September 2017 Ministry Newsletter

Ministry News

Greetings once again in the name of our blessed Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!  I hope you enjoyed this Summer season even though it is ending with a stressful hurricane season and lots of wildfires.  With so many natural disasters occurring, it is motivation to look up in anticipation of our Redeemer.

Pastor Ken Keeler continued to enjoy numerous opportunities to preach on Sundays.  Just recently he held an Exchanged Life Conference at a church in Indiana, PA, and he received a great deal of positive feedback from those who attended.

Ken is always looking for new opportunities, so if your Pastor is looking for pulpit supply or is interested in hosting a conference, simply email Ken at [email protected] to schedule him at your church.  Your Pastor can go to our SPEAKING page to hear Ken’s sermon What’s Going on in Our Heads.

I have been blessed with several new clients, but I have openings for several more, so please consider referring those looking for Biblical counseling to ELM.  Thanks!

The new website and redesigned blog are received positive feedback.  So, take a moment a check out our latest blogs entries.

Testimony Time

Lillianna was adopted into a home that had the outward appearance of being a Christian home.  It was anything but!  I am not going to share the horrific details here because they are so disturbing.  This alleged Christian family is really one who served the evil one, and they abused her throughout her life and used Bible verses to confuse her and convince her that she was worthless and only born to be used for sexual purposes and producing boys.

When she reached out to church leaders, she was rebuked for being ungrateful for her parents’ taking her in and giving her a good home.  The torture continued throughout her teenage years even after she was placed in a residential program.  She met her first husband there who continued the abuse.  After giving birth to her first son, her mom manipulated the system to gain custody of him, which broke Lillianna’s heart and still causes her much pain.

After getting away from her first husband, she thought her second marriage would be better.  It turned about to be just as abusive, if not worse.  Her second husband did unconscionable things to her.  While in labor with their second son, she was bleeding profusely.  He complained about the mess she was making in his car as he drove her to the hospital.  He dropped her off and left as the doctors fought to save her life and the life of their son.

It’s now been over a year since she was able to step out in faith and with the help of godly friends, break free from this toxic marriage.  She and her boys have a safe home, and she is moving forward in the healing process.  Together, we have worked on replacing lies against the character of God and her self-worth with the truth of God’s Word.  The damage done to her soul is similar to PTSD only worse.  It has been amazing to see God patiently bring healing as she surrenders to His love which is unlike anything she experienced in her alleged Christian home.  I am so excited to see all that He is going to do in and through her for His glory.

Update on Mom (Emma)

Thanks for your faithful prayers for mom, Emma Henning.

Just this week, mom woke up with seve reswelling in her right cheek.  Hospice helped me get her on antibiotics, and we have an appointment with a local dentist on Monday 10/2.  It is likely an abscess.  Please pray that the infection does not travel to her heart.

We learned in July that her pacemaker was winding down and would need replacing.  Also, she had completely stopped producing fluid from her PleurX tube, so the doctors were comfortable with it being removed.  Thanks to some hard work in coordinating these two different procedures, mom had her pacemaker changed and PleurX tube removed on Septemeber 1st.  She did remarkably well.

We also welcomed a new Hospice nurse to our team after her regular nurse took a better position at another hospice.  Lots of changes!  Mom has shown signs of decline.  She can’t hear you unless you speak right into her ear, and she’s walking more slowly due to a lack of energy.  Please keep her in your prayers!  Thank you!

ELM Finances

Thank you so much to all of you who made donations this last quarter.  I have had to maintain my reduced salary this quarter, but my bills are paid.  Please consider a one-time donation or becoming a ministry partner with a monthly donation.

Donations of any amount are such an encouragement to me as I try to juggle all the needs of the ministry while caring for my mom. Please pray that counseling revenue and donations increase this next quarter.

Please consider making your 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:

  1. For a few new clients.
  2. For several speaking engagements for Ken Keeler this quarter.
  3. For my clients’ growth in Christ and their emotional/spiritual healing.
  4. For a growing social media following of our blog.
  5. For sufficient funds to keep the ministry going.
  6. That Mom did well when they replaced her pacemaker and removed the PleurX tube.
  7. For a great team of Hospice workers.

Prayer:

  1. For donations to be consistent each month to keep ELM into the ‘black.’
  2. For new client referrals.
  3. For Mom to be stable and maintain her energy.
  4. For wisdom in each counseling session.
  5. For me to stay focused on the Lord and His love for me, and for my faith to be strong in Him.
  6. For Pastor Ken Keeler to be invited into churches to teach the EL truths.
  7. For ELM’s social media following to grow exponentially.

But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”       Luke 21:28