We’re just under four weeks away from our annual banquet. With all the difficulties and challenges of the last year we’re excited about our theme, “Abound in Hope”. This year’s banquet will take on special significance as we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary. It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years since the Lord birthed this ministry. We took the first teen into our residential program in the summer of 2001. What an incredible adventure and journey it has been across these 20 years as we’ve witnessed changed lives, experienced the Lord’s great provision, and been able to build so many incredible relationships.
As part of our program this year we’ll be celebrating these 20 years. We’ve got some great testimonies lined up from some of our friends whose lives have been impacted through our teen residential program and community counseling center. We’re also delighted to partnering again with our great friends at SharpTop Cove and will enjoy a great meal together in a beautiful setting.
We hope some of you will join us for this year’s banquet. After not being able to gather in-person last year we’re looking forward to being able to do so this year, and also providing an opportunity for partners and friends to join us online. This is a great night of celebration, inspiration and fellowship. Here are a few ways we would like you to consider joining us. |
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Last night was a beautiful night at The Joy House. We were able to have a graduation ceremony recognizing not only the academic growth of a young man but also his life changing growth during the past year. "Wyatt you can be a world changer" and "We enjoyed so much of our time with him" are just a few of the comments made about Wyatt during the evening.
Wyatt has been through many trials and tribulations in his young life. At one point he was making decisions that brought more sorrow into his life, creating exactly what he was trying to get away from. Last night Wyatt said "I am so grateful to you all, to everyone here, for giving me a second chance." In James one it states "Consider it all joy my brethren, when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." Not only has Wyatt learned endurance, but also strength of character and a life that shines brightly of the hope that comes in Christ.
"When he walked into The Joy House he was a broken boy. He was unmotivated, angry and in pain. Along the way, God changed his heart and he became a young man full of character with so much ability." spoken by his teacher Robin Whitaker. The troubled boy that come through The Joy House doors so many months ago is leaving a resolute young man with a bright future.
We are thankful to Wyatt and his parents for letting The Joy House be a part of his incredible journey. And we are so proud of Wyatt and the hard work and dedication he showed while staying here. We also cannot wait to see what God has in store for Wyatt's future.
"I'm going to a special place when I die, but I want to make sure my life is special while I'm here" Payne Stewart.
Wyatt, your life is definitely special!! |
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| My family and I have been in house parent ministry four years and have been blessed to serve in such a capacity. Our family consists of myself, my wife Jenn and our little boy Luke. Jenn and I have found that being house parents is about creating and maintaining a home environment that is centered around the Christian life. We do this firstly because it glorifies God in our love and obedience to him, and as a result, it opens an opportunity to minister to those who have not experienced this lifestyle in their own familial circumstances. We chose The Joy House because we saw in this ministry a commitment to the same beliefs that we as a family find in Scripture, namely the faith in the trans-formative power of the Gospel. There is something within the setting of family worship and discipleship that changes the dynamics of the individuals within the family unit and sets a loving and hopeful atmosphere for the entire household. |
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It absolutely breaks my heart to see what my generation is becoming. I walk in to school every day in an environment that has come to glorify drug use, narcissism, cussing, women objectification, vulgar humor and music, and overall, complete and utter GODLESSNESS.
It absolutely breaks my heart to see what our country is becoming. This country is becoming a country that rejects God, His Word, His Teachings, and His Principles. In a 2019 study, 65% of Americans were shown to identify as a part of the Christian faith- I personally have a hard time believing that. Jesus said:
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:43-45 NIV)
When I look around at this country, I do not see 65% of Americans as Christians. Not even close.
It absolutely breaks my heart to see what our church is becoming. I praise God that I have found a church that BOLDLY and FEARLESSLY preaches the Gospel; nothing more and nothing less. However, churches that truly preach the Gospel and that have not been overtaken by liberal ideology/theology are becoming needles in a haystack. People are becoming less and less bold to preach the Gospel, and are becoming more and more afraid to preach the Gospel because...it might offend someone?? Because it’s not “politically correct” to preach the Gospel?? This ideology produces nothing but a failure on so many levels to fulfill the Great Commission- to go and preach the Gospel to all creation. I thank God for men in my life and in this world who preach the Gospel fearlessly and boldly.
My heart breaks over so many things I have seen and heard. There’s no way I could fit them all in to one post. |
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| The Joy House is seeking a warm, friendly individual who loves people, to serve in our Counseling Center as an intake coordinator and office administrator. They will be a first point of contact for those seeking counseling and must be able to maintain confidences. They additionally need to have good administrative skills to manage scheduling, simple bookkeeping, and maintain our database. This is an hourly position requiring 25 to 30 hours per week. We are seeking someone who senses the Lord’s call to be part of our team. To apply, candidates should email their resumes with a cover letter to Steve Lowe(steve@thejoyhouse.org), Executive Director and he will contact you. |
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