We have a name! After our July hymn sing at the senior living center (our 3rd event there), our group decided that it was time to choose a name to identify ourselves by and the name Joyful Praise was chosen. We are just an ordinary bunch of believers wanting to make a joyful noise to spread God’s love to those around us!

Although a smaller group of singers from different churches this time, the residents were enthusiastic. The hymns and patriotic songs were appreciated. Once again, piano students shared their progress with several numbers which was an added treat.

One of the participating churches shared a video of two of the students performing Amazing Grace on their facebook page as well as other photos on another post.

Below is a video of us singing Nothing But the Blood

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Raising financial support is not the easiest part of our job but it certainly is rewarding in terms of developing long-term friendships and prayer support.

We currently receive support from 15 states and Guam! A number of our supporters began this journey with us as singles in the late 80s!!! We find this so amazing. Others joined just recently.

Whether partnering with us for decades or for the last few months, occasionally or monthly, churches or individuals…..we couldn’t do what we do without all of you. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you!

We have received so much help from our volunteers and we are so grateful for each contribution. Here are some of the assistance we have received (in no particular order):

*3-D printing of DRM receiver prototypes

*Adapting a portable recording booth

*Hearing and Spanish ministry assistance at church

*Music accompaniment and voices for outreaches

*Knitting of pouches for audio bible devices

*Welcome Dinner for Stetson students

*Other food contributions for Stetson students

*Help with testing of DRM receivers

*Meeting with international department staff at Stetson University to brainstorm ways to help

*Opening home to students in need

*Yard sale donations and assistance

*Bicycle donations for students

*Addressing of prayerletters

*Review of important paperwork

*Prayer and accountability

“The joy of the Lord is my strength”—this is a familiar praise chorus inspired by Nehemiah 8:10. And if you read the verses surrounding this passage, you’ll understand why the people were overjoyed … through translation and interpretation they finally understood the message of the Scriptures.

Nehemiah 8:8 and 12 serve as the bookends for this great theme. Verse 8 describes the process of bringing God’s Law into the language of the people. “They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.”

Many Israelites who were under Babylonian captivity no longer understood Hebrew, the original language of the Old Testament. They needed to be taught the meaning of Scripture in their own language, Aramaic, before they could apply it to their lives.

Their immediate response was to weep, but Nehemiah exhorted God’s people to let the joy of the Lord be their strength. Their joyful reaction is recorded in verse 12. “Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.”

The Joy of Translation and Understanding

Nehemiah 8:8 has been our motivating verse, most especially as it relates to the digital radio ministry (DRM). We praise Him that He is bringing the project along towards this goal!

Did you know? (Source: Joshua Project)

*For every dollar of Christian giving to all causes less than one penny goes to financing pioneer church planting among unreached people groups.

*North Americans spend about the same on Halloween costumes for pets as they do on outreach to unreached people group.

*Over 90% of long‐term missionaries work in already Christianized groups. Less than 10% — some researchers suggest less than 3% — of all missionaries work in unreached people groups.

*Over 40% of the world does not have internet access. Unreached peoples tend to be in countries with below average internet access.

• You can sign up to receive information on an Unreached People Group to pray for every day on the app or via email: https://joshuaproject.net/pray/unreachedoftheday/app
• Today’s Unreached People Group is: Chauhan Rajputs in India: https://joshuaproject.net/pray/unreachedoftheday/today

The students have responded really well to games during events or small gatherings. They seem to like the break from their heavy studying schedule. The interaction is helpful for getting to know each other better in a relaxed situation. I have been able to use a lot of the games I collected for last summer’s Guam youth camp project.

Three simple questions back in 2022 that have stuck with us. We had shared our vision for the large project we were considering embarking on with a respected Christian.

“Is it needed?” Yes, we said. We believe it is.

“Is anyone else doing it?” Why no, they are not and we don’t understand why!

Then came the response. … “Then Go For It!”

And that we did. And we are.

…Even the pennies!

It has been our desire to raise funds for our international student ministry locally and we are so pleased to see this beginning to happen.  Local interest in supporting and helping the ministry is growing! 

Last weekend’s fundraising yard sale was very successful. But, even before the yard sale we were given a generous gift in the EXACT amount I had been praying for over several months, in order to fund this ministry so that we don’t have to borrow from other accounts. This was a totally unexpected gift from an unexpected source. It’s often the way God works through others as He leads them to give.

 As for the yard sale itself, over 20 people donated lots of really  great stuff.  It was a lot of fun to fellowship with church friends who came to support us, to get to know our neighbors better (they helped with donations and tables), and meet some new neighbors.  A few students helped with set up and take down.

A friend from our church, who also has a heart for these students, held a simultaneous sale one of the days for the same cause. She had wisely suggested a goal for the sale. And, together, we made EXACTLY the goal to the penny! 

Soon after the sale was over another friend from our church knocked at our door with a donation that covered the required admin fee for the deposit into our account, also in the EXACT amount!

Yet another friend gave us their coin jar and this covered all the signage and supplies we needed. So, you see God is in the details all the way down to the pennies!

We have set aside some of the funds for emergencies the students might run into and in the meantime have started to meet needs with gift cards for food and other necessities, textbooks and housing costs.

Thank you, Lord, for these very specific answers to prayer – confirmation that we are walking in Your will!

Having lived overseas for much of our lives and now finding ourselves living in the community around a university, naturally we wanted to reach out to the internationals students. Outreaches last year included a Welcome Dinner to start the semester, followed by Christmas snacks, providing meals during Christmas break, and in spring, a game time on campus. More recently we were able to become an informal host family to one student. We consider this a privilege. The natural outcome of all of this was to organize into a more formalized entity.

Alongside Students Ministries is a Christian-based ministry that seeks to come alongside international students at Stetson University to offer practical support in various ways.  International students find themselves in a foreign culture, often causing unforeseen stress and they need support to navigate these challenges. As members of the local community around Stetson University, we at Alongside Student Ministries endeavor to be helpful, welcoming neighbors to these international students who need encouragement and support. Activities include welcome dinners, socials, prayer support and assistance with securing housing. 

Can you guess where some of the students are from by the foods they are missing?

This new ministry is “hot off the press” but you can now give a charitable donation to help support this student ministry: Alongside Students Ministry

Alongside Students Ministries is administrated by Doug and Denise Gregson of Para Tech Ministries and they welcome volunteers!  For more information, contact:  gregsons@paratechministries.org

What we are doing at PTM as we come alongside mission agencies and churches to enhance the good work they are already doing shouldn’t seem strange. To answer the question that has come up, spoken and unspoken, What’s in it for you?… we say, “The joy of serving the Lord through serving others!”

We all should be cheerleading for each other. It’s a hard time to do ministry what with the spiritual, social and political climate of our world, combined with limited resources. Why, it is even a hard time to “do life” as a believer with pressures at work and challenges at home!

In contemplating Hebrews 10:24: “..let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds,” (NASB) we see that we should think of others long enough to get to know them and what they need most in order to keep pressing on.

As other versions put it, we should be motivating or stirring up others towards love and towards doing good.  How can you encourage other believers in your life to stay the course? Have you put thought and prayer into it? Each of us is unique and therefore is encouraged differently. Each is struggling with our own besetting issues.

So often It is the “small things.” An example was given in our church’s morning prayer and fasting time today as our pastor shared how one of the pray-ers had sent a quick text to the person they were praying for and how that was received  “as a hug” from God.

Give it some thought today. Let’s get in the habit of rooting for each other. Be a cheerleader for Christ today!