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Jodi Kenney is an Army wife, mother and household manager. She is also the Communications Coordinator for MCC. She and her family have been attending MCC since 2016.

I grew up in a family of three girls, with the fourth being my mother. Being a part of a group of women, bound-together through life’s joys, struggles and experiences, is something I am intimately familiar with. What I did not realize, until years later, is that there was so much more that I needed than just sharing experiences.  As women of faith, we are not bound simply by experiences; we are bound by our love for Christ, our devotion to His Word and by the building-up of His body of believers.  Women’s Ministry is something distinctly unique. A gift from God.

As I found the Lord through Women’s Ministry, He moved us, deployed us, and challenged us.  Every church, every community, every struggle found me leaning on the women around me for support. I have been taught more from the one-on-one relationships solidified in Women’s Ministry, bible studies, prayer groups, meals ministries, and fellowship events, than from any single sermon. It’s where I feel most comfortable to make mistakes, to cry and to laugh out loud, to ask the stupid questions and to, when necessary, share my fears.  And, more than once, completely fall apart. You see, these women showed me how to live what my pastors taught:

Keep seeking God: I saw that it was safe to ask any question in my search for God by Linda’s graceful responses during my very first bible study…in the book of Revelation.

Give selflessly: I saw that in June, as she called to check on me every single day of Dave’s deployment, just so I knew that someone saw me and someone cared.

Always offer hospitality: I saw that in all the women of Dyer’s Creek Church each time those women fed a mourning family.

Study God’s word daily: I saw that in Jeri as she cultivated our love of the Word by showing us her devotion to God’s Word every week in Explorer’s Bible Study.  

Pray: I saw and learned that as Mildred taught me how to pray; week by week in our prayer group and in Donna, as she prayed over my family during a difficult season.

Reach out to the newcomer: I saw that in Pam’s invitation to walk and Elizabeth’s invitation to tea when I first arrived in the East Mountains.

Disciple other women: I saw that in Avril as she taught me how to be a leader in Sanctuary Bible Church’s Women’s Ministry.

For me Women’s Ministry isn’t about events, it’s about the relationships cultivated and ultimately the lives intertwined, through living life together, side-by-side, prayer-by-prayer, study-by-study. Women’s Ministry is about speaking God’s truth into women’s lives; it’s about discipleship, about filling in the gaps and watching for those who may not have been seen. It is answering the question: “Is there a place for me?” with a resounding YES!

Women will always need relationships with other women. I will always need godly role-models who can speak God’s truths into my life. Who have walked the hard road and who can guide me through things I’ve never experienced. I will never stop needing these women.

Are you, like me, wanting to build relationships with other Godly women?

Luke and Melissa Feldner have been attending MCC for 16 years and have two beautiful children; Zoe and Josiah who are 4 years old and 5 months old. Zoe was adopted in 2013 and Josiah just 5 months ago. Both children were adopted by the Feldner’s at birth. The Feldner's have a heart for adoption and seeking and sharing God's Word. Adoption is beautiful, life-changing, and filled with a roller-coaster of joyous emotions and challenges. It also plays an integral part in God's plan for our salvation, and has a solid foundation in Scripture. Here, Luke Feldner tells us a little more about that foundation.

God created literally everything and everyone, but He doesn’t call us His children by virtue of Him being our Creator alone.  He gives those who receive Christ – who believe in His name – the right to be called God’s children (Jn 1:12).  Before the foundation of the world He predestined some to be adopted as His children, and therefore become heirs of His kingdom (Eph 1:4,5, Gal 4:5-7). 

So, if we are in Christ we are already children of the eternal God (Rm 8:16).  Yet scripture says we also wait eagerly for the finalization of our adoption as his children (Rm 8:23).  Being adopted into God’s “forever family” is both our present reality and our future hope!

When God brings earthly families together through adoption, it is a small picture both of what God has done and is doing for those of us that believe in His Son. 

It is a reminder of how abundantly gracious He is, and that His provision and promises are our only hope.  It can also be a reminder that many things of eternal value come at a very tangible cost. Our salvation cost God something, and when we pursue things of eternal value it can cost us in many ways – but it is always worth it!

For this and many other reasons, we should support, encourage, and come along side those families God is building through adoption – especially those families that are part of our own body at MCC. The Grays (Jake, Emily, Verity, Hana, and Killian) are currently blessed with the opportunity to adopt another child – a 7 month old boy from India.  Please join us in supporting and praying for them during this journey.  If you are interested and able to offer financial support, click here to do so.

Nicole Barker has been a part of MCC's Vacation Bible School for 10 years. She's seen the best of VBS and been challenged by VBS. She's seen awesome teachers, awesome children and an awesome God who always provides and who is constantly reaching out and drawing near to those who love Him, seek Him and many times to those who are hearing His name for the very first time! This is her end of year review after VBS 2013.  

The theme of VBS 2013 for me personally has been GOD’s Provision. God has been providing every step of the way. In the beginning we needed to put a team of VBS workers together, and God kept bringing people to us wanting to help with VBS. Our biggest ‘hole’ was a Preschool Leader – a very BIG job!

I was ready to take Preschool out of VBS, but Val suggested we wait to see what God would do. Sure enough, a perfect Preschool Leader volunteered, and worked hard to get her plans together in a week.

GOD gave our workers fabulous ideas! Registration became a ‘Ticket Counter’ to ‘purchase’ tickets for “Joe’s Time Travel Adventures”! A ‘silly idea’ about drawing pictures became a week long art class creating a Keepsake book that shares the Gospel for each child to take home.

We needed a helper to ‘shadow’ a specific child. We had a young lady attend MCC the morning that we announced the need for VBS workers, and she volunteered.

At one of our meetings, we shared the need for a ‘shadow’ helper. She called me a couple of days later saying that she could not stop thinking about the little boy. She talked with the mother, and a Match was made! The little boy related to her in a very special way. They will continue their friendship even after VBS is over.

The week leading up to VBS we had a guest at our planning meeting, and she said, “I can do that!” to all of our last minute needs! What a burden she took off of us!

The day before VBS started our last ‘holes’ were filled: a couple of Tour Guide Assistants and other helpers. Every day we had a small ‘hole’, but I was never worried; I just waited to see who God would bring. On Thursday a dad came to VBS. He had taken the day off of work to be at VBS to observe and to fill in wherever he was needed. We needed some awnings put up quickly because it looked like rain; he was there to get them up. Then a Tour Guide Leader had to leave early because her child became ill. The dad took her group and carried on beautifully! WHY would a dad be at VBS ‘just because’? Because GOD was providing!

I needed a substitute for the Tour Guide Leader for Friday. I asked someone and she was unavailable, but she suggested someone else. That person agreed – and is the mother of the Tour Guide Assistant for that group – one of my last minute Assistants! GOD put mother and son into the same group from the very beginning.

We had a last minute idea to purchase t-shirts for all of the children. GOD provided the screen-printer AND volunteers to coordinate the tie-dying. The bill for the shirts was over $800, and only half of the money had come in. The t-shirt coordinator was worried about the difference. What do you suppose God did? Yep, He brought in all but $40 to cover the bill. The t-shirt coordinator was ready to write a check for the difference, but I challenged her to wait and see what God would do.

And that does not include the small things: someone had acetaminophen for a worker who was getting a migraine; someone else had a thermometer to check the temperature of a little one; teens cleaned up trash after a bear visited the dumpster – more than once! (and I didn’t hear a single complaint!) Tour-Guides were patient and flexible when things didn’t go exactly as planned; Children attended who had never heard the name Jesus except as a curse word; they had never heard of Noah’s ark or Moses! These children heard that Jesus died for their sins!

What a pleasure it was to watch GOD provide for the little ones to hear HIS GOOD NEWS!

To GOD be the Glory!

How have you every experienced God stepping up to meet you, moment after moment, day after day? Have you seen and recognized His hand in your life today? How he provided when you least expected? Be watching, He does it ALL the time and we get to see it if only we have the eyes to see!

So, what’s the big deal? You hear people promoting financial stewardship and budgeting classes… why does that apply to you? You are making ends meet, got a little savings, give to the church – why bother with all that? Is it really worth it? Let me tell you a true story…

Steve and Marie were your typical young couple living the American dream. They’d worked hard in school and both had good jobs. They had a car loan, an old owned vehicle, a few student loans, and were one year into a 30-year mortgage on their “fixer upper” house. They would describe themselves as “frugal”, but they could never resist a good deal…especially if they “needed” it for the house. Now they had a baby boy and Marie had stopped working to stay home. Being on one income was way more tight than they’d expected. Marie was the one who kept the check book, and the generous amount she put into savings at the beginning of the month was consistently being taken out at by the end – plus some. Their savings was dwindling and she was getting stressed. They had always regularly tithed to the church, but sometimes that was getting skipped to make ends meet.

Steve, ever the answer man, checked Dr. Google for help. He signed them up for a one-day class by True North Financial Ministries. Marie, who was not fond of change and was not thrilled to add budgeting to her duties, reluctantly went along. By the end of the day, they were both hooked. She and Steve went home, and within a month had a working budget.

Fast forward 12 years and 2 more kids. The car and student loans are paid off, and there is only 4 more years left on the mortgage. They’ve bought 3 vehicles with cash since they started budgeting, plus they are tithing 10% and giving beyond that. Their dreams are being funded AND they are content, closer to each other, and closer to the Lord than ever.

So, what happened? Did you spot the change? Was this an excellent example of human perseverance or was it something else? What you didn’t see in this story was what was going on in their hearts over those 12 years. With a big kick-start at the class and then gradual transformation, Steve and Marie’s hearts started lining up with God’s plans for them.

They realized that they (and we) are not owners but stewards of God’s resources. Thus, we GET to prayerfully and carefully use His money, talents, and time for His glory and His plans. And when we trust him, we get to see his faithfulness over and over!

Do you have a dream – something that God has laid on your heart to do? Likely money has at least a little part in that. Want to not only live for God on Sunday, but really trust God in in all parts of your life? Submit your spending to Him! You will never regret it!

Visit our Life Resources page to learn about True North Ministries and all the resources available through MCC to support you and your family.

I know our Lord knows, I know He is at work, and I have watched Him work in electrifying ways. But sadly, at times, I forget. Yet, He is so good to remind me again and again. Have you been there too?

As I see our Food Pantry ministry ebb and flow I try to remember when it flourished and how the Lord used this ministry to serve one woman in two distinct roles. I will call her Jance.

Jance had been blessed by the Food Pantry for years; she would come and I would take her downstairs and load her up with groceries. Sometimes she was jolly, sometimes cantankerous. But early one summer day she showed up and said she wanted to manage it. She knew that it needed some oversight and I was grateful.

The transition from partaker to dispenser was touching; she patiently sat through training, absorbing every word. Her pen ran out of ink as she took notes, she prayed, and asked really good questions.

The next week, she showed up at my desk and announced “I am going to be here on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 – 4. That’s when the Food Pantry will be open. I need copies of the intake forms, and I am going to make some calls. Does the phone downstairs work?”

I was stunned. “Yes, the phone works. But it’s pretty hit and miss when people come for food,” I warned, “I would hate for you to sit there.”

“Don’t worry, I have been praying. I know the Lord will send me people. Now, I need to make some calls. Is it open?”  I nodded and handed her the forms and a clip board. She cadged a few cookies and skipped off.

I prayed too. It was rare to get more than one family a month for the Food Pantry. But I forgot that we have a Lord that hears and desires to have His children serve.

At the end of the first day, Jance returned my clip board and handed me two neatly filled intake forms. “I had the best time!  This one was a couple on bikes that are heading to Canada. We had to pick kind of carefully. The other one was a single mother. I really like doing this! I like to hear their stories. I get to tell them about Jesus.”

I was stunned; two random families in one day? Wow! And she had seized the opportunity for the gospel too!

Jance blossomed that summer. She made connections with farmers for fresh vegetables, with a duck owner for fresh eggs, and most of all, she was enveloped in being a blessing to other people.

The Lord didn’t forget her prayers; that was the busiest summer that the Food Pantry was in use.

But the biggest change wasn’t in the Food Pantry, it was in Jance! Instead of holding back and being sometimes befuddled, she was lucid and engaged. Instead of being isolated, she prayed with and for people. She remembered their names; and she was smiling.

Like so many things, it was for a season, and like all seasons, the leaves began to crisp, the faux-sunflowers began to crumble, and the mornings began to frost. Jance’s health declined with the waning warmth. She finally agreed to a co-leader, and then had to step away completely.

But I will never forget the year that God used the Food Pantry to transformation Jance’s heart, attitude and life!

We have had other volunteers since then, and they use some of Jance’s policies but right now, there is no one to manage and oversee the pantry. And the Lord no longer brings a lot of people to it. I find that I pray for those days, for another person to be called and blessed by this ministry. Would you be the one?