really is a full time job where I have to stay totally focused on the mission God has given me and to deviate from it always convicts me. Mine is a life that must have focus to it or it will be wasted on petty pleasures that don't really mean anything. Everything I do must be about knowing and enjoying God first and then loving and serving all who I encounter on the streets. It's not always easy, but I'm finding as I move in faith that God is actually putting His love for people in me. It's quite amazing and I never expected it to work out this way. Radical love awakens spiritual zombies. The biggest way in which I do this is by taking time to know people and give them the time of day. I certainly share tangible stuff too when I can, b

Beloved Friends, Brothers, and Sisters, What a week! I've hardly had time to stop and reflect on it all or write in my journal as much as I've wanted to! It's been a week of a lot of affirmation and blessing from the hand of God. It's begun to illustrate to me the divine placement God has for me for such a time as this. This time has begun to feel like a full time job, which is good, because I've been seeing so many doors of opportunity open and it's kept me moving. My time has been split during this week between time among my prayer base (the body of Christ) and time among the people God's called me to love. On Tuesday, I spent the majority of the day with my friend Kevin. We talked a lot, he took me to see a movie called "The Bucket List" and we talked a lot. He says that the Bible is truth and yet his practical outlook on life is darwinian "survival-of-the-fittest." This kind of philosophy yields a depressing outlook on life wh

1 April 2008 "I can see the fingerprints of God when I look at you." This is the song which played in my head as I stood outside the Catholic Action Center. I was looking at all the different kinds of people out there; problem was, I didn't act or treat these people as if they had the fingerprints of God all over them. Jesus said in Matthew 25 that whatever one's done for the least of these, he's done to Jesus. I did not see Jesus in these people, but I want to. A friend sent me an email much to the same effect-see Jesus in these people. Often, I don't even have anything to say. I'm trying to think about so many things at once-my relationship with God, quenching my flesh, ministering, serving, loving and seeing all people for what they are: people created in God's image. I've been reminded over and over of the need to stay humble and build relationships. I don't feel very confident. I need to stay prayed up. 2 April 2008 Well, a good friend cam