The
ONE
Factor
How ONE Changes Everything
by Doug Sauder
The profits from the sale of this book have been designated to benefit the children in foster care in South Florida.
All the stories in this book are based on actual events, but many of the names have been changed.
Visit 4KIDS of South Florida’s website at 4KIDSofSFL.org.
The One Factor
Copyright © 2016 Doug Sauder. All rights reserved.
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-2646-4
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Cover design & layout by Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale Graphics Dept.
Cover photo provided by Fairchild Photography.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®) copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Dedication
To the 4KIDS team, who battles every day on the front lines.
To Anitra and your incredible gift to turn my random thoughts into intelligible English.
To my sons of thunder.
To Susi, the one I get to live the adventure with.
And to the ONE who makes it all possible.
Endorsements
If you’re convinced that one person can’t change the world, get ready to be proven wrong. This book will have you looking at the people you meet, your appointments, your family and your life in a whole new light.
—H. Wayne Huizenga, Jr., Philanthropist, President, Huizenga Holdings, Inc.
I finished the first chapter of The One Factor, put the book down and wept over the story of Amber… and I’m not a weeper. Reading on, however, gave me hope, and reminded me that one person with God is in the majority… no matter the enormity of the battle. This is an inspirational book for everyone. Read it and reap.
—Dr. Bob Barnes, President of Sheridan House Family Ministries
Caring for the orphans and widows is very close to the heart of Christ Jesus. Throughout our nation, the fatherless are crying out for love, hope, and someone to care for them. They are the forgotten and the invisible children. They are the modern day American orphan. The church must answer the call to rescue them in their time of peril and desperation. 4KIDS of South Florida and Place of Hope are reaching out to them with a cup of water in Jesus name. Together, we are making a lasting impact. My prayer is that Doug’s book will serve as a reminder to the church that “the least of these among us” are a priority and that the many highlighted examples of compassion in action will serve to challenge us all.
—Dr. Tom Mullins, Senior Pastor, Christ Fellowship and Founder, Place of Hope
The brother of Jesus, James, tells us not only what “pure and undefiled” religion looks like, but he also declares that “faith without works is dead.’’ There is a genuine connection between the Good News and Good Deeds. “The One Factor” is a wonderful example of how God is using the Church to love orphans. It is a ONEDERFUL example of why good theology and people equity go hand in hand. If you want to see what it means to experience the reality of God in orphan ministry, read this book.
—Paul Pennington, Executive Director, FamilyLife’s Hope for Orphans,
a subsidiary of Campus Crusade for Christ, Chairman,
The Christian Alliance for Orphans Steering Committee
From the Author
Have you ever learned of a problem so great that you gave up on finding a solution before you put in any effort?
Global warming, AIDS in Africa, genocide, child abuse.
Sometimes the need is so overwhelming it paralyzes the mind. Resignation takes the place of hope, crippling your good intentions before they can get out of the starting gate.
Could my effort even make a difference?
Wouldn’t it be like a raindrop falling into an ocean?
Unnoticed.
Unremarkable.
Insignificant.
If these thoughts have crossed your mind, then you’re a lot like me. This book was written for both of us because we all need to be reminded that it only takes one to change everything. Just one.
I remember when I first heard it.
It was 1999 and I was a teacher in the public school system. I was sitting in church one Sunday when my pastor spoke about the crisis of “modern-day orphans.” Children taken into foster care in our community were sleeping in offices because there were no foster homes for them. He said the Bible was clear about God’s heart on this matter and that he wanted our church to do something about it. He told us that this was a solvable problem – if we all did our part. As he spoke, my heart burned inside my chest. I knew I had to do something.
That one moment has taken me on a ten-year journey. Providing homes for modern-day orphans has become my driving passion. Through the years I have been inspired by others who dared to stare into the face of an overwhelming problem, fight through their feelings of helplessness, and then choose to act. Time after time I’ve seen “first steps” lead to unimaginable outcomes. This is the one factor—the power God unleashes when a solitary individual follows His call. I have seen the power of one tip the balance from staggering problem to attainable solution.
When I took that first step, I had no idea what I was getting into—the thousands of children who would receive shelter, the hundreds of young people who would experience a life-changing relationship with the God who made them, the dozens of children who would find a forever family… and the one who would become my son.
This has been the most exhilarating thing I’ve ever done. One vision has changed my professional and personal life forever. This process has not been pain free or easy, but then again, neither is life. This is a book born of the journey itself— about what can happen in a few short years to transform the biggest problem in your community, the biggest problem in your world.
I have no idea what one step there is for you, but I trust that within these pages, within these stories, that the one thing God wants you to do will grow clearer.
And when He speaks to you, say yes.
Doug
THE ONE FACTOR
How could