Ministry News
Greetings once again in the name of our blessed Savior and Lord Jesus Christ! It’s been a crazy few months hasn’t it! Some of you have heard the Quarantine Testimonial video that I posted on our website and on You Tube. For those that have not, I’ve had an amazing few months.
In March, I was contacted by Donny Godsey of Cross Care Ministries in Greenwood, SC. After spending some time sharing our stories with each other, he explained that he was launching an online counseling program called Journey Tools through Grief. He was looking for Exchanged Life counselors to join his team of one-on-one counselors and group facilitators. He also explained that partnering with his ministry paid very well and could fill up my client load and allow me to add staff.
I agreed to hear more on two Facebook live presentations, and I asked my friend, Katy Pistole, of Beautiful Brokenness Ministries to join us. His basic tools resonated with what I was already doing, and I asked him if I could see his program in its entirety. He graciously gave me access, and I loved what I saw. It was in large measure what I was already doing, but little did I know what the Lord intended to do with these tools in my life personally.
We are moving forward with this new partnership with Cross Care Ministries and taking steps to rebrand ELM Philly to Restore Ministries or something to that effect. We are working closely with both my church and it’s satellite ministry, Revivals Outreach Center to equip them with the Journey Tools. It’s exciting to see the healing that is coming for so many!
Testimony Time
This one’s personal, folks. Initially, when I reviewed the Journey Tools first two tool sets, I only interacted with them through the lens of a counselor…how I could use them to help others. The Lord intended to use them on me. I was still carrying a fair degree of yuck from an incident that occurred in 2009. I unwittingly made a vow to never allow the Lord to use my most prominent spiritual gift in the way He had previously. I had ‘kinked’ the hose so to speak, and the Spirit could not freely flow through me. My joy was minimal.
While on the phone with Donny, he called me out on a few things and gave me some key questions to dialog with the Lord over. So, off I went to meet with the Lord, and four hours later of intense but sweet interaction with Jesus, I was freed up. By renouncing the vow, the hose was ‘unkinked’ and the Spirit filled me with an intensity I’ve never experienced before. April 6, 2020 is now a spiritual marker day for me; it’s the day the Lord restored my joy in all fullness.
The enemy has countered in some pretty clever ways, but each time has brought more freedom from self and my flesh. His efforts have been in vain. Since then, I have had the privilege of working with Donny, Katy and several other core members of the Journey Tools team to develop the core curriculum and refine the group launch process. We are growing rapidly, and despite some growing pains, we are seeing people’s lives transformed as they put off their pain and receive healing and the joy of the Lord! We serve an amazing God!
Keeler’s Corner
From Pastor Ken Keeler: This time of quarantine has been one of the most unique times in my whole lifetime. But the Word of God is not bound, as Paul said. During this time I have continued to write my every other week blog and God has given me some good insights that I have shared from His Word. Various people have contacted me to thank me for the Lord ministering to them through it.
I have also been able to do my men’s group Bible study on Zoom and that has been going great. Praise the Lord for modern technology! Please be praying for this group as they grow in their walk with the Lord. Also pray for the Lord to use His Word as people read my blogs.
ELM Finances
Thank you so much to all of you who made donations this quarter. We were able to qualify for the Payment Protection Plan. So, in essence we received a loan that will turn into a grant. This covers my salary for two months.
We were presented with the opportunity to rent two more suites for more staff to use as we grow in conjunction with the Journey Tools Program. So, we are going to step out in faith that the Lord is going to provide .
Please consider making a tax deductible donation to ELM. You can do so directly on our website by clicking on the Donation tab or by sending in a check to our address. Simply, make your check payable to ELM.
Praise and Prayer
Praise:
- For the new partnership with Cross Care Ministries.
- For Pastor Ken’s opportunities to teach the EL truths.
- For my clients’ growth in Christ and their emotional/spiritual healing.
- For a growing social media following of our blog.
- For my personal healing.
- For the great times of teaching Pastor Ken has had at using zoom.
- For the chance to rent two more offices and to add staff.
Prayer:
- For more Journey tools groups to launch over the summer.
- For more experienced Exchanged Life counselors to join the JT team.
- For new clients and speaking engagements.
- For wisdom as we rebrand ELM.
- For wisdom in each counseling session and for our client’s to grow.
- For Ken to effectively preach and mentor God’s Word online.
- For ELM’s social media following to grow exponentially.
- For Ken to finish his workbook, Christ’s Plan for Victorious Living.
- For real estate to rebound, our farm to sell at a good price and the Lord’s leading in my future housing.