Brian Nash's Welcome Home Gift
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"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 bothers, you did it to me.’”
Matthew 25: 37-40
Brian Nash needs our help. This GoFundMe account will raise money for the following:
Rent for one year for Brian
Clothing for Brian
Transportation for Brian
Food for Brian
The funds will be held and disbursed to Brian on a monthly basis.
Please read the Thanksgiving Message from Chris McLaughlin, below. If you are so inspired to help, please share this message on your Facebook Timeline so we can get the word out about helping the least of these.
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It wasn’t the typical letter you get in the mail.
Nor was it my typical day before Thanksgiving.
The letter was from a homeless man in a Polk County jail cell.
The day before Thanksgiving (today) was my trip to visit him in jail.
But somehow I felt compelled to share these two events with you, so that you can see how truly blessed we all are, regardless of circumstances.
Brian Nash is homeless. He has little in terms of clothes. He searches daily for places to eat. He has no substantive material possessions.
You’d think he’d have a broken spirit, but his positive outlook on life is truly remarkable.
During the day you could typically find Brian in downtown Lakeland, which is close by Lighthouse Ministries and Talbot House, both homeless shelters where he can lay his head on a bed at night.
Brian befriended several business owners downtown, and during the day he’ll be doing odd jobs for small business owners, either cleaning leaves off the Keller Williams’ office rooftop or doing deliveries for the Lakelander Magazine.
Brian always asks for a hand up, but rarely a hand out. His gratitude is obvious. He’s thankful for each day.
But one day Brian wasn’t around downtown, and after a few more days of his noticeable absence, we discovered he was in the Polk County jail, on a drug possession charge from a year ago.
Brian was being held without bond. He had missed his required court appearances. It’s obvious why, as he’s homeless and has no transportation, but rules are rules.
At that moment, I was led to help Brian. I called up one of our area’s best local defense attorneys, David Kaylor, and hired him to represent Brian.
After David looked into the case, he emailed me saying that “because of his prior record, he scores a minimum sentence of 61 months in prison. That is their new offer...He is in a lot of trouble.”
I added Brian’s name to a local prayer list and brought his circumstances up for discussion. The group, a local Christian business group called C12, collectively spoke of God’s grace and redemptive power. It was our collective hope that Brian would be treated justly. They all prayed for mercy for a homeless man in jail they had never met before.
With Brian facing 61 months in prison, I told his lawyer David that we might as well go to trial, as he had little to lose if he lost at trial. I would cover the costs.
David maintained the pressure on the state attorney’s office, and something miraculous happened: they came back with an offer of a year in the county jail. Brain accepted the offer, and today he’s serving the sentence; he’ll be out in March 2016.
Brian could have easily slipped through the cracks. He could have been just another number, given 61 months in prison, and he could have been embittered at the hand he has been dealt. Even now, having to spend an entire year in jail, one wouldn’t begrudge Brian if he were mad at the world.
He is anything but.
Brian wrote me one of the most powerful thank you letters I’ve ever received in my life. It was four pages, single spaced, and contained more passages from the scriptures than your weekly church bulletin.
Brian wrote: “Chris, if I said thank you a million times then that would not be enough, but I will say it to you over and over again…I have never in my life had anyone intercede on my behalf...”
Brian writes “Thank God for second chances...Brother, I remain focused on today and I will take them one day at a time. Truly it’s not how many times you get knocked down or take yourself down. It’s how many times you get back up and keep trying.”
He continues, “Thank you my friend and that comes from a man who has never had a birthday party, but I have never, ever used it as an excuse or taken the woe is me attitude.”
Brian concluded his letter to me, “Most of all my friend keep the faith and continue to be a Doer of the Word. I leave you my friend Matthew 25 31-46.”
When I looked up that scripture, part of it reads:
"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 bothers, you did it to me.’”
As we gather with our families giving thanks for our many blessings, let’s be reminded there’s a homeless man sitting in jail, who’s never had a birthday party in his honor. Yet his spirit remains unbroken, and he’s thankful for each and every day he’s been given.
I’m convinced that God put Brian Nash on my heart so that his story could inspire other selfless acts on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society. In his second letter to me, Brian wrote: “The most amazing thing is how God has shown me that if I just give it all to Him he will use me and my availability for his use.”
Brian couldn’t be more right. God is using him to remind us all to help the least of these. And to remind us of how someone without any possessions and physical freedom can still be freer than all of us. They are powerful messages, and I know that Brian would be humbled to know that he’s helped deliver them.
May God bless you and yours this Thanksgiving.
With much love,
Chris McLaughlin
[email redacted]
PS: I visited Brian in jail today for an hour. His outlook remained just as positive in person as in his letters. You might be wondering what might happen to Brian when he gets out. His first letter ended up on the hands of Steve Turbeville, the head of Lighthouse Ministries. Steve contacted me to help setup a plan for Brian when he gets out. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m convinced Steve is yet another answer to Brian’s prayers.
P.P.S.: Brian has never had a party given in his honor.
It's our plan to present this gift to Brian alonside a party that will be held celebrating his kind heart.
Matthew 25: 37-40
Brian Nash needs our help. This GoFundMe account will raise money for the following:
Rent for one year for Brian
Clothing for Brian
Transportation for Brian
Food for Brian
The funds will be held and disbursed to Brian on a monthly basis.
Please read the Thanksgiving Message from Chris McLaughlin, below. If you are so inspired to help, please share this message on your Facebook Timeline so we can get the word out about helping the least of these.
-----------
It wasn’t the typical letter you get in the mail.
Nor was it my typical day before Thanksgiving.
The letter was from a homeless man in a Polk County jail cell.
The day before Thanksgiving (today) was my trip to visit him in jail.
But somehow I felt compelled to share these two events with you, so that you can see how truly blessed we all are, regardless of circumstances.
Brian Nash is homeless. He has little in terms of clothes. He searches daily for places to eat. He has no substantive material possessions.
You’d think he’d have a broken spirit, but his positive outlook on life is truly remarkable.
During the day you could typically find Brian in downtown Lakeland, which is close by Lighthouse Ministries and Talbot House, both homeless shelters where he can lay his head on a bed at night.
Brian befriended several business owners downtown, and during the day he’ll be doing odd jobs for small business owners, either cleaning leaves off the Keller Williams’ office rooftop or doing deliveries for the Lakelander Magazine.
Brian always asks for a hand up, but rarely a hand out. His gratitude is obvious. He’s thankful for each day.
But one day Brian wasn’t around downtown, and after a few more days of his noticeable absence, we discovered he was in the Polk County jail, on a drug possession charge from a year ago.
Brian was being held without bond. He had missed his required court appearances. It’s obvious why, as he’s homeless and has no transportation, but rules are rules.
At that moment, I was led to help Brian. I called up one of our area’s best local defense attorneys, David Kaylor, and hired him to represent Brian.
After David looked into the case, he emailed me saying that “because of his prior record, he scores a minimum sentence of 61 months in prison. That is their new offer...He is in a lot of trouble.”
I added Brian’s name to a local prayer list and brought his circumstances up for discussion. The group, a local Christian business group called C12, collectively spoke of God’s grace and redemptive power. It was our collective hope that Brian would be treated justly. They all prayed for mercy for a homeless man in jail they had never met before.
With Brian facing 61 months in prison, I told his lawyer David that we might as well go to trial, as he had little to lose if he lost at trial. I would cover the costs.
David maintained the pressure on the state attorney’s office, and something miraculous happened: they came back with an offer of a year in the county jail. Brain accepted the offer, and today he’s serving the sentence; he’ll be out in March 2016.
Brian could have easily slipped through the cracks. He could have been just another number, given 61 months in prison, and he could have been embittered at the hand he has been dealt. Even now, having to spend an entire year in jail, one wouldn’t begrudge Brian if he were mad at the world.
He is anything but.
Brian wrote me one of the most powerful thank you letters I’ve ever received in my life. It was four pages, single spaced, and contained more passages from the scriptures than your weekly church bulletin.
Brian wrote: “Chris, if I said thank you a million times then that would not be enough, but I will say it to you over and over again…I have never in my life had anyone intercede on my behalf...”
Brian writes “Thank God for second chances...Brother, I remain focused on today and I will take them one day at a time. Truly it’s not how many times you get knocked down or take yourself down. It’s how many times you get back up and keep trying.”
He continues, “Thank you my friend and that comes from a man who has never had a birthday party, but I have never, ever used it as an excuse or taken the woe is me attitude.”
Brian concluded his letter to me, “Most of all my friend keep the faith and continue to be a Doer of the Word. I leave you my friend Matthew 25 31-46.”
When I looked up that scripture, part of it reads:
"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 bothers, you did it to me.’”
As we gather with our families giving thanks for our many blessings, let’s be reminded there’s a homeless man sitting in jail, who’s never had a birthday party in his honor. Yet his spirit remains unbroken, and he’s thankful for each and every day he’s been given.
I’m convinced that God put Brian Nash on my heart so that his story could inspire other selfless acts on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society. In his second letter to me, Brian wrote: “The most amazing thing is how God has shown me that if I just give it all to Him he will use me and my availability for his use.”
Brian couldn’t be more right. God is using him to remind us all to help the least of these. And to remind us of how someone without any possessions and physical freedom can still be freer than all of us. They are powerful messages, and I know that Brian would be humbled to know that he’s helped deliver them.
May God bless you and yours this Thanksgiving.
With much love,
Chris McLaughlin
[email redacted]
PS: I visited Brian in jail today for an hour. His outlook remained just as positive in person as in his letters. You might be wondering what might happen to Brian when he gets out. His first letter ended up on the hands of Steve Turbeville, the head of Lighthouse Ministries. Steve contacted me to help setup a plan for Brian when he gets out. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m convinced Steve is yet another answer to Brian’s prayers.
P.P.S.: Brian has never had a party given in his honor.
It's our plan to present this gift to Brian alonside a party that will be held celebrating his kind heart.
Organizer
Chris McLaughlin
Organizer
Lakeland, FL
