I love a good celebration!  Besides family celebrations, personal celebrations, work, and church celebrations, there are many life events that give us a reason to celebrate. 

 

We celebrated the birth of our newest granddaughter two weeks ago.

I have plenty of pictures on my phone to show you.  

 

We, as believers in Christ, have the best reason to celebrate!

God gave his people Israel feast days and festivals to celebrate His faithfulness. They knew how to throw a party! How much more, now that we are in Christ, should we celebrate and let the world see God’s glorious beauty in our enjoyment of Him? 

 

What does the bible say about our celebrations?

 

“Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46-47) (Italics added)

 

We celebrate in worship!

 

When we come together in His Name, no matter the size of the group, it is a time to celebrate with praise, prayer, reading of Scripture, enjoying fellowship, and sharing in the Lord’s supper. 

 

Christ is present in each believer through the Holy Spirit, and He inhabits the praises of his people (Psalm 22:3). We are ensured that He is in our midst as we worship him today. We get to enjoy His Presence with other believers. 

 

Since Christ is the fulfillment of the Law, and we no longer abide by the sacrificial system, we can celebrate by living a lifestyle of worship, offering our bodies as a living sacrifice. (Rom. 12:2) Everything we do in His Name becomes an act of worship. 

 

I love this quote from Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline, 

“Celebration is central to all the Spiritual Disciplines. Without a joyful spirit of festivity, the Disciplines become dull, death-breathing tools in the hands of modern Pharisees.” 

 

Amidst the noise and confusion and lies the enemy is heaving upon our world, we must rise up, declare God’s goodness, live in His abundant grace, gather together often, and yes, celebrate our God. 

 

We celebrate our belonging to Him, the privilege of serving in His Kingdom, and that we have a place at the table – all because of Jesus. 

 

 Celebrate God’s Love for you

 

“You are his precious and honored child.”  (Isaiah 43:4)

 

God not only loves you – He likes you too!

He is not cross with you.

He delights in you! (Zech. 3:17)

 

God’s love for you is greater than any human love. That may be hard to comprehend, and Paul prayed that we would be able to grasp this. (Ephesians 3:18-21)

We all need love to live. 

And the good news is “we know how dearly God loves us because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”  (Romans 5:5)

 

My husband Joe is a collector of coins and memorabilia. He says that an item’s value and price are determined based on what the buyer is willing to pay.

 Your value comes from what you are worth to God;

God paid a huge price for you,

His Son, Jesus.

 

Celebrate his love for you with a song, a dance, or a prayer of thanks.

 

Celebrate Repentance and Rest

 

One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 30:15:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust shall be your strength.” 

 

We can be just like the Israelites who left the Way and turned aside from the path. We can strive and attempt to manage our own sin and live by the flesh. 

 

But God is faithful to his covenant of grace. He is the Way Himself, and His Spirit in us will lead us all the way home.

 

Our response to this is to repent and change our minds, thereby changing our direction in returning to Him. 

In those times, we can stop and fall back into the arms of Jesus. It can feel like jumping off a cliff, but our faith is in the One who has promised to catch us. 

Then we enter his rest. 

It will be in that quietness of our spirits and in entrusting all our cares to Him, that we will find our strength, our confidence, and our victory. 

 

We have much to celebrate! 

 

And the biggest celebration is yet to come as we wait with great anticipation for the wedding feast of the Lamb.

 

Let the dancing begin!

 

 

“The Earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3

 Wait.

Does that mean even in the “bleak mid-winter” the earth is full of God’s glory?

In the dark, hard, barren earth, where is His glory?

On foggy, cold, and dreary days with no sunlight to warm our bones, where is God’s glory?

 

Some of us would probably like January to just get on with itself, because that means we’re one step closer to Spring.  (I see that hand.)

 

But, wouldn’t we miss the gift of God in the Present?

 

Growing up in Ohio, the winters were cold and snowy and some years dragged on through April.

I do miss the snow, but just one good one would do.

As much as I love this Georgia climate, I can start to feel the bleakness, the “meh” of even the mild winters here. 

 

It is understood that life is happening in the cold, hard ground.

 

I read an article on the term ‘vernalization’ about why plants need winter. Those apple trees that we like to pick in North Georgia in the Fall, need time to “rest” in the winter, with a certain amount of low-temperature days, so that they will flower and produce that luscious fruit properly. 

 

There is something unseen that God is always doing, even in the winter of our souls. And while the promise of Spring is a well-placed Hope, I do not want to miss the Presence of his Glory in the gray winter.

 

He is at work here. 

His Glory is seen here.

 

The cold temps make us want to stay wrapped up in a blanket in our favorite chair. 

The coffee pot or tea kettle is on and ready to pour at all hours for friends who stop by.

That book that has long been on our shelves, calls to be opened.

 

And if you go to work in another place, you can find His Glory there too. 

Look out your office window, or at the school courtyard and catch a glimpse of the Glory of God in the bare trees and cloud-covered skyline.

Notice the people beside you in your cubicle or in the classroom. 

 

Seasons are His idea.

It’s all over Scripture.

And He is Lord over every one of them.

 

Our study at Touching Hearts has been on decluttering the heart. It has been very timely.

The table is set before us, let’s enjoy this winter feast!

 

Here are a few things that are helping me right now;

 

*Reading the Word daily; the Author has written the greatest love story ever.

*Practicing stillness; asking God to search my heart and uncover any dark places. Then listening.

*Getting more sleep

*Eating my veggies

*Trying a new recipe (with veggies)

*Cleaning out a drawer, cabinet or closet (not the whole house, just one at a time)

*Thanking God for every little thing I can think of. 

*Praying Psalm 4 before I go to sleep at night. 

 

“To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

 

References: 

“In The Bleak Midwinter”  by Christina Rosetti

*link to the article mentioned:

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/garden-scoop/2015-01-09-vernalization-why-plants-need-winter

Touching Hearts Teachings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He Has Come For Us!

The good news of Christmas is this: we are not alone. The God who spoke all things into existence has come into the world He created to bring us back to Himself. His love and mercy have been made manifest in Christ Himself.
O come let us adore Him!

We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and we pray that you enjoy the gift of His Presence!

Our year has been full and we are grateful to you, our partners and friends, for your constant support in prayer and financial giving.
We have been in awe of our great God by his generosity through you and we tell each other just about every day “I can’t believe God still lets us do this!”

It is always a privilege to lift up the Name above all Names, Jesus, in song, speaking or preaching. As long as he gives us breath we will continue to make him known by the power of His Spirit.

Your gifts and prayers make it possible for us to continue and encourage us greatly.
Never take for granted what a prayer, an offering, no matter the amount, an email or a text of encouragement can do. God uses it all to grow His kingdom and build up His church.

On a personal note, we lost Joe’s Dad in November; he was 86. Our family traveled to Indiana where Joe is from and He officiated the funeral service. He honored God and his Dad so well. Joe shared stories that made everyone laugh and cry and He shared the gospel, the only hope we all have for a life forever with Jesus.

Here are a few highlights from this year:
10 day tour in Texas
Joe preached several Sundays, Texas and Georgia
Kim speaking and leading worship at Women’s events and leading One Thing Worship Retreats
Kim’s book is in the editing process
Revivals in South Carolina, Georgia, & Texas
Homecomings, Sunday morning worship, worship concerts, special events
Kim co-hosting “A Burst Of Hope” podcast for 3rd year
Joe served as guest worship leader for several churches in need of one.

Please join us in giving thanks to God for all the opportunities He has given us.
If you would, please pray with us for this new year, that we will follow His lead and go where He sends us.

Be on the lookout for a fresh update to our newsletter for 2024! We will have special bonus content for supporters, as well as other resources for our subscribers. We hope to make this a welcomed addition to your email inbox.

We know many of you may be experiencing grief and loss this Christmas.
It’s not easy to reconcile all the joy and gladness with the sorrow you are feeling.
We’re including a link below to a piece that Kim wrote for Touching Hearts Ministries, about our tables looking differently this Christmas.
We hope it will help encourage you or someone you know.

Tables Of Grace

Thank you again, for your love and support of this ministry God has entrusted to us.
We love and appreciate you very much!

Joe & Kim

Joe and Kim Stanley Ministries

As we approach the longer and warmer days of summer, we hope you are enjoying the season and finding ways to discover God’s beauty and splendor. Our days of ministry have been busy – in multiple ways and directions. We are grateful for any and all opportunities to make much of Jesus and share his amazing grace through worship, speaking, and writing. Our trip to Texas in March was very fruitful for the Kingdom. We witnessed God at work in the small town of Newton, Texas as 91 people trusted Christ during revival services at First Baptist of Newton! We were blessed to be with Ronnie Hill, an evangelist from Texas.  He led school assemblies which we were able to be part of. He engaged with students through a program on bullying, then invited them and their families to church that evening for pizza. One night the church hosted a steak dinner for the community. Pastor Kenny Rawls and his church had been praying and fasting for 40 days leading up to the revival and it was incredible how the Lord answered. They baptized over 40 people on the last night of the revival with two baptistries being used one after the other, the church’s own, and a trough that was brought in for this special occasion. We saw children and grandparents, mothers and sons saved and baptized! It was truly a glorious move of God through the Holy Spirit and we praise Him for it!! Your prayers for us matter! Thank you! It’s not always about the number of people being reached or responding, because we know and believe that God is concerned for every person, be it in a large group or individually. Whether we share a gospel conversation with a server at a restaurant, teach a bible study, lead a retreat, or lead in worship on Sunday morning, our prayer is for others to encounter Christ and experience His presence, through the Holy Spirit. We were also at Becker Road Baptist Church, in the Houston area for their Homecoming. Joe was asked to preach, which was wonderful. He spoke about the power of our extravagant worship and how it changes the atmosphere. We sang with the choir and with their men’s quartet. We had 2 other revivals in April, one under a tent on a beautiful night in Pine Mountain, GA. Kim spoke at a women’s event in May and led a One Thing Worship Retreat. She led worship for Touching Hearts Ministries during the year. We’ve been a part of several Seniors’ events this year and have more scheduled, including a 3-day Senior Retreat in June at First Baptist Fayetteville. We’ve been invited to sing as part of the Southern Baptist Evangelists group at the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans this month. The first draft of Kim’s book will be finished by the end of the summer. The working title is “Of Grace and Glory, A Journey of Worship Through Grief.” Your prayers are very much appreciated for that too. She also continues to co-host “A Burst Of Hope” podcast weekly, where guests share their God of Hope stories. Please follow us on social media, (see links below) or write us a note to say “hello” and let us know how we can pray for you. Thank you for partnering with us!! To God be the glory!! In Christ, Joe and Kim joeandkimstanley.com

 

This is the most wonderful time of the year!  We are grateful that 2022 was a busy and amazing year in so many ways! It’s God’s grace and goodness along with your prayer and support that have made it so.In a recap, we had 13 worship concerts, 1 revival, 10 preaching/teaching events, 4 women’s retreats, 52 podcast episodes, and over 100 opportunities to lead in worship.

And a partridge in a pear tree.

More importantly is that those numbers represent people with whom we have shared the Good News of Jesus with and places where we have made much of His Name.In a post pandemic world, the church may look different than before but the promise of Christ remains, “the gates of hell will not overpower it.” We have seen congregations struggle with their people coming back post Covid, but we are also seeing God at work in miraculous ways. He is still making Himself known to those who are without Him, He is still gloriously present in the praises of His people and He is always at work around us!Thank you for being a partner with us in this worship evangelism ministry. Our prayer in this coming  year is that God would bless you with growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, experiencing His reviving Presence in your lives.

Prayers for 2023

There are several events on the calendar for this year, including 2 churches in the Houston,Texas area in March. We would be grateful if you would pray with us for more opportunities to share our ministry with in 2023. Kim will be finishing up her book this year. It is a memoir of her journey of worship in grief. Please join us in praying that the Holy Spirit will give guidance in writing it as well as use it to help others along in their grief journey.

Many Sundays we find ourselves dividing up and leading worship in 2 different churches; this gives us an opportunity to serve in more places. Joe has been invited to preach in several churches this year too.

As much as we are grateful for the opportunities to lead apart from one another, there really is nothing better than singing our praises to God together.

We have made all of our music CD’s available as digital downloads so you can listen to them in your car, on your phone. or computer. You can purchase them on the store page of our website.

If you’d like to follow our ministry, you can find us on Facebook and Instagram. Our schedule is on the website as well. Please feel free to share this newsletter with a friend.

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Joe and Kim are available to lead worship and speak at your ministry event this year.
You can contact them here.

Women’s Ministry Kim’s ministry to women, One Thing Worship, is flourishing. She speaks and leads worship for many women’s events and retreats and serves in worship and teaching for Touching Hearts Ministries in Fayetteville, GA. Kim and Martha Wilson, the founder of Touching Hearts, co-host a podcast called A Burst Of Hope. They are well into their second year and episodes are published weekly. Listen on any podcast platform or on their podcast website. Kim would love to speak and or lead worship for your Ladies’ Ministry Event in 2023.                                                                      You can contact Kim here for booking dates.   “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13) We look forward to this new year with great hope in Jesus Christ. In Christ, Joe and Kim Joe and Kim Stanley Ministries is recognized by the IRS as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All gifts are tax deductible.