April 17, 2013
Right Choice Ministries
Hagerstown, Maryland
ccm Cross #0051
GPS/DMS 39.6418° N, 77.7200° W
Additional pictures after Testimony:
3257 cdd The Right Choice
Cyber Daily Devotion
Volume 14 Number 083
Today’s Author: Pastor Bill
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:10-11
“So, friends, confirm God’s invitation to you, his choice of you. Don’t put it off; do it now. Do this, and you’ll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ” MSG
“If you allow young people to find their spiritual gifts and use them for the Lord now, it gives them self-worth and confidence, to become the man or woman Jesus intended them to be”. Susie Herbst
My name is Susie Herbst and this is my cross testimony to “Give God Glory” for fulfilling the dream of my late husband, best friend and ministry partner Winston.
Together, Winston and I many years ago saw the film Billy Jack. Now I wouldn’t classify it as a Christian motion picture but one scene pierced our hearts. It laid the seed for what is today Right Choice Ministries in Hagerstown, Maryland.
This scene has the two stars in the film discussing the value of helping young people. The young people appear to not give a rip about life and our God — the question is asked, “Why reach out and help them if they won’t help themselves.” The answer pierced our hearts, “Catch them now or you won’t be able to reach them at all.”
Over the years this stuck with us. We ministered to youth in Church settings and waited on the Lord. Then 29 years later we were released from church ministry to begin right Choice Ministries. Winston was an over-the-road truck driver and I had a full time job. We were very busy and it seemed like every time we were motivated to do the nonprofit paperwork some kind of big crisis got in our way.
Then tragedy struck. Winston had a very bad accident and broke his leg in several places. As I look back it was the Lord stopping us in our tracks long enough to get Right Choice Ministries started.
Four months later, after fully recuperating Winston had all the paperwork in place and 501(c)3 nonprofit Right Choice Ministries became a reality. That was the beginning in 2002. And up to his passing last December, to be with the Lord, we reached out to the youth of our area together with the love of Jesus.
We looked everywhere for a building to buy — nothing was available that we liked — we became frustrated and then the Lord said, “Look at the potato building”. Here it was right in front of us. Our farm stead had an older building that had housed potatoes before processing. The potatoes we harvested were providing income but it was such that Winston prayed he could be released from the potatoes — the Lord showed us a way.
Music was always a part of us and as we began ministering to teens and young adults our home became a refuge for playing musical instruments. We held informal concerts and visitors would come. But now the idea to have bands play and have a recreation place for youth was taking shape. Soon every part of our home and farm was dedicated to young people ministry. Our swimming pool, yard set with nets and places to play games were set up. And even our dining room table became the Bible room where we ministered to the toughest of the toughest young people.
The ones dressed the strangest were what the Lord sent us. They had many tattoos, black finger nails, black leather, rings in their body parts. Everyone became a welcome site at our table.
When ministering I asked, “Why must you make a statement like this? Is it insecurity or is it anger? The Holy Spirit fell on the youth and a path to their heart was opened. The anger and insecurities were exposed and the healing could begin.
It was like each one that came wore the mask of a clown — they hid behind the mask to hide their deep inner feelings. And when the Holy Spirit opened their lives the healings were incredible.
The more we opened our home the more youth came — we set the bar at 7th grade through young adult and our farm flourished with love, respect and Holy Spirit influence.
On a particular weekend we were holding an impromptu musical event and a traveling Christian Rock band attended named “Spoken”. They played and saw what we were doing. The Holy Spirit prompted them to help. They asked for our business cards — we gave them one. They said, “no, not one — we want that hole box”. We want to put you on the map!
And put us on the map they did. When they left Maryland they sent our business cards to every contact they had in the Christian Music industry. Through the power of the Holy Spirit connection we were established as a way station for traveling bands — from coast to coast and around the world. Now we hold weekly concerts with 3 – 6 bands and they have a place to express their music in Christian love.
At times it gets a bit loud but the Lord shows up and the Holy Spirit ministers — what more could we have asked for.
All this is a fulfillment of the seed laid in our heats all those years ago watching the Billy Jack film.
Pastor Bill the Cross was so special in Winston’s life. He loved the Cross and all that it stood for and setting people free. When Edgar Kline contacted Winston last fall about the possibility of having a cross planted here at right Choice Ministries, his spirit leapt for joy. Yes, he wanted a Cross — the bigger the better.
Winston always said the cross carried the message of our loving savior to the world and it was our job to share that love.
This specific Cross is the fulfillment of his dream for what we do here at Right Choice Ministries. Now everyone who comes for ministry, to the concerts or just for fellowship will be greeted first thing by the cross.
1 Corinthians 1:18
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” NKJV
This cross is dedicated to Winston and we are staying here to complete this ministry because when we chose to follow Jesus we made the Right Choice!
Prayer: Father thank you for Susie and her commitment to continue Right Choice Ministries creatively reaching youth and claiming their souls for your kingdom. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
Left to Right:
AJ Zimmerman, Tyler Dose, Pastor Bill,
Ryan Herbst, Susan Herbst, Pastor Carol
The home of Right Choice Ministries where
Susie ministers compassion, inspiration and
the love of Jesus to youth and young adults.
Doug Mason who blessed us last fall preparing the Antietam Battlefield,
Civil War Cross asked to help out at Right Choice Ministries.
Ryan Herbst holds the Cross beams
Doug Mason sets the beams
Doug makes holes for the bolts as his father Sonny (Lester)
Mason looks on. Sonny owns the Land for the Antietam
Battlefield, Civil War Cross.
Pastor Bill and Doug prepare the bolts.
Transporting the cross for planting.
Left to Right:
Doug Mason, Youth Pastor Brian Dillon, Pastor Jeff Tomlin,
Tyler Dose , Edgar Kline, Ryan Herbst , AJ Zimmerman
Representative Jeff Cline from the local district took an active
part in securing and preparing for the Cross. He stopped by
to participate in the planting. Left to Right:
Jeff Cline, Pastor Bill and Edgar Kline
A J Zimmerman inspects the sacrete in
preparation for the Cross Planting
Setting the Cross in position
Tyler Dose driving tractor moving
the Cross into position and lifting.
“Fire in the Hole”
Attaching the plaque.
Plaque “Giving God Glory” for Right Choice Ministries
it’s outreach for the Lord Jesus Christ throughout
the entire Hagerstown area and beyond.
WHAG-TV interviewing Susie Herbst holding the
plaque in preparation for the evening news cast.
One of the bands for the evening arrives
The band “Ready for Take Off” playing
Christian Rock Music during the evening.
Pastor Carol, between bands, shares a word
of love and encouragement with the audience.