Dear Churches and Faith Leaders of Portland,

I am just a homeless citizen, a lover of Jesus, a wandering fool for Christ. I am not claiming to have any knowledge except that which has been provided me from above. I don’t proselytize and I believe in leading by example so I set forth on a journey to walk as closelt with my lord as possible. To be a doer of the word not just a hearer.

For about 18 months or more now, I have walked this earth, across the entire country, visiting cities social services and churches with only one intention, to fully surrender to the will of God. This great experiment, brought by the destruction of my life of selfish and sinful passions has imparted in me some important truths that our Lord has convicted me to share with you all.

1. Loving God- During this walk with Jesus, I discovered the beauty that surprasses all understanding. That beauty lies deep within our souls and is only activated by the power of our love for God by the recognition of his love for us. When we truly love God with all our heart and all our soul, we begin the process of losing our identities. We no longer care who people think we should be or what people think of us, this is the beginning of true freedom. It is our love of God that stands us apart, that separates us from the world, that makes us the light on the lamp post. When you fully develop that awe inspiring, ever enduring, grace that only can come from the creator of all that is, only then does your light becomes visible, this light is like a candle as you walk down the hallway of a mysterious castle, it leads you safely to your bed chamber where you will find the rest and comfort you are longing for. This light within, the love of God, is so powerful that we ourselves are incapable of containing it so in order to maintain its brightness we must share it with others, like oxygen feeds the fire. This is the foundation that will bring us to the next step in our journey.
2. Love Others- It’s more about others than it is about ourselves. If you look at a street musician, maybe a violinist, his clothes may be ragged, he may be unshaven and ungroomed, but, if you look at his violin, it is polished, the strings are kept in good shape, he has a case that keeps the violin safe, his violin is the most important object of his life. Of course that street violinist takes care of that violin, that is how he earns his living, makes his way on this earth! Be God’s violin, play God’s music, and trust that he will take care of your needs as you do so. Think of others more highly than you think of yourself, think of everything belonging to God, because it does. Test this out for yourself, that whatever is given to you is not yours but his and there is no other purpose for it but to give it to someone in more need than yourself, play his music and wait for mor resin for your strings so you can keep playing. God speaks through the message of giving, hospitality is the music we play for God. Play it loud. You will be given everything you need to accomplish his will, not yours.
3. Faith is the currency of Heaven- “Faith” equals “Trust”. Rely on God and not your own understanding. This of course takes cultivating as all of these truths do, keep your eye on the prize, don’t stop practicing. Think of using your faith like collecting token or coins in a video game, everytime you put your complete trust in God, you collect a coin, these store up as your treasure in heaven, the final level. As your coins store up, your strength grows in these matters, you will be given everything you need to complete each level after until you receive your inheritance and be reunited with your father.
4. Heaven is in our Midst. Don’t think of Heaven as some far off place you have to get to, instead think of it as a veil being lifted off your face slowly. As you practice these truths the gates of heaven are revealed on the horizon of our hearts. When we change the things we look at, the things we look at change. It is this perspective, the perspective of the heart that our eyes are opened and we can begin to see that the kingdom of God is near. Seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened, ask and it will be given.
5. Believe in the power of transformation- Transformation is how God reveals himself, it is how we recognize his great mercy and love. To take what nobody else wants, to take what is old, to take what is despised and make it a completely new thing is God’s specialty. Everything is happening the way it is supposed to happen, don’t fight it. Swim with the currents of God’s love, our own wills make us like ducks trying to swim up niagara falls, sure one or two may get to the top, but that's the strongest current up there and they’ll be stuck swimming their whole life while the rest of the flock figured out they could fly. Never stop believing that God is working for you, especially during hard times, he’s just pruning your feathers so you can fly higher and faster than any of the others can swim.
6. All Good Things Come From Above- Practice being content with very little. If you believe God is going to give you everything you need than why fight so hard to get things that are just going to end up in the trash? Nothing material is going to bring you real joy like that which comes from God. If you don’t have it, figure you don’t need it. Learn to accept gifts from strangers and ask for help. There is no sin in asking, the sin is in not giving. God works through people, and usually not the people you think it will be, so embrace everyone, no matter what. Hatred will block the ebb and flow of God’s love and prevent you from discovering what his will is for you, doesn’t matter if you hate or others hate you, love is an open loop system and can only move through receiving points that are open to the experience, allow love to flow through you and to you.
7. Patiently Endure. Always remember an image of Jesus walking up carrying his own cross. We are all called to suffer with him if we are to be given eternal life and the rewards of heaven like him. We ALL have a cross to bear, don’t grumble or complain. Know that if it’s happening to you, it’s happening for a reason, do everything for his glory not your own or better yet do it to serve others his created. Earn some brownie points from daddy ;).
8. The Holy Spirit is real. Jesus left us his spirit so that we could do greater things than him. Make yourself a dwelling place. Your body is a tent, but it’s more like a garage that has been sitting for 50 years full of junk, clear it out, make room for what God wants to do with you. The Holy Spirit and his power will dwell in you equal and proportionate to what you are willing to surrender. The more you surrender, the more you feel the power of the Spirit of God in you. You will become possessed and soon start witnessing miracles all around you.
9. Never take credit for anything. God loves a humble and contrite heart. If everything is his, and you have surrendered to his will, then what do you have to take credit for? Give him the glory and praise! If Faith is the currency, then humility is like the super health bonus tokens, if you want to live longer, have everlasting life, do as many things in his name as possible. This will take you to the transformation bonus round.
10. Remember the poor- In Galatians, the Apostles, the men who actually walked with Jesus finally approved and agreed that Paul, a man who had merely claimed to have a vision, a man who had persecuted christians, does in fact have the correct gospel and it was indeed Jesus who implanted it in his heart, and said that yes he should go preach to the Gentiles, but these Apostles asked one thing, out of all the things these men who actually walked with Jesus could have possibly said, they said this, “Remember the Poor!”, of course Paul said it was the very thing he was eager to do anyways. Today, ask ourselves and our churches, shouldn’t this be the very thing we are eager to do as well?

God Bless you all, Our Lord or Lords, King of Kings, the great Emmanuel, may he comfrt you with every joy and every blessing.

Your brother in love,

Daniel Hoffman