Hello mighty men & women of God!
Some of you are saying, “Pastor is laying it on thick!” Well, I’m just saying what God has called each of us to be in Him! Yes, when we are walking in the
power of His presence… we can hear from God, we can have words of encouragement for ourselves and others, and we can rebuke the enemy in any area where he is trespassing on our ground!
Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
That sounds pretty mighty to me! So our authority comes when we are walking in the identity of our Lord, and the work and will He has laid out for us to complete. So again I say, you are the mighty men & women of God! And just in case you may have spiritually been tripping, falling, or failing just remember what the Lord said to Satan when he was accusing Joshua.
Zech. 3:2 And the LORD said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”
And we know what happened after that, God had his dirty garments removed from Joshua and put a clean white robe of righteousness on him! And the God that you have surrounded your life to will do the same for you! So, don’t listen to the lies of the enemy but remember whose you are and who you are…
and walk in the authority that is yours.
I love you all, and am looking forward to seeing how God will be building His Kingdom through you!
Blessings and have a great summer!
Ps. Ellis
God Wastes Nothing: My Books Are Finally Here
Most of you have walked part of this journey with me and Ellis. You’ve prayed with us, served beside us, and become the family God knew we’d need. Before Ellis and I got married, I lived a whole life I never expected to lose, and I lost it. There was a period of time I was certain my story was over, but as you know, it wasn’t.
This February, that story became two books I can finally hold in my hands and place in yours.
Modern Day Ruth is my memoir. It’s the honest account of grief, of forgiveness I never believed I was capable of, and of the new life God built out of the rubble. I framed it around the book of Ruth because her journey became a guide, a woman who left a season of loss and walked, step by step, into a redemption she couldn’t yet see. Woven through every chapter are the Hebrew words I love to teach: chesed, that stubborn, covenant-keeping love of God that pursues us when we have nothing left to offer, and ga’al, the Kinsman Redeemer, who buys back what was lost. Ruth had Boaz, who was a foreshadow of Christ. We have Jesus, our go’el, who stepped in, paid the ultimate price, and calls us His own.
Alongside my memoir is The Kinsman’s Promise, a thirteen-session companion study built from the Ruth curriculum some of you have already journeyed through. It’s made for the kitchen table and the small-group circle. Scripture, word studies, and room for the Lord to do what only He can do.
I want to be honest about why these books exist. I didn’t set out to be an author. I wrote them because God told me to, the end. Plainly, persistently, until obedience was the only option I had left. So on February 12, which would have been my late husband’s 60th birthday, these books became official. God wastes nothing. Not the hard years, not the tears, not the waiting. He gathers it all up and makes it useful for His glory.
So here is my prayer over every single person who opens these pages — that they would draw closer to our Savior. Not closer to me, not even to my story, but to the One who is still writing redemption for eshet chayil, the woman of valor who hasn’t yet heard the truth Boaz spoke over Ruth: you are seen, and your story isn’t over.
Both books are available now on Amazon, and I’d be honored for you to read them, share them, or pass them to someone who needs reminding that redemption has their name on it.
A special thank you to the many of you who have walked with me and prayed these pages into being. This is your story too.
With so much love,
Ps. Mel
Youth Fellowship & River Campus Ministry (RCM)
It has been a beautiful semester for our River Campus Ministry! This semester has been filled with growth, fellowship, worship, and unforgettable moments together in the presence of the Lord.
Every Tuesday, students gathered together for a home cooked meal, fellowship, and the Word. We also met every other Thursday for fun filled fellowship that included scavenger hunts, Jeopardy nights, Lake Days and other game nights. It has been so wonderful to watch relationships deepen and faith continue to grow among the young adults.
One of the most special parts of this semester has been seeing several of the young adults bring forth messages for our services. Holy Spirit never fails to move in our Tuesday services.
In addition to our regular Tuesday services we also had two baptism days this semester at the lake.
The youth students have been growing in their relationship with Holy Spirit. Their hunger for the Lord and their heart for worship has been special to witness. They are hearing Holy Spirit on another level. One of our youth received a word of knowledge for healing for one of the adults that helps us on Wednesdays. After Holy Spirit revealed it, he prayed for healing over him and Holy Spirit healed him! We are excited about how Holy Spirit is moving with our young people.
We are now getting ready to host our second God’s Kid Camp in July and excitement is building as we begin preparing for all that God is going to do during those days. If you would like to donate please click the Donate button below or get in touch with Ps. Nicole Mitchell (571-970-7065).
On the alternate Thursdays, our high school students have also started their own smaller group gatherings. Though the group is smaller, God has been moving in such a powerful way. We look forward to what God is going to do in this group this semester.
Small Sacrifices, Big Breakthroughs: Beyond the Potato Bar
The Well Women are hosting a Potato Bar Lunch this Sunday. It’s $12 a plate. Honestly, there is something so healing about simple food and community. When you’re exhausted, you don’t need a five-course gala; you need a warm potato and a chair next to a friend who doesn’t mind if you’re a little quiet.
But this lunch isn’t just about carbs and sour cream (though, let’s be real, those help). It’s the kickoff for something deeper. We’re talking about missions, not just as an “event” we check off our list once a year, but as a rhythm of faithfulness.
We’re shifting our focus from event-based giving to faithfulness-based (monthly) giving.
Think about the things we don’t even blink at spending money on:
- A Starbucks run: $8.
- Taco Tuesday: $15.
- A bag of chips or a soda: $3-5.
These are tiny, almost invisible sacrifices. But look at what happens when we pull them together. If just 10 families committed to giving $25 a month, that’s $3,000 a year.
Do you realize that $3,000 is more than we usually raise at five of our lunch fundraisers combined? That’s the power of the “little victories.” It’s the power of saying, “I might not have much, but I have this.” It’s the widow’s mite in a world of giant budgets.
A couple of years ago, in an Asian country, there were 24 Unreached Unengaged People Groups (UUPGs). These are groups of people with virtually no access to the Gospel. Because of consistent, faithful partnership: people like you giving that “small change” every month: that number has dropped from 24 to 3 today.
I know life is hard. I know the bills are high and the energy is low. I’m right there with you, walking through the valley. But I’ve found that even when I’m drowning, reaching out to help someone else is often the thing that keeps my head above water.
See you Sunday for potatoes and a little bit of kingdom-building!
To learn more about missions at our church, visit rivernsu.com/missions, or contact Eva Kingsley (through church email).
Taking Up This Cross
By Tiffany Warren
In Matthew 16, Jesus charged His followers, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (verses 24-26, ESV).
Jesus makes it clear in this passage that His followers must endure hardship. Cross bearing is not an easy task. Although it’s not popular to talk about the trials that come with following Jesus, any student of scripture cannot deny that trials are guaranteed. However, when you count the cost, when you measure the weight of this temporary world against the worth of your eternal soul, the only logical choice is to follow Him wherever He leads, despite the terrain of the path and the weight of your burden.
As my husband and I have been navigating our cancer relapses over the past few months, we have had lots of time to ponder our crosses. The nausea, fatigue, stomach cramps, bone aches, isolation, fevers, hair loss, heartburn, brain fog, needle pokes, scans, hours spent traveling and sitting in waiting rooms, and
all the other cancer byproducts can loom dauntingly and heavily on our shoulders. However, in the midst of these trials, we have been sustained by worshiping Jesus, reading scripture, and counting our many blessings.
The biggest blessing has hands-down been the gift of presence: the presence of Jesus and the presence of His Church. The burden of sickness has been a heavy one to bear, but when our knees begin to buckle and our backs ache from the pain and discouragement, a brother or sister in Christ appears at our side to help lift the load. Each text, call, meal, donation, and prayer is a reminder of the grace of God and the kindness of our Savior. He is with us, He has not forsaken us, and He has surrounded us with a spiritual family to help us carry our crosses. What a gift to be a part of the Church!
This afternoon I was reminded of a 90’s gospel song that says, “He never promised that the cross would not get heavy, and the hill would not be hard to climb. He never offered our victories without fighting, but He said help would always come in time.” These lyrics ring true today. Jesus is our ever-present help in time of need. He gives the call to carry our cross, then He provides the strength (and army of loved ones) needed to bear it.
Still yet, when our arms begin to shake and our vision becomes cloudy, we look to Him who, for the joy set before Him, endured His own cross (Hebrews 12:2). We see that we were the joy set before Him, and He is the joy set before us. May we lock eyes with our selfless Jesus as we follow in His steps of simple obedience and carrying our crosses.
Love you all.
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