Joseph's Storehouse is blessed with large truck loads of food each month to be a blessing to many in the community.
Cars begin lining up early before our gates open at 8:30 on giveaway day, which last until 11:30. There is plenty of food for everyone who comes during those times.
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK ~ The Bible tells us that God is our peace, and we can know the peace of God. This is good news, as finding peace is one of our deepest needs. In John 14:24-31, v. 27 Jesus tells us “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you.” If we don’t have the peace Jesus promised, this passage offers three (3) possible explanations:
1) We lose our peace when circumstances are unchangeable. Much of life is beyond our control. We can only control our responses and our decisions, but we can’t control the grand narrative of our lives. When this reality sets in, we become frustrated and lose our peace of mind.
2) We lose our peace when people are unchangeable. The quickest way to lose our peace is to try to change somebody else. Most people are just not going to change the way you want them to be. Even when we know it won’t work, we still try to do it! And it keeps us from being peaceful.
3) We lose our peace when problems are unexplainable. We know life isn’t fair. Things don’t always turn out right. And when we don’t know why, we get anxious, nervous, and stressed. (paraphrased from devotional on the “Glorify” app)
How do we get God’s peace in our lives? Answers lie in the promises in God’s Word. Philippians 4:6-7 gives us five (5) distinct ways we can know God’s peace:
1) Pray about everything. We need to trust in God’s guidance as we present our request to Him.
2) Always be thankful. We need to express our gratitude to God as we reflect and recognize the good in our lives.
3) Keep our minds fixed on God. We must focus on God’s promises and trust in His control over our circumstances.
4) We must remember that God is good. Acknowledge God’s goodness and trust in His faithfulness.
5) Cast off worry. Make a willful choice to put our cares on God and let go of worries to find peace. These virtues, incorporated into our daily lives, allow us to grow a deeper sense of peace that brings us reassurance and comfort. ~ God’s blessings, protection, and favor to all.
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK ~ The natural order of creation is GROWTH. Seeds grow into plants, calves into cows, acorns into oaks, minnows into fish, and infants into adults. This is the normal process of creation as God intended. When something doesn’t grow, it causes concern that something abnormal is happening. Growth is God’s expectation for us as Christ-followers in our spiritual life. 1 Peter 2:2 states, “Like newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, so that we may grow up into the fulness of our salvation.” The same Word that causes us to be born again is the same Word that causes us to grow up spiritually. Unfortunately, if we do not have a steady diet of God’s Word, we become spiritually malnourished, and growth is stunted. We must desire the nourishment of the Word as a babe desires its milk. You don’t have to command a baby to eat; they know when they are hungry, and you will know it! Babies do not try to consume a large meal on Sunday for it to last them a week. They eat regularly for day-to-day nourishment.
Christ-followers need day-to-day spiritual nourishment. It is not helpful for us to try to consume God’s Word on Sunday morning and expect it to satisfy our spiritual hunger all week. Healthy spiritual growth happens as we have a steady diet and application of God’s Word daily. We must be careful as well to not let other resources or man’s opinion be a substitute for His Word. Just as in the natural order of creation, when we are not growing up spiritually, it is cause for concern that something abnormal is happening. We should all take a moment to assess our spiritual growth. Is it increasing? Is it declining? Has it plateaued? We can ask God to show us areas of our lives in which we can focus on for growth in the future. For it is His desire for us to continue growing up in our spiritual walk to become more like Him. As Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." ~ God’s blessings, protection, and favor to all.
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK ~ Resurrection. What do you think of when you hear that word? Most people think of the past. Or of a stone rolled away. An empty tomb. And a risen Lord!
Praise God, Jesus is alive today! But He is not the only one who has been resurrected. We, as Christ followers, were spiritually resurrected the day we made Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives. That day, we passed from death to eternal life. The glory of the Lord came into our very being and it consumed the old, sinful man/woman that we were. Our old self spiritually died and a new creature in Christ was born. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone be in Christ, they are a new creature: old things are passed away; and behold, all things are become new.”
As we enter this resurrection Easter season, let us look at ourselves as alive, filled with the life of Christ; filled with His power and His Spirit. This enables us to have victory over the earthly things we wrestle with every day. Sin, sickness, loss, lack, and failure, just to name a few. We are to become His representatives in everything we do while we live on this earth. The resurrection of Christ Jesus has given us His Name, His Spirit, and the Power of His Word to live this life for His glory. Because of His resurrection, there will be a day when these earthly bodies will be raised and glorified and we will live with Him forever! Praise God, Jesus is alive today, and so are we! ~ God’s blessings, protection, and favor to all.
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK ~ In the world of business, the letters “CEO” stands for Chief Executive Officer. A CEO is the highest-ranking executive in a company. One of the major responsibilities of the CEO is to serve as the public face of the company. A CEO may speak at conferences, address the public on notable changes to the company, or participate in community events. I recently heard a Pastor say that his wife was the CEO of his family. She was not the chief executive officer but the “Chief Encouragement Officer”. As I meditated on his comment, I recalled Hebrews 3:13, “Encourage one another daily while it is still today.” Encouragement is so vital in our world of uncertainty and chaos. It is support and help to those who face the challenges of life. Christ-followers have the opportunity to be the public face of God’s encouragement to those around us.
We have the privilege to pass on His encouragement by sharing with others as we know, words have the power to build up or tear down. Here are some ways we can build others up by reminding them of these biblical, time-tested truths:
* God’s strength shines brightest in our weakest moments. It is when we admit our limitations that God’s power is most evident. (Phil 4:13)
* Faith is about moving forward, even when the future is uncertain. Trusting God opens the door to what’s next. (Prov 3:5-6)
* God’s grace renews us. When we feel weary, His grace is the refreshment our souls need. (Psm 23)
* God has a purpose for each day. Living with purpose brings meaning to every moment. (Jer 29:11)
* When life’s storms hit, we can remain steady because our hope is anchored in Christ. (2 Tim 1:1)
* Difficult times can be overcome because of the hope that we have in God’s promises. (Heb 11:1)
* By trusting in God’s plan for our lives we can live in peace. (Phil 4:6-7)
* God is our strength in times of trouble. (Psm 46:1)
Encouragement is one of the most powerful tools that we have as believers. It is essential in the Christian walk. It strengthens us, helps us endure trials, and keeps us focused on God’s promises. Our words can make a difference in someone’s life, so let’s use them as CEO’s for His glory! ~ God’s blessings, protection, and favor to all.
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK ~ In the early morning of January 21, our last living founder, Mrs. Peggy Evans, went home to be with the Lord. “Ms. Peggy” and her husband, Bro. Bob, birthed this food ministry in 1999. For over 25 years she was engaged and served in a natural and spiritual leadership capacity. Her love, compassion, and wisdom will be sorely missed as we continue to fulfill the mission that they started. In her honor, I am attaching a portion of her obituary so that you may know about her life and the legacy that she leaves us.
Ms. Peggy was a 1955 graduate of Lebanon High School. She married the love of her life, Bro. Bob Evans, in the same year. They were married for 62 years. Loving and caring for her family was the joy of her life. She was very active in her church and community civic clubs over her lifetime. She studied art and took delight in creating beauty on canvas. Having grown up with parents who owned and operated Bellar Furniture Company in Lebanon, she developed a talent for Interior Design. She and her husband, after years of working at Bellar’s Furniture Store, opened Town and Country Home Furnishings in Lebanon, which they ran for many years. Later in Life, they entered the Full-time Ministry and planted and co-pastored two churches, Love One Another Church and Love’s Way Community Church in Lebanon. Peggy was a strong woman of faith and had a deep love for God and His Word. She taught the Bible for many years. Using her business knowledge again, later in her life, she owned and operated the Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio for several years. In 1999, having a desire to help people in need, she and her husband founded and operated Joseph’s Storehouse Food Ministry which provides food to those in Wilson County and surrounding areas. Joseph’s Storehouse Food Ministry just celebrated its 25th anniversary. After a lifetime of serving her Lord in church, business and ministry, she was eager to go home and be with Jesus, leaving a lasting legacy! ~ God’s blessings, protection, and favor to all.
