Message from Anita July 14, 2008
A couple of weeks ago I received an email from the Pocket Testament League asking me if I would be willing to write 21 brief daily devotionals to go along with the 21 Day Challenge. At the end of this month they will be changing their home page and encouraging their members to take the 21DC and members will have the daily devotional as an additional source of encouragement if they choose. My initial thoughts were, “I don’t have time to write these daily devotionals nor do I consider my self a gifted writer.” Yet in my heart I knew that I was to say yes to this project and completely rely on God for the resources to do it. I just completed day 11 so I am half way done! Here is a sample of one devotional that actually came to my mind as a result of the Pocket Testament asking me to do something that seemed out of my league:
A couple of weeks ago I received an email from the Pocket Testament League asking me if I would be willing to write 21 brief daily devotionals to go along with the 21 Day Challenge. At the end of this month they will be changing their home page and encouraging their members to take the 21DC and members will have the daily devotional as an additional source of encouragement if they choose. My initial thoughts were, “I don’t have time to write these daily devotionals nor do I consider my self a gifted writer.” Yet in my heart I knew that I was to say yes to this project and completely rely on God for the resources to do it. I just completed day 11 so I am half way done! Here is a sample of one devotional that actually came to my mind as a result of the Pocket Testament asking me to do something that seemed out of my league:
His Word:
John 6:9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
John 6:9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
My Thoughts:
I can picture it now, the guys all standing around Jesus, watching a large crowd of people coming towards them. Jesus, with a smile on his face, suggests that they feed the crowd. I would have loved to see the look on the disciples’ faces! “Yeah, right,” says Philip, “Eight months’wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
Andrew makes a feeble observation and points out the young lad who has packed a small lunch. Jesus, still smiling, takes Andrew up on the offer, and takes the few pieces of bread and fish and proceeds to give thanks, distributing the food to the masses. Another miraculous sign!
Have you ever felt like that little boy must have felt? “I only have a little to give. How can Jesus possibly use what I have to help anyone?” Jesus doesn’t need a lot. He only smiles and says, “Bring me what you’ve got!” In giving the little that you have, he can bless it and distribute spiritual food to those around you.
My Prayer:
Dear God, I have to admit, that often I look at myself and wonder how you could ever use my life to bless someone else. The few gifts you have given me seem so insignificant. But today, you have given me hope. I am bringing you the few loaves of bread and two pieces of fish that I do have. I lay my simple gifts before you and ask you to bless them and to multiply them in a miraculous way. I’m praying for leftovers! “Let nothing be wasted.” In Jesus Name, Amen.
Ministry Highlights:
Wow! June and July have been busy months in light of the fact that I did not book my schedule as full as the school calendar year. A brief summary of where JoyShop Ministries has been:
Manor Church every Sunday in June
Byerland Mennonite Church youth/adults
Extreme Worship in Atglen, Pa.
Middle Creek Church of the Brethren youth/young adult retreat
I praise God for these opportunities to impact lives. A few comments I received:
I can picture it now, the guys all standing around Jesus, watching a large crowd of people coming towards them. Jesus, with a smile on his face, suggests that they feed the crowd. I would have loved to see the look on the disciples’ faces! “Yeah, right,” says Philip, “Eight months’wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
Andrew makes a feeble observation and points out the young lad who has packed a small lunch. Jesus, still smiling, takes Andrew up on the offer, and takes the few pieces of bread and fish and proceeds to give thanks, distributing the food to the masses. Another miraculous sign!
Have you ever felt like that little boy must have felt? “I only have a little to give. How can Jesus possibly use what I have to help anyone?” Jesus doesn’t need a lot. He only smiles and says, “Bring me what you’ve got!” In giving the little that you have, he can bless it and distribute spiritual food to those around you.
My Prayer:
Dear God, I have to admit, that often I look at myself and wonder how you could ever use my life to bless someone else. The few gifts you have given me seem so insignificant. But today, you have given me hope. I am bringing you the few loaves of bread and two pieces of fish that I do have. I lay my simple gifts before you and ask you to bless them and to multiply them in a miraculous way. I’m praying for leftovers! “Let nothing be wasted.” In Jesus Name, Amen.
Ministry Highlights:
Wow! June and July have been busy months in light of the fact that I did not book my schedule as full as the school calendar year. A brief summary of where JoyShop Ministries has been:
Manor Church every Sunday in June
Byerland Mennonite Church youth/adults
Extreme Worship in Atglen, Pa.
Middle Creek Church of the Brethren youth/young adult retreat
I praise God for these opportunities to impact lives. A few comments I received:
“Where can I get 200 of your pocket testaments? I send out ebay orders and would love to include them in my packages.”
From a youth who liked having her devotions at night and questioned me on the early morning issue- “well wouldn’t you know it...In Ecuador Keith made time EVERY morning for us to do devotions. And the scenery in Ecuador is just breath taking. For sure only from God Himself. I am still working my way through Ezekiel. Not quite done yet…But yeah, devotions in the morning are a good thing. And I realized that I had time in my day before but I just wasn't making any. Now that I am I hope it brings more brightness to my day.”
From a youth that attended Extreme Worship; “I loved listening to your testimony! Thank you!"
From a young man who recently attended a JoyShop: “You helped me to realize that I need God in everything I do and it is amazing to be able to hear God and it’s definitely changing my life!”
From high school students: “Thank you so much for coming and spending time with us. Because of these sessions, I realized how much I was missing from my walk with Christ and I think it will be a lot better.”
From high school students: “Thank you so much for coming and spending time with us. Because of these sessions, I realized how much I was missing from my walk with Christ and I think it will be a lot better.”
Thanks for coming…some of your points hit close to home.”
“Your story touched my heart in so many ways. It has showed me that when you’re faced with an obstacle no matter how big or small trust God with all your heart and he will help you through anything and everything…I have been struggling…and instead of moving closer to God I got further from him and I don’t want that because I need him…God is using you to teach people like us all about him, and it is really changing lives because I know it has mine!”
I also received this response from a high school student who receives JoyShop Ministries Newsletter:
“Anita, I thank you so much for the impact you've had in my life…God has used you in my life as an example of how he wants me to grow as a believer in Christ. He used you in my life as the push I need towards seeking him each and every day and spending time
with Him. Although I have failed quite a few times, for I know I am a sinner
in desperate need of my Savior, I know that God will always bring me back to
the place where I am meant to be, which is seated before him each morning
praying to Him and reading his Holy Word… I hope that you will pray for me that
I will desire God and draw closer to Him each and every day and that when I
meet with Him, my heart and soul would be there, not just my mind seeking a
higher knowledge. Thank you so much for all that you do in spreading the
gospel to others.”
After being away all weekend, I came home to this dear message from a student at a local high school through face book:
“hey, I'm writing you because I need some advice. My family is like a family of lions. . . hungry lions. My brother almost all the time has an attitude and my sister always thinks she’s right and never really asks for things, just gets into it! My dad well, his back is always in pain and that makes him grumpy. I don't like to see him in pain. It hurts me to see him like that. I don't know what to do and I would like some help.”
I thank God for the amazing privilege to be able to connect with students and to be able to offer them a word of encouragement whether it is face to face or through face book. I continue to feel the tug on my heart to reach more youth and young adults. I believe that as this ministry continues to grow and unfold God will open the right doors and push us in the direction he wants us to go.
I praise God for the opportunity he brought our way through a radio interview that was done over the phone last Friday. Jane Richey with the American Radio Family Station, WAWN @ 89.5 FM, interviewed me for the upcoming Todd Agnew concert/retreat that will be held the last weekend of August in Seneca, Pa. I will be given a one hour slot along with another speaker, Don Nixon, of Youth for Christ, to speak with hundreds of young people that attend Todd’s retreat. My workshop session is titled “Am I Loveable”. This is kind of scary to admit this but Jane told me that we will be able to hear the interview over the internet by the end of this week. If you go to http://www.wawn.org/ and click on the left for fishermensnet.org you will see a section called “Looking Through the Community Archives” and then click this week’s date.
Ministry prayer requests:
Upcoming events where I will be speaking:
Vision (July 26)
Rawlinsville Campmeeting Women’s Hour (July 29-30)
Ravencrest Bible School Women’s Retreat (Aug. 2-8)
Ministry Praise:
What I am about to share with you is probably the funniest thing that has happened to me in ministry:
As I was wrapping up the retreat time with Middle Creek’s Youth Group, I wanted to get a group picture that I could include on my blog. Everyone thought it would be great to get one on the dock that sits over the bay at the retreat center that had been rented for the weekend. So about 25 of us lined up randomly with me in the middle…all poised as the youth advisors were aiming their camera’s to take pictures. In a split second, we heard a crackling noise and the deck just collapsed with us standing on it! Some of us got wet, a few had minor cuts and scratches but we praise God that no one was seriously injured. Once we knew there were no major injuries we howled with laughter. We then took some pictures with us on the collapsed deck. Too bad no one had a video camera going. I am sure we would have won an award on America’s Funniest Home Video’s! Hopefully I can figure out how to get them on my blog at http://www.joyshop.org/!
Seeking Him Together
I also received this response from a high school student who receives JoyShop Ministries Newsletter:
“Anita, I thank you so much for the impact you've had in my life…God has used you in my life as an example of how he wants me to grow as a believer in Christ. He used you in my life as the push I need towards seeking him each and every day and spending time
with Him. Although I have failed quite a few times, for I know I am a sinner
in desperate need of my Savior, I know that God will always bring me back to
the place where I am meant to be, which is seated before him each morning
praying to Him and reading his Holy Word… I hope that you will pray for me that
I will desire God and draw closer to Him each and every day and that when I
meet with Him, my heart and soul would be there, not just my mind seeking a
higher knowledge. Thank you so much for all that you do in spreading the
gospel to others.”
After being away all weekend, I came home to this dear message from a student at a local high school through face book:
“hey, I'm writing you because I need some advice. My family is like a family of lions. . . hungry lions. My brother almost all the time has an attitude and my sister always thinks she’s right and never really asks for things, just gets into it! My dad well, his back is always in pain and that makes him grumpy. I don't like to see him in pain. It hurts me to see him like that. I don't know what to do and I would like some help.”
I thank God for the amazing privilege to be able to connect with students and to be able to offer them a word of encouragement whether it is face to face or through face book. I continue to feel the tug on my heart to reach more youth and young adults. I believe that as this ministry continues to grow and unfold God will open the right doors and push us in the direction he wants us to go.
I praise God for the opportunity he brought our way through a radio interview that was done over the phone last Friday. Jane Richey with the American Radio Family Station, WAWN @ 89.5 FM, interviewed me for the upcoming Todd Agnew concert/retreat that will be held the last weekend of August in Seneca, Pa. I will be given a one hour slot along with another speaker, Don Nixon, of Youth for Christ, to speak with hundreds of young people that attend Todd’s retreat. My workshop session is titled “Am I Loveable”. This is kind of scary to admit this but Jane told me that we will be able to hear the interview over the internet by the end of this week. If you go to http://www.wawn.org/ and click on the left for fishermensnet.org you will see a section called “Looking Through the Community Archives” and then click this week’s date.
Ministry prayer requests:
Upcoming events where I will be speaking:
Vision (July 26)
Rawlinsville Campmeeting Women’s Hour (July 29-30)
Ravencrest Bible School Women’s Retreat (Aug. 2-8)
Ministry Praise:
What I am about to share with you is probably the funniest thing that has happened to me in ministry:
As I was wrapping up the retreat time with Middle Creek’s Youth Group, I wanted to get a group picture that I could include on my blog. Everyone thought it would be great to get one on the dock that sits over the bay at the retreat center that had been rented for the weekend. So about 25 of us lined up randomly with me in the middle…all poised as the youth advisors were aiming their camera’s to take pictures. In a split second, we heard a crackling noise and the deck just collapsed with us standing on it! Some of us got wet, a few had minor cuts and scratches but we praise God that no one was seriously injured. Once we knew there were no major injuries we howled with laughter. We then took some pictures with us on the collapsed deck. Too bad no one had a video camera going. I am sure we would have won an award on America’s Funniest Home Video’s! Hopefully I can figure out how to get them on my blog at http://www.joyshop.org/!
Seeking Him Together
Anita
