November 2022 MAP Update

In This Issue

Sewer: Paid in Full                                                       Vehicles for the Girls 

Miriam's Baptism Testimony                       

I have some wonderful news to share with you this month. That is, friends of the ministry felt a clear calling from God to sell their property and pay the sewer bill in full. All glory to God!

Feel free to pause a minute and join us in giving God the glory! 

Once again, MAP is free from the bondage of debt! Free to focus on the ministry!  Free!  Just free!  It is such a wonderful and awesome thing!

When I first learned that MAP had to come up with $120,000 to tie into the city sewer, I was devastated. And really, that is an understatement. I felt frustrated, overwhelmed, and discouraged. 

The following thoughts nearly devoured my mind:

1. I don’t want to ask for sewer funding.
2. Who wants to give towards a sewer?!
3. What about the gospel, Bible lessons, the Amish Voice, Plowman’s Academy?!

Honestly, I thought many times that if it were up to me, we would just put up an outhouse.

But God had a plan all along. He wanted to teach me a valuable and much needed lesson on faith and trust. He reminded me that while He is working on me to trust Him in all things, He is also teaching others in His family to listen for His voice and surrender. 

While the sale of the property did not go smooth as silk, and while we prayed hard and shed tears in the process, God brought an Amish man into the mix. The Amish man bought the plumber’s property and paid the sewer bill in full.

One last thing, and this is a reminder to each one of us. When God decided that it was time to birth a ministry outreach to Amish people, He called people from all walks and backgrounds to go, give, and pray. I marvel at the amount of people who volunteer a thousand hours a month at MAP. I marvel at the sheer amount of people, churches, and Christian businesses who have been called to give and pray. I marvel, feel humbled, grateful, and so blessed to be a small part of the whole. Together, we are doing our parts and using the gifts and talents that God gave us. Amish people are surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ and translated into the Kingdom of God on a daily basis. They are being discipled by MAP and others. Pockets of revival are breaking out in so many communities. In all of this, our heavenly Father is pleased—very, very, very pleased.

Some things to pray for:

1. I have, for a while, felt the need to mentor a younger man to eventually take my place in the ministry. While it feels scary to think about, I desire to do all I can to keep the ministry going. Unless the Lord has different plans, I would like to think that I have at least 10 good years left. That will take me to 65 years of age. So hard to comprehend.
2. Kailyn, our manager at Beyond Measure Market, might be moving on at the end of January. Kailyn has been with us from the very beginning and has learned to do most of the purchasing, hiring and managing staff and volunteers, marketing, and so many other things.

If Kailyn does move on, I feel led to hire an assistant manager to work under myself and Esther, a purchaser, and part time marketing person. Since the store is a 501c3 ministry, but has to be run like a business, it makes things a bit challenging at times. 

3. We are working hard and diligently at putting the next Step Out of the Boat conference together for March 22-25, 2023. Pray, mark your calendar, and consider attending. God has already confirmed that next year’s conference is going to be awesome!  You'll hear more in the next update.

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Miriam left her MI Amish community in September 2021. Since this time, she has been blessed to have several quality mentors. Craig and Kelly, from her home area, provided support early on. Miriam currently resides at New Beginnings Homestead where she meets weekly with MAP house parents, Mike and Kelly Campbell, to study Jerry Bridges’ book, “The Discipline of Grace.” Miriam works at Beyond Measure Market and is in the process of obtaining her driver’s license and GED through MAP programs.

Before I knew Jesus, I lived my life trying to prove myself to others by doing whatever they asked or expected of me. I did good things out of selfish pride to be noticed of men and to get on God’s good side. The thought of dying or losing someone I loved was terrifying. My feelings of insignificance drove me to try harder to please those around me. I tried to fill my need for fulfillment and acceptance by competing with my sisters. Maybe if I could sew or cook or work better than my sisters, I would become special and acknowledged. This led to much envy and even less significance.

The day before Easter 2018, I went to my friend Jenna’s house for dinner. In the course of our conversation, she asked me what it means to be saved. After stumbling through my lame empty “knowledge” of salvation, Jenna explained to me how God saves us through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. I realized that I had sinned and deserved to die, but Christ took all of my guilt and shame from me on the cross - therefore nothing I did was good enough to save me from hell. Jenna prayed a prayer of repentance that I received in my heart and Jesus forgave me. I was saved by Jesus alone and nothing I ever did. All of us have sinned and are in need of saving. Without repentance, there is only death awaiting us. But, praise God, Christ paid it all for us and took our punishment; therefore, if we receive Him in our hearts and accept the salvation He offers, we will surely live.

I don’t fear death anymore. When my fears and worries arise, I choose to go back to the cross and give them to Jesus. I know I am fully accepted by Him, so I don’t need the acceptance of any man. I realized that I was living under man-made rules, and because Christ died to free us from the law, I made a decision to leave everything that was familiar to me and follow after Christ in faith alone and by His grace. I left my entire lifestyle behind and I’m moving forward in my new identity as a daughter of God. I praise God for His free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, His beloved Son.

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A few months ago, we mentioned a need we had for vehicles for the girls living at New Beginnings. That need has now been filled. Ministry friends from MI had an extra SUV they donated to the girls at New Beginnings. 

Another friend of the ministry in OK was unable to sleep one night. God laid it on her heart to buy her granddaughter’s SUV in FL and have it shipped to New Beginnings. A second friend in OH paid the full amount to have the vehicle delivered right to our doorstep.

Thank you, Paul, Melynna, and Levi for the parts you played. You three, unbeknown to each other, were mightily used of God to bless others. God is pleased with your generosity, sacrifice, and love for those who come to New Beginnings for physical and spiritual direction in life.

Note to the reader: if you know of young women who are planning to leave the Amish culture and need a place to get started on the right track, please let us know.  We are able to provide jobs, help with personal documents, driver's license, GED, and a place to live.  While at New Beginnings Homestead, we love to share the gospel and lead the girls in weekly discipleship.  You can contact us at (419) 962-1515 or email us at map@mapministry.org.

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