All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. II Timothy 3:16-17

Last week as I was preparing a lesson for my Sunday School class, the writer discussed how often today Christians look at the scriptures like a salad bar, “picking what they like and ignoring the rest” As I pondered that thought it occurred to me that many of the ladies who enter our program have that same mindset.  Many of them have had an “experience” of some type with church and Christianity, but they don’t respect the scripture as the Holy inerrant word of God. Often they don’t understand that the bible is not a book about God, but it is the God breathed word of God.

The Bible is made up of sixty-six books compiled into one unit that was penned by man but God inspired.  Each author was distinctively different in his personality and background.  Yet, God was able to join them together, in unity, to write His book with one purpose, revealing His truth and His relationship to mankind.  Every word in the Bible is precisely what God wanted communicated to us.  Only God could take forty plus men and supernaturally use them to write His words yet never compromise the truthfulness, clarity or purity of the finished product. These facts combined with love for God encourages us to teach and share the word of God daily with the residents of Haven of Rest.

When a woman enters our program, almost unanimously they share with us that their addiction was born out of a need to fill a void.  Often they have gone to church, and many own a Bible, they have had “conversations” with God. At one time or another in our lives many of us wanted to hear from God, but we only wanted to listen if His answer aligned with our thoughts, dreams and plans.  Often the lifestyles of people today leave little room for the authoritative word of God to manage their lives.  When God’s word seems harsh or too difficult, it is ignored or discarded.  But the scripture from II Timothy tells us that ALL scripture is from God and is “profitable” for our lives, but profitable for what? The verse mentions four things, “teaching, reproof, correction, and training”.  Scripture helps us restructure our thinking to be more like His thinking.  Scripture teaches us; it lays a foundation of doctrine; it corrects us; and it trains us.  Verse 17 sums up why Scripture is important; so that God’s children will be equipped for His service. 

At the Haven of Rest our goal is to see the lives of those who come to us seeking help, changed from the inside out.  We endeavor to teach that God and God alone can change lives and fill the emptiness that exist in the soul of a person separated from God.  The discipleship teachings that are offered at the Haven of Rest utilizes the Bible, God’s holy word to equip our clients to become the men and women that God intended them to be.

Have you equipped yourself with the word of God so that you are prepared for the tasks that He has called you to do?

Terri Dickson

Associate Director, Women’s Ministry

"One Another" Sighting

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.  Honor one another in brotherly love.  (Rom 12:10)

The clients at the Haven of Rest Men's Training Center had a unique opportunity to be involved in the Rick Gage Go Tell Crusade at the BHP stadium on May 20-23.  There was a great out pouring of the spirit's work with over 1000 decisions for the week.  As young converts, for our men to see that kind of out pouring was probably a once in a lifetime experience.  Equally, our men saw the body of Christ united around a cause bigger than themselves.  Our men were able to experience first hand and hands on other men working together.  Many men in our community came early and stayed late after the crusade and lent a hand to lift and load, tear down and remove the stage from the crusade. 

The image I have in my mind was of course hundreds of people of every age flooding the field during the invitation time.  I will never forget the excitement of being able to witness the moving of the Spirit in that way.  Afterwards at the end of the day, a group of about 30 to 35 men joined hands on the track at BHP stadium and offered up a prayer of thanks for what He had done.  I sensed I was part of a group that had accomplished something that no one of us could have accomplished by ourselves.  For the Haven men to be able to see other Christian men rallying around them and encouraging them and edifying them, working along side of them, as well as doing grunt work for no other reason than they simple wanted too was a picture I don't think I"ll forget. 

Thank you to the community of Christ, the churches and for those who worked so hard to put this crusade together and most of all for letting the Haven of Rest men see love in action.

Eddie Capps

Director
Haven of Rest
Men's Training Center

Practice Peace

 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” Isaiah 26:3 (NIV).

PEACE, PEACE! We all want it. Most seldom experience it. Why? Because we lack self-discipline over our thought-life. The mind is the spiritual battlefield. Every argument, every lie, every feeling of anxiety, or rush of fear begins with a thought.

God gives us the recipe, however, in Philippians 4:8-9, to control our thought-life and experience true peace: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—PRACTICE these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Practice a peace-filled day today!

Theresa C. Allen

Women’s Ministry Director

Employee Benefit Fair

Our annual Employee Benefit Fair gives us a time to share information and show our appreciation to those who share hope and love to countless others throughout the year as a part of their daily routine.  During this event we give each employee a small gift from our ministry along with a few other “goodies” from area merchants.  We currently employ 74 individuals in 12 different locations in the upstate of South Carolina and in Hartwell, Georgia.  We will be meeting with our employees on May 9^th and May 16^th.  If you should have any small items that you might be able to contribute for our Employee Benefit Fair, please call 226-6193 and ask for Sharon at ext. 106 or Nan at ext. 107.  We will need to receive your gifts by Friday, May 4^th.  A list of those who contributed toward this event will be given to each employee and published in a future news article on our website. 

Sharon D. Brown

Financial Director

Lord of the Harvest

Here at the Men’s Training Center we are very busy working fields that have not been worked for a very long time. We are cutting old and neglected ground, pulling weeds and breaking up hard dirt.

Yes, we are planting seed in the ground.  The part that always makes me stop and think is this seed is dead and we put it into the ground and wait. We pray for rain and for the power of the Sun to heat up that seed, to keep it warm.  All of a sudden we see an amazing thing, a very small and tender shoot starts to grow and the hard ground gives up its hold and new life begins to grow. I have to say it is exciting to see what was dead is now alive and as we wait and give this plant time, food and water we will someday see the fruit of all our hard work. Some say, "What good is it to try and farm that old ground? It has not done any good and there is no fruit in it." I think all we are called to do is show up and plant. The Lord of the harvest will do the rest.

Please if you would keep us all in prayer. As we get these fields ready to plant, we need you to ask God to send the fruit for the harvest.

Thank you!

Your fellow laborer,  

Gene Christian

The Promise of Easter: Hope and "New Life" in Christ!

How can we let a day that represents unending hope and “new life” for us be so heartbreaking for others? 

They need the promise of Easter…enduring hope and a “new life” in Christ Jesus.

       Will you please help give them hope this Easter?

Our goal is to provide a warm Easter meal for the homeless.  Plus, give them encouragement,  love, and the real reason to hope again.  To achieve this goal, we need your immediate help.  Can we count on your support?  You can provide a hot Easter meal to one person who is hungry for only $2.05.  Please consider feeding 10 people with a special gift of $20.50…$41.00 to feed 20 people…or$102.50 to feed 50 people who are hungry.

On Good Friday April 6, 2012, with your support, we will be able to provide a warm meal, heartfelt hope, and an environment to hear the truth about “new life” in Christ starting with hundreds of  people this Easter and throughout the entire year. 

No Worries

Why do we all get lost in the details and “what if’s” of life?  It is almost as if we forget about God’s promises and focus on the unknowns of our life.  Some people actually worry about what clothes to put on in the morning and they have a closet full of clothes to choose from.  Some people get frustrated on where to go eat for dinner and they have a full wallet to spend on ordering whatever meal they desire.  There are even some people who stay awake at night worrying about what might happen the next day at work, but they have a job to go to.  I promise I am not only speaking to some of you, but myself at times.  We must remember those who have no clothes or possessions, no food to eat, no warm bed to sleep in or a home to call their own, or even the luxury of having a job, any job.

As I teach in a “Managing Your Emotions” class at the Women’s Ministry, God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  We know the important parts of the story and God will reveal the details of our lives to us in His perfect timing and His perfect way.  God already provided the manuscript for our life in giving us His holy word the Bible, will He not also provide us with the details when He is ready to do so.

Remember to focus on what we know to be truth and not what we think might or might not happen in our life!

In Christ,

Heather J. Mabe
Development Coordinator