Standing in the presence of God is transforming. I received an email from a 28 year old man who had completed D60. The summary of his personal experiences through and as a result of 60 days in the presence of God.

"During these past 8 weeks of D60, my heart and mind has changed. My heart is so open to new things it’s hard to explain. The people in my life that I held a grudge against have become real close to my heart and are in every prayer. I am more forgiving now than I’ve ever been. I have found love again for my family and friends. I have learned that life isn’t all about me and what I want; it’s about putting yourself last to everything and everyone, and putting God first. 


I’ve learned a lot... about becoming a man of God.  It’s all about doing His will and following His little whispers in your ear. I’ve learned if you obey those whispers the sky’s the limit. God and I have talked more these 8 weeks than the last 28 years of my life. 


I had a wall built up so high that I wouldn’t let anybody in, I even pushed God away, but my mind has been transformed with the power of Jesus Christ. Getting rid of the earthly things and concentrating on the things of heaven and the spirit has purified my heart and mind. 


I’m not perfect, but I do know that... living through Him is a must. I'm continuing with all the things I learned through D60 .  My goal is to be a man of God and become a Godly man to whoever the Lord brings into my life."


                                                                                                  --- M.D.

SUCCESS STORY #5 

"Benji" (His real name is Paul Johnson) walked into his first Celebrate Recovery meeting a few months after we began holding meetings. That's been almost 8 years ago--or over 2900 Thursday CR meetings!  

Today, Benji leads Jellico's CR meetings. The volunteers involved under his co-ordination are in the neigborhood of 40-50. Of course, they don't all volunteer each week. Some are occasional contibutors or servers of meals at Thursday events, some are involved in leading song and worship occasionally, but others are there every week to welcome, train, enourage, open up and clean up. Benji makes sure the whole thing happens on time and in an orderly fashion. 

Leading CR is a challenging position and sometimes presents  'interesting' situations, but Benji's learned to take such matters to a band of brothers in Christ who offer him thoughtful wise counsel. It, along with a love for Scripture, a fearless readiness to share Jesus, and an active and selfless passion for serving the underserved are qualities Christ has instilled in him over these years, and not ones he brought with him. God has transformed him and he gives full credit to Him for it. 

We asked Benji to give a brief video account of his transformation. Click the buttion below to see and be blessed. 

SUCCESS STORY #4

GoodSoil's Missions Camps have trained and promoted a future wave of missionary-minded youngsters over the past 25 years. Rosemary Perry is but one of the more recent trainees to devote herself to a foreign term of mission service. This month, "Rose" as her family calls her, landed in Mozambique and began serving along side the Montepuez mission team. 

Her primary assignment is as school teacher  to the missionary families' children. Beyond that (which is a great ministry in itself!) she'll join the team in serving the established churches in the Montepuez area. Rosemary surveyed the area a few month ago, navigating international flight  from Little Rock through Johannesburg to Mozmbique on her own-- she is 19 years old. Her hands-on mission camp training in "how to travel internationally" paid off. 

Here are Rosemary's thoughts in the first few weeks of her time in Africa:

"It is so true that Mission camp, the staff team, and the things you all taught me have proved to be exceedingly helpful and beneficial in preparing for moving to Mozambique, the traveling, and transition. Several lessons that have been especially helpful  that I learned at mission camp and am continuing to learn are, 1) pray, pray, pray, seek the LORD, listen to GOD, read His word- it is vitally critical to stay connected to God and to seek His face daily. 2) Travel! I think I could talk all day about how the mission camp airport experience prepared me well for traveling internationally. (I do not like traveling-especially in foreign countries by myself but this is also where I feel most dependent on God so I'm sure it is very good for me. :)) At the time I thought the airport experience was exaggerated but I found out it wasn't. :) Several of the lessons that I have put into practice a lot are to watch my baggage carefully, be respectful but persistent,  be alert and do not trust 'just anybody'. 4) Also mission camp helped me to understand how important it is to try to communicate with people in their  own language, to graciously receive their hospitality and food, to be kind to people even if they are different from my 'normal' because they are God's children, and overall just being okay with different culture, different language, different food, different everything! I could keep going but I will stop there. :) I am so thankful for the Mission Camp experience, your family, and others who have helped train and encourage me to love God and serve others." 

Rosemary is sponsored by the Dermot church of Christ. Most of her support is in place, but there are needs. If you'd like to help, the address is P.O. Box 663  Dermott, AR 71630.  You'll bless her and the mission team there. 

We're proud of you Rose!!!! God bless. 

PS.  Another 'success' in and of itself is that the Montequez team that is hosting Rose was (twice!) the host team for one of our early Mission Camp weeks! Amazing 'coincidence'. 

AT LEFT:   Makua ladies making crafts for sale. These beaded crafts are a means of earning needed income in a place where cash and jobs are extremely difficult to find. The Montepuez team is instrumental in the training and aiding the start up of projects like this one. 

See a video of a day in the life of a Missionary in Mozambique by clicking the button below. 

Success Story #3

He saw a need and he did something about it-- A good example to the rest of us. 

The first encounter I had with Steve Christian was several years ago as he stood near the doors leading into the sanctuary of our church. Steve was visiting our Celebrate Recovery and standing about 6' 5" he was difficult to miss!

About the same time, a young lady at CR was also working through matters which had caused her misery for most of her life. Of the course of time Steve and Becca would fall in love and marry. They would also become a dynamic force for Christ in our community and eventually begin a tender and charitable outreach to the hungry.  SEEDS OF HOPE came to be a reality over a year ago and already Steve says they've fed well above 4000!  

A host of volunteers meet monthly now to unload, organize, and distribute needed goods to anyone who has need. Lines are often seen extending outside the doors and down the sidewalk, sometimes over 100 feet! The volunteerism has created a serendipity of unity among the Believers from differing churches who work shoulder to shoulder on distribution days.  SOH has actually become one of the hallmarks of unity in our commuinity which has led to the successful launch of Springs of Life-- A recovery program for men. 

Steve is a soft spoken man who exudes humility. He says, "Being able to serve is his reward" and "that reward is more than enough." 

Though local funds and labor are the primary support of SOH, we realize that others, living far away, may want to play a part. If you are led to join, please express your interest in an email to goodsoilmin@gmail.com , and instructions will be supplied about how to make financial donations or to volunteer. 

Success Story #2

As it appears in the picture above, it doesn't look like much yet, but in a few weeks this will look like heaven to 10 men!

Springs of Life is a ministry Cliff Branum and a Board of Directors are designing to minister specifically to those with life controlling issues, to set them free from the bondages of addiction. 

Cliff, who was himself bound in addictive bondage has found freedom in Christ. The joy and hope realized in his new life in fellowship with Jesus has inspired him to reinvest in those still living without either hope or joy.  

The ministry is to be a 12 month intensive Christ-based recovery program for men. The facility will house 10.     Four staff will be active around the clock.  Cliff and his board of directors are interviewing and selecting staff. Meanwhile, Cliff busily juggles fund raising and the remodeling of the former GoodSoil Center. Many items such as beds and linens and other furnishings have already been donated as well as some start-up cash donations. Several teen groups volunteered their energies this past summer, though there is an ciritical need for expert carpenters, plumbers and the like to assist in a number of final touches like installing new windows and doors like the large double-door in the picture above.  These doors are the actual ones through which every future recovery participant  bound by addiction will enter and through which each renewed man will exit in freedom. 

GoodSoil's first contact  with Springs of Life Founder and Director, Cliff Branum, was interesting.  Cliff, at that time, was just out of high school age and already in his own full blown addiction.  A gifted musician, his charisma and charm was carrying him 'above the fray' of his destructive lifestyle, but 15 years later, after much cost financially, relationally, spiritually, and emotionally Cliff would turn and face reality at an ole' fashioned tent revival being held in Jellico. It was that night that Cliff sensed it was time he changed everything. He knew it was God calling him to turn around. He obeyed that evening and now, three years later, he is not only free, he is building a path to freedom for others. 

Success Story #1

Everyone enjoys a true success story.  So, for your encouragement, we’d like to share one from our life and ministry.

Derek was in his early 30’s. His wife, Sarah, was in her 20’s with two small children. They were at the end of a rocky road, but in the months leading up to our initial contact with them, God had been working in their hearts during a season of repentance and change.

Our first meeting was almost a decade ago this year. For Donna and me, it had come after eight long hard years of struggle in Appalachia. We’d (especially me-Steve) had wondered many times if moving to the area had been a ‘misread’ of God’s will for us. Yet, something (The Spirit?) would not let me pull the trigger on a move somewhere else. That was before meeting Derek and Sarah. 

Ironically (Divinely appointed?), our first associations with them were over hot drinks at A Common Ground Coffee Shop --which our co-workers Vince and Misty had opened in a leap of faith as self-supporting outreach to the community. Derek and Sarah liked the shop, Vince and Misty, and were drawn to our latest effort at a church gathering that was authentic, informal, non-traditional, and yet Biblical. 

Reflecting, there were a number of ‘items’ which converged for this perfect storm—none of which I was responsible for planning.  The old Church of Christ building had just been purchased my two men I’d literally only known a few hours. They leased it to GoodSoil for $1. Their surprise visit to Jellico and purchase of the building followed two weeks of prayer by the board of directors—for that specific building! Which is it’s own success story given that none of us ever told a soul that we were asking for that building.

With a facility in hand, a procession of volunteer groups began to appear. The first a youth group from Texas, the next week from Illinois, next from Tennessee…and the flow continued until the building was cleaned and furnished for use.  Meanwhile, Vince, Misty, Donna, Steve, Claudia, and my Mom decided a Sunday we’d begin meeting. About that same time, from Nashville, a group of Believers (Priest Lake Christian Fellowship) had found us on the map and decided they loved us. When their elders heard we would soon be having our first Sunday gathering, they (All 10 of them and their families!) arranged to come the Saturday before to worship and pray in the building and invite God to bless. Derek and Sarah attended that service.  We would all soon see that this perfect storm was God’s doing, and that our eight years of famine were about to become years of plenty.

Sunday morning, early, Sarah called Donna. “Do you know that woman who prayed for me?” We did, but again PLCF was new to us and we did not know everyone really well.

“Yes,” Donna replied. “Why?”

“She prayed for ‘the unborn child she is carrying", but Donna, I’m not pregnant! Do I look pregnant?”

She did not look pregnant and neither Donna nor I knew why the lady had prayed as she had.  Later we would ask and learn that she’d done so uncomfortably, but  “I just felt like God wanted me to pray that.  We counseled Sarah, “Well, IF it is God’s work, then you’ll have a child, but if not, then we are sure she meant no harm.”

A few hours later, Sarah called. “Donna! Derek went to the pharmacy to get a pregnancy test, just to see. Donna, it says I AM PREGNANT!”  The next day she went to the local clinic where a second test confirmed a pregnancy.  News spread. People came. Our first gathering filled the smallest room. The next week we were double. The third week we doubled again. Enthusiasm was mounting. For three years a Wednesday 6 a.m. Bible study was held at A Common Ground Coffee Shop. Derek invited and influenced most of the men who came. Within a short time, a Celebrate Recovery was begun in our building. Derek was again responsible for much of its success and became the primary leader for it.  Derek went on to establish a non-profit charitable Christian organization (Christ In Action) which has done much good in our area. God led him to become the point man in establishing a chaplaincy for the county sheriff’s department. Through Sarah's decision to homeschool, other local ladies and a co-op sprouted. She’s also proven to be a skilled promoter and has been key to the success of most of our church and Celebrate Recovery events. Their marriage is strong, and their children are becoming disciplined and delightful.

In the fullness of time, God had brought Derek and Sarah.  Now, a decade later, they are among the strongest in the entire community of faith in Jellico. They’ve had their share of difficulties and challenges on the way. In fact, their house burned a year ago, but I visited their new home yesterday. Derek was installing tile in a shower as I drove up. I asked for a quick tour. They moved in about two weeks ago and are still settling in, but the joy of being in their home was infectious. They had done a truly amazing job on every element of the place, but the thing that struck me most, as their three children played happily around us, were the Scriptures written on almost every room. In fact, their house is a metaphor of their new lives—new, still under construction, full of life, full of God, and a success in every way.

Click to Hear Derek's Testimony on YouTube.

Click to Hear Sarah's Testimony on YouTube.


Below are some of the Scriptures painted on the walls of their home.