My Experiences at the Women of Faith Conference

I went to my first Women of Faith Conference last weekend, and I was blown away by it. I’m not sure which I loved more.

Henry Cloud spoke on getting stuck and what we need to do to get to the promised land. He also talked about a study with monkeys that showed their stress level would be cut in half if they had another monkey in the cage with them. I determined at that point to make sure I’m a monkey to others and that I always have monkeys around me.

Sheila Walsh shared her story about her mental breakdown. It was heartbreaking, but it also showed me, no matter what I’m going through, the Shepherd knows where to find me.

Lisa Harper was so funny when she talked about how we can see things differently than they really are.

Angie Smith shared her heart when she talked about having to bury her baby girl who died two hours after birth. She shared about the lesson she learned from Peter. When he began to sink, he could have tried to get back to the boat where the seasoned fishermen who know how to swim were waiting to rescue him. Instead he cried out to Jesus who really is our only hope.

Luci Swindall talked about pursuing our dreams and living an abundant life.

Then there was the music. I’m not sure which I loved more: the Women of Faith Worship team leading praise and worship, Mary Mary in concert, Natalie Grant singing “Your Great Name”, or Sheila Walsh hitting the rafters as she fell to her knees singing “How Great Thou Art”. All I know is I felt the presence of God in a strong way.

This is not the typical women’s conference. God spoke to me at this conference, and it changed me in a profound way. This won’t be my last Women of Faith Conference.

Ministering Through The Internet

Today I’m interviewing Lynn Mosher. Lynn is an awesome lady I’ve met on Christianwriters.com. She shows the love of Christ in everything she does, and in recent years, she has ministered that love through the Internet.

Lynn, tell us a little about yourself.

Hmmm! Well, let’s see… 

* I have one husband, three grown children, ages 33, 36, and 40, one son-in-law, one daughter-in-law, the hopes of another daughter-in-law, and three granddaughters.

* At the age of twelve, I met Billy Graham when my parents and grandparents had a large reception for him when he came to town for a crusade. As I looked into his eyes, I thought I’d met Jesus! I considered this a great honor as I walked the aisle to salvation at his crusade in New York City the year before.

* My parents and grandparents bought a farm for which Bing Crosby had also bid. My parents and I lived there twice with my grandparents.

* I’ve sung in the church choir (although why, I don’t know!), taught children’s Sunday School and adult Bible studies (under much stress/I’m not a teacher), been a Decision Guide (guiding those making a decision for Christ) at our present church, played a little piano, painted a little, love doing arts/crafts, especially with my eight year old granddaughter.

* I love to cook, when my fibromyalgia lets me. I make a mean loaf of Dilly Bread and yummy spaghetti sauce!

* I’m left-handed but ambidextrous, only writing, eating, and occasionally using a knife with my left hand.

* I love chocolate and Brussels sprouts! But hopefully, never together!

* I am an introvert, shy and private. If you know anything about personalities, I am a melancholy/phlegmatic combo. And I really shrink at doing interviews because I think I’m very boring!

What are the social networks and internet groups you belong to?Oh, boy! I don’t think there’s enough room to list them all! There’s the usual Twitter, Facebook, ShoutLife, and my favorite writing community, ChristianWriters.com. I joined so many other groups that I had to start a file to keep track of them. I don’t get to visit them that often but I love connecting with people, especially online since I don’t get out of the house very often.

When you started ministering on the internet, did you set out to do it, or did it evolve?When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2000, the Lord whispered to me to write for Him. I had no idea where that would take me or even how to get there. I knew nothing of writing. I only wrote a little bad poetry and that was it. As I obeyed the Lord, I learned about the process of writing and all the necessary elements that go with it, and I found that writers need an online presence. So, when I started my blog, it all mushroomed from there.

How do you use your blog to minister?

My writing is probably 98% of the spiritual/inspirational/devotional genre. I write to minister to God’s people. That is what He has called me to do. Hopefully, I write articles that uplift, encourage, and comfort others, for that is the passion He has placed in my heart.

Do you use your blog to develop your social connections? How?

Oh, yes! My blog has opened doors to some very special people, which has led me to connect with some of them in other venues, like Twitter, Facebook, ShoutLife, and others.

What ways do you use Twitter, Facebook, Christianwriters.com, etc. to minister?

Everyone suffers hardships at one time or another and, whether or not they talk about it, they hurt. They need to know they are loved and worthy. Therefore, I always strive to be positive and uplifting, to be caring. If I do not show the love and compassion of Christ, I am worthless.

In the mornings, when I sign on to Twitter, I always post a positive greeting or blessing for the day. I always ask the Lord what scripture someone needs for the day and then post it. I have received many comments from those saying they needed that particular scripture just at that time. I also post a link to my current blog post or one of my monthly columns that I write for two other sites, which feeds over to Facebook. 

I love to help spread the word for ministries, especially those that are small and need some exposure. I started a monthly highlight on my blog just for this reason and tweet about them on Twitter, which also feeds over to Facebook.

I try to keep in touch (if fibro-fog doesn’t make me forget!) with those who are having difficulties, even if it is merely saying, “Hey, I’ve missed you!”

Prayer is a large part of all this, especially on ChristianWriters.com. I try to always leave a comment for a prayer request. Those asking for prayer need to know that others care.

Do you have a story to tell us about how God used you in a special way to minister to an internet friend?Oh, I’ve had numerous occasions of God’s leading me to minister to others. This is very difficult for me to talk about because I don’t like the emphasis to be on me. However, my words have helped several precious, suffering souls. One, for instance, who was adopted (but has had great legal difficulties with it) and abused as a child, and another, who, because of so much abuse, including sexual abuse that started at age three, had multiple personalities (over 200).

Our words are so very important. It is imperative that we speak positively to others. We never know what heartache they are experiencing.

There have been several other things that the Lord has allowed me to do for others, but, as Matthew 6:3 (TLB) says, “But when you do a kindness to someone, do it secretly.”

Tell us about the friendships you’ve developed on the internet?I have met nurses, pastors, missionaries, writers, agents, celebrities, owners of social sites, stay-at-home moms and older women, invalids, those with fibromyalgia or other conditions/illnesses, those who have lost children, many who have suffered sexual abuse as children, those who work tirelessly for children who have been abducted and forced in some area of trafficking. I’ve even been able to meet one friend in person. I stand amazed at those the Lord brings into my life.

There is one special, young lady who has had two brain surgeries (which have removed parts of her brain) and is about to have a third to remove more of her brain in hopes of helping with the physical maladies she suffers. She is a true testament of faith and trust in the Lord.

I am so in awe of all these people. Each person that I have met in cyberspace has left a tiny part of herself/himself within me and made me a better person and I am so grateful to know each one.

How do you see God using you in the future?LOL! That’s up to God! I just make myself available to touch a life wherever the Lord leads me.

What advice do you have for those who desire to use social networking as a ministry tool?

If one’s desire is to be Christ-like, to reach out to help others who may be otherwise unreachable or who may be hurting, I heartily recommend social networking.

Missionaries – One Family, One God Dream

This post, I have a guest blogger, Keisha Lennon, who, along with her family, is going to Thailand as a missionary. I know this family, and they are godly people who are worth supporting.

One Family, One God Dream

The Lennon’s Call to Thailand

Our lives are but a story, line upon line being written by those who influence and change us, but even more so by those who we influence and change.  Simply put, this defines the desire of our lives—to bring hope to those who had none before coming into contact with us, through the love of Jesus Christ.  Come and be a part of our story, and allow us the privilege of becoming a part of your story!

Meet the Lennon’s

We—Ryan and Keisha—have been married for seven years and have been blessed with two children—Hannah (age 5) and Noah (age 2 ½).  Participating in the fulfillment of the Great Commission has been a passion of ours, even before we were married.  In fact, our family mission statement is “To know God: His Heart and His Character.  To be on the front lines of communicating the Good News to the lost by building a ministry that effectively reaches out and evangelizes.  To disciple, equip, and motivate believers of all ages to willingly abandon their own lives for the salvation of every tongue, tribe, and nation.”  Within the past few years, God has refined this desire and focused our hearts on Northern Thailand, more specifically the city of Chiang Rai, which is located in The Golden Triangle.

Our entire marriage has been a season of preparation!  Between the two of us, we’ve participated in or led 14 mission trips, all of which deposited something different within our hearts for what we are about to embark on next.  In terms of education, Keisha has a bachelor’s degree in English, and Ryan will soon have a bachelor’s degree in Bible and Theology, both of which will be useful tools in Thailand practically and spiritually.

In light of all this, our family plans to move to Chiang Rai, Thailand during the early fall of 2010. Our home church, Canton Temple of Praise Church of God will be sending us out to serve with Emerge Missions (www.emergemissions.org).  Emerge is an “innovative missions outreach to young people in emerging nations,” primarily Asia.  While Emerge’s influence is far reaching, in Chiang Rai, we (the Emerge team) will be focusing on university campus ministry, community and tribal outreach, orphanage ministry, and the establishment of a discipleship school. In focusing on young people, we hope to influence not just one generation, but the face of an entire nation!

About Thailand

Thailand is located in Southeast Asia, in the 10/40 Window, where 95% of the world’s unreached peoples live.  While Thailand is not hostile to proclamation of the Good News, it is surrounded by persecuted nations: Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia.  Most Thais (95%) practice Buddhism, with Islam (4%) and Christianity (0.7%) also represented.  About 66 million people live in Thailand, including many hill tribes, who originate from Myanmar, Laos, and China.  Due to growing socio-economic issues and the AIDS epidemic, the number of orphans in Thailand continues to increase.  In fact, within an hour’s drive from where we will live, approximately 60 orphanages exist do to handle influx of unwanted children or children whose parents have died as a result of lifestyle choices.

As a whole, Thailand has a sexually-oriented culture.  Prostitution and homosexuality continues to affect this developing nation, as they have for years.  Undoubtedly, the most heartbreaking aspect of Thailand is the ever-growing child sex-trafficking industry.  Men from all over the world come to Northern Thailand to engage sexually with little girls as young as eight or ten years old.  As a result, these young sex slaves often die before adulthood due to disease or other misfortunes due to the lifestyle handed to them.  Most times, these children die without ever hearing the name of Jesus. 

Thailand & Faith

Thailand is predominately Buddhist (94%) and is located in a region of the world known as the 10/40 window.  The 10/40 window is defined as 10 degrees north latitude to 40 degrees north latitude, stretching across northern Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia.  Ninety-five percent of the world’s unreached people call the 10/40 window home.  To be unreached simply means that one does not have access to the Good News.  In other words, the lost in Thailand is different than the lost in the U.S. because while many Americans need Christ or may even need to hear about Him, physically and geographically they have access to many churches and Christians, essentially giving them opportunity to make a decision for Christ.  Because Thailand is less than 1% Christian, most Thai live and die without ever having that chance. 

While 95% of the world’s unreached peoples live in this region, less than 5% of all monies ever given to world missions make it to the 10/40 window.  In other words, the church as a whole continues to sow (and sow and sow) into regions where the Good News is available locally, but we are leaving the unreached untouched.  For so many reasons, this does not make sense, but unfortunately it continues to be the case.

Getting Involved

In an effort to change the reality in Thailand through the love and blood of Jesus Christ, our family plans to relocate to Chiang Rai, Thailand in August or September of 2010, but we cannot tackle such a huge task alone.

Our heart is to see ministries and individuals link arms with us to change the face of a generation worldwide.  We invite you to go on this mission to Thailand with our family, either as a prayer partner or a support partner.  Because our ministry is fully support-based, we need churches, ministries, and families to give financially.  To meet our family’s living expenses, we need $3000 per month, which covers housing, utilities, phone, internet, food, transportation, educational costs, health insurance, and finances to return to the States every two years.      

Financially, our family’s need  can be met in a number of different ways.  The following examples provide a few options for your consideration:

• 120 ministries/families giving $25 monthly
• 60 ministries/families giving $50 monthly
• 30 ministries/families giving $100 monthly

If you feel led to invest in to the youth of Northern Thailand, please consider sponsoring our family monthly or giving a special offering.  Please keep in mind that all gifts are tax deductible when given through Emerge Missions.  To partner with us financially, you have two options.

1.  To begin partnering with us by check:

1. Just make the check payable to Emerge Missions.
2. Write “Ryan and Keisha” in the memo line.
3. Mail to the following address,

Emerge Missions

c/o Ryan and Keisha Lennon

3444 Hampreston Way NW

Kennesaw, GA 30144

2.  To begin partnering with us online: 

1. Go to our website at http://web.me.com/ryankeisha.
2. Click the “Getting Involved” link.
3. Click the “Donate Now, Just Give” icon, and follow the prompts.

Contact Us

We would love to hear from you and remain in contact with your ministry.  If you have any comments and/or questions about our family’s ministry, please feel free to e-mail us at onegoddream@gmail.com.  Too, check out our website and blog at http://web.me.com/ryankeisha.

HALO Ministries International Film Company

Today I have a guest blogger. Rita Betti is a screenwriter and president of HALO Ministries International. Rita also writes a blog, Rita’s Ravings, and has a website. I’ll let her tell you what she’s doing to advance the Kingdom of God in film.

Hi . . . I’m Rita Betti President of HALO Ministries International and Executive Producer and Development CEO of FishGate Productions, the non-profit branch of HALO Ministries’ film company.

First,  a little background. My late husband, Dr. Joseph Betti and I co-founded HALO (His Arms of Love) Ministries International way back in 1996. My dream was to reach the masses with the gospel message through arts such as dance, drama, music and so on. My husband’s dream was to train pastors and missionaries in a non-denominational school of ministry and theology and plant churches all over the world. For the next ten years we concentrated on the college and church planting but with minimal success. When we expanded the ministry to Arizona in 2001, my husband’s health began to decline. No longer able to pastor and teach, I assumed his duties and put my dream on the shelf. I did my best but a pastor I am not . . . and I think it was a merciful act of God when the church and school finally shut its door.

In the summer of 2005 God called me to writing again. I had a desire but had no burning message or story that clamored to get out. Every time I prayed I heard “screenplays.” I laughed and told him I was too old to start a career in screenwriting. It was when He reminded me of Sarah that I quit laughing.

The fall of 2005 I attended my first Act One Screenwriting Weekend in Hollywood. I came away scared, awed and convinced that if God didn’t do this big thing in me, it wouldn’t get done. When my husband died in December of 2007, I wanted to move back to Washington but God had other ideas. He pointed me to Los Angeles, the Act One Saturday Writing Program and a whole new career. I was 59 years old.

Ever feel like a snowflake in a rainstorm? Well, that’s how I felt. All the students except for one other guy were my children’s age. But I learned that in God’s family, age is irrelevant. I learned a lot from my young classmates and when it was over, God picked two of them, Jim Frye and Valerie Henderson along with my sister, Deborah Kay and Glen Preece, (a brilliant composer and song writer my sister knew from work) to start FishGate Productions. After our first meeting just one year ago, we all knew God had a plan . . . but never dreamed it would be this big nor move along this fast.

Meanwhile, I had begun talking with a business man in India I met on Christian Writers.com, about a television station in India. I brought the concept to the FishGate board and we all agreed we needed to pursue it. As the months rolled along and the television idea began to take form, I became further convinced that we were in over our heads and there was no way it could be accomplished without His complete orchestration. I could only pray, “Open the doors and I will walk through.” And open doors He did. It would take too long to explain it all here but God has miraculously brought people from all fields of expertise in both television & film and the ministry on board. Now for a bit about the projects.

FISHGATE PRODUCTIONS

The Fish Gate, one of the twelve gates in the Jerusalem wall, represents God’s call to transform the market place. “We are  therefore Christ’s ambassadors as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf to be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20. Our calling and purpose is to reveal to the world through Media Arts that it is not what man does that condemns him but what he is and therefore in need of reconciliation to God through Christ and to develop both artists and content for distribution in the world market place always demonstrating God’s standard of integrity, excellence, and the beauty of craftsmanship.

When God gave us that name, at first I didn’t understand what it had to do with film production. And then I looked it up and understood. This Gate represents “God’s call to transform the market place.”  We took that as God’s call to transform the film marketplace and put integrity back into media. This gate also depicts the responsibility of spiritual leaders for the market place. I felt like God was telling me that Christian filmmakers have a responsibility to use our art, talents, gifts and calling to reveal immorality and restore truth into the arts.

To date, FishGate has produced one short film (Common Thread, directed by Malcolm Carter) which is currently making the film festival route and has a second short film (Adam’s Eve, directed by Andre Holzendorf) production, with a third project to be produced for the 168 Film Project  early next spring. We are also working on developing a slate of six films for future investment and distribution opportunities.

FishGate Productions is cutting edge in film production and believes it is time for Christian filmmakers to step up to the plate with finely crafted films that will outshine anything Hollywood has produced in the past five years. Because we believe so strongly that Christian Film’s time has come, we plan to approach Christian investors and churches for funding and support for our projects.

THE INDIA TELEVISION PROJECT

The project’s is a three-fold plan to be accomplished in stages is as follows:

• Media Arts Training Institution—A media arts school, blind to color, class and gender, that will train students in broadcasting, film production and post production, graphic arts and animation from a Christian philosophy
• Media Arts Business Center—A for profit company whose profits will go toward support of the television station and provide employment for our students
• Television Broadcasting Station—a full scale facility that will offer Christian, Family and Educational Programming on two channels.

Since India still is in bondage to the old caste system (even in the Church) and their culture is dominated by polytheism and demon worship, we feel a strong calling to raise up talent from among Indian people to create, write and produce programming for that will speak to their generations. Christians in India tend to isolate themselves from anything secular and there is a huge need for Christian involvement in this growing influence. We want to help Indian Christians influence secular media and bring about change by infiltration and witness on a “grass roots” level. As it has begun to work here in Hollywood, so it can in India, but they will need our help. The original vision of education, ministry and the arts given to my husband and myself over thirteen years ago has come together in ways I could have never imagined. We serve a glorious God indeed.

We are only in the formation stage of the project but God has revealed HALO Ministries and FishGate Productions will have a global impact. With all of the recent developments in “New” media, we have the potential to reach people in countries that have been closed to us and to people who have never heard of Christianity except in a negative light. God wants to reach everyone before He returns with the Good News of Jesus Christ. I believe He has called HALO and FishGate to be a part of that task. I ask for your prayers in the coming days as we work through the details of both the film and television projects that are laid before us. 

Our website is currently under construction but we are forming an e-mail list for updates. If you want to know more about what we are doing, please email me  and I will be happy to add your e-mail to our list. Also check out Act One .

Kairos of Ohio Prison Ministries

My nephew Roy is in Marion Correction Institute in Ohio for murder. He never broke a law until he was twenty-three years old and murdered his best friend. The police investigated and he confessed before it went to trial. He was sentenced to 18 years to life. He’s now 37 years old and has been in prison for 13 years.

Roy went to church when he was younger and knew about God, but he never made a commitment to serve him. For the first three years at prison, Roy stayed in his cell and watched television. Finally he started routine prison life but was depressed. He figured he was doing good for being in prison. How could you not be miserable? Then five years ago, he attended a Kairos week-end for prisoners.

Roy surrendered his life to God that week-end. Now he’s happy. He says he had to go to prison to be set free. He regrets his crime and believes God wants him to be in prison, but he’s content. Roy meets with the Kairos group of prisoners once a week, goes to chapel once a week, and attends an intercessory prayer meeting every evening. That intercessory prayer group made up of prisoners prays for ministries all over the world.

Roy is not the only prisonor to be changed after a Kairos week-end. Roy is in a cell block reserved for prisonors who never get in trouble. Many of the prisonors in his cell block are Christians who were converted at a Kairos week-end.

Marion Correctional Institute has changed because of Kairos, and became the first prison to have Promise Keepers come into the facility and televise a crusade.

Here’s a testimony from the Kairos brochure.

Kairos at Marion Correctional Institute: (excerpt from their brochure)

In 1996, the state’s Marion Correctional Institution was a dark, dangerous, foreboding, and unGodly place. Although it is a medium-security prison, it was a place everyone – prisoner and professional alike – tried to avoid. The Arian Brotherhood, The Bloods, the Crips and a host of other gangs ran the inmate population. More prisoners filed lawsuits against the state than at any other institution. Labor-management relations were at an all-time low, with multiple grievances being filed nearly every day.

In response, Reginald Wilkinson, then Ohio Director of Rehabilitation and Correction, asked Christine Money, the Warden of the Ohio Reformatory for Woman in Marysville, to transfer to Marion.

Mrs. Money thought about, and prayed about, the opportunity. Based on her faith, and her 3-year experience with Kairos at Marysville, she finally agreed to the transfer, but only if she could take Kairos with her.

The first ministry weekend was held in the Spring of 1997. Forty-two care-fully selected residents were chosen to participate. They were ministered to by a team of 55 Christians from a variety of churches in Ohio. The weekend went well, and the graduates formed the bulwark of a new Christian movement inside the walls of M.C.I.. Other practicing Christian inmates were encouraged in their faith walks, and additional weekends were scheduled.

Today, more than 800 men have completed a Kairos weekend at M.C.I.. Many of them have been released or transferred, but a core group remains and they are visible in everything that goes on in the prison. A large group of men spend hours preparing posters and letters of support for Christian Renewal programs held across the country and in some foreign lands. An intercessory prayer team prays for the needs of a wide variety of men and women every-where. Protestant and Catholic chapel services are bulging at the seams, small Prayer and Share groups have taken the place of gangs, and Kairos volunteers return frequently for special programs and monthly Reunions.

The Marion Choir, their special Christmas and Easter pageants, and the Silent Choir (signing in unison) are popular programs enjoyed by insiders and outsiders alike. The Promise Keepers program was invited to visit Marion; and, after a thorough investigation, responded by holding their first-ever rally inside prison walls. The program was televised nationally.

Kairos Outside, a 3-day program specifically-designed for the wives, mothers and daughters of prisoners who are active in Kairos, began in 1999. The program actually moved into the Prison Chapel in 2001, becoming the first-ever Kairos Outside Inside. Kairos Torch, a program designed for inmates age 16 to 22, where young men are paired with older inmates who serve as mentors, was added in 2000.

Warden Money was moved in 2005 to the troubled Department of Youth Services, and Mrs. Margaret Beightler, another solid Christian who is dedica-ted to Kairos, took her place.

Marion Correctional Institution re-mains a prison today, to be sure; and bad guys are arriving every day. But it is no longer a dark, frightening and foreboding place. Most inmates are grateful, safe, mutually-supportive and as happy as they can be. The staff is relieved, and no longer must resort to grievances to express their frustration, and Christ-ianity actually flows out the doors of M.C.I. and into the world of which Marion is a part.

 

But Marion isn’t the only place where Kairos is ministering.

Kairos of Ohio Prison Ministries (exerpt from their brochere)

There are 8 Ohio institutions at which the Kairos 3-day “short course in Christianity” is provided twice per year. The Kairos Prison Ministry has been active in the following prisons since the indicated startup dates:

Lebanon Correctional Institution-1991

Ohio Reformatory for Women (Marysville) – 1994

Marion Correctional Institution – 1997

Ross Correctional (Chillicothe) – 2000

Trumbull Correctional (near Warren) -2002

Toledo Correctional – 2003

Richland Correctional (Mansfield) – 2004

Southern Ohio Correctional (Lucasville) -2004

The purpose of the Kairos ministry is to help grow and nurture strong Christian communities within adult correctional institutions.  

Through a systematic structured program, God helps Kairos volunteers provide residents the opportunity to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and/or to renew that relationship—–starting with the 3-day Kairos “short course in Christianity.” During the weekend and subsequent follow-up spiritual growth activities facilitated by Kairos volunteers and prison chaplains, residents are challenged to accept God’s call to a life of Christian witness and service to one another and to staff during their stay in the institution and beyond.

As the mission of Kairos is accomplished in an institution, there is a positive impact on the total environment of the institution.

 

 

To out more about the Kairos of Ohio Prison Ministries, click here.

Kairos Prison Ministry isn’t only in Ohio. For more information, click here.

To become a penpal to a prisonor, click here.

Roy’s Penpal profile page.

God is moving in our prisons.