Faith On Every Corner - May 2021

May 2021 Mayay 2021 2021

They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs; You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice.

Psalm 65:8 NKJV

Visit Our Website at www.FaithOnEveryCorner.com for previous issues of our magazine.

COVER PHOTO

BY KAREN RUHL

I am so blessed to love nature and all that God has created, and to be able to take photos and share the beauty.

I have loved photography since I was a young girl. I became a professional photographer in my 20’s and today, I love taking photos of landscapes, birds, and abandoned buildings.

We love to share this space to encourage other photographers and look for new ones each month. We love to encourage all types of photography including the cell phone snaps. Some beautiful photos have been captured by phone.

If you would like to be considered for the front cover and inside page, please email us at Team@FaithOnEveryCorner.com See more of my work at https://karen-ruhl.pixels.com/

INSIDE COVER

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Spring is here and many of us are ready to enjoy the outdoors again. We have had warm temperatures with gorgeous blue skies - interrupted by many rainy days! Our hope is that you get out this Spring and enjoy the parks or just take a long drive and visit a new small town near you.

Craig and I got our vaccinations last month and feel a bit safer being out and about. We are still careful, wearing our masks, washing our hands, and keeping a distance when in the public. We are tickled that we can visit with our neighbors now that the weather is warmer and look forward to a busy summer.

Craig and I put many hours into this magazine. It is a ministry that God gave us over three years ago while driving in the mountains. We encourage writers to submit stories, testimonies, and acts of service so we can share with the world. We are read in over 80 countries - not by accident - by God’s will.

Karen

and C

raig R

uhl

We appreciate you!

Please take a few minutes to share with your family and friends and be sure to read each article. This issue is packed with great stories!

We love to hear from you. If you have a story to share, email us. Let us know what you think of the magazine. If you have a suggestion, send it to us at Team@FaithOnEveryCorner.com.

To our writers—we pray for you and hope that God continues to give you guidance on your stories and articles. We pray for your families to be healthy and safe.

If you would like to talk to a Team Member, please drop an email to team@faithoneverycorner.com.

Blessings, Karen

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Be Watchful

by Karen Ruhl

“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” ~ Matthew 24:42-44 NKJV Have you ever sat and watched the birds? They are always on alert, searching the ground for worms, or the waters for fish. They are alert to what is going on around them, watching for predators as well as their sources of food. Now compare the birds to the people you watch.

People tend to look at what is happening right then and there. They have their eyes on their cell phones, missing some of the most precious moments around them. It often bothers me to see an entire family engrossed in their cell phones instead of talking around the dinner table at a restaurant. While some of us are on watch, some are sadly in their own world without a clue to what is going on around them.

I do not mean to be critical; I think I have always been more of an observer. I love watching peoples’ expressions. When I see a child laughing, it brings a smile to my face. And when I see a tender moment shared between couples, it warms my heart.

There is something far greater that we need to keep our eyes upon. Jesus is coming again. Scripture tells us so. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2-3, NKJV) It is so easy for us to get wrapped up in the world around us. What I want to do is get wrapped up in the world that is to come to those of us who believe. I want to spend more time in the Word, more time in prayer, more time loving people around me. More time spreading the Word. I want to have my eyes open and my heart ready for that wonderful day when we ascend to be with our Father in Heaven, to be with Christ Jesus.

What a day that will be.

If you have not read Matthew 25:1-13, read it today. The parable talks about 10 women, 5 who were ready and prepared to meet Jesus, and 5 who were not. Which would you like to be? If you would like to be prepared, repent of your sins, and accept Christ Jesus into your life.

As a disciple of Christ, we are to share the good news and help those who do not know Him. If you want to know more, email me at Team@ faithoneverycorner.com.

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

(Matthew 25:13 NKJV)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Be Watchful ... by Karen Ruhl ... page 3 Pause And Ponder ... by Gini Walker ... page 5 Ways To Be His Hands And Feet ... by Melissa Henderson ... page 7 What Is God Saying? ... by Andrea Marino ... page 9 May Prayer ... by Tynea Lewis ... page 10 Helping Mom Relax ... by Dr. Kathleen Oden ... page 11 Little Hands - Little Feet ... by Pamela McCormick ... page 13 The Bold and Beautiful ... by Nicole Byrum ... page 15 Walk With The Lord and 4 Poems ... John Alexander ... page 17 Become Emboldened ... by Gina Sewell ... page 19 God’s Hands and Feet ... by Karen Ruhl ... page 20 Love And Courage ... Pam Walck ... page 21 Christ Is First, But He Chose To Be Last ... by Scott Dunn ... page 23 Whatever You Do ... by Lynn Downham ... page 25 Dear Carl ... by Anna Friend ... page 27 Ditch The Guilt ... Jo Scheidt ... page 29 Three Biblical Approaches To Sickness ... by Joseph Akinrinola ... page 31 Road Trippin’ Around North Carolina ... by Karen Ruhl ... Pages 33 Beautiful Feet ... by Yvonne M. Morgan ... page 37 Leaving And Being His Hands And Feet - Our Whole Life ... Tami Thorsen ... page 39 Bookshelf ... Book Reviews ... page 41 Serving With Soul ... Christina Sinisi ... page 45 Reflections ... Craig Ruhl ... page 47 He Is Always Faithful ... Aradhana Thakor ... page 49 We Are The Message - Sending A Message ... Craig Lounsbrough ... Page 51 Called To Serve ... Maureen Kambarami ... page 53 Weather Life’s Storms ... Joel Berry and Al Grimaldi ... page 55 Showing Christ To Others ... Mike Buchanan ... page 57 Being His Hands And Feet ... Sharon Connell ... page 59 Stay Faithful To The Call God Gave You ... Tim Ferrara ... page 61 My Testimony ... Chad Thieman ... page 63 Fasting Labs ... Jeff Foster ... page 65 Moments Before The Cross ... Hannarich Asiedu ... page 67 Take Me With You ... Michael Wells ... page 69 A Strong Faith ... Brenda McDaniel ... page 70 An Interview with Pastor Nestor Havyarimana ... by Karen Ruhl ... Page 71 M AG A Z I N E N A M E &O R URL | 4 5

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PAUSE AND PONDER

by Gini Walker

Two of my favorite words these days are PAUSE and PONDER. Although favorites with me, these concepts are probably not appreciated in our fast speed, multi-task, high tech, and ever-changing world. These involve a slowing down process and a dig deeper and deeper thinking. Sometimes the “I’ve heard it all” and “I’ve seen it all” attitudes push us to move on and not dwell on the thought-provoking sights and sounds. Yet, I doubt that any city dweller having an opportunity to stand in a desert at midnight, far away from any lights, could look up in the sky bursting with stars and be eager to leave such a sight. That happened to me about 58 years ago. I still carry the memory of that phenomenon that causes me to ponder again and again about the awesome creative power of God. Did David, the shepherd boy, see what I saw?

Probably. As I now pause and ponder him as a shepherd, these thoughts carry me to the 23rd Psalm. This beloved Psalm has comforted many mourners. It has encouraged many wayfaring strangers in this world filled with “valleys of death’s shadows”. It has raised hope of Heaven’s beckoning. In these pandemic days, it may be the evening prayer spoken by moms and dads over their children. As a young shepherd boy, David cared for his sheep. Even more, Jesus, my

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Shepherd Lord, cares for me. I need to pause and consider the green pastures, still water, His perfect guidance as I am comforted by His shepherd tools, His presence in the valleys, and His provisions even in the midst of evil.

As I am learning to pause and ponder, my appreciation for a particular verse or passage in scripture is being enhanced. I tried it (P and P) on Ephesians 3:20 (New International Version) “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” I spent several hours with all the individual words and phrases like IMMEASURABLY MORE THAN ALL WE ASK OR IMAGINE. After this experience, I was left once more with a sense of awe and wonder about the God I worship. Immeasurably more? Than all? I can ask or imagine? Nothing left uncovered here.

Nothing left to chance.

Here is that same verse in the New Living Translation: “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” And, finally this amazing verse in the New American Standard Version: “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.”

I find it delightful and even fun to compare the “immeasurably more”, “infinitely more” and “abundantly beyond all”. It is as if we just can’t find the exact words to describe God’s power and being. This leaves me in a posture of praise and adoration for God and His glory. Something I’ve discovered about this method of reading God’s Word is how this meditation process becomes a habit and natural way of taking His words into my heart. But it is definitely a work in progress. It seems to take on a life of its own as I journey down more paths of understanding and appreciation.

Although her parent and siblings were born in Arkansas, Gini was born and raised in California.

She has been married to Charlie for more than 53 years. They live in Orange County, CA. Their son and daughter-in-law, granddaughter, and grandson live nearby.

Gini was active in the education of elementary school-age children. Feeling a misfit in education, she turned to and became active in adult ministry at their church.

“Now my days are swifter than a runner; They flee away, they see no good.

They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.

If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face and wear a smile.’”

Job 9:25-27 NKJV

Gini and Charlie have a joint ministry—12 years ago, Charlie designed and built a guest house on the back of their property. It is named Onesimus House, a gift from God of respite and renewal to missionaries from around the world. They call themselves God’s caretakers of this delightful place of rest and renewal.

Gini’s hobbies are gardening, reading, and writing. Their 3-year-old dog, Jackson, is such a joy in their lives. Gini and Charlie are members of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Orange County.

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Ways To Be His Hands And Feet

By Melissa Henderson Have you thought about what it means to be “the hands and feet of Christ”? Scripture shares how God called different people to unique tasks and journeys. With each call, He equipped the people with the ability to share the message of the love, glory, forgiveness, and mercy of God. Each person would face trials while sharing that good news.

Yet, God was always with them.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”. (John 15:5 NIV) With God, we can be the branches that spring from the vine and lead others closer to a relationship with Him. Thinking back on my life, I recall times when God placed special people in my life to lead me closer to Him. While my ways were selfish, these special mentors guided me along the right path. Through each experience, I learned how to show God’s love to others.

One friend invited me to accompany her when visiting the shut-ins from our church. With each person we visited, I felt closer to God. The conversations were often about health issues, grief, or loneliness. The sad expressions of the people that met us at the door were soon turned to smiles and laughter. A simple visit and conversation changed the day for the people we visited and for us, too.

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Another friend shared about a local shelter that needed help with serving meals. My husband and I agreed to volunteer. Chatting with each person in line, we soon began forming bonds with the people receiving meals and the other people serving.

A simple smile to the person walking in the neighborhood was another way to be the hands and feet of Christ. A “Hello.” caused the person to pause and say, “Thank you for speaking to me.

With this virus, no one speaks to me anymore.”

God guided me to greet this stranger and say hello.

A dear friend asked if I would like to join the Older Adult Ministry at church. I agreed and soon learned there were monthly meetings and a conference to organize. Again, God was with our group and the conference was a success. Some attendees had not been out of the house for a long period of time and were blessed by seeing old friends and making new friends.

My parents often provided daily examples of being the hands and feet of Christ. Sharing food, clothing, and conversation with people in need was part of our daily family life.

Daddy organized a wonderful breakfast at a local restaurant. This special breakfast was for all the widows in the neighborhood. The hugs, smiles, happy tears, and laughter will always be remembered. Some ladies had not seen each other for a long period of time, even though they lived in the same neighborhood. Being together and sharing fellowship and conversation brought joy to every person.

I want to be His hands and feet. I want to share the good news of Jesus Christ in all my words and actions.

How can you share His love and glory in each moment?

Have a blessed day, Melissa Henderson Award-winning author Melissa Henderson writes inspirational messages laced with a bit of humor. With stories in books, magazines, devotionals and more, Melissa hopes to encourage readers. Melissa is the author of “Licky the Lizard” and “Grumpy the Gator”.

Her passions are helping in community and church.

Melissa is an Elder, Deacon and Stephen Minister.

Follow Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and at http://www.melissaghenderson.com

The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.

Song of Solomon 2:12 NKJV

Click this link to purchase Melissa’s books. We are proud owners of both books.

Karen & Craig Ruhl

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With a yearning to uncover the secret to life, Andrea embarked on a journey to discover truth. The study of Psychology proved inadequate, while the forces of darkness began to make their presence known. The Hobble, from Ai to Bethel encompasses Andrea’s personal victory over fear and bondage to the enemy. Passionate in sharing God’s Good News about Jesus, the author desires to encourage people to never lose hope. Because we all ‘hobble’ before God in need of Him. When not writing, Andrea loves spending time with her children and grandchildren, and enjoys cycling on the open roads with her husband, David.

What Is God Saying?

By Andrea Marino Oswald Chambers speaks of a “devotion to hearing” (My Utmost for His Highest, February 13). Who and what we listen to will shape our thoughts. As a man thinks, so shall he be. (Proverbs 23:7) Within the pages of the Bible are God’s words of joy and peace, as well as a good and prosperous future. I want my life to be grounded in the hope of all God’s promises. That is the essence of faith, Hebrews 11:1. More and more, I must cling to what God says, because the voices of a world gone mad in evil are against hope.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I lack.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.” (Psalm 23:1, 2 HCSB) When I was a child, I lived according to my feelings. Feelings are always fueled by thoughts. I had to learn the enemy, having awful thoughts towards me, desired to rob me blind. Satan will use anything he can to put negativity into your head to keep you down. Hence, I grew up with his strongholds upon me, resulting in beliefs that I would never amount to anything of value. Even after coming to the Savior, it took years for God to peel back the layers of the lying feelings that I was damaged goods. Listening to hurtful words from others shaped my thought life and kept me bound to joylessness. Thoughts will come from either God or from the devil. It is a decision as to who and what we will listen to and entertain. Broken and bruised, I sought the Lord and He told me His thoughts, how much I was loved by Him. God’s words uplift. They are a balm to a weary PAGE 9 3

soul. God tells us He knit each one of us together in our mother’s womb and that we are remarkably and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:13,14)

“The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

(Proverbs 18:10 NKJV) We may not be able to completely blot out the lies coming from the enemy, but we sure can prevent his thoughts from overtaking us. We demolish every argument raised against the knowledge of God by wielding the sword which are the very words of God and the absolute truth. (2 Corinthians 10:4,5) Whatever situation or season we find ourselves in, God has the answers! And speaking His words, if only in a whisper, is how we stand in faith, holding firm to the hope of all we are believing in. Speaking the words of God aloud was a huge revelation for someone like me, living far too long in an existence of feeling like a lesser than human being. Developing a devotion to hear Christ and submitting to what He says will be a transformation of your mind. (Romans 12:2) “Behold I make all things new,” declares the One upon the throne of Heaven.

(Revelation 21:5 NKJV)

Click on the photo of the book to purchase from Amazon.

May Prayer A Prayer for Those Feeling Unqualified

By Tynea Lewis Dear Heavenly Father,

Tynea Lewis is a teacher turned workfrom-home mom. She and her husband live in Pennsylvania with their two children, and they love spending time together at their family cabin.

Tynea remembers loving to write as early as first grade. She has a heart for encouraging others in the midst of their messes. You can connect with her at her personal blog (www.tynea-lewis.com), on Instagram (@TyneaLewis), or Facebook (@TyneaLewisWriter).

We pray for people who are feeling unqualified. Lord, you have called them to something, but there is so much hesitation and fear stepping out into that calling.

It can be scary because we don’t want to mess up and fail.

Lord, sometimes we wonder if you’ve called us to the right thing. We think of all the reasons we’re not qualified. Our thoughts and doubts overwhelm us and cause us to freeze.

It feels like we don’t have what it takes, but Lord, you equip us. You give us exactly what we need to follow you. Remind us we don’t have to have it all figured out to be used by you.

You will lead and direct us every step of the way. From you, we find strength and wisdom.

You know about all of our weaknesses, but you look past them. They don’t dictate whether we can be used to reach people for your glory.

The world tells us we could never do it on our own, and we can’t; we can only do it with you. You are in control of it all, and it’s your voice we need to listen to. Help us focus on the truth.

Lord, there are many things that get in the way and can be a distraction for us. Help us stay focused on you and what you have called us to do. We trust in your sovereignty. Thank you for your love for us.

Lord, thank you for being by our side every step of the way.

Thank you for using us in your plan. We are not worthy of that, but you have extended us so much grace and mercy. We are humbled to be used by you. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

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Helping Mom Relax

By Dr. Kathleen Oden

What do moms do the most? They give of themselves. And what most moms do best is caregiving to their family and others. This is the perfect picture of Jesus. When moms care for us they are “Being His Hands and Feet.” This month, show some extra love to the caregivers in your life.

Help them relax and chill out!

Lavender essential oil is one of the most popular essential oils worldwide; gentle and safe for most people, including children. Ancient texts tell us that lavender has been used for therapeutic and religious purposes for over 2,500 years. The Egyptians used it for mummification and as perfume.

The Romans used it for cooking and scenting the air. They also added lavender to their bath water; hence, the name from the Latin “lavare” meaning “to wash.”

Mary may have applied lavender essential oil with her hair to anoint Jesus. Interestingly, many researchers claim that 2,000 years ago, lavender was referred to as spikenard or simply “nard” from the Greek name for lavender, naardus, after the Syrian city of Naarda.

John 12:3 tells us what is probably the most famous use of lavender essential oil… “Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet

with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (NJKV) Today, lavender is the most commonly used essential oil in the world.

“And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.” (Mark 14:3 KJV) Lavender is a “must-have” oil to keep on hand at all times because of its versatile uses, including relaxing properties that promote peaceful sleep and ease feelings of tension and/or stress.

The lavender flowers are steam-distilled for their essential oil, and the aroma is floral, sweet, and calming.

In February 2019 shingles appeared on my left shoulder but I thought it was a rash at first. However, my doctor informed me it was shingles and she asked me what I was using for the pain. She was very surprised when I told her essential oils– Lavender, Frankincense, and Pine. All 3 of these contain a pain compound and other healing properties, which is the reason I choose these 3 oils:

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Lavender: stopped the itching and pain. Apply as needed.

Pine: for the super-fast healing properties. Apply several times a day.

Great tips and tricks by Dr. Kathleen B. Oden

Frankincense: also for skin healing properties and prevents scarring. Apply several times a day.

DAILY USES FOR LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL • Take 1-2 drops daily as a supplement. (under the tongue) • A soothing remedy to use on kids cuts, scrapes, wounds & burns.

• Add 5 drops to bathwater (optional with Epsom salts) for a relaxing bath.

• (Warning: Epsom salts are not good for some people with high blood pressure.)

Show Jesus that you are “Being His Hands and Feet by helping mom or caregiver relax by fixing them a hot cup of Lavender tea: Boil water and pour in a cup. Add 1-2 drops of lavender essential oil.

Sweeten with honey and/or a little Stevia. They will love you for it!

Dr. Kathleen B. Oden is an author, missionary, and Bible teacher. She has been the Administrator of God’s House of Refuge Church & School of Evangelism, for 25 years. Dr. Oden attained a Doctorate degree in Christian Theology in 2000. After a bad fall in 2014, she realized that she had to start eating healthy, in order to fully recover. She became a Certified Health Minister and a Certified Essential Oil Coach. She loves ministering to people and God gave her a health ministry called, Create AnewU Health Ministry. Her health ministry has opened the door for her to share what the WORD OF GOD has to say about eating healthy. Dr. Oden has published over 20 books through Amazon.com and several of them are about health and wellness. https://createanewuhealthministry.com

USE LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL FOR… 1. Skin Soother Lavender has been shown to be highly soothing to skin, cuts, irritations, and pain.

Mix lavender oil with coconut oil and apply as needed.

2. Stress Reliever or Before Bed Relaxer Inhale from the bottle or diffuse to relieve stress. Diffuse 30 minutes before bed to relax and/or apply to the bottom of feet, over heart, back of the neck, and temples.

3. Lower Blood Pressure Diffuse lavender oil during the workday to help soothe stress and promote healthy blood pressure.

4. Headache Reliever For relief from headache pain, inhale lavender oil for 15 minutes. You can also mix 2 drops of lavender oil, add 1 drop of peppermint oil with 1 tsp of coconut oil. Apply to the back of the neck and on the temples to relieve tension and/or pain. (AVOID EYE AREA)

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Pam McCormick is an aspiring writer who recently retired from teaching in the public school and community college setting and still enjoys tutoring Algebra at the local library. Pam had a story, “The End,” published in Isothermal’s magazine, The Mentor, in December, 2014. Pam was also published in December 2016 in collaboration with eight other authors to write a devotional book, Ancient Stones Timeless Encouragement. Pam is a member of the Encouragers’ Christian Writers’ Group that meets monthly. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and tent camping with her husband, watching old time westerns, doing crossword puzzles and spending time with her daughter in Kentucky and her son, his wife and granddaughters, Merryn and Charlotte in Fuquay-Varina. Every other Sunday, she visits a nursing home and teaches a Bible study, feeling very blessed by God for this divine opportunity to share her love for her Savior. You can contact her at pjmc411@gmail.com.

LITTLE HANDS - LITTLE FEET

by Pamela McCormick It was a rainy, messy day. I was scheduled to teach children’s church that evening. The story was Daniel in the Lion’s Den, and I had a craft and snack planned for the children to make lion faces with peanut butter, rice cakes, purple gummy worms, cookie eyes, and curly pretzels for the mane. I went to four stores to get all I needed. I couldn’t understand why I put the curly pretzels back and got stick pretzels instead. And the rice cakes; I couldn’t find any, so I grabbed honey graham crackers. Little did I know God had plans to teach this teacher using a nine-year-old child.

Before the lesson started, the children were all talking about Easter and the candy that they would be getting on Sunday. One boy said, “I don’t know why we use bunnies when we talk about Easter.” I didn’t think much about what he had said, but I would learn more as the night progressed.

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At the beginning of the lesson, I asked this same boy to assume a kneeling position in the middle of a circle while the other children and I roared loudly. I told the children not to laugh, but a few giggles happened anyhow. We roared, and this little boy kept his head down as if he was praying. He never showed any fear. True, there were no real lions, but this child assumed the person of Daniel. He remained knelt with his head bowed down.

When the lesson started, I asked the children if they had ever been laughed at when they prayed. Again, this boy spoke up. He said, “Miss Pam, I was eating lunch in the cafeteria with my friends, and a little black boy sat down and started praying over his food. My friends started laughing at him, and I told them they sure better talk to Jesus about that.” Then he went over to sit next to the boy that was laughed at. The next day, his friends came back and apologized to both of them for laughing. It gets even better than that. God was so good this night.

All the children started creating their lion faces.

They all did a fantastic job, and I wanted to munch down on what they created. Unbeknownst to me, that same little boy turned to me and said, “Miss Pam, look what I made.” I was totally in awe of his creation. He had taken the graham crackers and broken them and made a cross. The purple gummy worms were draped over the sides of the cross. He took peanut butter and made a ring at the top and broke the stick pretzels to form the thorns in Jesus’ crown and broke other pretzels, putting them in Jesus’ hands and feet. He drew a picture of Jesus’ body on the graham cracker and put a little hill at the bottom of the cross because he wanted to lift Jesus up. Using a red magic marker he made a pool of blood in the edges of the inverted paper plate, and I stood there speechless.

I wish I had taken a picture, but that child’s cross will forever remain in my mind.

Thank you, Chase. Your little hands and little feet helped me see Jesus up close and personal. Thank You, God, for using a little boy to get your message across to me and this entire world about what You did for everyone.

Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.

Genesis 1:9 NKJV

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV)

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Nicole is a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 14 years of experience in community mental health. She is the author of Remade: Living Free a book written for women in recovery from substance abuse and unhealthy relationships. Nicole also maintains a blog at nicolebyrum. com as well as a podcast, 5 Minute Word. Both focus on topics related to faith and relationships. She lives in Northwest Ohio with her husband and two children. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, running, or cooking.

THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL

by Nicole Byrum

During my preschool and kindergarten years, I spent many of my post-school hours at my grandparents’ home. I have so many fond memories of that time: playing barbies, eating peanut butter by the spoonful with my grandpa, and “checking on the garden.”

But I can’t think about those years without thinking about the soap operas that adorned their television every afternoon. As a child, I could’ve told you every character’s name from The Young and the Restless! It was my grandparents’ favorite. Although I never paid much attention to the other ones, I do remember one called The Bold and the Beautiful. As with all the other soaps, I recall the introduction of the show being filled with attractive women in luxurious dresses. They seemed to be the prime example of beauty.

Although l (like most women) have the desire to feel beautiful, I’m so thankful to know that fancy dresses and perfectly placed hair and makeup are not the features by which our Lord defines beauty! While we know God is the author of physical beauty in all that He created, the prophet Isaiah records another kind of beauty that is pleasing to the Lord: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.” (Isaiah 52:7, ESV).

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This chapter speaks to the Lord’s coming salvation and notes that those who proclaim the good news that God reigns carry a unique beauty! After all, what could be more beautiful than proclaiming the good news of our awesome God? As a runner, I’ve always loved the imagery of that verse. Our feet become beautiful when we go into all the world preaching the Gospel.

The Apostle Paul mentioned this particular verse in Romans chapter ten. Here we see him preaching that the message of salvation is for all—both for the Jews and the Greeks. But we also see Paul challenging his fellow believers to spread this message. He asks in verse 14, “And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?

And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (ESV) Paul is essentially saying, “Hey! We have amazing news, but the only way people can know about it is if we tell them!” In verse 15, he then says, “And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”(ESV) And good news is what we have, for we know of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus! When we share the Gospel of Christ, it is pleasing to our Father. Truly, there is not a time when we are more lovely to Him.

It’s certainly no mystery that we are living in tense and conflicted times. Perhaps now more than ever the world is in need of the Gospel. However, Jesus warned his disciples in John, chapter 15, to expect the world to hate them. He himself also stated that in this world they would have trouble—but to take heart, for he has overcome the world (John 16:33). Those words are just as true for us today. As we are not of the world, the world will hate us. We will have troubles. But the truth also still stands: Our Savior has overcome the world.

His victory over death is our confidence and the reason we can be bold.

I’ve always loved the verse of 2 Timothy 1:7, which reminds us who we are: “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (ESV) Throughout all of Scripture, we see God the Father and God the Son commanding us not to be afraid, to fear not—for He is with us. As the Psalmist exclaimed, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6 ESV) As we go about our daily lives, I pray we will recognize the opportunities all around us to share the good news of the Gospel. There may be times we feel hesitant or uncomfortable in this. But dear friends, we are living in a world in desperate need of Jesus.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 18:2 NJKV

I encourage you to join me in consistently praying the words Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:19-20: “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (NIV) Amen. Let the cry of our hearts be to boldly proclaim Christ, that we may have beautiful feet swift to carry the good news.

Click on book cover to purchase.

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Poems by John Alexander Let It Be I pray for guidance through the year, Discern the truth, to You draw near.

I pray I yield, give You control, Not swayed by some opinion poll.

Lord guard my soul and guide my hand.

May truth take root throughout our land.

Lord, keep my feet on solid ground.

Your Word is true, Your truth profound.

I pray I’m daily in Your Word, My rhymes reflecting what I’ve heard.

Walk With The Lord

I pray I’m able to impart The love You’ve placed within my heart.

By John Alexander

To walk in simple faith, to be His hands and feet, sounds so easy, yet I often try to make it complicated.

It’s so easy to stray off the path and chose my own way. At first, the path seems right, but before long the path becomes obscured and I’m wandering around in the weeds. Whenever I stay in the Word and pray daily, I find it easier to walk with the Lord. I discovered that writing a poem during my morning quiet time helps me maintain the habit of daily time (early morning works best for me) reading the Bible and a short devotional, lifting my prayers to the Lord, and sharing my heart through poetry. It’s a blessing to share a few poems each month with the Faith On Every Corner family.

I pray they are a blessing to you.

I pray I bring Your love and care To others by the words I share.

I lift You up, Lord let it be That others understand and see The love that only You can bring.

You set us free that we may sing.

John Alexander Blessings, John QuietTimeRhymes.com

John Alexander lives in Frisco, Texas with his beautiful wife and his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

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Walking In Light

Guide Me

Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean that something’s right.

We can still be choosing darkness over walking in the light.

I pray you’ll guide my steps today, You’ll guide my thoughts, and what I say.

There’s so much more to life than all the stupid things we do.

Let’s find in life our passion, then let’s steadily pursue.

That goal with all the vigor we can muster to achieve, That dream that’s truly worthy of the truths that we believe.

Why live a life in shadows where it’s hard to see the sun, When there’s so much need around us and there’s so much to be done?

I pray you guide me as I walk, The words I say, and how I talk.

Give me the words to share your love, And tune my heart to things above.

I pray you guide the words I write.

May they reflect your perfect light.

Your love is pure, your love is true I know the joy of life brand new.

You gave me life, you freed my soul, There’s no more guilt you’ve made me whole.

Your love is strong, your love is pure.

What comes my way I can endure.

I thank you Lord I know your love.

You guide my steps from up above.

My Walk

If we’re reaching out to others and we’re showing love and care, Then our lives are full of blessings and there’s nothing to compare.

You are my Lord; in you I trust.

My earthly form will soon be dust.

The more we give to others and find ways to show our love, The more we know God’s blessings that He showers from above.

To everlasting life with you.

I pray my walk reflects what’s true.

Help me see my life today Is just a journey on the way,

May words I write help others find A faith renewed, leave doubt behind.

I pray we find our passion and what makes us each unique.

We each one have a mountain and I pray we reach the peak.

May young and old, the strong, the weak Find in You the love they seek.

I pray we help each other to achieve each goal and dream.

I pray we work together with God’s blessings as a team.

I pray the world will see your hand Reached out to save, to heal our land.

When troubles come, I pray your peace Will fill our hearts and never cease.

I pray you help us see what’s real And share the truths your Words reveal.

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Becoming Emboldened

By Gina Sewell

Gina Sewell is a mom and grandma who lives in the Dallas, Texas area, where she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family. She loves to write about Jesus and encourage others. Gina shares her journey on her website: http://www.ginabartonsewell.wordpress.com

The Bible tells us we should be bold. We should be strong and courageous and have much faith in our relationship with Christ. We should go out among the Nations and tell of Jesus Christ and bring others to Him. As much as I love the Lord and I’m so happy to have entered into a relationship with Him, I often wonder, “where is my courage? Where is my strength?

My mother was known for her boldness in Christ.

She often spoke of being a Christian woman and the responsibilities of that role.

I have complete faith in God. I know what He’s done for me. I know what He has brought me from and where He is leading me. He has restored my life, my relationships, my love for others, and the list goes on. He brought me from a horrible place and into a life that I love. He has restored my dreams and answered my prayers. He has given me a sense of the peace that I have longed for. So why didn’t I have the boldness of a lion for Him? Not long before I left my hometown to begin my new life, I had a word from God one morning just as I was waking. He said, “you have fought the lion.

Why are you afraid of the bear? I had no clue what that meant. But I do know that it has to do with courage. It has to do with bravery.

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But I believe it is also a lesson in faith. When David fought the lion and the bear in 1 Samuel17:34-37, he was able to defeat the wild animals, not because he was stronger than them, but because God was protecting him and he had full faith in that protection. I believe He was telling me, “I have gotten you through the biggest battle of your life, where is your faith in the next battle? So I put my faith in Him once again and I took the next step and things fell into place in my life. My faith has grown and my strength is building tremendously.

The best way that I know to overcome fear is to spend as much time as you can each and every day with the Lord. Read the Word daily and you will feel your confidence build. Find your secret place where you can meet with Him every day in prayer.

Edwin Louis Cole said, “Prayer in private results in boldness in public.”

Father God, thank you so very much for your strength and your love for us. Sometimes life is hard, Many times I have gone through things that I just didn’t feel I could handle on my own, but now I know I don’t have to because you are always with me, carrying me through. I now know that I am never alone and that gives me such courage as well as peace. Thank you, God, for all these things. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God’s Hands and Feet

by Karen Ruhl

Have you ever been told you need to be God’s hands and feet? In all reality, we cannot fulfill such a big statement. God does not need us, and yet He wants us to serve others in His name.

One way we serve is to bring the Good News to as many people as we can. It is easy for me to start conversations—I love people! I am not pushy, but if I have an opportunity to tell someone about Christ, I take it.

I found this explanation of our lives, before and after Christ. It is a simple way to explain why we should know Christ Jesus. Paul is a great example of taking the good news to places far away and bringing the gentiles to Christ.

Before and After Knowing Christ Before After Dead because of Sin Under God’s anger Followed the ways of the world God’s enemies Enslaved to the devil Followed our evil thoughts and desires

Made alive with Christ Shown God’s mercy and given salvation Stand for Christ and truth God’s children Free in Christ to love, serve, and sit with Him Raised up with Christ to glory

I encourage you to open your Bibles and read Ephesians 3. Paul’s prayer for Spiritual Growth is one we should read and know so we can pray for others and share God’s love for us.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NKJV) “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.

Amen.

The last words Jesus told His disciples were, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” (NKJV)

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Love and Courage

By Pamela Walck

Both of these sudden deaths have made an impact on my level of intensity for sharing the gospel.

After all, only God knows our last day on earth. It could happen any time.

His hand felt cold. “Dad,” wake up I cried. I turned the basement light on. “Dad,” I yelled a second time. A blood-curdling scream came out of my throat, “Mom, call the ambulance.”

Finding my father dead in the basement occurred fifteen years ago. A decade later, my phone rang.

I was at home on a Friday night. It was my brother’s son, Jeff. His quivering voice spoke, “Pam, my father’s dead.”

“What? I don’t believe it.”

“They found him upside down in his car, his neck was broken.”

“I have a Niagara County Sheriff standing right here.”

The Sheriff talked to me and reiterated what my nephew had said. They had identified the man as my older brother, Kevin. Doctors pronounced him dead on arrival at the hospital.

I got off the phone, crying profusely. “Why God, why? Tears streamed down my face. Lord, please accept my brother into Heaven. I do not know whether Kevin believed in Jesus as His Savior.”

On my heart, I felt the tender comfort of a God who will never leave nor forsake me. God didn’t tell me where my brother went, of course, but He immediately brought to me we cannot pray someone into Heaven after they’re gone. Each person must decide to accept or reject Jesus while on earth.

God does not force himself on anyone.

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When my father died, I thought about the effect of his passing on my own life and my mother’s. I assumed my dad went to Heaven because I thought everyone who went to church ended up there.

His death started a search in me. I read about the white light, reincarnation, and as many books as I could get my hands on to hear about the afterlife.

Everything but the Bible.

When my brother’s death occurred ten years later, I had trusted in Jesus and understood from reading the Bible that “We are saved by grace, not works lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9 NIV) It doesn’t matter what anyone did—church attendance, baptism, confirmation—but whether we have trusted in Jesus Christ.

I didn’t know where my brother’s beliefs lie. Kevin had not attended church in a while, but two months before his tragic death, I invited him to my church and he went. We never had a conversation about his faith and whether he trusted in Jesus.

Many people avoid conversations about religion out of fear or thinking that the talk may get controversial. But Jesus said, there’s only one way to Heaven, through Him (John 14:6). I want as many people to go to Heaven as possible.

Recently, I sat next to a couple on a plane and got into a conversation with the man about his faith, “I’m a back-slidin’ Methodist,” he said with a snicker. His attitude made me wonder if he took Christianity seriously. I probed deeper with, “What do you think of the Bible?”

“Well, I don’t believe in the miracles,” he said.

“I think he’s a good man.”

“Only, a good man?”

“Well, yeah, he did a lot of great things, but I don’t think those were miracles.”

“Do you believe Jesus rose from the dead?” I asked.

“No.”

His answers didn’t surprise me—a man raised in the church but, based on his responses, an unbeliever. We talked for a while, and he seemed to have a scientific mind. “If I can’t see it, I don’t believe it,” he said.

“Did you see the Civil War?” I asked. “You weren’t there for that, but we have historical records and testimonies that it took place. The fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies, along with all the scientific and historical evidence, proves the Bible true and Jesus Christ is God.” At some point, he seemed closed to further discussion. I encouraged him to read some apologetic books about the evidence for Jesus and also to read the Book of John, a little every day, asking God to reveal Himself. We got off the plane and parted ways on friendly terms, but I pray that whatever seeds God used me to plant in his mind would move him to seek the Lord.

When speaking to people about Jesus, we may meet some resistance, and we must let the Holy Spirit guide us as to when to speak and when to keep silent. I used to feel nervous when I’d ask a person about their relationship with Jesus, but it’s really not about me, but rather the individual and God. He can use us as tools through both our actions and conversations to bring people to Himself or to grow their faith.

When my thoughts center on Christ and the kingdom, and another person’s soul rather than myself; courage and love for others triumph over fear. I now enjoy sharing the gospel. How could I not, knowing that perhaps someday I’ll see in Heaven the person with whom I shared the gospel or prayed for their salvation?

I no longer look at the Great Commission, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation,” (Mark 16:15 NIV) as something only pastors or missionaries do. As Christians, we have all received a call to share Jesus through words and deeds, no matter our ages or careers.

As I reflect on my father’s and brother’s deaths and my hope of seeing them again in eternity, I recognize that sometimes the most important questions remain unasked. If we don’t ask a person about his or her relationship with Jesus, who will?

I’m a Christian, work as a physical therapist, and I enjoy writing to inspire others. I hope that as you read these stories, they will motivate you to know Jesus as your Savior, walk in faith, and use your gifts and talents to glorify the Lord. My blog is: joyluke157.wordpress.com

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Christ is First, But He Chose To Be Last.

Shouldn’t We Do The Same?

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4 ESV) It is hard for anyone to always put themselves second or even last in this world because many of us live in a society that often thinks of themselves first, even when we profess subjugation of our own will. It is part of the human condition and it is a significant fault of man. To improve how we respond to those feelings of needing to be highlighted, we must understand and ultimately find peace with the fact that we are commanded to be the hands and feet of Jesus. When Paul and Timothy were writing to the Philippians, they encouraged them to show humility like Christ (Philippians 2:3-4) and that is something we should strive for.

It has not been easy for me, and is it ever fully solved?

No, but because I want to be more like Christ, I have to remind myself that I am second or third or fifth. Christ could have left us to our own demise and allowed us to fester and stay permanently separated from God, but instead, he made himself last. Last of every soul that has come, gone, and will come. He chose to come down to Earth and live as we live. He chose to understand us more intimately than we could imagine and then, even though we weren’t worthy, he stepped between his father and us, saying (I’m taking liberty here, obviously no one knows the true conversation), “They are not perfect, they are not worthy, but they were created to be wonderful. Not all hope is lost. My sacrifice is worth their salvation.”

I must be honest, running through that conversation makes me a little misty. Can we be that humble? Can I? It is a question I strive to answer every day. I do not get it right all the time and I won’t. I do not expect to.

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However, Jesus says you can get it right some of the time too because we could be worthy.

His confidence in humanity is something to be cherished. We can be worthy of God’s love. We can be worthy of the love of our wives or significant others. We can be worthy of the love of the children in our lives. It comes at a great cost to our vanity, but Paul said it right in Philippians 1:21, ‘For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain’ (ESV). If we truly are the hands and feet of Jesus, we need to operate as he did.

Doing this, being the hands and feet, is a journey. One that lasts our entire lifetime. One that, if we struggle to find fulfillment can make us feel hopeless. So, how do we keep this mindset of being last without feeling hopeless?

I am just a conveyor of thoughts with an approach to theology. I am only trying to share what I have success with and hope that you can make use of it too. Here are the things that I use and find beneficial.

1. Make a list, either written or mental, of the things you have done for others. See how it has impacted their life and admire the work you have done. It is hard to see that sometimes, but reminders are important, so you do not feel like you’re doing something in vain. This is like prayer journaling, for me, it is all in one because it costs you zero to pray for someone, it does not matter if they know you do or not.

2. Wear something that professes your desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus so that you have a visual cue. One of my favorite things is a silicone bracelet I have from I Am Second. A friend asked me about the bracelet. I explained, and then I gave it to him without a thought. (2 Corinthians 9:7) The next week he had a different one for me that I would wear daily until it broke.

3. Listen to your heart. Our mind often complicates things for us more than we would like. If you see someone in need, help them.

(Proverbs 4:23) This was something I was happy to show Elijah (my favorite little boy in the world) one day when he was playing at the soft play area in the mall. There was a boy there that had taken one of his toys.

Long story short, the boy was autistic and when I asked him for the toy back his mother apologized profusely and gave me the toy. I sat down and put Elijah on my knee and explained to him that there are many toys in the world just like this one, but maybe this toy was destined for the little boy. I did not force him to make his next decision.

He understood what I was getting at and gave the toy to the little boy. The mom was thankful and almost in tears, and I could not be a prouder parent.

Those are just a few ways we can keep on that path to being last and being happy. If Christ can give up everything including His life, then surely we can give up some of us to enrich others. You never know how much a small act of selflessness can change someone’s world or lead them to Christ.

Scott Dunn is a Christian husband and father who has spent over 15 years in the telecommunications industry. He is the founder of Talking with God (https://twgpodcast.com), a podcast that seeks to educate and encourage a closer relationship with God. Scott is a northerner who migrated south and has fully acclimated to the wonderful area known as the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He serves at his local church by helping with the production and online streaming of services.

He has a genuine passion for the Christian man and his responsibilities, often writing about them on his blog https://justholdfast.com. Here he shares open and real-life experiences so that other men can relate to the human condition and how that relates to a stronger love relationship with God.

Click on logo to visit

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W H AT E V E R YO U D O

By Lynn Downham

I love to teach—ART. Not that I love teaching in itself so much, but because that’s what I do. ART. In fact, on the “spiritual gifts survey” that most of us have taken at one time or another, teaching is not one of my “dominant gifts” but was on there under “subdominant gifts”. However, because I LOVE what I do, I enjoy teaching it to others.

Hence, whatever you do really well, (ie, your gift), you would probably or already do teach it to others or help others to develop the same gift, whether it’s writing, cooking, woodworking, caregiving, the list goes on and on.

“There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:5-7 NIV) Teaching does seem to be in the family though, as my mother ran a fantastic daycare for twenty years, which was more like a school and called Good News Day Care. My grandmother was a schoolteacher, “par excellence”, who taught me French when I was little, and her mother was an accomplished piano teacher. This is all helpful, for if left to my own devices I would probably just stay in the studio and work because that would be easier. Satan never wants us to go out and fellowship or help anybody! But are we not commanded in the last verses of the book of Matthew to “Go...”?

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So, the Lord will not only reveal to you what your gifting area is, He will also equip you to perform it and share it wherever He wills and provide everything you need along the way. Amazing.

From reading my articles, you might get the idea that I have unlimited time to work only on ART. Not true, in fact, last year it was extraordinarily difficult to find the time to draw and paint because of other demands on our time. Seasons come and seasons go, but after you have seen a number of them, you learn patience and I hope this year will see me at the easel more than last year.

This month’s painting is called Animal Beach and I don’t think I’ve explained the “little animal pictures” yet, but when I was a child, I played with these little rubber animals that would fit on the top of pencil erasers and I had a whole collection of them. I played with them instead of Barbie dolls. Well, they’re in my head and I still have them. I tried to get rid of them once by passing them on to a niece who DID like to play with Barbie dolls, but one day in Florida I received a little package from my mother with a pink heart on it that said, “We’ve missed you!” You guessed it, there they were, and now they live behind my easel on their own little shelf. I also like birds. Our daughter and I are avid “birders” and my brother’s family rescues greyhounds. So that’s where the animals come from but notice the greyhound.

Just giving him a cursory glance, the world would think, “Oh, he’s the lifeguard. He’s probably giving them a safety lesson.” But I’m a Born Again

Christian and everything I do is through the lens of the Christian viewpoint! More likely, with that Cross on his chest, he is acting like a Lifeguard and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and then they’ll all go be baptized in the ocean like the mass baptism I saw at the beach before we left Florida! Whatever you do, do it for the Lord!

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

(Matthew 28:19&20 NKJV)

Lynn Story Downham is a fourth generation artist who returned to North Carolina in 2014 after twenty-six years on the Florida panhandle. Her seventh family tree commission was for a “family tree for Jesus.” Twenty years later she is a bornagain believer with a best-selling print, a beautiful family and a passion for sharing Christ through her art.

Animal Beach (Top) Animal Beach detail (bottom)

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DEAR CARL

By Anna Friend

Hello, Dear Carl fans I am thankful for your support of Carl’s mom. She has made a fresh start in the new year. In her mid80s, she thrives for quality of life and establishing a legacy of family love.

Carl’s mom has lived in North Carolina for most of her life. She is a southern transplant and has enjoyed the culture, hospitality, and high regard for kin—family closeness. She became a widow in her early 40s and has only one son. Carl was just entering college when his dad died. Carl married a beautiful woman (Donna) with ties in Arizona. He moved and established his home in Arizona soon after college. Carl has 2 sons and is a grandfather of 3 children. Carl’s mom had friends and community work she enjoyed in North Carolina that kept her from moving to Arizona upon her husband’s death.

She had lived in the home where she and her husband shared most of their married lives. She moved into a senior living cottage a few years ago. Every week, she sits at her dining table and writes her son a handwritten letter, though he calls her almost every Sunday.

New this year—Carl’s mom is now living in her son’s home. She made an abrupt decision to move to Arizona upon the death of a close friend, and at the request of her daughter-in-law. Although Carl and his mother now have time for in-depth conversations, which she relishes, she has decided to continue to write letters to Carl each week. She is documenting her life and life lessons in them. She folds the letters neatly, places them in envelopes, seals, and dates them. She then stores them in a large wooden box that she inherited from her friend, Shirley. She wants to leave Carl his small family’s history and tie them with the assurance that her Lord and Savior was with her, her husband, their families, and Carl, even when they did not know Him.

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Dear Carl, It is a warm, too warm, day in May. I took a walk this morning in the neighborhood. Do you know I didn’t meet one person outside? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because no cars were outside their garages. People are working, and kids are back in school. Normalcy is slowly returning to our world, but it is a “new” normal. I am not sure I can endure it. I miss community life. Our masked environment shields our best accessory—our smiles. I miss smiles. Today Donna took me to a small drugstore with a boutique inside. Her newest accessory is a rhinestone-studded mask. She wanted to buy me one, but I opted for a clear shield-type mask. I don’t think I like it, though. I looked like a welder or a robot.

She looked like a gypsy storyteller, complete with rhinestones and bangled bracelets to ring.

Our precious Donna has a heart for the “least” in our world of influence. I learned this today. Preacher Larry once spoke about us being the hands and feet of Jesus. I was a young Christian at the time, feeling like Nicodemus. I asked myself, “How can I be that?” I was thinking in physical body terms. When your wife and I were leaving the grocery store heading to the car, all masked up, she said we need to make a detour. We walked to a handicapped parking space where an older gentleman (my age at least, ha-ha!) was sitting in his battered wheelchair. He was sitting there staring up at the rare appearance of fluffy white clouds. Donna approached him and asked him how his day was going? He said, “Can’t complain.” She expressed her shared appreciation of seeing the fluffy cotton balls in the sky. She didn’t ask if he needed help, or if she could do something. I was thinking, can’t you offer some help. She proceeded to bend her knees and at his level, she spoke with him some more. She mentioned his handsome dress shirt and spiffy shorts. She mentioned his nice tan and told him he looked handsome. As he sat next to the passenger side of the van, his smile grew bigger.

He engaged in a respectful conversation about the weather, his reluctance to wait in the vehicle while his caregiver went shopping (hence his sitting outside in his wheelchair), and how he felt less alone and part of society watching people go in and out of the store. Before saying our goodbyes, Donna asked, “May I get you something to drink, snack, or do something for you?” He said, “Honestly, people often do stop and ask if I need anything, but no one stays to talk. You already gave me what I need. You didn’t see a man in a wheelchair. You saw me. Thank you.” When we were in our car, I had tears falling from my eyes. Donna asked, “Why are you crying, Mom? You know it doesn’t take much to be Jesus to someone.” I replied, “The man had nothing he could do or give to you, yet you gave away something very important to you—your time.” She responded, “Exactly! No more about it. The milk is probably spoiling now.” Love your Donna, she still is so “her,” but selfish she is not.

Son, in heaven we will be serving, worshipping, and receiving Jesus’ love in person. If you are reading this, then I am already holding Jesus’ hands and sitting at his feet. You, my son, are His hands and feet. I have seen your volunteer efforts, and His love pours through you. Keep your eyes open to the unscheduled opportunities to be someone’s joy or answer to prayer—meet their needs. It doesn’t have to be an exhausting, challenging, or oppressive command of God. Just be mindful and recognize little moments of His call. Now on the physical side, Donna said you and she are scheduled for mani-pedi appointments soon. What? Really, son? I guess there is nothing wrong if your hands and feet are presentable in process of His work. I am hopeful that you are finding comfort in these letters written to warm your heart as you remember how much I love you.

Love, Mom

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40

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Jo Scheidt writes to empower women to experience a deeper, more intimate level of joy and awareness in their relationship with God, ultimately discovering their purpose and true identity. Jo’s website is found at https://realwithgod.com/

D I TC H T H E G U I LT —

CHRISTIAN LADIES!

By Jo Scheidt

If you do, you and I need to talk!

Take that out of your bag—you’re not meant to carry it!

Guilt can rob you of the joy and relationship with God you are meant to carry in your day-to-day living. We choose to carry guilt when we fall short of our goals or when we know we’ve sinned.

Sometimes we take something good, like prayer, and give opportunity for guilt to plague us when we don’t meet expectations we think are on us.

• Do you have prayer goals?

• Do you find it hard to fit prayer into your day?

• How should your prayer life look?

• Is there a right way and a wrong way to pray?

• Do you feel guilty if you go all day without praying?

Are those the right questions?

Those are the kinds of questions that can lead to overwhelm and guilt when we don’t put them in their proper place.

What if you could break free from all of those expectations on you as a Christian woman?

Let’s look at it this way: Do you ask yourself those questions when it comes to talking with your friends? Probably not every day, right? You might occasionally feel guilty for not getting back to someone, but, generally, you don’t carry the weight of all those questions regarding talking with friends.

Right?

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The questions above that cause anxiety and guilt do not come from God. The expectations we put on ourselves (and others) of what a Christian woman is supposed to be or act like are harmful. We should be cautious about the unnecessary weight we place upon our shoulders. We should not carry the burdens that Jesus placed on himself so we wouldn’t have to!

God doesn’t want you living under that kind of heaviness and bondage. Spend time in confession, and then accept His kind forgiveness and move forward.

Leave it with Him, and don’t pick it back up again to carry with you. It’s not yours!

In Matthew 11:29-30, Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (NIV) What God puts on you is NOT heavy. It’s light. And it’s both kinds of light, meaning not heavy and also not dark!

We need to believe the Scriptures when it says: “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12 ESV) What does any of that have to do with prayer? Everything!

Does your best friend understand when you don’t call one day? She probably knows what you’re doing instead. Right? She’s got it all figured out and isn’t sitting there insecure and wondering if you care. The only way to have that kind of relationship with God is to cultivate one as you did with your best friend!

How? Let’s take a look at how you and your friend are so close. You meet up with your friend and talk about all of your likes and dislikes. You eat at restaurants together. You know each other’s food choices if you want to order for each other when one is running late. You know if your friend wants lemon in her water. Knowing all of these things about your friend comes from repeatedly meeting together, doing things, and talking with each other for hours.

It’s really no different when it comes to your relationship with God. To know God and hear what He has to say, sit with Him and read your Bible. Tell Him of your likes and dislikes. Even though He already knows them, and better than you do, He loves to hear you tell Him. He loves to listen to your heart and voice.

Did you know that? That’s a relationship with God! There’s more—like staying put to hear God’s heart, too. Plan a day or half-day out with God! Just you and Him! Do you see how this is a much lighter version of the expectations we add for ourselves and others? It’s a different mindset. How do you feel when you’re getting ready to go out with your friend? It’s not a feeling of dread or duty, but light and exciting! Sometimes you get dressed up; you look forward to it!

Don’t you wish you could spend all day with your best friend sometimes? It’s hard to cut a fun conversation short.

But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” Luke 8:23-25 NKJV

What if this was your description of your time spent with God? “You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” (Acts 2:28 NIV) I want to give you some FREE RESOURCES to help you with your relationship with God and your prayer life. My greatest joy is to see a woman discover who she really is in God and then walk with the kind of confidence found in knowing she is a Daughter of the King.

There is NO condemnation, and NO chains found on her—only a quiet confidence that can stare down every tsunami in life.

Drop the guilt—Grace to you!

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Three Biblical Approaches To Sickness

By Joseph Akinrinola

God did not leave us in the dark as to know what to do when we are sick. Applying the scripture rightly is one of the best decisions you can take to enjoy your health. Failure to understand the place of the scriptures has led to the premature death of some of the finest Christians. There are three biblical approaches to dealing with sickness that you need to know as a Christian. First, when and the possibility of divine healing. Second, the place of drugs and medication in scriptures. Third, when God says no to healing you.

Drugs and Medication Thank God for doctors. Some denominations teach against the use of drugs, medication, blood transfusion, and operation. This is at variance with the scriptures. Nowhere does the Bible teach against medication. The prophecy of the healing of Hezekiah accompanies herbal treatment. (2 King 20:7)

That a Christian goes to the hospital does not mean God is incapable of healing them. Remember, God Some faith believers teach that sickness is a mark that gave the knowledge for the medical discoveries. We a Christian is not spiritual enough. This is not correct, can see the approval for medication in the admonition as we have evidence of believers in both the Bible and of Paul, the Apostle, to his son in the Lord, Timothy. the contemporary world that are sick. Some of these He has Timothy take some wine for his sickness. (1 people are really in tune with God. Examples: Hezeki- Timothy 5:23) Wine and oil were common means of ah, Elisha, Lazarus, Timothy, and Paul. treatment of his days. That informs us of the suggestion of Paul to ailing Timothy.

The followings are the three biblical approaches to sickness Today, we have several medical options to access apart from wine and alcohol if someone is sick. TherePrayer of Faith fore, go for treatment if you are sick. Pastor David Ibiome said, “if you didn’t get over your sickness in Divine healing and divine health are two possibilities three days after your prayers, then, go for medication for every child of God. Divine health means you do because it’s obvious your level of faith cannot access not fall sick at all or you rarely fall sick. Divine healthe divine healing you are seeking.” ings mean you are healed when you pray or someone prayed for you. In both cases, you apply faith and God You surely know Paul must have prayed for Timothy honors your prayer or the person who prayed for you. for divine healing without a result. This was not beWhichever way, no drugs, medication, or doctors are cause God was no longer healing people or Paul was involved. Examples are the man born blind, healing no longer anointed. After all, the handkerchief from the man by the pool of Bethsaida, the woman with the Paul was healing people. issue of blood, and Peter’s mother-in-law.

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Grace to Manage the Sickness Sometimes God will not heal you. This may sound strange to some people, yet this is the truth of the scripture. Christianity will not be real if all we care about is what we can get from God. From your experience, you know God has not answered all your prayers, and He will not. Sometimes God says no to our prayers, even with our best intentions, holiness, and need. Although we do not always like this, God will not give us attention if that will not bring glory to Him or work out something good in His agenda.

Elisha, who had the double portion of Elijah’s power, was sick. (2 King 13:14) From that passage, it is obvious he had been carrying the sickness for a while. Also from the passage, we see his anointing and prophecy as fresh and accurate as ever. Though God had used this man to heal people and perform other miracles, yet he died a sick person. What you needed when God says no to your healing is His grace. This understanding of the position of God and the scriptures will not make you fret and disappointed when you or someone you prayed for did not get the desired result for healing.

Everything in life rises or falls on your health.

Once you lose your health, you lose your business.

You only have a ministry if you are healthy. Just like your marriage, if you fail at any of these two you have failed in the ministry. Therefore, take care of your health. It is better to stay healthy than need to seek treatment. If, however, you are sick, apply these 3 biblical approaches to the sickness.

I am Joseph, an author, blogger, and content writer from Nigeria. In the field of writing, I deliver unique, grammatically correct, and plagiarism-free content. Currently, I work with three online firms specializing in motivation, human capacity development, lifestyle, relationship, and spiritual writings.

One glaring example of grace instead of healing was Paul the Apostle. He prayed three times and got the same response. “My grace is sufficient for you.” Though we may not like this, yet it happens, and then the only solution is to manage the condition. That does not make you less a child of God. While I did not say you should resign to fate on your health issues, you should, however, understand God and the position of the scripture on the state of your health and sickness.

Never forget you are responsible for your health.

No one is more responsible for your health than you. Therefore, factor rest into your schedule.

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Road Tripin’ in Mt. Pleasant

by Karen Ruhl

There aren’t enough pages for me to show you the beauty and history we saw while visiting Mt. Pleasant, SC. Our goal was to visit Charleston while we were there but we ran out of time. We will be going back to visit Charleston where Craig was stationed while in the Navy.

There are so many things to see here. An Aircraft Carrier you can tour, the Shrimp Boats, an Abbey where Monks still live and pray - surrounded by a magnificent garden, Crystle Gardens, and The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge that connects Mt. Pleasant to Charleston. Beauty and history everywhere!

We loved the moss hanging from the trees in the area. Streets lined with trees and the moss dangling were amazing.

Our visit was also special when we got to have dinner with Melissa and Alan Henderson. Melissa is one of our writers. What a fun night.

We do road trips as often as we can and we encourage you to get out and explore the area you live in. I guarantee you will enjoy your time together and learn a little history of your area at the same time. God Bless and Safe Travels.

All photos by Karen Ruhl

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Thank you for all who served and are serving. This is for Craig, who served in the Navy, thank you!

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Beautiful Feet

by Yvonne M. Morgan

Feet of Beauty

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?

As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

(Romans 10:14-15 NIV) The Calling God gave us the Ten Commandments in the book of Exodus. They offered instructions to the Israelites on Godly living. And these still apply to us today. Fast forward several thousand years to the New Testament, and we find Jesus gave us additional commands. Jesus told us to love and to go (See John 13:34 and Matthew 28:19 below). Jesus calls us to share our love with others and tell them the Good news of the Gospel. We are God’s hands and feet to a hurting world today.

John 13:34; “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (NIV) Matthew 28:19; “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (NIV)

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Try to imagine our world without people sharing the Gospel. If Ananias had not responded to God’s call to go, would Paul have been converted? If Peter had said no to Jesus’ call to make him a fisher of men, would the church have been born? From twelve disciples, God built His church that has survived for thousands of years and spread worldwide. And He calls each of us to continue spreading the gospel work today. We are all called to be His missionaries.

Our job is to plant the seeds of the Word of God. I picture us as a Johnny Appleseed, sowing the Word of God everywhere we go. And someday, God will allow those seeds to grow into mighty Christians.

New Christians who, in turn, will go out and spread the Gospel. One day, we will stand before the throne of God and see all those who found salvation through the seeds of a missionary.

Now, the Rest of the Story As God calls us to go out and spread the Gospel, He knows something else will happen along the way. The experience will change us and will bless us more than we could ever imagine. Seeing lives change also encourages us and strengthens our faith for when we face problems in our futures.

After years of participating in mission trips, I returned home with many more blessings than I provided. I’ve witnessed hope in the faces of extreme poverty. I saw faith in God’s healing power because there was no medical care available.

And I connected with my brothers and sisters in Christ, establishing friendships that continued. God blessed me as I took His blessing into the world.

Apply Today God does call us to spread the Gospel. Often, the thought of sharing our faith scares most of us. But this job comes with many benefits in the form of blessings. “Our faith becomes stronger as we express it; a growing faith is a sharing faith.” — Billy Graham. And God will be with us every step of the way. “for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

(Luke 12:12 NIV) Grace and peace to you.

Yvonne M Morgan I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works.

Click on book cover to purchase.

Psalm 145:5

Blog at Turningmountainsintomolehills.org Twitter: @ymmauthor Website: Yvonne-Morgan.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YMMauthor/ Books: Turning Mountains into Molehills (2017) Rest in God Prayer Journal (9-2020) Faith, Hope, and Love in a Broken World (12-2020)

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Leaving and Being His Hands and Feet—Our Whole Lives

By Tami Thorsen Tami Thorsen is a Certified ICF ACC Life-Coach, Trainer, and Gospel-driven catalyst. Her website is at https://www.head2heartonward.com/ Greater in this passage is referring to the “extent”, “the multiplication”, “the expanded impact” of the Gospel, to the ends of the earth! Wow! I recently turned the big 5-0. I have tons of grey hairs and my body has much less energy and pizazz than it used to. Overnighters at the YMCA with a bunch of teenagers or sleeping on wooden bunks for a week of camper-counseling an energetic group of Junior-High girls is not my “cup of tea” nowadays.

But just because I’m “old” and a bit “worn around the edges” doesn’t tell me “I’m no use as Jesus’ hands and feet.”

Those of us who find ourselves in this “season” of life often think this way and succumb to such “limiting beliefs” that need some tender-loving challenge.

God calls us to “finish well.”

He begins, and He sustains and He finishes what He has begun in you. (Philippians 1:6) That is His perfect, guaranteed promise to every one of His redeemed children!

But we so often “peter out” and justify our “slowing down” by saying “that’s life!”

Not so.

Old age does not equate to “lesser.”

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That being said, our age is significant to God in that each “season of age” has a divine purpose for being His hands and feet via the “masterpiece” that God says each of us are our whole lives.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT) The coaching questions for you and I to consider are these: What does ‘finishing well’ mean to you?

What might need to change in your thinking or actions so you could finish well as Christ so desires of you, for His glory?

What could “His hands and feet” look like through you to others in this season of your life?

What may be holding you back from moving in this direction?

What may be the next step God is inviting you to take today? Tomorrow?

By God’s Grace, I am determined to finish well for the sake of Christ, the Gospel, and for those whom He died and lives for.

In my present season of life, which offers me less energy, less physical ability, and less “full-throttle” thinking capacity, I am not allowing those to hold me back from finishing well as His hands and feet.

I am determined to be His hands and feet my whole life...

What about you?

How may God be inviting you to be His hands and feet to others in your present season of life? …that every man, woman, and child in your sphere of influence may have multiple opportunities to hear, see and respond to the Gospel!

Have a “listen in” to the heartbeat of an “old”, seasoned man of God who was determined to finish well by being His hands and feet...

He writes, ‘Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone… Even when I am old and grey, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come’ (Psalm 71:9,18 NIV) It has been said that it is important to pursue “a Paul,” train “a Timothy;” be mentored by “a Mary,” and prepare “a Phoebe.”

Helping you live aligned to your God-given design for greatest Gospel impact, Tami Thorsen ACC ICF Certified Life-Coach/Trainer Serving you with faith-based 1:1 or group life-coaching journeys &/or Life-coaching-training learning/implementation workshops www.head2heartonward.com

So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

Luke 4:28-30 NKJV

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Faith On Every Corner Bookshelf Chosen

By Charles De Andrade Reviewed by Craig Ruhl

Click on book cover to purchase this book.

This is the second book I have read by author Charles De Andrade, This Christian fictional story primarily takes place in the late 1960s and early 1970s, during the Vietnam the war. In this book, the first in the Steward Series, the author introduces the reader to the principal character, a member of the armed forces who possesses the biblical gifts of wisdom and discernment. While actively involved in armed combat, he also knows that the veritable war being waged is spiritual and not just physical. Weaving a wonderful love story into the conflict adds to the tension and makes the book hard to put down. I was aware of spiritual warfare before reading Chosen, but this story sparked my awareness and enhanced my discernment and wisdom of the battle taking place in heavenly realms. As an addition to biblical studies, Chosen makes an excellent personalization of the subject.

I enjoyed this well-written book and am becoming a Charles De Andrade fan, eager to read the next book in the series.

I highly recommend this book and we have placed a copy on the Faith On Every Corner Bookshelf.

If you would like us to review your book, please contact us at Team@FaithOnEveryCorner.com

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Faith On Every Corner Bookshelf

David’s Faith

By Mary Jane Humes Reviewed by Karen and Craig Ruhl David’s Faith, by author Mary Jane Humes, is the first book in the Faith Series Devotionals. This 30-day devotional book provides a helpful daily format for studying God’s Word and applying the lessons learned to our daily lives. For each day, there is a reading plan, a specific verse for the day, and a Bible lesson. One day’s reading fits into a minimal time slot or expands by adding further study.

Based on the life of King David, the author uses the study of his attributes, failings, experiences, and lessons to teach, encourage, and inspire the reader in their walk of faith.

We both love to read Christian devotional books. They provide topical content that helps us focus during our special time with the Lord and in the Word. Although this book is written specifically for women, the content is equally suitable for men. This devotional study is an excellent part of our time spent daily with the Lord.

We recommend David’s Faith to our readers and have placed a copy on the Faith On Every Corner Bookshelf.

Click on book cover to purchase this book.

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Faith On Every Corner Bookshelf

Finding Faith Hope And Love In A Broken World

By Yvonne Morgan Reviewed by Karen and Craig Ruhl In the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:13, we are told of the importance of faith, hope, and love. In her book, author Yvonne Morgan starts with the fall of man in the book of Genesis and through each chapter of her book, she leads us to understand how each of us can be a light to the world by exhibiting our love of Jesus Christ.

The Lord calls us to share our faith, and the lessons learned in this book show how to do exactly that. This book merges a devotional teaching format with thought-provoking questions. There is space provided at the end of each chapter for the reader to journal their answers and insights.

After reading this book, we find ourselves inspired and encouraged, especially in these troubled times. We recommend it to our fellow readers and have placed a copy of Finding Faith Hope And Love In A Broken World on the Faith On Every Corner Bookshelf.

Click on book cover to purchase this book.

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Faith On Every Corner Bookshelf Turning Guilt Trips Into Joy Rides

By Shirley Brosius, Janine Boyer, and Kim Messinger Reviewed by Karen Ruhl The three co-authors have combined their thoughts, beliefs, and everyday solutions to the very real subject of guilt trips.

The topics of God, Relationships, Acceptance, Challenges, and Emotions are organized as sections of the book. Each of the 183 daily entries includes a Bible verse that is not only applicable to that day’s entry but is also suitable to memorize and meditate on. A specific guilt trip is identified, followed by a brief topical devotion dealing with that day’s subject written by one of the three authors. The authors give a suggested solution called Take The Joy Ride at the end of each entry. I especially liked the short daily sections; they fit perfectly into my devotion time. This book is very well written, and I enjoy the different perspectives offered by the three authors.

After reading this book, I have placed a copy on the Faith On Every Corner Bookshelf and recommend it to our readers.

Click on book cover to purchase this book.

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SERVING WITH SOUL

By Christina Sinisi with Dianne Miley Christina Sinisi writes stories about families, both the broken and blessed. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, her works include a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest and the American Title IV Contest in which she appeared in the top ten in the Romantic Times magazine. Her published books include The Christmas Confusion and the upcoming Sweet Summer, the first two books in the Summer Creek Series, and Christmas On Ocracoke. By day, she is a psychology professor and lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with her husband and two children, and cat, Chessie Mae. This article is first a testament to one woman’s vision and many individuals’ hard work. There is much still to be done, but a start is a very good thing.

A decade ago, Dianne Miley and I attended a Romance Writers of America conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Dianne told me then of her long-held dream of a tearoom where pregnant women at-risk for homelessness could work and live (in an attached maternity home). That dream is still far off in the future, but God showed her other, more practical ways of accomplishing the underlying goal of helping those who need help among the most.

Her first step toward this goal was to volunteer and then work at the LowCountry Pregnancy Center (LPC). Years before, I had written the parenting curriculum for their Ready to Parent classes. I also have walked annually at their Walk 4 Life and attended their yearly banquet to raise funds for their programs. Working as a receptionist allowed Dianne to learn about the non-profit world. It was all hands-on deck when the agency prepared for the banquet, and she learned about marketing and advertising in the non-profit world.

She also made contacts and saw the behind-thescenes operations of fundraising and applying for grants. In 2018, she created SOUL and LPC allowed her to use their facilities to hold SOUL Sisters meetings. These meetings involve Bible studies and lessons on how to budget, how to respect one’s own boundaries, and other relationship advice. A free meal is provided. Most importantly, the clients—and volunteers—form close, caring relationships.

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In 2019, because the LowCountry Pregnancy Center is located off a very busy road, especially at rush hour, which affects clients’ ability to attend meetings, the SOUL sisters’ meetings switched to a location in North Charleston, called the Dream Center. The Dream Center is an offshoot of a large local church’s outreach. This location has proven to be perfect and allowed for childcare in a separate room while mothers learn and fellowship.

Another goal of SOUL has been rental assistance for mothers-to-be. One client had been in the local homeless shelter and then ran out of time allotted to stay. SOUL helped another woman show her artwork and gave her the proceedings to allow her to find housing. Dianne even watched the children of one mother while she was in labor because she had no one else.

In 2020, SOUL, like the rest of the world, found our activities curtailed. Meetings were not held. The annual tea was held virtually—not the same. Through generous benefactors, our fundraising did not suffer, but the connection to the community and our ability to reach women in need was lessened.

My role has been very much that of support, and this year I stepped down from the board. My own life has become so busy that I didn’t feel able to do everything. God seemed to lead me more and more to focus on my writing.

Then, it occurred to me—one gift doesn’t preclude the other. I can be his hands by typing and his feet by spreading the word about this organization with this amazing mission. God can use us however He chooses. I choose to welcome His use.

If you’re interested in finding out more or perhaps donating time, talent, or funds, please go here: https://www.sanctuaryofunbornlife.org/

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”

Dianne Miley

Jeremiah 1:4-6

Dianne Miley is the author of Time to Enjoy Your Blessings and The Crystal Falls Series of four Christian romantic suspense novels. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Visit www.diannemiley. com to learn more about her books.

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Reflections

By Craig Ruhl

Craig Ruhl is the Managing Editor of Faith On Every Corner, he is also a writer and handles the business side of Faith On Every Corner, LLC.

As Karen and I prepared this issue of Faith On Every Corner magazine, I reflected on how this ministry has affected our lives over the past four years. We began with the first issue in July 2017. The Lord placed it on our hearts to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, using our writing, editing, graphic design, and photography gifts and talents. Yes, the Lord called us to be His hands and feet. In the first issue, it was mostly Karen and me doing the writing, drawing on the stories, experiences, and testimonies of people we knew. We added our own thoughts and perspective on our faith. That inaugural issue was God inspired and provided the first steppingstone on this path of faith we have followed.

Fast forward to the May 2021 issue we are currently publishing. Our contributing writers and photographers now number over seventy people from around the globe. Of that number, thirty-two writers and one guest photographer have submitted content for this issue. Many of our contributors have faithfully supported our magazine with their writing month after month. That is a lot of “hands and feet” doing the Lord’s work in the Kingdom. Consider that Faith On Every Corner is being read in over eighty counties and in areas where it is very dangerous to possess a Bible or Christian literature.

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Designing, editing, and producing a Christian magazine includes reading and re-reading many submissions, editing, and then final proofing. That is a lot of exposure to God’s Word via Bible verse quotations and the interpretation and explanation provided by the writers. We endeavor to verify each Bible verse cited to ensure our readers are receiving correct information and are not deceived by false teaching. We feel that this is an important aspect of our being the Hands and Feet of the Lord and is essential to our telling the world about Jesus Christ.

It also keeps us centered in the Word throughout the month.

The tag line on the cover of our first issue was Everyday People Making A Difference. It was, and remains, our intent to share stories, articles, poetry, and photography that highlight acts of faith in our communities. We are always on the lookout for opportunities to bring this type of content to our readers. This encourages and inspires us all to apply action to our words and in our faith. It is Karen’s and my prayer that the Lord will expand our territory, that lives will change, and that souls will be saved.

These are two of our favorite Bible verses that continue to help us in our walk of faith.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV) “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15 NKJV)

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Rest In His Faithfulness

By Aradhana Thakor

When you cannot muster any faith, simply remember that He is faithful. He is faithful to keep all His promises of deliverance to you, for He cannot deny himself.

Dwell on His faithfulness to come to your rescue.

Even though it’s incredibly hard for you to have faith of your own, rest in His faithfulness. When you are faithless, He still remains faithful. He is clothed in truth and righteousness. He cannot lie to us for it’s just not in His divine nature. You need only to rest your weary self in Him knowing that He is always faithful.

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26 NKJV) Even your sigh or groan reaches His throne. While you lean on His faithfulness, you will see Him gently clear your way. What an amazing God we serve!

The Bible tells us, faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

But what if it’s a desperate struggle to even have an iota of hope as you see your circumstances get worse and worse? It seems such an effort to conjure up any faith when God seems so distant. You feel tired of seeing nothing happening for so long and feel you have no more faith left to carry on. You have even stopped being hopeful in a bid to protect yourself from being disappointed later. Dear one, does this sound like you?

Then let me emblazon across your spirit this beautiful verse: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny himself.” (2 Tim 2:13 NKJV)

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He knows your situation; He knows it’s hard for you to have faith amid your dire condition. Even though you can’t feel His presence, He is right there holding you by your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV) Just look to Him and know in your heart of hearts that He is a faithful God and rely on His faithfulness to carry you through. And before you know it, the Lord will turn your mourning into joy.

“I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” (Isaiah 31:13 NIV) Dear one, no matter what you may be facing today, I encourage you to take refuge under His wings of faithfulness.

Aradhana Thakor is from India and lives with her husband in Calgary, Canada. “Burning Passion for Lost Souls” is her debut non-fiction book.

She recently published a new book, “Sixteen Letters.”

You can connect with her on Facebook @ Aradhana2020 or email at aradhanathakor@ gmail.com

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Click on book cover to purchase.

We Are A Message Sending A Message

By Craig D. Lounsbrough We Are a Message

It Only Takes a Moment

The nature of our humanity is such that we are thirsty for connectivity, desperate for relationship, vibrantly enlivened by the sharing of souls, and wildly transformed when another life dares to connect with us in those places raw and wounded. We do not live in isolation, and to think so is to ignore the undeniable connectivity that occurs when one human being brushes up against the soul of another. And in the intimacy borne of such a soulful connection, barriers birthed of class, or constructed by fear, or reinforced by prejudice, or distanced by cultural or philosophical differences can be handily breached, and in the breaching lives hitherto unreachable can be utterly transformed.

We would likewise be wise to remember that in touching a life, we touch that life for the entirety of that life. Immense changes and massive shifts are most often the result of one simple event that altered the entire direction of a life at a single point in that life. It’s that slight bump, that solitary moment, that one phrase, that simple gesture, that sacrificial act that bumps a life in degrees either large or small and subsequently sets everything else after it off in an entirely different direction. And therefore, to change a life does not demand that we invest with great vigor and time, although that is certainly meaningful and worthwhile. Rather, to change a life can often mean nothing more than intersecting that life for the briefest of moments, for when one soul touches another it is not the length of the exchange, but simply the fact that the exchange took place.

In that connectivity, whether it be brief or elongated, there is a conveyance that carries with it sufficient power to shape the person with which we are connecting. No life that touches another life goes untouched. No exchange is sterile. No interaction has so much space that nothing is conveyed in the interaction. When we touch a life, we shape a life.

Sometimes that shaping is ever so slight, leaving the change nearly imperceptible. At other times, the change is utterly life-altering, redirecting a life and placing it on an entirely different trajectory. To whatever degree it happens, when we touch a life, we shape a life. And when we shape a life, we’ve begun the remarkable process of transforming a culture.

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A Changed Life Changes Lives Additionally, we must remember that a life changed does not go on to live out the remainder of its life in some sort of confining isolation. A life changed will itself change others. And such change creates a mounting momentum of humanity transformed that will build on itself until nothing can stand against it and no power can hope to contain it. And if that change is pristinely good, inherently thoughtful, seized by hope, embraced by kindness, marked by integrity, and firmly grounded by an uncompromising morality, we can begin to set this culture on a trajectory that is likewise pristinely good, inherently thoughtful, seized by hope, embraced by kindness, marked by integrity, and firmly grounded by an uncompromising morality. And in ushering in change

of this sort, institutions, legislation, military power, the writing of platitudes, and the wealth that we counted on to change the world for us will instead be changed by us.

A clandestine momentum of this magnitude begins with the single instance where one person touches the life of another person in ways gracious, sacrificial, and meaningful. To transform culture, we don’t transform institutions. Legislation won’t transform. Military power won’t transform. Platitudes won’t transform. Wealth won’t transform. Rather, we transform the world by transforming people. And while we may not have access to institutions, or the penning of legislation, or military power, or the writing of platitudes, or wealth, every single one of us has access to people. And if each one of us touches one person each day, we need not worry about the state of the culture because in those very actions we are dynamically and even radically transforming the state of the culture itself. And who would not give everything to be a part of that?

Craig’s background includes over thirty years of experience as a counselor in a variety of treatment settings including psychiatric hospitals, schools for the blind, organizations for the physically handicapped, churches, and outpatient settings. He also possesses ten years of experience in pastoral ministry. Craig spent two years broadcasting in Christian radio and has published both nationally and internationally.

To date, he has published six books and has had a large number of other works published in a wide variety of magazines. Craig founded an outpatient practice that provides counseling, coaching, and consulting services to individuals, marriages, families, various businesses as well as church and ministry organizations. Additionally, he has developed an extensive Social Media arm that reaches 500,000+ individuals each month with a wide variety of quotes, articles, blogs, and videos.

Craig is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado, a Certified Professional Life Coach, and an Ordained Minister. He is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.

Finally, Craig completed the coursework toward a Doctor of Ministry degree in Marriage and Family Counseling at Denver Seminary. A full Vitae is available upon request. https://craiglpc.com/ mailto: craiglpc4@gmail.com To view all of Craig’s books, click here: https://craiglpc.com/shop/

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Called To Serve

By Maureen Kambarami Maureen Cresencia Kambarami is a Social Worker with extensive experience in family counseling and therapy. A woman after God’s word and principles, she is passionate about writing Christian articles and believes in telling authentic stories to inspire and uplift others.

Jesus was not scared to speak out against the evil of those times–poverty, injustice, and hypocrisy, to name a few. He even challenged the wealthy. For instance, He told the rich young man “go, sell what you possess and give to the poor” (Matthew 19:21, ESV). He also renounced materialism when He praised the poor widow who put two small coins in the offering box because that’s all that she had (Mark 12:41-44). He further created controversy by dining with fraudsters like Zacchaeus (Luke 19: 1-10) and allowing a sinful woman to wash His feet (Luke 7: 36-40) showing His non-judgemental attitude and compassion.

“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world.”

(Teresa of Avila (1515-1582).

When I first read these words, they sank deep in my heart and I promised myself that I will make sure that I use my body to fulfill my purpose on earth.

Many years have passed since then, and I am glad that I have recorded more wins than losses in that quest. It’s not easy to follow in Christ’s footsteps, in today’s world riddled with unending pandemics, terrorism, natural disasters, human trafficking, and other heinous crimes, but it helps to always look back at Christ’s example when He was on earth. He was a busy man who never shied away from hard work. At first, He learned a trade from Joseph and became a skilled carpenter. He then used His hands to help His father put food on the table. Later, when He started His ministry, He used His hands to heal the sick, embrace children, touch and comfort the lepers and even washed the feet of His disciples. He also used His feet to walk long distances to reach those in need.

For instance, He walked to Bethany when He heard Lazarus had died and when He arrived there; He was so moved with compassion that He wept. Some of His disciples had been against the trip, for the Jews had tried to stone Him previously, but Jesus risked His life to go and raise His friend.

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In our current world, we have so many opportunities to be His hands and feet. We can volunteer our time at children’s homes or shelters. For instance, offering free tutoring lessons or running free camping trips or skills development workshops. Volunteering for mission trips, sponsoring needy children and adults, or just visiting them and spending time with them, are other ways to make a difference in their lives. Just as Jesus walked far and wide to show compassion and heal the sick, we can also drive to hospitals to visit the sick, drive a friend to the hospital, visit prisoners, or offer to take an elderly neighbor to the doctor. For those who are physically active, a walk or run for charity is a wonderful way to serve the needy.

If we make it a point to look for opportunities on a daily basis to show compassion to others, the world will become a better place. For instance, while standing in the queue at the supermarket, while stuck in morning traffic, or while at work, there are many ways we can make a small difference in other people’s lives.

I visited a government department recently where I had the first-hand experience of seeing how the needy are treated disrespectfully and offered extremely poor service, while the government employees spend more time on their cell phones or traipsing along the corridors than assisting clients. Besides speaking out about the appalling service delivery, I vowed to ensure that I treat clients differently at my workplace and encourage my colleagues to do the same, for there is greater joy in serving than in being served as Christ demonstrated.

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Weathering Life’s Storms

By Joel Berry and Al Grimaldi

Joel Berry Like a tornado dropping out of a thunderstorm along the Georgia-Alabama border, life’s storms can spring up out of nowhere. Life rolls along as you and your family prosper. You enjoy your job and have finally managed to put extra money into savings. You attend church faithfully and volunteer your time to serve. Your generosity demonstrates your trust in God with your finances. Then boom!

The sky bursts open with peals of thunder and pouring rain, and the winds begin to howl.

Your boss tells you she must eliminate your job due to budget cuts, or your COVID test comes back positive, forcing you to quarantine at home, unable to work. Perhaps, even worse, someone you love dies unexpectedly. Life turns in a moment from an easy ride to a white-knuckle trip as a crash dummy, and you have no idea how it will end.

As a Christian, you know you should trust that God has you in His hand. Your friends tell you to just have faith and it will all work out. You feel guilty for worrying and you long for a robust faith. You ask your friends to pray, but you wonder if God hears them. Days turn into weeks, which turn into months, which may even add up to years enduring the tsunami of trouble that feels as if it will last forever.

If one of life’s hailstorms has not hit you, it has hit someone you know, and storms can shake even the most fortified faith. After a season, some people eventually walk away from God, angry and frustrated. But those who choose to move toward God can find refuge and strength. The apostle James exhorted believers to consider trials as opportunities for great joy because those who remain faithful to God will mature in faith (James 1:2–4). When you find yourself weathering a storm, take shelter in God, especially when spiritual fatigue sets in. As Al battled the lingering physical effects of COVID, and Joel once endured a four-year business drought, we each formed habits that sustained us as we drew near to God. Based upon our collective experiences, we offer the following suggestions to help you weather life’s storms.

Pray for Others Have you grown weary of constant pleading for deliverance or restoration? Change the focus of your prayer. Pray for your family and friends, asking God’s blessing upon them. Lift up others who have asked for prayer. Pray for your church, and for missionaries you know. Ask God to embolden His people to spread the gospel throughout our nation and the world.

Count Your Blessings Recall the ways you have experienced God’s faithfulness. Ask Him to remind you of those times He has worked in your life and the lives of others; then praise Him with a thankful heart.

Meditate on the Psalms The Book of Psalms includes prayers of worship, lament, repentance, petition, and praise. As emotions grow raw and tension grows high, we need guidance from God’s word to eliminate fear and doubt. Meditation on His word affords assurance of God’s love, grace, and mercy. Devote time to read and reflect on the Psalms, and when you feel compelled, pray through a psalm to God.

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Humble Yourself Caution yourself from turning prayers for deliverance into demands. James wrote that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Humble yourself before God and ask Him to use your circumstances for His glory. God may or may not calm the storm, but He will refresh you when you spend time in His word. Surrender your circumstances to Him and trust Him. Paul told the Roman Christians that all things work together for the good of those who love God (Romans 8:28).

Trust that God sees the end from the beginning and works for your good.

Ask God for Wisdom Humans naturally search for reasons to explain why things have gone wrong. But sometimes God protects us from knowing the reasons for our trials.

Jesus reminded His disciples that He had much more to tell them, more than they could understand at that time (John 16:12). In addition to asking why, ask what: “Lord, what would you have me know about this situation?” or “Lord, what would you have me see or do?” Ask God to grant you wisdom—ears to hear, eyes to see, and a willing heart to obey as you trust in Him.

Joel Berry and Al Grimaldi serve together as spiritual mentors for men in their local church. They have both weathered life’s storms and now share what they have learned about leaning into God during turbulent times.

Joel is a CPA by profession and will soon graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary with an M.A. in Biblical Studies. He and his wife, Cheri, have been married for thirty-seven years and live in Roswell, GA. They have two married sons.

Al is a self-employed business consultant and loves to read and study God’s word. He and his wife, Carolyn, have been married for forty-two years and have four adult children and four grandchildren. Al and Carolyn live in John’s Creek, GA.

Allow Others to Help God created people to live in community rather than in isolation. So, allow others to come alongside you to lighten your load. God just might use your difficulty as an opportunity for someone to serve Him through serving you.

When you have laid at the feet of God every known concern and petition and have nothing left to say, find a still, quiet place and worship Him. No requests. No expectations. No pretense. No posturing. Turn your thoughts and your heart to the Lord.

Worship Him through quietness in His presence or go on a nature walk and admire His creation. Listen to worship music or sing your praises out loud to Him. Focus your attention on your Heavenly Father and listen for His Spirit to minister to your heart and mind.

Al Grimaldi

As you weather life’s turbulent storms—the lost job, the positive COVID test, or the absence of a loved one at the table, lean into God. Trust Him in the process, even as you wonder at His ways. He will not forsake you. And He will carry you through, maturing you in ways you may see only on the other side of eternity.

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Showing Christ To Others

By Mike Buchanan A Muslim was attacked and left for dead by the side of the road. A Christian walked by, and seeing his Islamic garb, passed by thinking, “This is obviously God’s punishment for his religious beliefs.”

Then he continued to walk. Later a conservative walked by, and remembering 9/11, thought, “The world is better off without him.” Then he, too, continued to walk. Lastly, a non-practicing Jew walked by, and being moved with compassion, started administering first aid. When he had come to the limits of his wisdom, he took him to a hospital, had him admitted, and told the doctors, “Whatever he needs, do it for him, and I will pay for the expenses.” Which of these three best displayed Jesus’ commands to “… love your enemies…”? or for that matter, His command to love your neighbor as yourself? (Luke 6:27, Mark 12:31) The story is a modernization of the parable of The Good Samaritan from Luke 10. Yet, almost two thousand years later, the principles are the same.

As Christians, we are called to show Christ’s love to a suffering and dying world. To the world whether or not we agree with them, whether or not they love us, whether we think we have a reason to hate them or not, we are told to do good to them (Luke 6:27) So, you may be thinking it’s a great idea in practice, but how does it play out in real life, Mike? Look around you. Who needs help? Who needs Jesus?

Let’s look at the questions separately at first and see if they don’t have commonalities.

The answer to the first question is everyone needs help at some point. Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, they all have needed help or will need help at some point in their life. Be available at the moment you interact with them. It doesn’t take a lot, even if you have little money, or whatever, offer what you have. It was a young boy who provided the fish and loaves which Jesus multiplied to feed thousands. He didn’t have much, but he gave what he had. Now notice, he apparently didn’t give it to get his name known. None of the Gospels record this young fellow’s name. Yet we still talk about it all these centuries later. Make donations to organizations that are helping those in need. Cliché though it is, every little bit helps. (Note: It might be worth the time to research to see which do the best with the gifts they’re given. Also, you may want to focus on the ones that have a Gospel-sharing component).

Don’t have money? Give clothes (or ask your neighbors for contributions, even) to your church’s homeless ministry. You may be thinking, “My church doesn’t have a homeless ministry.” Excellent point. Start one. You don’t live in a place where there are lots of homeless? No worries, reach out to a local school and see if there are families in need.

Maybe you’re great as a teacher and are looking for ways to pass idle hours, offer to tutor struggling students on a volunteer basis. Have a heart for those dealing with health issues or are in or just out of the hospital? Reach out in your neighborhood to see what’s in place. If there isn’t anything? You guessed it. Start something.

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Whether it’s the hurting, homeless, unemployed, flat tire on a freeway, whatever it might be, there are needs all around us every day. What am I doing about it? What are you doing about it?

People need help, but people also, most importantly, need Jesus. As you’re looking for practical ways to bless others (be Jesus to people) with your time, talents, money, or whatever, physically, pray for the opportunity to share Jesus with them, too. There seems to be a lot of self-centeredness in the world today. The ones you help may question your motives and people who see you giving aid to others might ridicule you. Tell them why you’re doing it. Maybe it’s as simple as saying “Jesus has given me His all, and I don’t always have enough words to express it, so I try to live my life for Him so other people can know about Him as well.” Less and less people are hearing about Jesus. As you “wash someone’s feet” and you tell them it’s because of Jesus, you may find someone who asks who Jesus is. Or you can ask them whom they think Jesus is. The thing is, the more we interact with others, the more we try to be His Hands and Feet, the more chances we have to be His Voice as well.

After Jesus tells His Disciples what the signs of His Return are, He then talks about a separation process that will have eternal consequences. He says that people who have clothed the naked, fed the hungry, sheltered the homeless, or visited the sick or imprisoned, will go on to inherit the kingdom that has been prepared for them since the foundation of the world. Those who have not done such things are sent to everlasting punishment. The interesting thing is the people who inherit eternal life don’t know when they did it, and the people who “inherit” hell don’t know when they didn’t do it. Jesus says, paraphrased, “When you do it to the least of these my brethren you do it to me, but when you don’t do it for the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.” (Matthew 25:40,45)

Now that being said, I would recommend using Romans as a motivator, God showed His Love to us while we were yet sinners, by sending Christ to die for us. In other words, don’t do it because you’re looking for a reward, do it as an expression of love and worship. Would you rather have someone do something for you out of love or out of anticipation of a reward?

Last, some of Jesus’ last words instructed His Followers to go and preach the Gospel to the entire world. No matter how much you may help someone physically or emotionally, their greatest need is always to know Christ came to save them, Jesus said, “No greater love has any man than this, that a man lay his life down for his friends.” (John 15:13 NIV) Primarily He spoke this about His own death. This meant He was going to lay His Life down to purchase our opportunity for eternal life. I would suggest there’s no greater expression of service than to share this Good News, of Christ’s sacrificial gift, to everyone we might in any way help otherwise.

Mike Buchanan is a Christian writer and the author of the book Mountains of Hope Surrounding the Valley of Cancer. He uses his writing talents to further Jesus’ Gospel.

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Being His Hands And Feet

By Sharon K Connell

I’m not a preacher, but when I graduated from Bible school, one of my fellow students reminded me we’re all preachers in one way or another.

Standing behind the pulpit in our church where we held the ceremony, I began my speech. I was nervous. This was the same pulpit where, normally, I sang specials for services behind this microphone. Singing in front of a hundred or so people gave me cause for nerves as it was, but to talk without working out a program or planning what I was going to say? An entirely different situation.

Still, I did the same thing I did just before I sang.

I prayed. The nerves left. They usually did until I was going back to my seat.

When you started to serve our Lord Jesus Christ, did you ever think of what you were actually doing?

Yes, you became a servant. You are hopefully doing His will. But did you ever think of it as being His Hands and Feet?

Psalm 8:3-6 says,

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.

Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:” (KJV) God doesn’t walk the earth as He once did. He’s given us the work to do. So, what are you doing with those hands and feet?

Think about the honor of being in His place. We were reminded last month that those hands and feet had nails driven through them. And for what purpose? To pay for our sins. Big and small sins.

Jesus paid for it all. Those precious Hands and Feet.

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As I gave my unwritten, unrehearsed speech, I mentioned having taken the Greek and Hebrew classes, although they were not required of women students any more than the preaching classes.

I decided to add a little joke at this point and said, “I guess God didn’t feel we women needed to learn how to preach.” My fellow student stood and shouted, “Preach it, sister.” Yes, I turned ten shades of red that day.

I told you this story to say this—yes, we all do preach. We may not stand in a pulpit to do so, but our words and actions preach every day.

Where our feet take us and the people we meet each day who see our actions and hear our words are being preached to. The touch of our hands when we help our spouses or children, or anyone else we care for, is preaching a message to them.

We are reaching those people by using the hands and feet God gave us.

Being a writer, I reach so many people with my stories, my newsletter, the writers’ and readers’ group forum I started, the writer’s groups I’m a member of, and the advertising groups I use.

Every one of those platforms besides the friends and family I’m in contact with. Before the pandemic, I ventured out in the community and met many strangers with whom I’d strike up a conversation. Someday, I hope that will be the case again.

As children of God, we are his representatives here on Earth whenever we come in contact with another person, be it physically or virtually. We are God’s Hands and Feet. We’re also God’s Voice.

It’s an awesome responsibility. Are you ready to take it on?

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15 KJV) Author, Sharon K. Connell lives in Houston, Texas from where she writes Christian Romance Suspense, containing a bit of mystery and as much humor as she can get into a story. She’s also written many award-winning short stories in a variety of genres.

Sharon attended college in Illinois, graduated from the Pensacola Bible Institute in Florida, and holds a certificate in fiction writing from the International Writing Program through the University of Iowa.

She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Scribes Critique Group, Houston Writers Guild, and CyFair Writers. She is also the founder of the global Facebook Christian Writers & Readers group forum. Her monthly newsletter, Novel Thoughts, goes out every month to its subscribers in all parts of the world.

Click on the photo to see Sharon’s books on Amazon.com

Let’s Pray Together

by Karen Ruhl

Craig and I have been very selective about the news we read or watch over the past few years. It became very apparent that we were not hearing what should have been reported, and we heard little about the Community of Faith.

I tried to research to see how many references to prayer there are in the Bible. In the NIV Bible there are 367 verses. Another source said there are 114 mentions of the word prayer - that does not include words like pray or prayerful. What I know from reading the Bible continually, is that Jesus showed us we are to pray continually.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (NIV) Both Craig and I have received answers to prayers and know that God listens to those who love Him and seek Him daily. It is about a relationship with God. And so, I am going to ask you to pray with us. Lift up every nation of the world, lift up those Christians who are being persecuted, those who have been kidnapped and killed because of what they believe. Lift up those who are putting their life on the line to bring the Good News to those around the world. Lift up our families, pray for an Army of Angels to protect us all. Rebuke evil, pray for strongholds to be broken. Pray for the little children and the babies that are being aborted.

Craig and I welcome Prayer Warriors to join us. We will announce a time when we will hold a prayer meeting online. Watch for our announcement on our Facebook and Social Media platforms.

Father God, please bless those who are reading this and help us come together to lift our voices in prayer. We know you listen. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Stay Faithful to the Call God Gave You

By Tim Ferrara

What is God calling you to do? Where is God calling you to go? If you can’t answer that, you need to pray. God is always looking for a willing vessel who can say, like Isaiah, “Here am I; send me!” (Isaiah 6:8 KJV) In 1 Kings 13, Jeroboam was a wicked king (there seemed to be no shortage of them when you read the Old Testament). God called a prophet out of Judah to go to Bethel. The Jewish historian Josephus called him Yadon, and I will too for the purpose of this story.

God called Yadon for a purpose, to travel to another city and to boldly rebuke the King, facing a probable death for doing so. When he got there not only did he miraculously prophesy about King Josiah (which wouldn’t happen for about three centuries later) but he also destroyed the pagan altar through an earthquake! (13:5) When the King pointed at him to have his guards seize him, instantly his hand became paralyzed, and he couldn’t pull it back (v4).

Now the evil King Jeroboam asked the man of God (Yadon) to pray for his hand to be restored and it was. The King then tempted the prophet to come and eat, drink, and stay in his palace, but Yadon was strong in his conviction since the Lord told him, “you must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came” (v.9).

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This was a powerful confrontation that Yadon had; almost as powerful as Elijah calling down fire on the prophets of Baal. I don’t know the mindset of Yadon but I would have breathed a sigh of relief. Not only was I not killed by the wicked King, but God showed up in miraculous signs and the King actually wanted to treat me to a royal dinner. I can imagine he was pretty famished from the long journey with no food and water; now was the time to relax—or was it? Yadon resisted the pressure and remained true to what God was asking him to do.

But that was not the end of this story. The rest of this story is about an “old prophet,” who is unnamed, who sends his sons to find Yadon.

Once he was found, the old prophet rode out to meet Yadon. He asked, “are you the man of God who came from Judah” (v.14)? No doubt word of his confrontation with the King spread like wildfire through the town. He invites him back to his house to get some food and drink, but again Yadon replies about how God told him not to eat or drink anything until he returns to his hometown. The same answer he gave the King.

Now, this part is fascinating…

But the old prophet answered, “I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this command from the Lord: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink. (v18)’” The next verse even says the old man was lying, but the peer pressure, the fatigue, and/or the camaraderie of another prophet got to Yadon and he went back with the old man to eat and drink.

Now think about this for a minute, God called Yadon out of his hometown to go to Bethel to deliver a mighty message to the king. Why didn’t he call this old man? He was a prophet, conveniently located in the same town as the king. We know this old man had no problem lying, and God knew his heart as well.

So back to the story, the old man and Yadon were eating a meal back at the house and the Spirit of God speaks through the old man, aka the liar!

“This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defiled the word of the Lord and have disobeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. You came back to this place and ate and drank where he told you not to eat or drink. Because of this, your body will not be buried in the grave of your ancestors.’” (v21-22) I feel bad for Yadon. After this meal, he saddled his donkey and rode off to an awaiting lion that killed him (v.24). A mighty victory for God turned into a crushing defeat because he did not obey the word of God; he listened to a false prophet who got him to sway off course. He fell into peer pressure from a fellow prophet. A prophet who said he heard from God, nonetheless!

I find it interesting that God still spoke through the old prophet at the dinner table. You see, God can use anyone and anything for His glory, but that doesn’t mean the prophet was trustworthy or following the will of God. God can speak through anyone, but that doesn’t mean you need to go to their church, to read their books, or follow them if they are not fully obedient to the Word of God. There’s a lot of truth out there being mixed with deception. God can reach people even among prosperity preachers and twisted denominations.

We need to have the discernment to align all things against the Word of God and hold fast to what is true.

But on a personal level, if God is calling you to do something, don’t be swayed by what another preacher, teacher, pastor, or priest tells you. God wants you to hear His voice so clearly, you don’t need a second opinion.

God would rather you be faithful to what He is calling you to do than chase after dreams and aspirations that don’t align with that calling. After all, are you building your kingdom or God’s?

Be bold, be courageous, God can use you to accomplish His will on this earth if we are faithful and obedient for the glory of God and God alone.

Amen!

Tim Ferrara has grown up in the church and has held various leadership positions, both in business and in the church. Tim is currently the Executive Pastor at LifePoint Church in Arizona.

He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Arizona State University along with an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He has had a career in business management for over 20 years and has worked as Faculty for two different colleges.

Tim started the ministry of Discerning Dad (www.discerning-dad.com) to write and encourage Christians to grow in discernment and make better decisions that honor God. He has written a book called Everyday Discernment: The Importance of Spirit-Led Decision Making as well as multiple YouVersion Bible Plans. Tim lives with his wife Jamie and their two children in Arizona.

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My Testimony

By Chad Thieman “There is no greater relief than stepping into your personal ministry in Christ and helping others to do the same.” ~ CJT About twenty-eight years ago, I made a conscious decision to live with an eternal purpose. That purpose would be to share the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ. I began to do so through writing, which I previously struggled with greatly. I was as simple in my writing style as a writer could be. Fortunately, Our Heavenly Father uses simple people and simple words to do extraordinary things, for the sake of His Kingdom and His Glory.

I had sought God since I was a small child, but it was the Lord who found me. Once He had placed the desire in me to live for Him, there was no turning back. I made the decision to surrender my life to the Lord, repenting of my sin, confessing Christ as my Lord and Savior, embracing His death and resurrection, and choosing to continually live out my life for Christ; all of which helped to alter the direction of my life forever.

It was in my teenage years that I dedicated my life to Christ. While most other people around my age excelled in some area or another, I had never really found my niche. I honestly didn’t feel like I had anything to offer the Lord, other than myself, so that is exactly what I did. All I knew is that I wanted to make a change, invest in others, and do something with an eternal purpose for the Lord’s Kingdom!

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I decided to go and pick up some sidewalk chalk at a store in town, and I spent the next hour or so writing “Jesus loves you” across the sidewalk in various places for all the lonely passerby. Though I did not know it at the time, this would be the start of my inspirational writing for the Lord.

God had plans, and I just had to align my God-given desires with His will and purpose for my life. I received the Spiritual gift of inspirational writing long before I could develop the natural talent. The Lord had inspired me to write using the simplest and most important message of all, which I believe anchored me in our Lord’s profound truth of compassion, grace, and humility.

It wasn’t long after that experience when I started to notice “moments of inspiration,” when my Heavenly Father would direct me to write down inspirational words and verses. I soon developed a strong and focused desire to write for the Lord. As time went by, it became ever so clear to me that inspirational writing was my higher purpose in life. By acting upon my higher purpose, I would actively begin to participate in my personal ministry in Christ.

I started tracking with the Holy Spirit by writing down all the inspiration that came to me, whether it was a few lines of poetry, a brief phrase, or even a word or two. I knew I had to invest whatever the Lord gave me back into the Kingdom of Christ, and I didn’t want to let any

of His inspiration go to waste. All such inspiration thereafter would come to me at certain times over the next several years. Sometimes the words would flow and come together; while other times I continually moved words around until they reflected the message that the Lord inspired me to deliver.

I have always considered my writing a spiritual gift, not a natural one by any means. This spiritual gift was given to me so many years ago, when I had made that life-changing commitment to live out a lasting legacy for God, the Father, and for my Lord, Jesus Christ.

Inspirational Author Chad Joseph Thieman has written six poetry gift books, two devotionals, and one coffee table edition of all his work called “The Poetry Treasury.” He lives with his wife Tina “Bryant” Thieman in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Chad’s writing includes faith-based, romantic, and nature themes. He has been writing for over 25 years and has written 365 inspirational poems, and many short stories, parables, proverbs, and devotions.

I have since been blessed with authoring a threebook trilogy, “101 Treasurable Poems of Faith, Hope, and Love,” “101 Treasurable Poems of Life, Love, and Light,” and “101 Treasurable Poems of Body, Soul, and Spirit; ” a two-book devotional series called “Seasons of Poetry,” which includes the titles “Sea of Serenity” and “Gardens of Paradise;” two-book discipleship and devotional series called “The Way of Wisdom Series” which includes “The Christ Network” and “The Joshua Tree; ” a poetry and prayer gift book called “My Little Book of Poetry and Prayer; ” and an extended coffee table edition of all my work called “The Poetry Treasury: A Family Library of Inspirational Poetry.”

The Poet in Me Some have called me a poet, Though I would have to disagree.

It may have been my hand that wrote it, But the Spirit of love was guiding me.

Though the reader may never know it, I tell you this with all honesty.

Many poems have failed before it, When nothing was there to inspire me.

The real author is the truest of poets, And by His words, He always will show it.

I am only God’s instrument you see, My Heavenly Father is the poet in me!

In conclusion, I would like to encourage you to seek and develop your personal ministry in and through Christ. Along the way, I have experienced inner joy and peace in my journey regardless of the difficulties and trials. Our God is indeed an awesome God!

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Jeff Foster and his wife Lorena live in Granite Falls, NC. As a mechanical engineer with many years of technical writing experience, he discovered his calling to devotional writing in 2018. He finds purpose in his writing by encouraging the saints and inspiring them to strive for a closer walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His website was launched in April of this year www.seedsowing.org.

Fasting Labs

By Jeff Foster

I had “fasting labs” last week. Doc’s words, not mine. In my words, it’s having to wait for breakfast four hours past my normal eating time so they can gouge a needle in my arm while my stomach is growling so they can get a few vials of blood.

I guess they think the word “fasting” won’t scare me because after all, it’s a biblical thing. But I see through their little game.

Intermittent fasting diet. Another misleading phrase. Somehow using an old biblical word in a new fad diet is supposed to make it appealing? I don’t think so. Starving for a day or two to make the temptation of gluttony even greater. No, thank you.

Seriously though, true biblical fasting however if done according to God’s instructions can produce astounding results. What is fasting? How does it benefit me? Reasonable questions. But if we begin fasting with only expectations of benefitting ourselves, then we need not bother. Israel learned some hard lessons when they questioned why God wasn’t blessing them for their times of fasting. In Isaiah 58 verse 3 they ask, “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?” But God was quick to answer in verse 4, “Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” (KJV)

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Fasting requires a humble heart. A humble heart does not seek its own benefit but is searching out the true will of God, asking Him to intervene in a situation to bring glory to Himself. Fasting with a fully surrendered heart must also be content with whatever God chooses to do in the situation. King David fasted and begged God for seven days to let his sick child live. But when the child died on the seventh day he got up, washed, put on clean clothes, and went into the house of the LORD and worshipped. When asked about his actions he answered in 2 Samuel 12:22-23, “And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (KJV) He accepted God’s will and by doing so his faith was stronger and God blessed him with another son, Solomon.

Is there a difference between Old Testament and New Testament fasting? Let’s compare the instructions from Isaiah chapter 58 to that from Jesus in Matthew chapter 6.

Isaiah 58:6-7 says, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” (KJV)

In other words, whatever we give up in fasting is by definition a sacrifice to God and belongs in His storehouse to be distributed as the Holy Spirit urges to whomever we find in need, Seeking to shelter the homeless and clothe those in need is our duty as Christians. Just because we are fasting does not affect our duties. Do not limit your generosity to loved ones close to you, but consider all men the same as you are with the same needs.

Compare that to what Jesus said in Mat 6:16-18:

“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”(KJV) There is no difference between Old Testament and New Testament fasting. Basically “be not weary in well-doing.” Fasting is encouraged, but it is not an excuse to neglect our daily responsibilities or make a show of our fasting by putting on a sad face. That does nothing to bring glory to God but instead focuses attention on ourselves. Fasting is a private matter between you and God. By giving up something we need, (or think we need) to seek God’s face, we are saying to God that we are wholly relying on Him and we are serious about our need for His answer to our prayer. It is saying I trust you God to sustain me. It is saying that whatever answer He gives is sufficient.

I can attest to the fact that prayer with fasting will bring you closer to God and you will see results if done according to God’s word. It doesn’t need to be difficult. Set a time limit, seven days, forty days, or even one day. Give something up that you think is a necessity. It could be something as simple as your morning coffee. Spend the extra time praying and meditating over God’s word. Be specific with your prayer. Call out in prayer the name of that loved one who hasn’t surrendered to Christ. Call out in prayer that circumstance, that sickness, that mountain that seems impossible to cross over. Most importantly, pray believing that God will hear and answer. I promise you that God will give you a reason to praise Him.

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Hannarich Asiedu is an addicted lover of God. She is happily married, Mom to three little guys, and lives in Dallas with her family. Hannarich believes happiness is contagious and longs to see everyone she encounters enjoy a happy and fulfilling life.

She is the author of the upcoming book “DECODING THE IN-LAW CODE.” She has a bachelor’s degree in English and French and has been in Management overseeing Corporate Relationships for almost a decade now. She has various non-fiction books in the works and is a public speaker and a Certified Life Coach.

For more information on her book releases and other works, please visit her website at http://www.myhannarich.com

Moments Before The Cross

by Hannarich Asiedu Would you do whatever it takes to get out of trouble?

Even trouble you knew you were guilty of? Would you beg your way out of punishment to forgiveness?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, you’re not alone. Even little kids with no accurate understanding of the world often do so too.

I am a mother of three little boys, all under the age of four. When they get into mischief and end up in trouble with us “parents,” they devise several schemes to escape punishment. Either none accepts responsibility for the offense (especially the first two where each accuses the other of being the offender.) Or they start doing and saying things they know we love to see or hear—like giving big old hugs; reciting a memory verse or two; ultimately saying in their little toddler voices,” I’m so sorry, mommy, I will never do that again” (I must admit that one certainly melts my heart sometimes).

As adults, it’s intricately a part of our being to escape trouble, blame others like our ancestor Adam blamed Eve, or plead forgiveness.

Moments before the cross, Jesus being fully man and fully God, had those tendencies. His human nature dreaded the death and humiliation that lay ahead of Him so much that when He prayed, “sweats of blood” dripped down (paraphrased from Luke 22:44 NIV). If you and I were given a choice to say we were not the “king of the Jews” to avoid being crucified on a cross, we would most likely say we weren’t and then ask God to forgive us later. He is our forgiving father, after all, right?

Yet Jesus’ attitude was the exact opposite. Here is an attitude of Jesus we need to adopt in this generation if we claim to love Him. Jesus displayed extreme confidence in the face of the tense atmosphere that built up moments before the cross. From His initial hearing by the high priest, then with Pontius Pilate, and even with Ceaser. Jesus could have simply begged for forgiveness and recanted everything He had said, and He may have been set free.

He stood firm even after Pontius Pilate asks Him, “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said.

“Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” (paraphrased from John 19:10 NIV)

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How do Jesus’ confidence moments before the cross play out in our lives today?

With so much going on today, we need to show our faith now more than ever before. My dear friend had to undergo a minor procedure at a hospital in the United States. When the doctor scheduled to perform the surgery came in, he asked if he could pray with him. That was a very bold move this doctor made. If you live in other nations outside of America or even Europe, you may not realize the gravity of the situation. My friend and his wife could have sued him if they weren’t Christians. He could have lost his license as a medical practitioner. But he boldly asked if he could pray with them, not knowing what their response could be.

Now more than ever, we need to be bold in our stand for the Lord, especially in the face of compromising situations. With cancel culture on the rampant, YouTubers being de-monetized who take particular stands for the Lord, the possibility of social media blocking you out, etc., it may seem easier to try to fit in with the crowd. But like Jesus a few moments before the cross, as He exuded confidence, so must we. Fitting in is no longer an option. We should be either hot or cold, light or darkness. In Revelations 3:16 (NIV), we are told what will happen if we remain lukewarm.

“So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

• The times and seasons we are in now will call for Christians who are bold to defend the gospel and take a stand for the Lord regardless of the consequences.

• The times and seasons we are in will not be enough to be regular churchgoers warming the sanctuary seats.

• The times and seasons we are in will call for intentionally ensuring that our lips and hearts say the same thing. That we are the same people at church, at home, at our workplaces everywhere.

Will you take a stand for the Lord no matter what?

Will you exude overwhelming confidence moments before your cross?

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Take Me With You

By Michael Wells

On a recent visit to a nursing home to see a neighbor recovering from an illness, I was moved by a brief encounter. As we know some will return to loved ones, but some will never leave. After exiting the front door and seeing an elderly woman on a bench I remarked, “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” She said simply, “Take me with you.” I began to laugh, but as I looked back at her, I could see she was serious. It is the image of her all alone on the bench that I still see in my mind.

There is much to say about this, but I’m impressed to address our aloneness. I’m reminded of a quote in the movie King Saul when the king says, “God leaves us all in the twilight of our years.” Age has a habit of making us reflect. We see periods in our life when He was strong in us and around us.

Times when we seemed more effective. Times of boundless energy and possibilities for working in the Kingdom. Now many of us are left with memories, good memories, but memories, nevertheless.

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Click on book to order.

The world sees value in your abilities, but God sees value in your existence. He will not forget your labors of love or your hours of prayer. He will remember your works done in secret and the sacrifices made for strangers and family. The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “God will not overlook your work or love you have shone for Him in serving others.” John tells us of Jesus’ promise, “When everything is ready I will come and get you.” At the close of the day when we sit on “our bench,” we can have confidence in our request when we say, “Lord, take me with you.”

Michael E. Wells has a passion for writing letters of Christian encouragement. With poetic style and moving messages, the reader is often comforted and consoled, inspired, and refreshed. Since his retirement from Federal Service in 2006, most mornings are spent penning letters of the heart.

Tucked away in the foothills of Pennsylvania, he leads an idyllic lifestyle in a pastoral setting. This backdrop helps to set both mood and message for his many writings. You can find his book, “Morning Coffee with Words For The Day” at Amazon.com.

Brenda McDaniel is the author of My Angel My Hero with two more books soon to be published. She is from Roanoke, VA. She has a B.S. degree in Psychology and a M.A. degree in Counseling. She has enjoyed writing poetry and short stories, even as a small child. Brenda says she is now living her dream come true! You can find her book by clicking on this link: My Angel My Hero.

A STRONG FAITH

By Brenda McDaniel

There are many seasons of faith when you are a Christian. Seasons that test your faith. Almost every year living in this world is hard, testing your resolve as a Christian. As in this last year with death, illness, riots, bigotry, and division. Lies and hatred in the highest political offices, not working together as a political body, just constant bickering. But there were many heroes too that put others before themselves. They risked their lives to save others and gave all they could to help others in need.

It has also been hard in my family’s lives this year. But with the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ, we all overcame. My brother had tongue cancer twice and now is cancer-free. My cousin and her husband both had cancer, (breast and lung), and they are better but still fighting. My niece had a terrible car wreck near Christmas. She was ejected out of the car window into a ditch, suffering a broken clavicle and a traumatic brain injury. After many weeks of being in intensive care, she survived. The only remaining side effect being a slight loss of short-term memory, but otherwise, she is in good health.

My fiance’s daughter nearly died of asthma but survived three times. A hurricane hit near their house.

They survived by staying in the basement all night.

So, count your blessings and miracles. You will see the Lord is always with you, even till the end of ime.

“The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever.”

(Psalm 37:18 KJV)

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An Interview with Pastor Nestor Havyarimana

by Karen Ruhl

Serving with hands and feet and a heart of gold.

I have been a friend of Pastor Havyariman for several years. He sends scripture daily and not once has he asked for anything in return. This is a chance for each of us to join him and help the Pgymy people in Africa.

Introduction from Pastor Havyarimana. During this week,services in the Pygmies community, at Gikoma, Gahengeri, Himbure, Nyanza Lac there were 345 pygmies that came to Jesus Christ.

Those people are from the forest where they had their lives in hunting and pottery but now the forest is reserved. The Pygmies have never heard the Gospel and I try to talk slowly with them and they have accepted me as I introduce the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are very poor, no food, no houses, no clothes, and their children are not schooled and very little of them have books and pens.

How did you meet them? Were they hesitant at first?

They are now in the village where they have the small huts. I asked them if I could help them with scriptures. Some of them were fearful but slowly they have became church members. Widows are suffering.

How many live in the village?

Today all Pygmies live in the villages. I account around 3,219 pygmies in differents areas. Many are widows, vulnerables.

What is your greatest need?

As now I need 103 bibles for those who know how to read and have received the Lord.

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Can you tell me more about how you reach them?

I have begun slowly with Pygmies. I have worked in five provinces. By teaching them theGood News, and I helped them to think in positive ways.

I found that many of them were doing incest, many sins. So I talk the truth to them.

Imagine people who has lived their life in hunting and makingpottery in the forest and re now living in huts in villages. There is no agriculture, no farmers, and they are very poor.

On last December, I have helped children with clothes, and gave parents rice and palm oil.

Pastor, I would like our readers to know how they can help you get the Bibles you need.

How can they donate?

They can send donations to me through Western Union.

To Havyarimana nestor Phone :+25779906564 Country: Burundi in East Africa Where do you purchase the Bibles?

I will use the Bibles Society in Burundi. Each Bible cost $10.02. We would be so blessed and so grateful.

I am married with Esperance Niyonkuru My children are: 1. Ingabire Jenny Harmony 2. ITEKA olivia keitia 3. Nishimwe Anaïs cherylle 4. Nshumbusho Gift charles 5. Muhikaze samy logan dylan How long have you been a Pastor?

I am 21 years as Pastor. I am 50 years old.

Many live in mud huts, it is not good for them.

This mother is crying on my eyes, it was this morning when she came to me.

Pictures for the service of today. (left)

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SUBMISSION POLICY

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• Distribution: Writers will be provided with a digital link to the publication in which their published work appears. The link is sharable through social media and is suitable for use on writer’s website or blog. The magazine is downloadable from the publisher’s website.

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Please contact us at team@faithoneverycorner.com for clarification or questions regarding these guidelines. Prior to submitting to Faith On Every Corner, we suggest that you review prior issues of the magazine at www.faithoneverycorner.com/magazine.html

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Faith On Every Corner Publisher & Editor in Chief: Karen Ruhl Managing Editor Craig Ruhl Photography: Karen Ruhl (unless otherwise credited) Staff Writers: Craig Ruhl Karen Ruhl

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Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. ™ Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ® (ESV ®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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