Impressions Autumn 2021, Issue 22

16PAGE

A lifetime of questions answered through Revelation Today.

Are we ready for what comes next? 24 05 ACTS 20:21 and Revelation Today Impact the Globe

Buckled In

AUTUMN 2021 ISSUE 22

EXECUTIVE EDITOR John Bradshaw

EDITOR Cassie Hernandez

ART DIRECTOR Ariel Warren

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jennifer Sarria

Copyright © 2021 by It Is Written. All rights reserved. It Is Written, Escrito Está, My Place With Jesus, and SALT are registered trademarks and/or service marks of It Is Written, Inc.

Except otherwise noted, scripture taken from the New King James Version®

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover photo: Baptism at Revelation Today: The Great Reset. connect with us

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John Bradshaw PRESIDENT

Lessons Learned?

Over the last 18 months or so we’ve learned—or re-learned—a lot of lessons.

We’ve learned that life is fragile and that life is precious. We’ve learned about comorbidities, the importance of disease prevention, the spread of illnesses, and how life can be upended surprisingly quickly. We’ve learned that people can act irrationally (remember toilet paper shortages?), and we’ve seen that navigating divisive issues is a delicate matter. We’ve learned that the final movements truly will be rapid ones, and I hope we’ve learned that there has never been a more important time to share Jesus than the present—whenever the present is.

It Is Written has been especially blessed to remain on the front lines of mission and evangelism. While many organizations were forced to shut down for months on end, the blessing of God and the faithful support of our ministry Partners enabled It Is Written to ramp up at a time when the majority were in neutral. Our new It Is Written ministry headquarters enabled us to safely continue in ministry, and the care and commitment shown by the dedicated It Is Written team meant we were able to increase our evangelistic output in both English and Spanish. It Is Written has held more than 20 evangelistic meetings since the pandemic began, and It Is Written TV viewership numbers have increased sharply.

We have seen that the future is not guaranteed and that it is vital to make use of present opportunities to lift up Jesus while we are still able. When the day comes that our money is worthless, we will wish we had done more to share the gospel with others. And on that day when all we have left is faith in Jesus, we will rue wasted opportunities for spiritual growth and witness.

Please join me in lifting up Jesus while we can. Let’s pray together for an infilling of the Holy Spirit so that together we can shine for Jesus and share Him with the world.

It Is Written has been especially blessed to remain on the front lines of mission and evangelism.

ACTS 20:21 and Revelation Today Impact the Globe

ACTS 20:21

ACTS 20:21 was an 18-month virtual cycle of evangelism initiative conducted by It Is Written in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. When much of the world shut down, God both deepened and broadened It Is Written’s global impact in unprecedented ways. By God’s grace, we learned how to propel the mission forward when personal interaction was impossible. The initiative included series on revival (No Limits: A Life of Power), health and wellness (Take Charge of Your Health and Next Level Health), and prayer (Connect). In addition, three proclamation series (Hope Awakens, Answers In Prophecy, and Revelation Today: The Great Reset) shared Bible truth with the world when millions everywhere were looking for answers to the confusion and chaos of the pandemic. Through this initiative, countless souls received Jesus, and thousands now experience new life through God’s truth for these last days!

Continued on next page.

WES PEPPERS is the evangelism director for It Is Written. He schedules and oversees all of the ministry’s evangelism projects online and around the world. Wes is married to Marion, and they have two children.

REVELATION TODAY: THE GREAT RESET

Revelation Today: The Great Reset was the climax of ACTS 20:21 and has recently concluded, leaving a massive footprint for the everlasting gospel across the globe. It broadcasted from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to nearly 200 churches across North America. In addition, thousands of individuals from six continents joined online in Australia, Brazil, Great Britain, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Africa, Japan, and dozens of other countries. During 21 meetings, Pastor John Bradshaw opened the Bible and shared messages that inspired, encouraged, challenged, convicted, and transformed people’s hearts from every religion and background. Each evening began with a question and answer session where participants could submit Bible questions throughout the series. Pastor John answered more than 100 total questions on various topics. The It Is Written musicians blessed viewers with a heartwarming musical number before Pastor John preached. Melissa Bradshaw, My Place With Jesus director, ran Buried Treasure, our children’s evangelism program, during the series.

Even though straightforward Bible messages were shared with those participating, God powerfully reached hearts as the hope, love, and compassion of Jesus were uplifted. Pastor John appealed to participants to give their hearts to Christ and follow the truth Jesus offered them to prepare them for His soon return. The response was incredible! The Holy Spirit touched hearts, and hard truths such as the Sabbath, state of the dead, hell, and others that can often be obstacles for people became stepping stones which led them closer to Jesus.

TESTIMONIES

One man, Bruce, was a successfully retired businessman who had recently lost his wife. He received a brochure in the mail and a personal invitation from a church member who attended the meetings. Several nights into the series, he called me over to visit. He said, “I was in a sea of confusion and frustration after my wife died, but these meetings have brought hope and truth to my heart.” As tears began to form in his eyes, he concluded, “You can’t understand how much these meetings mean to me!” He was a lifelong member of a denomination that practiced infant baptism by sprinkling. Shortly before his wife passed away, she was baptized by immersion, and he wanted to do the same. However, his pastor told him, “We don’t do that here. Your sprinkling was good enough.” He was not satisfied and shortly after received the flier to Revelation Today: The Great Reset. He came every night and accepted the truth he learned as an invitation from Jesus to have a deeper relationship with Him than he ever had before. He was

“You can’t understand how much these meetings mean to me!”

baptized in Chattanooga at the end of the series and anticipates seeing his wife again in the resurrection!

Prem was born in India and prac ticed Hinduism from a young age. However, he heard someone speak about Jesus at only six years old and immediately rejected Hinduism to embrace Christianity. Through a long journey of persecution and miraculous events, he attended Revelation Today: The Great Reset every night and has since been baptized into God’s end-time church. He is looking forward to sharing his newfound truth with as many people as possible.

Another online viewer had this to say after watching the meeting about the topic of death:

“I just finished episode 9 of the Great Reset series. I don’t 100 percent know how to explain what I feel except to say ‘grieved’ that I have been taught and thought I knew what the Bible said about death. In my mind, I thought I would go to the Bible and find what I had always believed, but it was not there. I heard the truth tonight. As soon as this hit me, tears started to stream as soon as I now had a clear understanding. Thank you for being faithful and sharing this with us!”

Revelation Today: The Great Reset not only reached those who did not know God but also reclaimed those who had fallen away:

“Pastor Bradshaw, I have been out of the church for over 25 years. My husband passed away two years ago. I have listened

to every message from this seminar. I want you to know I have decided to come back to God. I will be rebaptized next month with others from the series. Thank you so much for allowing God to use you as a messenger of his deep love for me. I praise God for directing me to your message of truth. I can’t wait to be baptized and experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit in my life again. God bless you!” —Karen

These testimonies are mere samples of the hundreds we received and many more we have not even heard about yet! Eternity will allow us to hear them all firsthand from those whose lives were forever changed by the wonder of God’s transforming grace!

ETERNAL RESULTS

Revelation Today: The Great Reset grew the family and kingdom of God. It has strengthened God’s church. It has fulfilled prophecy in sharing the three angels’ messages across the world. We are so grateful to those who supported the series with your prayers and financial gifts. Without you, these types of opportunities would not exist.

We look forward to our next Revelation Today: The Great Reset Series in February 2022 live in Portland, Oregon, and across the Oregon conference. Please join us now in praying for this series as It Is Written continues to proclaim the soon coming of Jesus. God is on the move, and we are thrilled to partner with you to fulfill the Great Commission!

Prem is baptized by Pastor Rusty Williams.

Our Plan B Is God's

“It’snot like God is going to drop a mission trip on my desk!” Angela Emde, Greeneville Adventist Academy English teacher and mission trip coordinator, thought out loud. “There’s no way for another mission trip to pop up with just a few weeks left—in the middle of a pandemic!” The school’s mission trip to French Polynesia had been canceled when France closed its borders yet again, weeks before our departure. We were discouraged.

Yves Monnier from It Is Written had just called Angela with the bad news. “What’s Plan B?” she immediately asked. “Well,” he said, “there is a mission team going to Costa Rica a few weeks before your scheduled mission trip, and a follow-up team to finish building the church would be incredibly beneficial to the community.”

Thus, 38 high school students and staff went to Costa Rica to preach, finish the church, and provide free vision clinics, headed by Dr. Brad Emde, OD. There were five different vision clinics throughout the week, receiving an average of 105 patients each day. In total, we saw 579 patients and dispensed over 1,400 pairs of glasses.

Mission was coupled with medicine just as Jesus did, and we found it incredibly effective. We served during the day, and at night we invited our patients to our revival series. Upperclassmen wrote and presented a six-part series based on Steps to Christ, and the underclassmen gave health talks and Bible stories. We had internalized our messages to the point where we were excited to share what had transformed our own lives! One beloved Costa Rican friend from the meetings later told me, “I left the church when I was 15. But when your team presented the message, praise God, I came back!”

While some students worked at the vision clinic, the rest of us went to the church building site. Our goal was to pour the concrete floor by the week’s end. The walls went up despite a supply shortage, and everything was looking good—until we saw the forecast. The rainy season was to start Thursday and Friday, the days that we would pour and finish the floor.

On Thursday, we witnessed a distant thunderstorm. We prayed. As the vision team drove into town that afternoon,

The students finish the floor as storm clouds surround them.

Dr. Brad Emde tests patients’ vision.

God's Perfect Plan a

they were getting soaked by a torrential downpour. However, as they neared the church work site, the rain suddenly ceased. It was completely dry where we were working! They passed by, and within a short distance, hit more rain again. The waters were parted, and dry land appeared for just us to work on.

Friday came, and it was time to do the floor. If we didn’t finish then, we wouldn’t finish at all. It didn’t take the Weather Channel to remind us that rain was inevitable. We began to pour the floors as the dark clouds rolled in. Halfway done, we prayed. We then worked for a short moment in the shade before realizing that we needed sunscreen! I looked up at the sky, and, while the storm was raining all around us, saw that we were working in a hole of sunshine. One student prayed aloud, “Lord, I don’t have time to stop pouring the floor and reapply sunscreen. Please move a cloud over the sun!” What did we see but a little wisp of cloud scoot across the clear sky. The blazing sun was shaded for our comfort. Not only does God

care about giving us sun to finish the floor, but He also cares about giving us clouds to avoid sunburn! As soon as we closed the door of the van to leave the worksite, whoosh, all of heaven poured out. God let the rain come because we finished what we had come to do.

Psalm 127:1 summarizes our experience: “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” We carved that reference into the fresh concrete floor as a lasting reminder.

On Sabbath, I preached the dedication of the new church in Las Juntas de Abangares. In the baptistry that Kiran Finley and I had built with our own hands, we had three baptisms that day!

My classmates and I learned from this mission experience that our Plan B was God’s perfect Plan A all along.

KATIE-JANE EMDE is a recent graduate of Greeneville Adventist Academy and a lover of all things travel and mission. She is the daughter of It Is Written Partners and attends Southern Adventist University.

We coupled Mission with medicine just as Jesus did, and we found it incredibly effective.

Community members listen to the students’ sermons.

SHARING JESUS

IN GUATEMALA

In October, a small Escrito Está team traveled to Guatemala to distribute water filters to a community desperately in need of them. We also joined a local radio station to share solar-powered radios with the Kekchi people, giving them access to Escrito Está programs translated into their native language!

The water filtration project began with a young couple who wanted to minister to the village of Moyuta. Despite government efforts, the people there live in extreme poverty. Every month a group of young people travel 2.5 hours from Guatemala City to Moyuta to spend time with the families there.

For their most recent project, the volunteers decided to provide water filters to local families. They realized people did not have access to clean drinking water and were getting sick as a result. High heat and humidity only compounded the issue. In February 2021, Escrito Está joined forces with the church to support this initiative.

Thanks to various donations, 300 families—the entire community of

CAROLINA BONILLA is the administrative assistant for Escrito Está. Born in Ecuador, Carolina has a passion for reaching the Spanishspeaking community with the gospel.

Locals from Moyuta listening to the Word of God as they wait for their water filter.

Delivering solar-powered radios to the Kekchi community in Guatemala.

Moyuta— received water filters this fall. We distributed the water filters, provided training on how to use them, and encouraged the people to trust God and accept His water of life.

Many expressed their gratitude for both the physical and spiritual water. One lady stated, “I thought Jesus had forgotten me. This means so much to my family, thank you!” Alejandro, a volunteer, said, “Thank you for supporting this project. Seeing an organization like Escrito Está coming to Guatemala to help a small group of volunteers serving in a poor community defines what church should be. I’m very encouraged and will continue helping my community with more fervor than ever.”

Next, we headed to Chicanutz, a remote mountain area that lacks electricity, to distribute 100 solar-powered radios to the Kekchi community. We traveled along with members of Unión Radio Guatemala, a radio station that covers most parts of the country and broadcasts Escrito Está programs. They recently began broadcasting in the central part of the country, where there is a large Kekchi population.

Approximately half a million people speak Kekchi. A local volunteer is translating the daily devotionals, Una Mejor Manera de Vivir, and our half-hour programs into the Kekchi language for his community. We called this trip “Una Mejor Manera de Vivir para los Q’eqchies” (A Better Way to Live for the Kekchis).

The only building in Chicanutz that has a generator is the small church, and they only turn it on during worship hours on Saturdays. Few people speak Spanish fluently. Having Christian content that they can understand is essential for their spiritual growth.

Oscar, a Kekchi Bible worker, interpreted for us during our worship service. We were received with smiles, soup, and a lot of love. B’antiox was one of the easiest words to

learn, which means “thank you.” Children were shy but curious when they saw our cameras. The congregation proceeded to sing from the Spanish hymnal, many not understanding what they were singing. Can you imagine singing to God without knowing what you are saying to Him?

We only stayed for a few hours due to the threat of rain, which would cause us to be stuck owing to the poor roads. We delivered the radios and hurried to the next group that lived further up the mountain. We were unable to visit a third group since it started raining but left the rest of the radios in Oscar’s care.

During each short visit, we spoke about the importance of sharing Jesus and learning of His Word. Then we distributed the radios. The people were excited to discover that they could listen to sermons in Kekchi and look forward to receiving more content in their language.

Although this trip was a great achievement, it is only the beginning of an important mission: creating more content that can reach areas that are yet to hear the gospel in their native tongue. Thank you for your support of Escrito Está in making these donations possible. Together we can reach many more people with the good news of Jesus and provide a better way to live for the Kekchis.

Read more about this story on itiswritten.com.

Robert Costa, speaker/director

BLACKBERRY JAM WITH (GOSPEL) SEEDS

Evangelism is a long word that simply means to tell someone about Jesus. It Is Written supporters do that every day through the resources and television programing they make possible.

But they do even more than that. It often takes another human being to make the connection between head knowledge and a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. And our supporters do that in their careers, schools, and neighborhoods.

The check supporters write every month to make Bible studies or television programs possible is only as effective as the relationship they have with their next door neighbor or the greeter at the local Walmart. And it’s those connections that tie the It Is Written resources with the heart and reap eternal rewards.

Let me tell you about Ed and Kathy Reid. After working for the church for many years, Ed and Kathy retired to Kathy’s original homestead in east Tennessee. They could have considered their evangelism work completed, but according to Kathy, “We’re busier than ever!” She explained, “I grew up with many of my neighbors, so when we came back, connections were easy to renew.”

Their new home gave them a new mission field. Each Christmas, for several years, Ed and Kathy delivered treats and a spiritual magazine to their 20 neighbors—some new, some who they had known for years. “We tried to pick local gifts like honey to help with allergies, or homemade blackberry jam if the season had been good,” Kathy said. The seeds they were planting were about to get watered.

JOCELYN ANDERSON is the interim director of development. Jocelyn coordinates all the Partnership events each year and enjoys connecting with donors.

In the beginning of 2020, Ed and Kathy began the It Is Written CREATION Life Study Guides with their community. Then COVID-19 hit. “We immediately transitioned and mailed each lesson, one at a time, to everyone who had signed up,” Kathy explained. When It Is Written released the virtual series Take Charge of Your Health in summer 2020, the Reids made fliers and gave them to all their neighbors. Their previous Christmas treats and magazines had made an impact, and neighbors began watching.

At Christmas, the neighbors received a health magazine from Ed and Kathy. They began hearing positive feedback about recipes their neighbors were trying from the magazine. When It Is Written launched Next Level Health in March 2021, it was easy to invite the neighborhood again. “Pastor Bradshaw was a familiar face to our neighbors now,” Kathy explained. “We just had to let them know he was back with a new series.”

Those neighbors know where to come for a tasty, healthy recipe or to find out more about the God who created them. The seeds in this little neighborhood are getting ready to sprout for the kingdom of God.

In a way, it can be easy to run a social media ad. It’s simple to pay for a mailer to advertise the next Revelation seminar in church, or even to preach the series. It’s a little more intricate to come up close to people, get to know them, and take an interest in their lives—but it is also the most rewarding part of evangelism.

For over 30 years, Ed and Kathy have faithfully supported the ministry of It Is Written. The It Is Written team looks forward to catching up with them at our Partnership weekend in Gatlinburg every fall. But they are more than just Partners with It Is Written; they are partners with God and with their community. Using resources from this ministry and a homemade jar of jam, Ed and Kathy are making neighbors for eternity, and getting ready to have the same neighborhood in the earth made new.

If you would like to learn more about becoming an It Is Written Partner, visit itiswritten.com/partnership

SHARING RESOURCES

THE GREAT CONTROVERSY

POCKET BOOKS

Share these pocket-sized books with your family, friends, and neighbors! Topics include: the Sabbath, death, hell, finances, Bible promises, temptation, and health.

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• Anti-Aging Secrets of the Bible

• Challenged: Christian Ethics in Life and Business

• Coping with Grief

• Dealing with Stress

• Deceptions in the Modern Church

• Evil: The Challenge of the Sinful Heart

• Fasting and Prayer

• The Faith of Desmond Doss

• Giving to God and Family

• God’s Eternal Sign

• God’s Promises

• God Will Provide

• Healing Foods of the Bible

• Health Care God’s Way

• Mystery of Death

• Promises of Peace

• Promises of Power

• Remember

• Understanding Hell

• When the Lion Roars

For more information on these titles, visit itiswritten.com/sharingbooks

This book faithfully traces the development of the greatest war ever fought— the war over your eternal destiny. Relying on the prophecies of the Bible, The Great Controversy speaks to a world looking for hope.

SHARING BOOKS

Witness to your family, friends, and neighbors with these sharing books on topics like the Sabbath, prophecy, relationship with God, and more.

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When God Said Remember ������������������������� WGSRS

In an unprecedented age, the Bible provides clarity and hope. Find reliable answers to life’s most important questions. Don’t miss Revelation Today: The Great Reset, presented by Pastor John Bradshaw from It Is Written.

21-Disc DVD Set • RTGRS-D • SALE $74.99

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THE HOPE OF GLORY

Christianity is something like a Rubik’s Cube. Virtually every one has heard of it, most people have tried it, but few have figured out how to do it successfully. In his struggle to live a victorious Christian life, Paul recounted his experience of falling far short of what he knew to be the will of God. But he went on to write about a Christianity that works. The Hope of Glory will encourage you to experience a faith that connects your heart with the heart of God.

Daily Devotional • US $19.99

New daily devotional by John Bradshaw

brick and stucco home with a terra cotta tile roof sits in a quiet, comfortable suburban neighborhood in southern Arizona under a beautiful blue sky. Nothing out of the ordinary until you meet the owner. Earl grew up in Barbados with his mother and brother. There wasn’t money for extra things like flooring, or refrigerators, and definitely not televisions. But when he turned 11, the small family moved to a newer home. It had a black and white television and for the first time Earl saw Hollywood. Families had running water and refrigerators! He remembers asking as a young boy, “Why do we have to be this poor?”

Earl’s vision for a better life went deeper than the home furnishings. He knew there was something deeper he was missing. Earl sang in the Anglican church choir and studied catechism, but when the family moved to their new home, he started seeing hypocrisies between what some of the church leaders were

Earl

A high-ranking military sergeant comes face to face with the God of heaven’s armies.

but was dashed the following year in a car accident that totaled his car and should have taken his life.

But God was working out a much bigger plan for Earl than a disappointing lotto ticket and a totaled dream car. At 19 while on leave from work following the crash, Earl was invited to New York to be with his father and stepmom. His father was a United States Merchant Marine and showed Earl a life he had never seen before—the theatre, big city shows. But Dad also taught Earl discipline, and Earl picked up every lesson his dad laid down for him. Earl enlisted in the Army when he was 20, and after basic training, began training as a key punch operator. Because of his special training, Earl went to Texas instead of following most of his unit to Vietnam. He was later sent to South Korea where he was subjected to MK-Ultra mind control techniques. The experience left him with bad flashbacks and paranoia that lasted for years.

preaching and living. “I stopped going to church as a young man,” Earl remembered, “because things just didn’t line up.”

But he didn’t stop searching. Determined to build a better life for himself, Earl, at 15, bought two books: Think and Grow Rich and The Magic of Thinking Big and started to put the principles into practice. He got a job at the local library and started applying his get-rich book knowledge to the lottery. That had a rather disappointing outcome, so he tried envisioning his first car. That dream did come true three years later,

Maybe to deal with the flashbacks or just to satisfy the search in his heart, Earl started attending church again when he returned to the United States. He was looking for teaching more than preaching and discovered a keen interest in Revelation. He watched evangelists on television from his base housing, but he never found what he was looking for. Revelation just didn’t make sense to him.

But in other ways life was good. Earl got married, received several more promotions, and advanced in leadership, information technology, and computer science. He received the highest available security clearance and worked on the president’s top secret projects. He had found his niche.

He was hand picked for projects, became an airplane pilot, and reached the rank of Master Sergeant E8. After 20 years serving the United States Army, Earl retired, only to enter the workforce as a civilian.

For another 20 years, Earl worked as a consultant in the information technology field for many of the large tech companies as a system administrator, engineer, and architect. And then tragedy struck: Earl’s wife got sick. For a while treatment helped, but then one day she didn’t come home. She went from the emergency room to hospice and passed away within two weeks. Earl was lost, devastated. What had all his years of work and accomplishment meant if it all ended with IV tubes and a tombstone?

Earl went back to work, but the tears that he had never cried as a child, or as a soldier, or even when his parents died, now wouldn’t stop. He cried every day. Work felt meaningless. He was at a crossroad in

life unsure of what to do next. A month after his wife passed away, Earl was sitting in his office holding a brochure for grief counseling when the phone rang. It was a representative from the counseling center he had just been reading about. Earl began meeting with a counselor who was also a pastor. This meant a great deal to Earl, and his heart slowly began to mend.

On March 31, 2019, eight months after his wife had passed away, Earl walked into his office at home, looked at the certificates on the wall, the accolades of appreciation on his desk, and realized he didn’t want to work anymore. He emailed his boss the next morning that he was quitting. He never looked back. Now he had time to travel, to buy that second vacation timeshare. He had the time and money to do whatever he wanted to do. And God had something very special planned for Earl to do. He had been

God had something very special planned for Earl to do.

Pastor Ed

waiting for the per fect time to tell Earl about it, and this was it. Five months after retiring, Earl walked to the end of his short driveway and picked up the mail. In it he saw a flier for a Revelation Today series coming to his hometown in October. Maybe this would finally answer his questions about Revelation!

When Earl walked through the door of the Mesa Convention Center, Ed greeted him warmly and showed him around. Earl enjoyed the first few meetings but had a prior engagement out of town and missed a few nights. While out of town, he texted Ed and asked him if he could catch up on what he had missed. Ed replied and invited Earl back to the rest of the meetings and signed his text as “Pastor Ed.” Earl had no

accommodating. There were 20 pastors at the Revelation Today meetings, but I needed to meet Ed.” Earl started listening to the Bible, and it began to make more sense than ever before. Pastor Ed was thrilled to re-baptize Earl in a lake in May of 2021. “All through my youth, all through the military, I was always missing something deeper,” Earl said. “I couldn’t even find it in church. I didn’t find it until I attended Revelation Today with Pastor John Bradshaw.”

Earl’s commitment to Jesus took him one more step. Even before his re-baptism, Earl began supporting It Is Written and became a Partner in 2020. “I was led to contribute and inspired to give at the Partnership level,” Earl said. “God put it in my heart. I

JOCELYN ANDERSON is the interim director of development. Jocelyn coordinates all the Partnership events each year and enjoys connecting with donors.

What animal climbs trees, is a great swimmer, and is an expert fisherman? It’s … a bear! There are eight species of bears, and six of them are endangered. There are Asian black bears, brown bears, giant panda bears, North American black bears, polar bears, sloth bears, spectacled bears, and sun bears.

See if you know the answers to these questions.

(You’ll find the answers at the bottom of this page.)

1. What is a group of bears called?

2. What is a male bear called?

3. What are the female bears called?

4. What do we call baby bears?

Bears have a very good sense of smell, and even though bears will eat some meat, their diet consists mainly of berries, nuts, and roots.

Bears are well known for hibernating. Groundhogs, snails, wood frogs, and even bumblebees also hibernate. During hibernation, animals enter a state of inactivity. An animal hibernates to conserve energy, usually during a time that their food supply is low—typically during the winter. Bears don’t sleep the entire time they hibernate, but they don’t eat or drink and rarely go to the bathroom.

Answers:

“Jesus is the resurrection and the life.”

John 11 : 25

1. A sloth or sleuth

2. A boar

3. Sows

4. Cubs

In very cold areas, bears might hibernate for seven months, although they will come out of their dens if they need to, especially if their den gets flooded or damaged. Hibernating bears don’t always sleep in dens. Bears have been found hibernating in places such as in road culverts, under the porches of homes, and even on a pile of leaves!

A bear’s body goes through some incredible changes during hibernation. Their body temperature lowers by 5 to 10 degrees, their heart slows down to 10 beats a minute, and their rate of breathing drops significantly.

The Bible talks about many of God’s people experiencing a time of extended rest. The Bible describes death as a dreamless sleep, which continues until the resurrection day when Jesus returns. At that time, those who have slept the sleep of death will wake to join Jesus, the angels, and all of God’s children on the incredible journey to heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). They will never get sick again, and will live with Jesus forever in the earth made new! What a wonderful day that will be!

While losing a loved family member or friend is very sad, we can take comfort in the promise of the resurrection. Jesus is the resurrection and the litfe (John 11:25)!

Preventing Cognitive Decline Part 2 Not Guilty The stunning true story of a wrongful conviction. Great Characters of the Bible: Peter

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Buckled

BY JOHN BRADSHAW, president

When Aloha Airlines flight 243 departed from Hilo, Hawaii, bound for Honolulu, no one could have imagined that less than 15 minutes later, the world as they knew it would have changed forever. Immediately behind the cockpit of the aircraft, an 18-foot section of the fuselage peeled away, exposing terrified passengers to the elements almost five miles above the earth. A flight attendant lost her life, and while several of the 90 passengers on board sustained serious injuries, they all survived the freak incident. In the 13 minutes it took for the pilot to land the plane, some passengers prayed, others cried, while still others waited to die. More lives would certainly have been lost except that the passengers in the most affected section of the stricken airliner were buckled in. There’s a lesson there.

It isn’t only COVID-19 that has shaken our collective world over the past 18 months or so. Some people have lost jobs,

others have lost family members (for a variety of reasons), social unrest has jolted society, and the political process seems to have become more bitter and divisive. The question isn’t whether or not trouble is going to come to our world. COVID-19 might be the first pandemic of this nature in living memory, but it isn’t the first to trouble Planet Earth. Politics has hardly ever been a purely civil enterprise. Fistfights have erupted in both the U.S. Congress and Senate, and it should not be forgotten that in July 1804, the Vice President of the United States fatally shot one of America’s founding fathers in a duel.

The question to be asked isn’t, “Shall trouble come?” We have been assured in Scripture that it most certainly will (see Daniel 12:1, John 16:33, Luke 17:1). The question to be asked—and answered—is, “Are you buckled in?”

The truth is, it isn’t to anyone’s advantage to live entirely without challenges. Although water leaked through

in

a temporary flood barrier during recent testing, engineers were pleased to know where they needed to make adjustments to the barrier should it ever be seriously tried. Because “it is in a crisis that character is revealed” (Ellen White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 412), crises are our friends, showing us how tightly we are buckled in with Jesus.

Jesus issued a profound invitation in John 15:4–5, when He said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” He went on to say, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.”

This old world is going to shake a lot harder as we approach the return of Jesus.

It is as important as ever that we abide in Jesus through prayer, learning to pray like Jacob when he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” (Genesis 32:26). We have the privilege of being strengthened through time spent in the Word of God: “My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word” (Psalm 119:28). And in this preparation time, we may need to deepen our surrender to the Living God and receive more of His presence and power. Paul wrote, “Present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13).

The challenges facing today’s world are a call from God to be ready for Jesus’ return. He is coming back soon.

Good news!

It isn’t only COVID-19 that has shaken our collective world over the past 18 months or so.

May God bless you. Your sermons have changed my life. I thank you for letting God use you to change other people’s lives.

—Unknown

I always loved It Is Written. Watching for almost 50 years. —La Quinta, California

Pastor, you are a bright shining light in the dark. My spiritual life was in crisis. But that has changed. I look forward to your biblical teachings. Love your illustrations and examples you use. Your use of the Word is phenomenal. I look forward to the short and concise videos I receive every morning to start my day. Thanks. —Unknown

Congratulations!!! But it’s no surprise to me, because my husband and I are one of so many It Is Written viewers who were so impacted by your programs! Watching Pastor Bradshaw’s sermons has moved my husband. So much so that he wants to be baptized when the province is open again and we are able to go to church. God bless.

—Canada

One of the few programs that I look forward to on Sunday morning. —Anchorage, Alaska

Made a difference in my childhood, this program. —Unknown

It Is Written has been my source of precious information about the real idea of the Sabbath School author. I just cannot wait to join the next session. —Philippines

Seeing Pastor Bradshaw on skates was unexpected but it made me smile. Reminds me of how much I loved ice skating as a kid. Great presentation. ���� —Michigan

Do you have a story about how God has touched your life through the work of It Is Written? Tell us! Simply email impressions@iiw.org

Impressed by the Holy Spirit, lives are forever changed

I appreciate It Is Written. I would watch it when I was a slave to addiction. It would actually turn me back to God every time I watched your short clips.

— Unknown

Wes Peppers

Since August, Wes has helped execute the Revelation Today series, held in October, and planned for future evangelism campaigns. Having done mission work in 35 countries, Wes is ready to lead the evangelism team as It Is Written contin ues to reach souls around the world with the gospel.

Wes replaces Yves Monnier, who accepted a call to serve as evangelism director in Pennsylvania.

“We’re thrilled to have Pastor Wes Peppers join our team,” said John Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “He is an unusually gifted speaker and evangelist and has been extremely successful in pastoral and evangelistic ministry, as well as in administration. He has a love for souls that is obvious and infectious. It is a privilege to have someone of his caliber join us at It Is Written.”

Wes previously served in Michigan for 10 years as a pastor, personal ministries director, evangelism coordinator, and associate ministerial director. Wes and his wife Marion felt a clear call from God to take the position. “Over a two-month span of time, there were a series of miraculous events that finalized our decision,” Wes said. “After several weeks of fasting and wrestling in prayer, God overwhelmingly confirmed that His will was for us to serve at It Is Written.”

Wes is happy to be here and is passionate about training others on how to share their faith. “I am looking forward to using the gifts and experiences God has given me to minister around the world through It Is Written,” he said, “while personally living in His grace and strength each day.”

Wes and Marion, a musician, have been married for 17 years and are joined in ministry by their two children, Levi and Liana.

CASSIE MATCHIM HERNANDEZ , marketing assistant

Get to know Wes:

What is your favorite meal?

My five favorites are Thai, Indian, African, Latin, and Vietnamese phó.

What was your first job? My first official job was at a Piggly Wiggly in Alabama. I was 14 years old and worked in the produce department.

What is one thing that most of your co-workers don’t know about you? I was not raised in the church and was an atheist until the age of 22, when I first accepted Christ. I studied the Bible to prove it false, and it saved my life from suicide.

An evangelism veteran, Wes brings his talents for public speaking and organization to the ministry team as our new evangelism director.

BY JEFF BLUMENBERG, interim planned giving and trust services director

Introducing Our New Planned Giving Director & Representative

God continues to bless It Is Written with outstanding team members.

Olan Thomas has retired after serving the ministry for 13 years. However, we are thankful that he is still supporting the team as a part-time consultant. In light of his departure, we have supplemented our planned giving team with two new members. I am pleased to introduce you to Monica Edwards, who will be our new planned giving director. We also welcome Michael Pelletier who is now serving the northeast region as our field representative and planned giving consultant. Welcome, Monica and Michael, to the It Is Written team!

Monica Edwards grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, and has also lived in California and Georgia. For the past 20 years she has been an estate planning attorney. In 2013, Monica was first introduced to the three angel’s messages, and within five months of that she was baptized. Her walk with the Lord has continued to strengthen each year. She

credits her newfound peace and happiness with her decision to follow Christ. Monica recently felt called to use the gifts with which God has blessed her to serve the Lord full-time by joining the It Is Written planned giving team. Monica also enjoys studying God’s Word daily, working out regularly, and finding new ways to prepare delicious plant-based, nutritious dishes.

Michael Pelletier, a native of Rhode Island, was baptized over 20 years ago. His excitement for what he learned from the Bible led him to work full-time for God. Since 2010, he has pastored churches, first in Kansas, and more recently in Connecticut, where he presently lives with his wife Elena and their four children, Joel, Alan, Kayleigh, and Abel. Michael speaks English and Spanish and has developed a strong interest in Christian stewardship and legacy planning. When not involved in service, he cherishes family time and exploring national parks.

Monica and Michael look forward to getting to know It Is Written supporters.

Tributes & Memorials

If you would like to give a donation in memory of someone, please visit itiswritten.com/give or use the enclosed envelope to mail your donation.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

Allen, Virgil by Mrs. Marcia Allen Barr, Pastor Chris by Mr. James W. Danielsen

Bauer, Andrew by David A. Dungan

Beason, Christy by Janice Shipbaugh

Cronin, Carl by Carolyn Cronin

Dale, Krista by Kellie M. Olson

Dodd, Lynette Elaine by Dr. Duane Dodd, Janine Moody, Mr. and Mrs. Brian Stevens, and Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin Wygal

Fox, Rex by Carolyn Fox

Geach-Orr, Kimberly Susan by Mr. and Mrs. Roger W. Geach

Gerken, Gary by Jocelyn D. Anderson

Hawks, Pastor Paul N. by Cheryl Kotarba

Hirschenberger, Frank and Jean by Wesley W. Bylsma

Holland, Charles D. by Judith H. Phillips

Remember

Lauborough, Susan by Mr. Danny Lauborough

Magana, Remedios by Maria L. Webster

Massey, Allen by Mrs. Merle Massey

Merginio, Antonia by Lauran B. Merginio

Murphy, Jody Lynn by Robert Murphy

Oetman, Wallace by John F. Marsh

Rustad, Pastor Gary George by Fairra Roddy-Rustad

Scribner, Suggar by Jonathan Smith

Watts, Brayden C. by Mr. and Mrs. Vanburen Watts

William, Roger by Mrs. Nancy R. Boyd

Zamora, Reyes Antonio by Christopher Zamora

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Sicairos, Chilo and Isaura by Isaura E. Sicairos

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Eleniste, Iszabella by Pierre P. Eleniste

IN HONOR OF

Clouzet, Alicia S. by Dr. and Mrs. Ron Clouzet

Ephraim, Louis H. by Mervyn L. Chapman

Francis, Eileen by Denise Brown

Mowbray, John H. by Mrs. May Pedersen

Palmer, Dorothy by Marla Savik

Reece, Myra by Tammy Jones

Richard, Jacquelyn Faye by Caral Richard

Rodriguez, Angie by Roguel and Claudia Rodriguez

Scott, Ken and Leah by Beverly Corprew

The Wes Peppers family by Robert Murphy

Ventour, Charmaine by Maureen Ferdinand

To see the complete list of tributes and memorials, please visit itiswritten.com/tributes.

someone special with your love gift to It Is Written.

Your memorial or honorary gifts help share the gospel with the world. Unless you request otherwise, your name will be listed on the Tributes web page and may be printed in Impressions. If you wish, we will send a gift acknowledgment card to your desired recipient. Please be sure to include the recipient’s name and address.

Valuation

Iwas searching for a mentor and my first real job out of college. I had spent the week with David, a seasoned business owner in Colorado, going from business to business learning the tricks of the trade.

Back at the home office, David pulled out his financials and handed them to me: “Tell me where I make my money.” I spent the next hour pouring over balance sheets and income statements trying to find all the income streams. When I came back to him, he showed me the ones I missed. I knew he had been testing me. I wasn’t sure I’d passed. But we started tallying up assets and liabilities until I knew exactly what David’s business was worth. It wasn’t pocket change.

Later that evening, we gathered with family and friends for worship in the living room. The grand piano in the living room came to life under David’s wife’s fingertips. David and a friend pulled out their trombones, and the entire room reverberated with praise as the rest of us sang along.

The music ended and David opened his black leather Bible. He turned to Jeremiah 9:23-24 and read, his voice cracking half way through the verse: “Thus says the

LORD: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight.’”

David died of COVID-19 in January 2021. I held his Bible and through tears read his favorite verse again. There was no question: David understood and knew his Father. His worth was infinite.

“Let not the mighty man glory in his might.”

ELLEN HOSTETLER is the former development director for It Is Written.