2018 Newsletters
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June 2018
Dear Friends,
Bitterness! It’s a hard task-master. Like the ivy plant that will fill in every “nook and cranny” it can find, so bitterness does not stay in one corner of a person’s heart. It infiltrates other areas till it consumes every area of a person’s life.
In ministry, we see and minister to many whose lives have been consumed with bitterness. Once that root takes hold, only through the power of Jesus working in a person’s life can that root be dug up to set a person free. Elizabeth was able to share her own story of going through a time of anger and bitterness towards God (many years ago) with several groups (prison and churches) this month. Men and women alike, with tears in their eyes, thanked her saying various things such as….”thank you for sharing what you did cause that’s exactly where I am at right now”…and…”thank you, what a blessing, I needed to hear that”.
A couple of verses that Jay has been sharing with the men are John 8:31-32 “Then Jesus said…If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” As well as John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…” As Jay tells the men --- Jesus proclaims that He is the Truth and looking back at what He already said about the Truth ---- when we continue to follow Him and know Him more and more, He (Jesus aka: The Truth) will set us free. This is what Elizabeth proclaimed to the people – it was Jesus who showed her the root of bitterness (even while serving Him) that had taken hold and it was Jesus, Who through His Word, took His big strong but gentle hands to help her dig up that root and set her free.
Dear family in Christ, there are many stories of Jesus setting people free from the prison of bitterness. Inmates are no exception. We have met many inmates who are freer locked up than scores of people walking around “free” on the outside. It is through your partnership with us that we are enabled to go into the prisons and proclaim liberty to the captives. We thank you! And as we, in gratitude to our Lord Jesus for the great things He has done, continue to say it is all…..
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
For Tax-Deductible gifts make checks payable TO: Salt and Light Ministries FOR: Roberts.
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May 2018
Dear Friends,
At the beginning of this year, we prayed asking the Lord what He wanted us to focus on regarding ministry direction for 2018. His response was, “Feed My sheep.” (John 15:15-17)
For most of our years in ministry (especially the early years), our focus has been on evangelism. The Lord blessed His Word and many came to Christ. However, in the last roughly 7 years, Department of Corrections changed the way they processed the men entering the system. Up until that time, almost every man who entered the penal system started at 1 or 2 particular prisons. This was a wide open door from the Lord to catch men just starting their prison sentence when they were scared and searching for answers. We had the awesome privilege to go in and share the gospel openly and plainly, watching the Lord draw scores of men to Himself. Since the change in DOC every facility now has the means of processing the men themselves. Because of this change, instead of casting the net for a large catch of fish, it is like using a fishing pole, catching one at a time. God is still at work and men are still responding to His call to “Come”.
Since the Lord’s instruction at the beginning of the year, we have been seeing His sheep feasting on the pure, refreshing, green grass of His Word that He has entrusted to us. We are seeing the believer’s encouraged to press in closer to the Lord and a renewed fervor in being bolder in their witness to the other inmates. Jay has said so many times, “Healthy sheep reproduce sheep”. We are seeing many new men coming to the services. You can see it in their expressions; they are curious and want to hear about this Jesus that their fellow inmates are talking about and have found so much Peace in.
3 John 7&8 says, “Because that for His name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow helpers to the Truth.”
Our dear prayer partners and supporters…..Per the Lord’s instructions, we have gone forth and you have been and are our fellow helpers in the Truth. We say thank you. Our teamwork is all….
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
For Tax-Deductible gifts make checks payable TO: Salt and Light Ministries FOR: Roberts.
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April 2018
Dear Family in Christ,
We have exciting news….Our new CD entitled “Our Most Requested - All Dressed Up” is now available! This was a project years in the making. It was because of so many requests from you and the inmates that we recorded our 10 most requested songs. Our prayer is that the listener (whoever and wherever they may be) will be blessed by the Lord. For our goal is that the Lord will be glorified through it.
Even though we are excited about the completed project, what is even MORE exciting is that between the services this month, 8 men responded to the gospel!! The CD is temporal but these 8 precious souls are eternal and that is of much greater value and worth more excitement! We look outside and see spring budding forth new life and yet the greater miracle is seeing the Spirit of God bringing forth new Everlasting Life.
Another wonderful blessing this month was to receive a letter from an inmate we were able to get a Bible to early part of last year. In this last year, he has been moved 3 times. He wrote to let us know he was doing well and he has been putting the Bible to “much use”. He quoted “one of his favorite Scriptures” – Isaiah 30:18. We love seeing the Lord work in hearts of the prisoners!
Thank you our dear prayer partners and supporters for the important role you have in this ministry. Matthew 10:40-42 basically says, those who help a “prophet” or “a righteous man” or give even a cup of cold water for Jesus sake will be rewarded the same as they are. We are co-laborers together and again we say, “Thank you”. And it is all…..
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
For Tax-Deductible gifts make checks payable TO: Salt and Light Ministries FOR: Roberts.
PS – For those of you who have been asking and waiting for the new CD, we do have a few on hand to take to other churches with us when the opportunity arises.
CD Baby is a public venue who also has it. You can purchase it or download it from them too. Their link is as follows: http://store.cdbaby.com/cd/jayelizabeth They also have many venues which they use to do digital downloads. You can access our CD thru any of the following: 24-7, 7digital, 8tracks, Akazoo, Amazon MP3, Anghami, Apple iTunes, AWA, Deezer, Google Music Store, iHeartRadio, iMusica, InProdicon, KDigital, KKBox, Kuack, Line Music, MediaNet, Pandora, Rhapsody, Saavn, Shazam, Slacker, Radio, SoundExchange, Spotify, Tidal, United Media Agency (UMA), Yandex, YouTube Music
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March 2018
Our Dear Family in Christ,
We thank you for your prayers on behalf of Jay and the Foundation for Hope missions team as they traveled and ministered to the people of Romania. The Lord answered your prayers and blessed their trip. Here are a few highlights we would like to share with you….
The Oradea jail – This was Jay’s 5th time to go into this facility. He was told before they went in that the men who would be at the service were believers and they had planned on doing communion with them. The message God had already laid on Jay’s heart was one of self examination, so it went perfect. In the message, Jay asked them, “What kind of fruit are you producing?” He emphasized with them that what is on the inside WILL come out. Jesus said “by their fruit you will know them”. The men listened intently. Through the interpreter, several of them thanked him for the message saying it was just what they needed.
Gypsy villages – A Romanian told the team that the term gypsy means “untouchable” and this is exactly how they are treated. The gypsy people are very poor and they respond very well to outsiders who come and are not afraid to touch them – whether with a handshake, a hug, or a kiss on the check (which is the customary greeting). The team went from house to house inviting the people to a church service centrally located in the village. For each family that comes to the service, they are given a basic first aid type kit and a loaf of fresh bread (it is rare to find a loaf of bread in most gypsy villages). One day the team went to 3 villages with two of them having no facility to assemble in. Amidst frigid temperatures and falling snow, the people gathered in a yard to hear the Word of God. What a blessing it was to see people come out and stand in the bad weather to hear the team sing praises to God and hear the Word of God preached.
In one village, God sent Jay specifically to a man he had met last year who could not make it to the service because he was in so much pain. With the help of a guide and an interpreter, they found him. All this man had to cover his feet in the frigid wet snow were thin ankle high rubber galoshes with nothing else to protect his aching feet. Jay was able to minister to this man one on one by encouraging him in his faith. This man trusts God for his basic needs – food and shelter. Jay quoted James 2:5 “…hath God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith…” He told this man that there are many in this world that see themselves as self sufficient and are rich in material things, but it is faith and dependence upon God that is true wealth and he was much wealthier than many. Before they left, they prayed with him, gave him a kit, a loaf of bread, and a pair of socks.
In another village, Jay was asked specifically (by a Romanian pastor) to share his testimony with the older youth / teenage boys, who were starting to get into trouble. Each one of them was focused on what he shared, listening to how Jesus had changed his life. The gospel went forth and even though none of them indicated a decision to follow Christ, seeds were planted and watered that day.
Jay relapsed into bronchitis while there, but praise the Lord, with the aid of a doctor and three days of rest, he was able, on their last day there, to go with the hospice doctor to visit with several of his patients. All of the patients they visited that day had already professed faith in Jesus Christ. But, what a blessing it was to offer them comfort and assurance that to be absent from this body IS to be present with the Lord. We win no matter what. One man, Davito, it was his 79th birthday that day. Jay along with the hospice doctor and another man in his 70’s from the American team (with terminal cancer) all sang Happy Birthday to him. He was all smiles when they left. Visiting with another man, they sang “God is so Good” in Romanian. He cried. God’s precious Spirit had touched and blessed his heart knowing he would see the Lord face to face very soon.
Our dear prayer partners and supporters,
Because you are faithful in helping us continue to be available to minister in preaching the Word of God, visiting the sick, conducting Bible studies, discipling and encouraging younger believers here – not only in the prisons, but the hospitals, nursing homes, and individuals homes in our community….you allow us (Jay specifically) to be available for these trips to Romania. No matter where or to whom God sends us, you have a part in what God accomplishes in the hearts and lives of every individual He sends us to. We thank you.
For God’s Glory Alone!
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Feb 2018
Our Dear Family in Christ,
Take a brief moment to think back on that momentous day when you gave your heart and life to Jesus. Do you remember the overwhelming joy you felt? Do you remember the joy of your soul being washed clean from your sin and being set free?
Now imagine the same overwhelming joy you felt to be how the 6 men locked up in prison felt, when they responded to the gospel this month. One of them made a beeline for Jay after the service with the largest smile he could possibly have exclaiming, “I felt God’s Spirit. I felt Him!” Jay then pointed to his chest and said; “Now he lives in you.” Again the man exclaimed; “I feel Him in here!” (as he patted his chest) What a wonderful and absolutely amazing God we serve!!
1 Corinthians 3:9 says, “For we are laborers together WITH God…” That is…us along with you (our ministry prayer partners and/or supporters) are working – not just us by ourselves but all of us together (as a team) working with God to share Jesus with the lost. We thank you for standing shoulder to shoulder with us to reach out, not only to the prisoners, but anyone the Lord brings across our path or sends us to.
Lord willing, Jay will be heading to Romania March 12th thru the 23rd with another ministry (Foundation for Hope) to share Jesus with several poor gypsy villages, an orphanage, as well as be a part of the ministry team to share at a pastor’s conference. Jay (separately from the rest of the team) will have the additional privilege to once again be allowed into the Oradea jail to share the gospel with the inmates and to go with a hospice doctor to visit his patients and share Jesus with them. He has also been asked to speak to one group of gypsy teenagers who are starting to get into trouble. Please keep them all in your prayers that the Lord will bless His word and give fruit for their labor. Thank you.
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
For Tax-Deductible gifts make checks payable TO: Salt and Light Ministries FOR: Roberts
Jan 2018 Newsletter
Many of you expressed how much you enjoyed last month’s newsletter with highlights from the last 20 years of ministry. A few, with a quirky sense of humor, wondered if they should call us since some of the highlighted persons mentioned had gone home to be with Lord. We laughed saying, “No, we are not the angels of death.” Ha…ha…ha… We simply had the wonderful privilege of showing them the way to Jesus with none of us realizing how close to stepping over into eternity they were. This month we thought we would share a few more highlights with you.
Shortly after we stepped out into full time ministry, Jay submitted his testimony to the Christian radio drama “Unshackled!” (which airs in multiple countries around the world thru Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, IL). They aired his testimony (under different a name) in two parts. The lady who oversaw the project, called us shortly after it had aired to tell us, “Whatever you are going through right now, whatever attacks from the enemy you have endured, I want you to know it has been worth it. After 250 emails, phone calls, and letters, we have lost count of the number of people who have contacted us asking for someone to minister to them.” Praise the Lord!
Mother’s Day 2009 at a prison service, Elizabeth shared with the men Isaiah 49:15&16 “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands “ She told the men that whether they have a relationship with their mother or not, God loved them and He does not forget them. He loved them so much that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins and wants a relationship with each of us. In response, one of the inmate leaders stood and said, “Sister Elizabeth, Matthew 12:50 says, ‘For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.’ You being faithful to be here every month, doing the will of the Father, you have been a mother to us. Happy Mother’s Day!” With that said, the men (a gymnasium 2/3 full) stood to their feet, clapped and shouted, “HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY”.
In prison ministry, we are exposed to many different cultures. One of these cultures is urban. When we conduct church services in prison, we lead the men in a few songs then Jay preaches. One inmate in particular, yes….one from the urban culture, with a big smile, told Elizabeth that he realized all he knew was rap and did not know how to actually sing, but he loved our music and was trying to sing with us. He and his buddy both wrote rap (what they knew) to share the gospel with their peers. A few weeks before they were released, they wrote a rap song that included lyrics about us sharing Jesus with them, how grateful they were, and rapping to the others to give their lives to Him. Don’t you just love the way God uses us in our individuality for His honor and glory?
One service Elizabeth shared the crucifixion and the thief on his “death-bed” who in his final hours received salvation. She told the men it was not too late for that thief and it was not too late for them. Several prayed to receive Christ that night. Afterwards, a small framed Hispanic man, one who had prayed to receive salvation, approach her and in his very broken English said, “Thank you for sharing about the thief. That is what I am and you let me know that it wasn’t too late for me.” With a smile on his face, peace in his heart, and a bounce in his step, he went back to his cell a new creation in Christ!
One night we noticed that especially while we were singing and then some when Jay was preaching, an inmate was leaning up against the wall with his eyes closed almost as if he were asleep. He had done this before but that night it was more obvious. After the service, he made a “bee-line” for us to tell us, “I want you to know that I wasn’t sleeping during the service. You just bring such a Peaceful Spirit with you, especially when you are singing, that for the brief time you are here, I am transported out of prison into a peaceful place. Thank you!”
In each of these highlights, we know it was God’s Spirit who was touching these men’s hearts. We are blessed to simply be Christ’s ambassadors. We always pray before going through any door the Lord has opened, whether it be a prison service, a hospital, a nursing home, a person’s home, a church, etc. “Lord, You know what is needed, we don’t. Help us to be sensitive to Your Spirit and speak through us. May Jesus be seen, not Jay and Elizabeth, and may You alone be glorified.” God has honored this prayer, for we have watched Him birth many, many souls into His family. We have prayed with those who have – or – are crying out to the Lord for His intervention. We have heard the grateful believer’s praising God for encouraging their hearts to continue pressing on and draw even closer to Him. And, we can’t begin to count the number of people (both incarcerated and free) who have said, “Thank you. That is exactly what I needed to hear from the Lord today.” We stand in awe and praise Him for what He has done, what He is doing and what He will do in the future.
As with our last update, there are so many more stories we could tell you.....things He has done. We thank you for your prayers, your words of encouragement, and / or your financial support. We each in the body of Christ have a job to do. Thank you for standing with us in sharing Jesus with so many.
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
For Tax-Deductible gifts make checks payable TO: Salt and Light Ministries FOR: Roberts
On a side note……To answer a question we have been asked several times lately….if you do not need a tax receipt, you can make checks payable directly to Jay and Elizabeth
2017 NEWSLETTERS
Jay& Elizabeth Roberts
Please update your files to our email address below. This change is
going into effect because Verizon will no longer be providing email services.
Email: contact@salt-n-lightministries.org
Dec 2017 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
The close of 2017 marked the completion of 20 years in full time ministry by faith. How do you sum up these last 20 years? All we can say is, “To God be the glory for the things He has done!”
It has been quite the adventure! And to give you just a few highlights…..
A senior adult lady who had attended church all her life, after hearing Elizabeth’s testimony called her pastor to tell him, “I need to be saved.” Sitting by her side he led her to the Lord. She is now in heaven!
An elderly lady who thought she had been “too bad” for God to want her, after talking with Jay for over an hour, prayed to receive Jesus, died 9 months later, and she is now in heaven!
In visiting a lady in rehab, the woman’s roommate began asking Jay questions about the things we were talking about and after much dialog, she prayed to receive Jesus, died 11 days later, and now she is the heaven!
A man who Jay had witnessed to for nearly 30 years, only 14 hours from death responded to the Lord. He now is in heaven!
An inmate, who use to call Elizabeth “little mama”, once released and after us getting him connected with a local church, realized he had never truly given his heart to Jesus. He went forward, prayed to receive Christ, was everybody’s coffee drinking buddy, and 5 months later stepped into the very presence of his Lord after being brutally murdered by a man in his neighborhood. He is now in heaven!
A lady, who once worked in the same building as Jay, saw our names on a church marquee announcing when we would be there. She came, heard the Gospel, prayed to receive Jesus, and we found out later she died 4 months after we had been there. She is now in heaven!
An inmate, who had planned his suicide down to the very last detail, came to one of our services, heard Elizabeth share from the Word of God, realized that God is good and still had a plan for his life, rededicated his life to the Lord, has been out for many years now and caring for his ailing parents.
For the last 4 years, Jay has had the opportunity to go to Romania to share the gospel not only in poor gypsy villages, but as a result of being in prison ministry for so many years and having state wide volunteer status with Virginia’s Department of Corrections, the Romanian government allowed him to go into the Oradea jail. God has blessed in multiple ways and has brought forth a harvest of souls with each trip.
One more highlight…..Jay, going with a hospice doctor while in Romania to see his patients, was able to share the gospel with each one they visited – 2 of them responded to Jesus. Both of them, a man and a Jewish woman, are now in heaven!
For 19 of these last 20 years, we have had the privilege of being the Lord’s representatives in Virginia state prisons where we have shared the gospel with literally thousands of inmates. We have seen many men respond to the Lord’s invitation to “Come follow Me”. God has also allowed us to be a source of instruction and encouragement to our Christian brothers behind cinder block walls and razor wire.
On Christmas Eve, we had the opportunity to be with our brothers in prison. We had an absolutely wonderful time worshipping our Lord and celebrating His coming together as a family. During the invitation, 2 men responded for salvation, with 1 of them saying as he left that night to go back to his cell, “Thank you for showing me The Way!”
Our dear ministry partners that is what it is all about – showing people the way! There are so many stories we could tell you of what God has done through our team effort over the years. You as our prayer partners and/or financial supports have an impact on the inmates as well. They know there are many people, behind the scenes, who help us to go to them, each and every month, to share the Word of God with them. The faithfulness of so many speaks volumes to them. Whether you have been one who has stood with us the entire 20 years, or one who just recently came on board, or at any point in between; our labor for the Lord has always been and always will be a team effort. So we say, “Thank you!” And….Praise the Lord for the work He has done, the work He is doing, and the work He will do in the future! Praise the Lord!
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
Nov 2017 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
November brought with it many extra opportunities to share Jesus with others – extra prison services, church services, as well as just simply talking with people in our community. We know this is a very busy time of year for you, but we wanted to share with you a few highlights of what the Lord did in these last three weeks.
At several of the facilities we go to, the men have been asking Elizabeth to bring the message. After much prayer, the Lord gave her a message to proclaim to them. The message was “Trust”. She used as her springboard part of her dad’s testimony with his life verses Proverbs 3:5&6. She also incorporated Isaiah 42:16 & Isaiah 41:9&10. She broke down these verses, phrase by phrase, explaining them in ways they could relate to and understand. In the facilities she has spoken this message to thus far, 8 men have responded for salvation with many of the believers responding that it was just what they needed. It was the Lord who knew what was needed! Out of all the comments made after the services one in particular really stands out. It was an inmate who said, “Thank you for the message tonight. I am a worrier and the way you explained these verses made me realize that I really can trust the Lord.”
At the facilities the Lord led Jay to preach at, there was a wonderful response to the Word as well. He spoke on James 1:2 – giving thanks to the Lord in our trials or testing – whatever it is that comes our way – because He loves us, we can trust His character, and He will use it to mold us more and more into the image of Jesus. The Lord knew what was needed at these facilities too. As a result, 8 more men responded for salvation with many others saying “it was just what they needed”. One inmate said that he was so upset with some things going on in his life right then, that he almost did not come to the service that night. But he did. He said that because of what was spoken from the Word of God, God spoke to his heart, he released his anger and frustration to the Lord, and the Lord’s peace was back. He walked out that night with a big smile on his face and a bounce in his step.
Our Lord is so good! He knows where each and every one of us are – whether in a prison facility or outside in the “free” world. He loves us. He watches over and cares for us. He disciplines us. He is constantly at work in our lives to make us more like Himself. Because of His great love, we love Him and continue to work for Him and His glory. Our dear friends, our labor together for the Lord has always been a team effort, and though it seems inadequate, we simply say “Thank you!” And as a quick and final note, we also want to take the opportunity to wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
October 2017 Newsletter
Our fellow workers and teammates in the Lord,
We love telling you stories of what God is doing in the lives of the inmates He has entrusted us to minister to. Jay’s message for one facility in particular was on Mary and Martha. How important it is for us to take the time to be like Mary just sitting at the feet of Jesus because we love Him, listening to His voice, taking to heart what He has to say, and applying it to our lives.
That night an inmate told Elizabeth, “Tell Brother Jay thank you for me for his message tonight. It was a conformation for me that I am on the right track. It was exactly what the Lord had spoken to me in my Bible reading this morning. And instead of going out on the rec. yard with the other guys, I stayed in my cell till lunchtime just spending time with the Lord, listening to what He had to say to me.”
Another inmate wrote to say.….
“I wanted to tell and thank you for the affirmation you revealed to me on your message about Mary and Martha. The day before, I was held in the infirmary with a dozen other men in a holding room. One of the men asked me “What is frankincense?” I told him how it was used in prayers, rituals and burials. That some believed their prayers rose to heaven on the smoke. But the best known anointing of oil in the Bible was the scriptures of Mary and Martha. Two of the men present were so engrossed in my telling the story that they left the infirmary without taking their medication. They were called back by the nurse as we left the infirmary. I was truly blessed….The Word is the best medicine – coming or going”
A resounding “Yes!” The Word is the best medicine! The Word and Presence of our Lord is so refreshing to our tired, overwhelmed with stress, and distracted souls. And yet, He is not only great for us out here, but also for the inmates who are surrounded 24/7 with the every kind of evil imaginable. We, as your fellow workers in the field, thank you for helping us continue to go and share the refreshing and vibrant Living Water with so many. Thank you!
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
September 2017 Newsletter
“And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, ‘Where art thou?’ ” (Genesis 3:9)
Where are you? This was the question presented to the inmates this month. There are but two responses to this question.
Adam’s response was, “…I was afraid…and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:10)
David said, “How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.” (Psalm 36:7)
In illustrating this for the men….for Adam’s response to the Lord, Elizabeth crouched behind Jay and said, “Hiding!” For David’s heart cry response to the Lord, Elizabeth snuggled up under Jay’s arm laying her head on his chest. Jay asked the men, “When Elizabeth is here under my arm what is she close to?” The men in unison responded, “Your heart!” Exactly!!
Jay continued with the message and ended with “Where are you? Are you hiding FROM God or hiding IN God?” The invitation from the Lord went out to both believers and unbelievers. For the unbelievers: If you are hiding from God (Isaiah 55:7) “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” The result?!? 10 responded for salvation. And for the believers who are hiding IN God (Philippians 3:10) “That I may know Him...” which means my determined purpose is to progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him and the wonders of His person. Many of the believers responded to the Lord, smiling as they felt so encouraged to press in even closer to the Lord. We look at what the Lord did in and through the message and our response is “Praise the Lord!” for His truly wonderful loving-kindness and mercy as He continues working to draw souls to Himself.
The following is a simple story of how we see the men hiding IN the Lord, pressing in to know Him more…….One inmate stood, walked to the front of the room and asked his fellow inmates this question, “Do you know anyone who would gladly switch places with you?” Several squirmed in their seats but no one responded. So, he looked at the inmate on the first row, called him by name, and asked, “Do you know anyone who would gladly switch places with you?” In response, he nodded and said, “Yes, I do.” The inmate standing in front of the group looked at the others and said, “Yes! There are many who would gladly switch places with each and every one of us. Guys, we have so much to be thankful for!” Since the beginning of March, each week, the men at this facility who come to the weekly Bible study are endeavoring to memorize the books of the Bible along with one Bible verse a week. When they see each other throughout that week, they prompt each other to say the memory verse. It is an excellent way of helping each other in their individual walks with the Lord to continue to press in and know Him more.
As we too are also pressing in to know the Lord more, we are increasingly thankful for His goodness and faithfulness to us. One way He does this is through you, our prayer partners and supporters. Just as in Philippians 1:3&7 Paul states he was thankful to the Lord for the way the Philippian church partnered with him in the spreading of the Gospel, we too thank God for you. In our partnership together, God has, God is, and God will continue to work in hearts and lives to bring many sons to glory because He has promised that His Word will not return void. So we say “Thank you!”
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
August 2017
Have you ever been in a place where everything seemed fine one minute and the next minute you could feel frustration and tension so thick you could almost cut it with a knife? We all have! And that’s how it was at one of our services this month. One minute all was okay and the next, in the midst of the men trying to “help” each other set up the sound system, tempers flared, frustrations very quickly mounted, and tensions were so high that one of them started walking out. Jay was able to stop the man, quietly talk with him, assuring him that nobody was mad at him, and encouraged him to stay for the service. He did. The incident set the “mood” for the room and we noticed that as the other men were coming in, they were more distant, less attentive and less interested in the service. The men barely sang songs that they normally enjoy singing with us. At one point Jay stopped and reminded the men that the Lord Jesus was with us, trying to get them to refocus on Him and the reason we had gathered together that night. That little pep talk helped some but they were still aloof and distant. We had finished singing another song with them when Elizabeth made a request. It was a children’s chorus that she had learned as a child called, “God’s Not Dead”. It has gestures that go along with it – clapping your hands, stomping your feet, patting your heart, then throwing your hands in the air while shouting “Woooo!” The men were so surprised at Elizabeth throwing her hands up shouting “Wooo!” they busted up laughing.
Our dear ministry partners, we literally watched as the Lord Himself cut through the frustration, tension, and aloofness of the men with that simple little chorus. We saw their focus and the joy of the Lord returning to the hearts of the men as He stepped in. We continued with another chorus, “King of kings, and Lord of lords”. With this song half of the men follow Jay doing the first part “King of kings…” while the other half of the men follow Elizabeth doing the second part “Jesus Prince of Peace…”. The men loved this one too. One inmate, on Jay’s side, was watching Jay but singing what Elizabeth’s side was singing. We were all laughing and enjoying praising the Lord together. All the while, the female guard sitting on the platform behind us, was watching, noting and listening to all that was going on – the tension between the men at the beginning, the others sitting aloof, the little pep talk from Jay, the “God’s Not Dead” chorus with the men clapping, stomping, and “Wooing”; then them trying to sing the two separate parts of “King of kings”. This particular guard has always been very stoic, stern, showing absolutely no emotion, a very no-nonsense sort of demeanor. As we finished the last chorus we heard this stifled “humph, humph, humph” coming from the guard behind us. Jay turned around and when he looked at her she burst out into laughter! The men with wide eyes started laughing too. It took a few minutes to get everyone calmed back down from laughing so much. Once we all stopped laughing Jay said, “Isn’t it fun to worship the Lord?” The whole group responded with a “YES!” And yes, they became more attentive to the message.
As we dismissed, many of the men told us it was just what they needed to help them refocus on the Lord and not all the issues going on back in their pods. The inmate who was going to walk out at the beginning approach Elizabeth in tears saying, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have no idea, literally NO idea, how much you two mean to us. You are so faithful to come every month and help us keep focused on the Lord….” It was just what he needed too. And as for the guard, she walked part way with us as we left and with a smile on her face said, “They really enjoyed you being here tonight!”
God is so good! His joy really IS our strength.
Dear friends, we are so thankful for your heart of compassion for those locked away in our prison system. It is a very dark and evil place. Your prayers and / or financial support is helping to send the Light, Love and Joy of Jesus Christ into these dark places. We say, “Thank you”.
For God’s Glory Alone!
July 2017 Newsletter
Our Dear Ministry Partners,
At one of the facilities we go to, the moment the men walk in the room, Elizabeth is asked, “You gonna do my song tonight?” That song is, “Love You So Much”. There are at least two inmates who request it on a regular basis here. One of them is a young man we would guess to be in mid 20’s. The other is an older man we would guess to be in his late 60’s to early 70’s. The older one was sentenced to a single life term and has served over 38 years of that sentence. There is one particular line of the song that says, “Love You so much Jesus, Love You so much…” and this is the line the men love to sing out. The older inmate, no matter how many times he hears it – cries. He wells up with so much gratitude for what Jesus has done in his life that he cannot contain the tears of joy. What a blessing it was to hear from him just last week letting us know that he received a letter stating that he was approved for parole in just three months from now! Life will completely change for him, but we know that our awesome God who has walked with him through his life in prison will be faithful to continue to walk with him out here.
The Lord opened up an exciting opportunity to go back to a facility that we have only been to one time before. He led Jay to preach on what it really means to “believe” in or on Jesus. It’s not about saying some “magic” prayer but having a relationship with Him. At invitation time five men raised their hand that they needed salvation. However, seven men raised their hand that they prayed along with Jay for salvation. Praise The Lord!!!
One more quick story….last year we told you about the Lord opening the door for us to start going to another facility on a monthly basis and we were excited to see what He wanted to do here. It is a slow process, but the men are ever so gradually warming up to us. This month, Jay preached on the two stories of the disciples in the boat during horrific storms and how they reacted to Jesus in each one. (Matthew 8:23-27 & 14:22-33) In the second story, Jesus comes to the disciples walking on the thing they feared the most – the water. Many times the very thing we fear the most is the very thing Jesus will come to us on, assuring us that what seems to be over our heads is still under His feet. Afterwards, he was approached by many men saying it was exactly what they needed that night.
Before we go into a prison, we always ask the Lord to show us what the men need. We may have ideas or an outline of what we intend on sharing, but it is the Lord alone Who knows what they have need of. He sees and knows every situation they are facing, we do not. The Lord has been faithful to answer those prayers. It is the Lord Who does the work in hearts and lives. We are blessed to have the privilege to go and be His representatives. We thank you for helping us go!
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
June 2017 newsletter
Our Dear Ministry Partners,
We love telling you stories of what God has done and is doing in the hearts and lives of the men we come in contact with in our prisons. 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 says, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And the base things of the world, and things which are despised (which means: branded and held in contempt), hath God chosen…” Inmates are definitely a segment of our society who are despised, branded, and held in contempt. But God is so rich in mercy, full of compassion and eager to forgive. We have the wonderful privilege of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with exactly the type of people referred to here, in this passage.
DG is such an inmate. The Lord has graciously allowed us the opportunity to be there for him in way of encouragement and discipleship for the last 7 or 8 years. He told Elizabeth, just recently, “It’s scary! Really scary! When I was on the outside, I thought I knew what Christianity was and thought for the most part I lived it. But it wasn’t until I ended up here and got into the Word that I truly realized what it means to be a Christian. It took this dark place for me to see how self deceived I was.”
DG is serving a 17 year prison sentence with 27 months to go. He was born again in prison and has utilized his time very wisely in the study of God’s Word. He is now leading a Bible study in his pod, doing discipleship with younger believers, and sharing the Truth of God’s Word with those who are seeking. Though he has been abandoned by friends and family on the outside, he is so thankful and grateful for God loving him, choosing him, and walking with him!
We cannot thank you enough, our prayer partners and supporters, for the behind the scenes work you do in partnering with us in reaching the despised, the branded and those held in contempt, for Jesus sake. None of us will ever know this side of eternity, all that God accomplished through our collective efforts. Teamwork! And all…..
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
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May 2017 newsletter
Our Dear Ministry Partners,
What a month it has been! The Lord placed a very special message on our hearts then opened many doors for us to share this message from Him to the people.
What was this message? Relationship! Relationship! Relationship!
Psalm 73:25 “…there is none (no-one or no-thing) upon earth that I desire besides thee.”
John 3: 15-18 with the emphasis on“believeth on Him” and what exactly that means – not just accepting facts about Jesus but to “cling to or embrace wholly and completely; to trust totally in;and rely on Him just like we rely on food and water to sustain our life”
Philippians 3:10 “That I may know Him….” This is to be our goal – to become more intimately acquainted with Jesus and the wonders of His person.
1 Peter 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love….yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable…” When we know and love Jesus, we get excited over Him. When was the last time you got excited over Jesus?
Jude 24 “(He will one day)….present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” Jesus gets excited over His people.
Again, Relationship! It is all about having a relationship with Jesus.
And what, you may ask, was the result of all these open doors? All the services combined, somewhere between 35 and 40 men raised their hand for salvation! In addition, many indicated that they needed to return to their first Love. One of them telling us that the message made him stop, examine himself, and ask himself, “Why am I serving the Lord? Is it to present myself as something to the others? Is it to earn points to get me out of here sooner? Or is it because I really love Him?” He said that after much soul searching and praying, he came to the conclusion that he served the Lord because he truly loves Him. He then thanked us for making him stop and re-evaluate why he does what he does for the Lord. God is SO amazing!
We thank you for your prayer and / or financial support. Our team work together with the Lord is yielding a harvest of souls.
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay& Elizabeth
April 2017 newsletter
Dear Ministry Partners,
In Genesis 39:20-23, we read about Joseph being thrown into prison. “But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” God still does this today, as shown in the following two stories…..
Tyrone is an inmate we were blessed to have met over 16 years ago. While he was at a facility that we went to on a regular basis, we stayed in continual contact with him (through letters) to encourage him in his walk with the Lord as well as encouraging him in his ministering to his fellow inmates. When he was transferred to another prison, our correspondence with him slowed way down. The Lord has opened the door for us to go to the prison he is currently at on May 7th. We are so excited! Not only will we get to see him again, but we also will get to see other inmates we have ministered over the years that also have been transferred to this facility. We have received letters from them asking us to come. In talking with the chaplain, setting up the date, he told us that Tyrone will be released 4 days after we are there. This is where we see Genesis 39:21 coming in. Tyrone has been such a blessing and godly example to the other inmates that the chaplain keeps asking him, “Are you sure you don’t want to stay longer?” The chaplain told Jay on the phone that he knows Tyrone want to go home but he keeps trying to convince him that he is still needed and needs to stay. What a blessing!
George is another inmate God is using on the inside. He heads up the prayer team and is a strong godly leader to other inmates at the facility he is at. God opened the door for us to go to the facility he was transferred to on April 30th. It was a blessing to see him again after 4 years and observing how the other inmates look up to him for spiritual guidance. Genesis 39:21 comes in again here…..for when one of the higher ranking officers took the job as warden at another facility, he asked George,“Why don’t you come along with me?” To which he replied, “Noooo….I like it here just fine.” We just can’t help but smile!
We praise the Lord for the wonderful privilege it is to serve Him in the prisons. Jesus said in Matthew 25:36 “…I was in prison, and ye came to me.”Going into our prisons to share Jesus with the lost and encourage the believers there is such a joy. We thank you for your partnering with us. Whether in prayer and/or financial support, we as a team – you sending and us going – are together fulfilling the very words of our Lord. Thank you!
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay& Elizabeth
March 2017 Newsletter
Dear Ministry Partners,
Thank you for your many prayers on behalf of Jay and the ministry team from Foundation For Hope. The Lord used the whole team to reach out to so many with the love of Christ. Though there are many stories that could be shared, we want to share three of them.
1. “Our team was divided for ministry in two villages. I was amongst the team ministering in the gypsy village Andrid – a Hungarian speaking gypsy village in Romania. It was the first time FFH had been to Andrid. We had scarcely gotten off the bus to meet with the gypsy pastor, guides, and others who would be helping when a man stated that I looked familiar. Through the aid of interpreter, he proceeded to ask if I had ever been in the Oradea, Romania jail. It so happens that this man had been in the prison last year when I was there and he remembered me. I recognized him as one of two incarcerated men who had fallen to their knees, tears streaming down their faces, surrendering to Jesus as Lord. We were happily reunited in the common bond of Christ! He had been out of prison only 4 months and God was using him in the complex task of interpreting. I was speaking English, Pastor Cosmin was translating into Romanian, and the ex-offender was translating from Romanian to Hungarian. What a blessing from the Lord.”
2. “I was invited, March 10th, to minister to El Sedai Ministries to which I had been for the first time last year. El Sedai is primarily a half way house for adult orphans. When orphans reach the age of 18, if they are not continuing formal education, they must leave the facilities which have been home to them. El Sedai Ministries helps provide shelter, clothing, medical care, assists with finding jobs, teaches them to handle their own finances, and acclimating into society. The ministry also assists some ex-offenders with finding jobs.
Sorin was my interpreter. Nicolae leads worship in the prison services and also teaches guitar to not only the residents at El Sedai but to many Romanian youth and gypsy kids. Sergio, is an ex-offender I met with last year to talk with him about the most important thing he needed to do in his life – giving his life completely to the Lord Jesus. He was stiff-necked and not ready to make that commitment, saying he first needed to make money. After ministry that evening, when we
were on our way back, I once again point-blank asked Sergio (thru Sorin) if he had thought anymore about making the commitment to follow Christ. He said yes, that he had made that choice. What joy we all felt at that very moment. Sorin said that he had noticed a change but had never come right out and asked him. Sergio gave testimony of how the Lord had been changing his heart since making the commitment to follow Christ. He said that he use to fight with his next door neighbor all the time, but now when his neighbor says cruel things to him and his family, he goes on without retaliating. One night his neighbor’s house caught on fire and did much damage to the roof of his house. Sergio said because the Lord had been changing his heart, he helped his neighbor financially (with what he could) and when a team of people gathered to fix the roof, he was the first one up the ladder.”
Some plant the seeds of the gospel. Some water the seeds that have been planted. But it is God Who gives the increase. Sergio is a good example of this. His wife is not a believer and is mocking him in his new life with Christ. We are praying that she (along with their daughter) will also make the decision to give their lives to Christ and follow Him.
3. “In Cighid (you can Google documentaries on this place), I was looking for the little man who loved the song Hallelujah. He was nowhere in sight, so I started inquiring about him. A worker said there was one small man in the upstairs of one of the buildings so they went and got him. They told me that his name is Dorel (not sure of the spelling). It was him! Through an interpreter I was able to tell him that he was special to me because of his love for the song and I wanted to share it especially for him. He nodded when asked if he understood. As in previous years, his whole being came alive as I played and sang it. We are not permitted to share photographs from Cighid but a photo given to me with the two of us is priceless to me.”
In a few short weeks, we will celebrate the greatest event in all of history – the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are told multiple times in Scripture that we are to live with purpose. We have been bought with a price. We are not our own anymore. We are to become more and more like Him while walking out what He has called each of us to do. We are so blessed to do what He has called us to.
Our precious ministry partners, though you may be “unseen” to the prisoners, to those in Romania, or to the others in our community that the Lord has called us to, you are seen by the Lord. You are a vital part of this ministry. We thank you…..the prisoners thank you…..the Romanians thank you….the people in our community that the Lord has called us to thank you. We are teammates and co-laborers together in the Lord. May we each live our lives…..
For God’s Glory Alone!
Jay & Elizabeth
PS-If you wish to read more testimonials of this trip not only from Jay but other team members, you can go to: http://www.foundationforhoperomania.org/category/march-2017-trip/ )
February 2017 Newsletter
Dear Ministry Partners,
It has been another month filled with God’s goodness! We are so excited to tell you what He did. 2 Corinthians 12:9&10, “...My strength is made perfect in weakness…” We saw this in action!
The Lord opened the door for us to go to a facility that we had never been to before. The day before we were to be there, Elizabeth woke up and had completely lost her voice. She could not get anything out above a whisper. We had no idea what was going on because she felt fine – she just simply had no voice. Even as we were driving to this facility,the following day, she still had no voice. We were concerned that she would be turned away and not allowed to come in with not being able to speak. BUT, God did an amazing work!!! The moment we walked through the door of the prison, her voice returned! She was able to greet the guards, answer questions, talk to the inmates before the service, was able to sing, and talked with the men,chaplain, and guards after the service. The moment we got back in the vehicle to drive home, her voice was completely gone again. Even though she again had no voice, we were praising God for what He had done!
The following day, she went to the see our nurse practitioner (a fellow believer) and found that she had Laryngitis. When Jay told him what had happened at the prison the night before, even he said,“Wow”, and was praising the Lord with us.
However!! This was not the greatest work God did that night. The greatest work He did that night was drawing 5 men into a relationship with Him!! God is so awesome!! He works through our weaknesses to show Himself as the Mighty God and draw precious souls to Jesus.
Another opportunity coming up very quickly is March 6 – 18. Jay will once again be going to Romania, where he will be allowed to go to the Oradea jail (with an interpreter), as well as several gypsy villages, an orphanage, an abandoned elderly facility, a transitional housing facility for former inmates and orphans, as well as a pastor’s conference. Your prayers are much appreciated for him and the team.
God is so good! We thank you for partnership with us in reaching out to the prisoners. It is truly a field that is white unto harvest. The Lord continues to send us and with your help, we continue to go. Thank you!
For God’s Glory Alone,
Jay& Elizabeth
January 2017 Newsletter
Our Dear Ministry Partners in the Lord,
As we sit here typing this update and reflecting on what the Lord did this month, we are filled with awe. You, our prayer partners and supports have a part in all that He did.
First, we want to update you on two previous prayer requests…..
1. Thank you for your prayers regarding Jay’s arm. The doctor was very pleased with his recovery and officially released him on January 9th. So, Lord willing, Jay will once again be able to go with the ministry team to Romania, March 6 – 18.
2. We also have completed what was needed to be recognized as a non-profit 508-c1a. We are recognized as a “mobile” church. This means that instead of us meeting like other churches with weekly services, congregations and building facilities; we are going out into the community (individual’s homes, hospitals,nursing facilities, etc) with prison ministry still our main focus, taking church to them. As a 508-c1a, we are now able to receive donations directly without going through another source. We praise the Lord for this because it will enable us to be more mobile and flexible in our Master’s hand. Thank you for your prayers.
We were recently re-assigned from one prison to another. What is so wonderful about this transition is that in the months leading up to this change, the Lord kept placing a particular prison on our hearts. When we were asked about the possibility of being re-assigned to it,we jumped at the opportunity. We are now in the beginning stages of building relationships with the men there. There is great excitement because we know the Lord has gone before us, opened this door unto us, and we are looking forward to what He has in store.
In the days leading up to our last two prison services this month, the Lord was so blessing and refreshing us with His Word that we headed out with a renewed excitement to share His precious Word with the men. At the first of the two services, the Lord knew who needed to hear it,for He drew a record number of men out for the service. The majority of them were singing out with us and drinking in the pure Water of Life as the Word was being preached. During the invitation, three men raised their hand for salvation. One young man approached us afterward, so excited, wanting to tell us how he recently gave his heart to Jesus and was so blown away that everything Jay had just preached because it was exactly what the Lord had been showing him in his quiet time that week.
In the last service, the spiritual warfare was raging. The men at this facility are being taught that most of the Bible is dead; that it doesn’t matter how you live because it’s all under grace; and you don’t even have to ask for forgiveness. Throughout the entire service a small group of men continued to talk with no regard for the Word or anyone else in the room. Whenever Jay would read a Scripture or expound on the verses read, they would express their opinions with each other, not caring who heard them, and adamantly denied the Truth being spoken. Though the enemy was feverishly working, God had put a guard on Jay’s ears so that he never heard them. He also gave him a boldness to proclaim that the Bible is very much alive, that it does matter how we live, and we are to glorify Jesus in everything we say or do.
When the invitation of the Lord went out, three men raised their hand to indicate they were in need of salvation.BUT, look what God did!!!!! Jay led the men in a prayer, and even though he said they could pray silently in their hearts to God, you could hear men allover the room repeating the prayer after him. With heads still bowed and eyes still closed, Jay asked for a show of hands of those who prayed for salvation. Hands went up all over the room! They were going up so fast that after 10, Jay lost count. The enemy worked hard to distract and disrupt; but God over-ruled and brought a bountiful harvest!! HALLELUJAH!!!!!
Afterwards, though there are many stories we could tell you about, one in particular was such a blessing. One inmate asked Jay quietly if he could talk with him privately. Once almost all of the others had left, Jay was able to step to the side with him. The inmate told him that he had been coming to the services for a long time. He shared with him the sin that he had been struggling with and told him that he had actually been fasting that week begging God for deliverance. He went on to tell Jay that he was one of the men who prayed to receive Christ. The guard was rushing the rest of the inmates out, so Jay quickly gave him a few things to encourage him before he left. GOD IS SO AMAZING!!!
In closing, Philippians 1:3&5 reflects what we would like to say to you. “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you….For your fellowship in the gospel…” Thank you!
For God’s Glory Alone,
Jay& Elizabeth
