The Journey
Nita LaFond Johnson
12/20/13
Greetings friends, in the name of our
Lord, Jesus Christ! Looking back over 2013, it seems as though the days
passed faster than any in recent years. Even problems seem to pass by
quickly. Troubles come and troubles go. Both the deepest sufferings and
the greatest joys are only passing feelings. The only constant that we
have is Christ. If our soul is with Him, then all is well, regardless of
our surroundings. Disappointments may bring about selfish wishes and
distractions, yet in Christ, we may find a peace that overcomes all
situations and brings fresh new hope for the tomorrow
that God will bring. May we all learn to walk wisely in such blessings.
If our house is built on the rock, we are firm and immoveable until the
end. If it is not, may I humbly suggest that you turn to the Word and
let it be your guiding light, making the way clear.
In this past year, we have had some
incredible challenges, and I am sure many of you have experienced
similar issues. As for us here at World for Jesus Ministries, we have
learned that perseverance in the face of adversity will ultimately
increase the beauty of the captured prize, whatever that may be to you!
Since arriving in the Northwest, the Lord
has closed down the ministry as we knew it in NOLA and opened the many
ministries we are utilizing today. I look at what we are doing today and
I am amazed that the ministry is branching out just as I have always
longed to see it do. Beautiful things are springing up to touch needy
lives. We have sought to be faithful whether it be when feeding the poor
or building an orphanage. We have searched out those in need and moved
to assist as we felt the Lord calling forth our involvement.
Now we have a five-fold vision for the
poor in America that is opening in our hands and bringing increasing
blessings in our own area. Of course, we still give large amounts to
ministries who deal with national and international crises such as Sandy
and Yolonda. Still, there is an even deeper satisfaction in opening
your hands to help those who are desperate right here at home.
CedarWood
Our ministry to the poor is called
CedarWood. Christ is referred to as “the lofty cedar” and in the Word,
those who grow to maturity are called “cedars” as well. When Jesus gave
me this name, I thought it is not usually the kind of name used by a
ministry. Yet, after several visions I knew for certain that this would
be our name and one that would bring Him great pleasure if we would
embrace it. We currently have six branches reaching out from us, each
developing on the other, and there are another two planned. Let me name
them:
1 st - Coats and Clothes: Here we
provide coats, clothes, and shoes for those who have need of them.
Believe me, in these cold Northwestern winters the poor certainly need
them. If you feel a burden to help us with this, please contact the
office. You can support with your prayers, your gifts of love, and even
merchandise in good repair. If you live in the area, come, join us, and
offer your help. We will gladly find you a place.
2nd -Backpack Kids: This is an
outreach to feed children who have little or no means of getting meals
over the weekend. In our work with the school administrators, we
discovered a desperate need for nourishment among children, many of whom
were living below the level of poverty and going hungry on the
weekends. Through the BackPack Kids program, we bring healthy food to
needy children. A local school district is allowing us to test a program
in which we will distribute 3 full meals in a child's backpack on
Fridays, keeping them well-fed throughout the weekend. This pilot
school’s staff has called BackPack Kids “An answer from above,” saying,
“We couldn't get help from other programs,” and "We are so excited that
these children can now have some weekend help." With the start of the
2013-2014 school year, we had three schools an another entering in
January. Our goal is to see that no child in the Seattle area goes
hungry on the weekends during the School year. The odds seem
overwhelming, but we are learning that by working together and taking
one step at a time, feeding one child at a time, we can accomplish this
goal!
3rd-The Pantry: We open every Monday
and offer food to the poor for free. We are one of the only food banks
that offer fresh proteins, like meat and chicken. The demand is
continuing to increase, but the added contributions are cutting our
expenses down, while keeping us able to meet the needs of the poor.
People are getting saved and healed through this effort. I might also
add that when we arrived here, there were eleven or twelve food banks.
Today, there are only five of us, despite the increasing need for these
services.. Please consider helping us help the greater Seattle area, and
let them know that Jesus loves them.
4th -Homes for the homeless families:
We are being called on occasionally to help the homeless find housing.
Our goal is to provide temporary housing for those families that are
find themselves dumped on the street.
During our Gathering Of the Eagles in
Hawaii several years ago, the Lord gave me a vision of a man whom I
think was Japanese, yet a citizen of the Island. I was led to pray
blessings upon him. A year or so later, I watched a spot where the media
was reporting on how a man owned many large houses in Oahu that he had
opened up for homeless families to live in. When I saw the man, I was
shocked. It was the man I had blessed in our GOE. He even had the same
shirt on during the interview that he wore in the vision. I did not know
this man, but God did and was pouring out blessings to him to reward
his selfless generosity. I have wept many tears over the poor in Hawaii
over the years, but this man has done something about it. The poor
moved in without any means to pay him for his kindness, and the Lord
kept blessing him to give more.
I tell you this story because the Bible
tells us that to give to the poor is to lend to the Lord. We cannot
out-give God. He is bound by His goodness to repay those who give to the
poor. I wonder if there are any reading this that could give a monthly
gift to help us support housing for the poor families, or help us open
homes for kids that parents are pushing out into the streets because
they cannot afford to feed them. Some could easily afford to pay a full
month’s rent or could even donate enough to allow us to purchase a home
to put these people in. This is America, and this scenario is painfully
real. The Church must help them. Please consider what you could do.
5th -Lunch Counter: We are
currently looking for a way to open a lunch counter for the homeless. We
will only open for lunch and serve the homeless a hot meal.
6th - We are looking toward
starting a training school where we can have local tradesmen and/or
professional people come to help train the needy. This could help them
find a new way to provide for their families and find their way out of
poverty.
7th - On the drawing board! We are
looking at plans to build an apartment complex that would service as
temporary homes for the homeless. Things are going to get worse before
they get better. We would like to have something of this nature for
families who will need the hope, human care, and the love that Christ
can offer. Please pray over this for us.
Joel’s Army
Joel’s Army is still growing by leaps and
bounds. We are now in over 20 countries. The vision of Joel’s Army is
people praying for their nations, with small Prayer Cells peppering the
land all over the world. The Lord has promised to use them to help bring
stability to the nations of the world during a treacherous time. The
call will soon come, and those who are praying for the Lord’s mercy will
soon move out in the prophetic and signs and wonders. The Lord has
shown me this and commissioned me to prepare the intercessors for it.
This movement has already begun. Recently, I understand that He has also
shown Bob Jones the same. We have been working on this for nearly two
years now. For now this army is striving to pray America through the
difficult days ahead and wholly rescue us from the NWO. Please consider
joining us and help us save America!
The Gathering Of the Eagles
Our next DC GOE will be on March, the
4-10, 2014. We have seen so many answers to prayer in these Gatherings,
it is astounding. Further, these answers are not small trifles. We have
prayed through many things the Lord has told me to pray through. We know
that some of these things are being prayed on by many. This is not the
case with all issues, however, so the Lord asks us to take them on in
prayer. Our Nation has weathered many things recently, but the truth is
that we have not gone through many things we would have, had the Lord
not secretly spoken to us and told us to intervene. He is wonderful, we
are needy, and He is able to reveal His power in the sight of our need.
He shows Himself to be strong and we are blessed. Join us in DC in the
spring. The nation needs you! You will always be glad you did!
We are praying for both you and this
nation. We are also praying for President Obama. The Lord has told me
that if we hold him in prayer, he will be saved and the Lord will be
able to use him to pull us out of the dangers we are about to face.
Please keep him in your prayers.
We are also praying for the Church! We
need revival and that is soon to occur. I have much more to say
prophetically, but I will share it with you after the GOE.
We know that this is the time when many
decide what they are going to do with their year-end giving. Please
consider us. We have need of several new staff members, higher level
management people, as well as the things I mentioned in the body of this
letter. We are attempting to prepare and be ready for what is coming in
2014. The Lord will surely bless you for your participation for the
sake of the nation and the poor!
Bless you in Christ!
In His love,
Nita Johnson
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