SOUPMAN'S 39TH BIRTHDAY---AGAIN!!!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

Another year has gone by and I am turning 39 (again) on August 18th. As I get older I often ponder 'What's it all about? Why am I here on this planet? Why are we here? What's our purpose? What's the meaning of it all?'


I've lived life on this planet two ways. Early on in my younger days I lived life just for myself. I basically worried about my wants, my needs and my life. I didn't give much thought to others. It wasn't that I mistreated others or gave people a bad time. It was just that I was the main focus of my life on this planet.


Guess what? Living life just for myself was not very satisfying. And no matter how much you have, when you are living your life for yourself its never enough. Its like there is a hole in your soul that can't be filled. The Bible tells us that Jesus will fill that hole but I think we have to do our part. In my own life I knew Jesus but that didn't seem to be enough. What I had to learn was that just knowing the words of Jesus was only half the equation. The other half was living the words of Jesus.Or as spoken in SoupSpeak, 'you can talk the talk but can you walk the walk?'


In my younger years I let a lot of birthdays go by where I just 'talked the talk'. Yeah, I went to church, quoted the Bible and believed in and loved Jesus but as for actually 'living' the words of Jesus---well that was for the other guy. It was only during the long term illness of my late wife Peggy that I started to 'live' the words of Jesus. And while I don't consider myself anything special, I do consider Jesus special and worthy of my obedience.


Jesus said "Feed MY Sheep." At the SoupMobile we believe that he wasn't making a suggestion but more of a call to action. We also believe he meant more than just food. He also meant love, caring, compassion and shelter. As the SoupMan I have the deep privilege of serving the ones Jesus called the 'least of these.' That hole in my soul has been filled with a richness of caring, compassion and love.


Every year as my birthday rolls around, I am asked 'Hey SoupMan, what do you want for your birthday?' The answer is nothing. That hole in my soul has long been filled and I am in need of nothing. However if you insist on giving me something, then I would only ask this:


Give something to your fellowman. Reach out in love to those around you just like Jesus would have done. It could be something as simple as a friendly smile, putting a quarter in an expired parking meter, sending flowers to someone in a nursing home, fixing a stranded persons flat tire, volunteering at a local charity, praying for a friend, buying a meal for a homeless person, or a hundred other little things that can make a big difference in someone's life.



If you will reach out to your fellowman in love, kindness and mercy then you will have given me the best birthday gift I could ever ask for. I have lived my life both ways. Early on when it was all about me and now, where its all about 'Feeding HIS Sheep.' The latter is far more satisfying.


p.s. Yes, the SoupMan is turning 39---again!!! I will leave you with the words of one of the smartest men from the 20th Century. Albert Einstein said "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Who's Number One???

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

Who's Number One! That's a question that seems to be asked all the time in our society. We are obsessed with who's the number one sports team; who's the richest man in the world; who's the top movie star; who's the best athlete; who makes the best widgets and many more Who's the....................

Recently at SoupMobile Headquarters this very question came up. The question was who's the most important person working at the SoupMobile. Here's how the question came up. We were writing a Public Relations piece involving myself and another staffer at the SoupMobile. The piece listed the other staffer first and me second in the introduction. That other staffer was my good friend Lon Ricker who is the Director of Development at the SoupMobile. He said there had been a mistake in the piece and that my name should have been first in the introduction, not his and we needed to change it.

I asked him why he thought my name should be first and not his. He said that traditionally the most important person is always listed first in a public relations piece. He went on to say that he thought I was more important than him at the SoupMobile and hence my name should be first.

I have a couple of observations about Lon's comment. First, this shows you what a humble man he is. If the SoupMobile had to name a MVP---Most Valuable Player, Lon would be high up on the list. Not only is he our Director of Development, he is the Chairman of our yearly Golf Outing and is the Chairman of our yearly Celebrate Jesus Christmas event. He is what you would call a 'go to guy.' If you need something done, call Lon. Yet in spite of all his accomplishments at the SoupMobile, he thought I was more important and that I should be listed first.

I have to tell you that I think Lon was incorrect. I am not the most important person (Number One) at the SoupMobile. For the right answer to this question of Who's Number One, we need to turn to the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 12:25 & 26 it says 'that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.'

The SoupMobile is made up of many parts. Staffers, supporters, friends, donors, volunteers, and prayer warriors. Who's Number One out of that group? Again I refer you to the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 12:12 it says 'just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body...."

At the SoupMobile we are all 'one body.' We are joined together in our common mission of helping the ones Jesus called the 'least of these.' So is the SoupMan the most important person (Number One) at the SoupMobile? No, not by a long shot. Is it that humble guy Lon? He would definitely tell you it's not him. Perhaps it's Stanley--our dishwasher; or Thomas--our Head Chef; or maybe Angel--who mops our floors; or Charine--our Office Manager? In my eyes we are all equally important. Not one of us better than the other; not one of us more important and not one of us Number One!

Yet in our fast paced modern society we seem to be enamored with the question of Who's Number One? So okay, if I absolutely have to, I will pick the Number One player at the SoupMobile. Its one of our more humble people; a guy with a flair for out of the box thinking; a knack for getting things done; a selfless spirit and a willingness to give his very life for you. His name---Jesus! HE's the answer to the question---Who's Number One at the SoupMobile. HE's our star player. HE's our mountain mover. HE's our Number One.

As Executive Director of the SoupMobile I am one part of the body. No more important---no less important than anyone else here. I am blessed to be surrounded by an army of men and women who share my commitment and passion for 'Feeding and Sheltering' the homeless. So if you must---go ahead and call me the most important person at the SoupMobile. However, no matter how long or how loud you say it---you will be incorrect. The answer will always be the same: Our Number One is Jesus!

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Baby, It's Hot Outside!!!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

Have you noticed its been pretty hot in Dallas lately. We've had a whole stream of 100 degree days with no end in sight. I mean like, its smoking out there. Well, no real worries! We've got this thing called Air Conditioning (A/C). Oh yeah, good old A/C. Yep, we've got A/C in our homes, our cars, our offices, at church, in movie theaters, at the mall and gee whiz---just about anyplace we go.

So no worries. It's cool (all puns intended). Just like every summer in Texas we know it's gonna be a hot one. It's totally cool because most of us simply leave our A/C homes, get into our A/C cars and then arrive at our A/C offices. Just a few steps in between to feel the heat. Just enough so we can tell everyone we meet just how hot it is out there. And for our local TV Weather People its a huge talking point every night. But that's about the extent of it---it's just a talking point. After all in this modern day culture we all have A/C, don't we?

Oh wait, lets back up the A/C truth train for a moment. Hmm, on second thought I guess we don't all have A/C. In fact now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure there is a huge segment of the population who gets little or no A/C.

A little birdie told me that we have more that 10,000 homeless people living right here in the Dallas area. For most of them A/C is only a dream. There is no A/C if you are living in a cardboard box under a bridge; no A/C if you're home is a lean-to shack in the woods; no A/C if the place you lay your head each night is an abandoned building and interestingly enough no A/C in some of our homeless shelters. Our homeless friends have to suffer the entire summer in the sweltering heat. They face heat related problems like sunstroke, heatstroke and dehydration. All life threatening conditions. They face not just the general discomfort of the heat blast we get going from our house to our car to our office but a constant heat blast that can exceed 100 degrees in the day and stay in the 80's even at night. And with their limited access to water and fluids the situation can be downright dangerous.

So do we really care? We've got A/C and they (the homeless) don't. Does is really matter? Well I'm thinking it would matter to a guy who walked the earth about 2,000 years ago. Yeah, that Jesus fellow. He talked about reaching out to the ones HE called the 'least of these.' I think he would care. I know I care. I know my fabulous SoupTeam cares. I'm thinking that you care to. But caring is not enough if you're not doing. Yes, when Jesus talked about reaching out to those in need HE wasn't making a suggestion---HE was calling us all to action. In SoupSpeak, it means 'put up or shut up'. By gosh, its hot outside---do something. Don't just talk about the heat---do something!

Okay, I can hear you scratching you head and saying, "SoupMan, you got any ideas." Well as a matter of fact I do. How about something as simple as buying some bottled water for the homeless. You can buy a case of water for about four bucks. Way less than a double mocha spritzer carmel sprinkled foamed latte coffee at Starbucks. Buy a case of water and pass it out to the homeless. Can't do that you say. Okay, then buy it and bring it to the SoupMobile and we will pass out to the homeless. Can't do that you say. Okay, then go online at www.soupmobile.org and donate the money and we will buy the water and pass it out to the homeless.

Maybe one day you spring for the ice cream dessert for our 600 homeless lunchtime meals. Maybe you help us sponsor a homeless residence in SoupMobile Village (our homes have A/C). Maybe you come with us at lunchtime and help us serve the 600 meals in the 100 degree heat and show our homeless friends you're in it (the heat) with them.

Bottom line: Do something! Don't let the rest of the summer go by as you go from your A/C home to your A/C car and to your A/C office. Do something meaningful to help the ones Jesus called the 'least of these.' Still don't know what to do. Then call the SoupMan at 1-800-375-5022. He will give you some ideas. But if you call him, be prepared to think out of the box and push the envelope in a big way. The homeless have big problems that require big solutions. But no worries about that either because we serve a Big God!!!

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

THE STATE OF THE UNION

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

The State of the Union is an Annual Address given by the President of the United States to the country every January. The President essentially reports on how he sees things going in our great country.

Well, it’s June and as Executive Director of the SoupMobile I thought you might be interested in a State of the Union address about the SoupMobile. The SoupMobile's Mission Statement is three simple words spoken by Jesus himself, "Feed MY Sheep." We do that in three separate distinct ways.

1. Feeding: We serve more than 200,000 meals per year to the homeless in the Dallas area.

2. Shelter: We shelter the homeless in our group housing called SoupMobile Village.

3. Christmas: Every year at Christmas we take 500 homeless men and women right off the streets and put them up for a magical Christmas at the downtown Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel in our event called Celebrate Jesus.

Most recently, on May 1^st we opened the 4th & 5th group homes in SoupMobile Village. So if you are paying attention you will see that I'm throwing a lot of numbers at you, i.e. 200,000 meals; 500 homeless; 5 group homes. Numbers! Numbers! Numbers! And by any measure some fairly substantial numbers!

But numbers are not what this State of the SoupMobile Union address is all about. We are NOT just about the numbers. We are about the people; the less fortunate people that Jesus called the 'least of these.' Oh sure, it’s nice to say that we serve an amazing 200,000 meals this year, and it’s exciting to let you know that in 18 short months we now have 5 groups homes up and operating in SoupMobile Village. And oh yeah, taking 500 homeless to the Hyatt for Christmas every year is pretty cool, but that's all numbers. At the SoupMobile I'd like to think we are all about the people not the numbers. People like:

• Jennifer G. When we found Jennifer she was going to be sleeping in her car with her beloved dog. After only two months in SoupMobile Village she had obtained a job and her own housing.

• Thomas W. We found him a year ago living in an abandoned building. He had no hope and no prospects. Now he's a resident in SoupMobile Village, holds down a full time job as Head Chef at the SoupMobile, and is a shining beacon of light to those still out in the cold.

• Susan G. She was 48 hours from being evicted from her apartment. After just over a month in our group housing she got a job as a Nurses Aid with live in housing.

• Todd R. Living hand to mouth on the streets and sometimes staying in seedy motels he found housing in SoupMobile Village. Within 6 weeks he had been promoted to Annex Manager at the SoupMobile.

These people are NOT numbers or statistics. They are real live human beings; people who fell on hard times and needed a 'Hand Up' not a 'Hand Out.' The SoupMobile is all about the people. I think that's just the way Jesus would want us to be.

How about you? Are you about the numbers or about the people? I suspect if you are reading this blog it means you are all about the people.

P.S. How about you? Would you like to be part of a charity that is focused on people, not numbers? If so, simply go to www.soupmobile.org for more details. It will be life changing both for you and the people that you help.

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

DOUBTING THOMAS!!!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

We’ve all read the Biblical story of ‘Doubting Thomas’. He was a disciple of Jesus who doubted Jesus’ resurrection and demanded to feel Jesus’ wounds before being convinced. The story had a happy ending as Thomas ended up professing his faith in Jesus.

So let’s fast forward 2,000 years and let the SoupMan tell you about another Thomas. Unlike the original Doubting Thomas, our Thomas has complete faith in Jesus and has no doubt of who HE is. Our Thomas had a different problem. It seems everyone was ‘Doubting’ him. At every turn people were doubting his ability, desire and willingness to turn his life around. Let me tell more about our modern day Thomas.

Thomas W. is the Head Chef at the SoupMobile and also serves as our Warehouse Manager. His work ethic is second to none and he is passionate about our mission of ‘Feeding HIS Sheep.’ When we found Thomas a year ago he was homeless and living in an abandoned building. He had no hope, no prospects and no one was willing to give him a chance. Thomas will candidly admit he has taken some wrong turns in his life.

For Thomas it all started growing up without a father and on the wrong side of the tracks. At an early age he fell in with the wrong crowd and got in trouble with the law. Growing up things went from bad to worse as he fell into drugs. He lived life on the edge and many times he went right over that edge. Finally as an adult he hit rock bottom. Homeless and living in that abandoned house he reconnected with God and prayed that he would get a second chance to get things right in his life. Everyone was ‘doubting’ him. They doubted he was serious about getting back on the straight and narrow. They doubted he would give up the drugs. They doubted he could ever make a real difference in this world.

I remember the first conversation I ever had with Thomas. He was coming to me looking for a job at the SoupMobile. The first thing that impressed me was that he did not try to hide his troubled past from me. He was upfront about his history of taking wrong turns. He told me about his problems with the law and drugs. He held nothing back. Then he looked me in the eye and said, “SoupMan, all I want is a second chance. Let me prove to you that I am serious about turning my life around.” He capped it off by saying “I won’t let you down.” Wow, strong words to be sure! Now the pressure was on me to make a decision. Did we give Thomas a second chance or did we ‘doubt’ him as all the others had.

As I considered Thomas’ plea for a second chance, I could not help but think of Jesus. 2,000 years ago Jesus hung on the cross to give us all a second chance. And as I look at my own life, I am amazed at how many times Jesus has forgiven me for my own missteps, mistakes and failures. Who was I to deny Thomas a second chance. Somewhere deep in my heart I knew that Thomas was serious about turning his life around. I also knew that if I said no to him I would have to look at myself in the mirror each morning knowing that Jesus had given me a second chance but I was not willing to do the same. I’m pleased to tell you that Thomas kept his promise to me. Not only did he NOT let me down, he has turned out to be an incredible blessing to the SoupMobile and to the less fortunate we serve.

I’d like to tell you that I knew for sure Thomas would make it with us. Truth be told, I had a hunch he would do well but I was far from certain. What I did know for sure was that Jesus would have given him a second chance. How could I do any less.

Thomas’ story is what the SoupMobile is all about. We are all about restoration. We are in the business of restoring lives. We are in the business of reaching deep into the heart of the homeless community and giving homeless men and women a second chance in life. We are in the business of serving Jesus by serving HIS sheep.

How about you? Would you like to be part of our mission? Would you like to get into the restoration business with us? Would you like to ‘Feed HIS Sheep?’ If the answer is yes, you can help us two ways. One is to come and volunteer with us. If you do, be prepared to put your heart and soul into your efforts. The second way you can help is financially. Good works don’t come free. Whether you support us with one dollar or one million dollars or anywhere in between, it all goes toward helping the ones Jesus called the ‘least of these.’ For more details about Volunteering or making a Donation, please visit our website: www.soupmobile.org.

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

Look what YOU'VE done!

Dear SoupFriends:

Texas is a big state and is known for doing things in a big way. In that tradition the SoupMobile has a big number to report to you. We just served our 750,000^th meal. Yes, you heard right---since its inception in 2003, the SoupMobile has now served over three quarters of a million meals. Even by Texas standards that’s a huge number!

In the SoupMobile’s first year of operation in 2003 we served 5,000 meals. At the time we thought it was a lot. Every year since, our feeding numbers have dramatically increased. You might be wondering who gets the credit for the SoupMobile serving 750,000 meals. First, on a heavenly scale we give thanks to the Lord. It was his son Jesus who said “Feed My Sheep.’ We’ve noticed that when HE gives you a mission HE also gives you the means to fulfill that mission. Second, on an earthly scale we give thanks to YOU---yes YOU! At the SoupMobile we are surrounded by an army of friends, supporters, volunteers, donors and prayer warriors. YOU are the reason we have served more than 750,000 hot, hearty and nutritious meals to the ones Jesus called the ‘least of these.’

As you know the SoupMobile doesn’t just serve food. We also shelter the homeless in SoupMobile Village. The Village is a series of group homes located right here in the Dallas area. Each home designed to take a homeless man or woman right off the streets, put a roof over their heads, clean them up, get them a job and return them as productive working members of society. It’s a ‘Hand Up’, not a ‘Hand Out.’ And who gets the credit for SoupMobile Village. Yes, you guessed it. God first and then YOU! Yes YOU again!

Of course the SoupMobile doesn’t just stop with Feeding and Sheltering the homeless. Every Christmas we take 500 homeless men and women right off the streets and put them up at the downtown Dallas Hyatt Regency Hotel in an event called CELEBRATE JESUS.
They all receive new clothes, fabulous gifts, lots of love and we hold a huge banquet in their honor. Most important is that when they wake up on Christmas morning it’s not in a cardboard box under some bridge but in a warm safe bed at the Hyatt. And who gets the credit for this amazing Christmas we give to the homeless each year. Yep, still the same answer---God first and then YOU!

Sometimes in the whirlwind of serving the homeless we don’t get a chance to thank you enough for your help. But let’s face it! YOU are the true heart and soul of the SoupMobile. YOU, our faithful friends, supporters, volunteers, donors and prayer warriors. So in case we haven’t said it loud enough and clear enough---THANK YOU from the SoupMan and his fabulous SoupTeam for your faithful support. Together we are reaching deep into the heart of the homeless community! Together we are making a real difference in this world! Together we are making a difference for Christ!

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan

We can Talk the Talk---but can we Walk the Walk!!!

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

I just finished reading a book titled: Under the Overpass---by Mike Yankoski. It’s a story of two upper-middle class young men who decided to leave their safe and comfortable existence and live life homeless on the streets of America. For five months the pair experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression and social rejection---all by their own choice.

I believe that God was sending me a message through this book. The book itself puts a spotlight on the incredible hardships the homeless face every day. Issues like getting enough food, staying safe in a dangerous world, surviving the heat of summer and the cold of winter and being treated like dirt—just because they are homeless.

So you might be wondering what message could God be sending the SoupMan through this book? After all, for the last eight years I’ve devoted my life, my very being to caring for the homeless. Along with an army of friends, donors, supporters and prayer warriors we serve on the front lines in the war against hunger in the Dallas area. We give the homeless clothing, food, shelter and lots of love. The things that Mike talked about in his book were very familiar to me. Nonetheless, I believe God was sending me a powerful message with this book. HE was saying, ‘SoupMan, it’s time to up your game.’

One of the recurring themes in the book was how so called ‘Christian’ people went to church every Sunday and ‘Talked the Talk’ but did NOT ‘Walk the Walk.’ Mike & Sam made it a point to go to church every Sunday for the five months that they lived life homeless on the streets. At many of the churches they felt isolated because of how they looked, smelled and who people perceived them to be. At one church they asked the Pastor for food and he responded by saying, “That’s not what we do.” At another church a sign hung over the mahogany double doors that said in big red letters: ‘No Loitering--- Church Business Only—Police Enforced.’ Even worse Mike & Sam were treated like pond scum on the streets by some (not all) of these same so called men and women of God. I can’t believe Jesus is smiling about all of this.

The Bible says, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ Mike & Sam found out first hand that many people know those words but don’t practice them. Now some of you might be saying, ‘Hey SoupMan, you and your supporters certainly aren’t part of that crowd---after all you do so much for the homeless.’ True enough, we do a lot for the homeless but I believe God was telling me through this book that we are not doing enough. The Bible says that to “Whom much is given, much is required.”

God is telling us all to ‘up our game.’ Not just ‘Talk the Talk’ but ‘Walk the Walk.’ I put myself at the top of this list. I need to do more for the homeless. I need to do more for reaching out to the one’s Jesus called the least of these. I need to ‘up my game’ for Christ. As part of my commitment to ‘up my game’ I am redoubling my efforts to find a way to start SoupMobile Diner.

The Diner will NOT be a soupkitchen. It will be a regular restaurant that serves quality lunches to the business people and residents of the community. All the while it will be employing and training homeless men and women in the art of restaurant operations like cooking, customer service skills, restaurant management, food inventory management and cash handling. SoupMobile Diner will be a training ground for our homeless men and women to acquire skills and then move on as productive working members of the community. It will be giving a ‘Hand UP’, not a “Hand Out.’

In the last eight years the SoupMobile has done a lot for the homeless but we can’t sit on our laurels. We must do more for the Kingdom. Are you with me? Will you join me by ‘upping your own game.’ I need financial help starting SoupMobile Diner. I’m looking for a donor(s) with deep pockets and an even deeper heart for Christ. If that’s you, contact me directly at david@soupmobile.org or call me at 1-800-375-5022. Let’s ‘up our game’ together!

May the Lord Bless & Keep You All.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan