Update April 13 2009

Ministry Update April 10, 2009

I Samuel 30:6
“…But David found strength in the LORD his God.”

Dear friends and supporters of JoyShop Ministries: Thank you so much for your prayers this past month. I had no idea how much I needed to rest! With out the support of my family, friends, and doctor the journey would have been more challenging but God has taught me a lot during this time. The key phrases I have heard Him say over and over are:
Be STILL
Be QUIET
Be RESTFUL
Be TRUSTFUL

I praise God that the doctor gave me permission to return to my ministry commitments if I promised to rest in between speaking engagements. This past weekend was my first time to speak in two months. The Lord graciously allowed me to serve 60+ women in a retreat setting without any anxiety and I can honestly say His JOY just filled me up as He enabled me to exhort these precious women. It was a weekend that I know will bear fruit for a long time! Here are a few sample responses the ministry received:

“Thank you! This was so encouraging and life changing. I have not had a consistent quiet time since my sophomore year of high school. I am so excited to learn more of my Father and draw into deeper intimacy with Him…I have started the 21 Day Challenge.”

“I am so glad I came to hear this because I really need this in my life.”

“Thank you for reminding me how important it is to spend time with God. I needed this jumpstart again.”

“I have promised God to challenge myself every day to start my day with Him.”

“Praise God for this ministry … I have been struggling with complacency and boredom with God’s Word, (now who could imagine that???) Well, no more of that thanks to your message!”

“Third time for a JoyShop. Always amazing!”

“This workshop was an awesome answer to prayer. Honestly, I was afraid months ago that this would be a “fluffy” week with little substance. How wrong I was…this weekend I have realized that when I have deep intimacy with God, it will spill over into all areas of my life.”

In particular was the blessing of hearing from several women about their teens who had heard my message back in December when I spoke to their youth group. They each told me that their teens are still getting up early having time alone with God. One mom shared that it put her to shame and so she got back on track of having devotional time with God!

God is still actively using the 21 Day Challenge to impact lives through the Pocket Testament League as well. I recently received this testimony from the League that came to their website:

“I was going through hard times and I was staying in a hotel in Hershey with my wife and kids and I took my kids to the complimentary breakfast that they offered and someone that I didn't even know blessed me with this booklet. I was going to throw it away, but God knows what he does. I kept it and as time past my times were just getting harder. I forgot that I had this booklet until one day something told me to go through my bag and I found this booklet. I started reading this booklet(pocket testament) called “Letters From God” and it changed my life. Today on April 9, 2009, is the day that I just finished the 21 day challenge and I can tell you that it really changed my life. If I would have known that this was going to change my way of feeling, my way of thinking, and my way of looking at the Lord I would have read this when I got it 5 months ago.”
I don’t know who it was but someone was prompted by the Holy Spirit to hand this man one of our pocket testaments that has the 21 Day Challenge printed in the back and months later Jesus’ Words transformed his life!

We received this message through our web site concerning my book:
“I have read your book and appreciate your candor concerning all that you went through and all that the Lord taught you through that difficult time … Our book club has selected your book to read this spring.”

This response came from a Christian woman who lives in Delaware that I happened to meet by the pool while on vacation in Florida! God truly does “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,” for his glory!

I have so many other stories I could share about divine appointments this past couple of months but I can feel my adrenaline level rising from just sharing with you these marvelous works of God and I am learning I need to control this. Can you believe that adrenaline rushes causes good stress which actually raises your anxiety???? Friends this is my problem … encouraging people to get in the Word in order to cultivate intimacy with God brings me a huge rush and I become over stimulated!!! I am asking Jesus to help me learn how to manage this so that I don’t burn out.

As I bring this update to a close, please remember to pray for the following events scheduled this month:
A Community JoyShop this coming weekend, April 17-18, in the Elkton/North East area. An outreach brunch in the Philadelphia area on April 25.

In His Service, Anita