LIVES HEALED FOR GOD'S PURPOSES
Loving God has its challenges, but it's possible to grow through the clutter that has gotten in the way and love Him with all our heart.
Doesn't everyone want to feel deep love and intimacy? As followers of Christ, Jesus reminds us that we are to love God with ALL of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
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Amidst the uncertainty of things in the last six months, my hope is that you are doing well. In praying, my desire is for you to be whole and thriving above the COVID. It is time to keep our light burning bright so that the world will know the King of Love and light and receiving Him.
It has been some time since a communication from Clear Hope. In order to reignite our relationship, this letter is key. We are still here!! How I appreciate all the support and kindnesses from you as I reflect on past events and communications. Here things have been progressing slowly, actively connecting with lives to bring richness through Christ. Our intention continues to be to assist people in growing in relationship to The Lord Jesus Christ. So that you know what has been happening, this is an attempt to let you know the activity over the last four years, the current direction of the ministry, and the future dreams.
In 2016 a remaining team was prepared to continue ministry here in California and I moved to Texas. The small team of women overseeing ministry here was led by Lisa Flanagan who shouldered the workload. A special thankyou to her and the women on the team who dedicated themselves to serving and reaching individuals using “A Longing to be Cherished” and providing personal ministry.
Each of these women were offered hope and help to many individuals. One of the women from the team grew in leadership developing an effective outreach to women numbering about 40 on Balboa Island. Other discipleship relationships were formed using the knowledge given through study and encouragement as a group. Such exciting deposits in the Kingdom of God!
The move to Texas in 2016 proved to be enriching and brought understanding for our future. There an outreach in our resident neighborhood opened the door to a group of women where weekly home Bible studies were held. There was personal ministry to heart broken individuals, Biblical counsel, and deep fellowship. Training using “A Longing to be Cherished” took place as well. Miracles were evident in the lives of women, several who had not been attending church. One came to the Lord, all experienced deepened or restored relationships with the Lord, and each grew bonds and developed deeper relationships.
Attending church in Texas, exposed personal growth, personal ministry, and fellowship. There was opportunity to conduct a study in our home on ‘The Kingdom of God’. The result was women moving into ministry of others whose hearts are broken, applying God’s Word personally, and God’s love coming alive in greater ways.
The Lord’s leading caused a return to California this last October. The Holy Spirit helped me process the purpose of going and returning. He has caused me to understand a deeper need for helping Christ followers disciple others. The command in Matthew 28:18-20 speaks of baptizing – which in truth I have not done. However, the second part of discipling calls us to teach others to faithfully follow Jesus. Most feel inadequate to do this, but we are all called as believers to teach. With this is mind, God has called me to write a series that anyone can use – no training to teach required – to walk alongside those we want to see grow in the Lord.
The first book has been written and has entered the publication stage. The series of five booklets (each under 100 pages) are on ‘The Most Important Commandment’ from Mark 12:30-31. They are about learning to love God with our all – heart, soul, mind, strength and reflecting it to others. There is a small group testing the study and finding it to be a great tool for fellowship and growth. This is our present activity with a small team of women here in California – meeting with small groups for spiritual growth, teaching, editing, developing outreach, and - I am writing.
The future is more writing to get the other four books completed. There is a need for promotion to stimulate growth in the Body of Christ through the use of these booklets. That seems to be the direction we are going consistently. It will take a couple years or so to complete the works, I believe.
As friends in the ministry we long for your reengagement in communication, a walking alongside each other, networking where we can, and opportunity to encourage you as you disciple others. Please pass on information to those who could benefit from our work.
It is so good to reconnect and let you in on what God has been doing here.
Blessings and peace be with you.
Recently I attended the movie, “Overcomer”. Penetrating my heart and mind is the amazing truth that followers of Christ are overcomers. Why then do we feel as if we have been overcome at times, and how does that affect us?
If we want to be a surgeon – but not one – performing a surgery will surely fail. Or if a surgeon believing we can’t do surgery; we would not likely try. There is power in what we do or don’t believe of ourselves. So we have faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, we are overcomers whether we feel like it or not. Satan wants us to believe otherwise and feeds our doubts. We must believe the truth of who we are to live confidently in what God tells us we are.
God tells us in the Bible we are overcomers. There is power in the living confident truth This truth of who we are in Christ is found in I John 5:3-5 in The Passion Translation, “True love for God means obeying his commands, and his commands don’t weigh us down as heavy burdens. You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world. So who are the world conquerors, defeating its power? Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”
Joy Pedersen
Cursed is the one who trusts in human strength and the abilities of mere mortals. His very heart strays from the Eternal. He is like a little shrub in the desert that never grows; he will see no good thing come his way. He will live in a desert wasteland, a barren land of salt where no one ever lives.
But blessed is the one who trusts in Me alone; the Eternal will be his confidence. He is like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots beside the stream. It does not fear the heat or even drought. Its leaves stay green and its fruit is dependable, so matter what it faces.
Joy Pedersen
Are we ever looking for others to be something we are not? This is particularly true when it comes to trusting others or considering others to be trustworthy. Though being wise about what we entrust to others is important, and acting in a trustworthy manner in our relationships, we must ask ourselves what criteria we carry for trusting others?
Proverbs 20:6 (CSB) asks this question: “Many a person proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy person?” Who of us knowingly or unknowingly has not been guilty of betraying trust in some way? By this standard that would make us all unworthy of being trusted, entrusted, or trustworthy.
Jeremiah 17:9 tells and asks: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” It is likely we give people too much credit for being the perfect person to be friends with or tell something. At the heart of mankind are hidden emotions and logic-ed activity that said or unsaid can trigger words not meant to be said. So, trusting another person blindly is not reasonable. If we do, chances are we are going to be disappointed. This being said, it does not give good reason to abandon being in close relationship with others and working at acting in a trustworthy manner.
What truly keeps us in a relationship comes from trusting the character, ability, and strength of individuals. Consideration needs to be given to a person’s caring, concern, desire to understand, desire to help, and more. In this way, when we find things were said ‘out of school’, we can focus on the person that truly loves us and trust the relationship to be safe. In relationships where we want to settle the score because we are frustrated, offended, and sometimes even angry - venting, confronting, avoiding, rejecting can happen. Do I think and then forgive the person? Do I ask questions to quell my appetite for ‘need to know’? Do I think good or evil of them? I get to choose how I handle my emotion and logic.
Others betrayals no matter how small, does not give us permission to disregard the need to act in a trustworthy manner while maintaining respect and honor of one another. Loving one another demands that we not speak unkindly of or degrade others! Two wrongs do not make a right.
Relationships can breed turmoil or delight. When we depend on human relationships to be our all-in-all, we must remember what We are told in Proverbs 3:5-6 to put our “trust in the Lord with all our heart”. So, if you are looking for a place to put your trust? Put it in Jesus– perfect in all His ways. This passage implies that we are not to put our trust in people – but the Lord because He is fully trustworthy. According to Romans 3:23 we all fall short of the perfection found only in our triune God. Trusting in all that we want others or ourselves to be, is unrealistic. We are to be ready to forgive and let go of the wounds we encounter in relationship with one another in matters of trust.
A summary on this subject: Trust fully the One and only who is trustworthy with anything and everything! In relationship with others, handle each other with care, respect and love. Forgive the errors of others and self in this regard and continue to walk as one worthy of the trust given to you by others.
Joy Pedersen
A true ministry where light and power of The Lord Most High shines within to renew, to heal, to equip with the love, grace, compassion and hope restored through Jesus Christ. "A Longing To Be Cherished" the leaders workbook has not only walked me through a personal healing journey and equipped me to better lead wounded hearts in the Body of Christ but also through connective prayer, as a way to invite the Spirit of Christ to minister to the inner parts of our person that have been wounded.
Through connective and healing prayer with a prayer minister , Author and President of Clear Hope Association (Joy Pedersen) whom offers God’s compassion and discernment under the leading of the Holy Spirit. I experienced the benefit from this process in opening my heart to Jesus to allow him to enter into the memory and a place to minister his grace and truth. I have experienced a personal breakthrough and a most beautiful healing experience by connecting profoundly with Jesus through prayer. Clear Hope Association, invites Jesus to heal our hearts and the hearts of people we minister to.
Psalm 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."
And when people thirst, when those poor souls with parched tongues look in vain for something to drink, I, the Eternal, the God of Israel, won’t leave them to suffer. I will respond by making the hard, brown hills sparkle with streams of fresh water and causing valleys to come alive with springs. I will see that gentle pools wait on the desert floor for the weary traveler, and great fountains bubble up from dry ground…” Isaiah 41:17-18 (Voice)
I’m reminded of the saying, “searching for greener pastures,” as well as “the grass is greener where you water it.” In 2 Peter 2:14, the apostle explains that hearts trained in covetousness are children of a curse. And in verse 17, is Peter referring to us when He speaks of “springs without water” as in the sense of not being poured out for Him, but dry and drained without Him?
Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you’re there right now. As the prophet Isaiah quotes the Lord in chapter 30, vs.15, “In returning and rest, you will be saved. In quietness and trust you will find strength.” So, am I thirsting of MORE or thirsting for more of HIM?
Lord, forever flow through us, just as the waters of the deserts’ floor flows, beneath the parched surface of our lives. All our fountains of joy are in You! Nothing and no one else satisfies but your presence, oh God. Only in Your presence, do you cause us to lie down in the greenest pastures where we find rest – true rest, not inactivity, but Holy Spirit-led activity. We ask for increased wisdom and discernment for the things you want on our plate – no more and no less. We praise you and thank you through the process. In all things, at all times, may our thoughts, words and actions bring You glory, exalt Your Name and draw all men to You. The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. In your Omnipotent name we pray, Amen.
Nancy Miller
