Update from Julia Schatz - March '23

Dear Pastor Mike,     
    WHOEVER?  You may be wondering why this is the word I have chosen to highlight in my news. Last Sunday I attended the same church where 38 years ago I first heard the Good New that Jesus is the Savior for lost sinners and 'WHOEVER" believes in Jesus, God's Son, who paid the penalty for their sins, their sins are forgiven and they are given the free gift of eternal life!  Yep, that's me!  I'm one of God's WHOEVER's, and now His daughter and a member of His family.  Also, my favorite story from the Bible was taught and preached at that service I attended. It is a story about another one of Jesus' WHOEVERS. The Samaritan Woman in John 4, Jesus spoke with her at Jacob's Well. As my friend Mike so powerfully said when he gave this beautiful sermon, "There was no greater example of WHOEVER!  Jesus cuts through all the social, moral and spiritual boundaries of the day and declares unequivocally that when He says "whoever" He means "whoever!"  
     I love that story so much!  That woman was at at best disregarded and cast aside. Most would avoid talking with her. A sore in the eyes of her community. But it was probably much worse! She was scorned and shamed. Her reputation was stained by one failed relationship after another. She was desperately looking for love in all the wrong and many places.  Then she met Jesus!... He knew her!  and all about her shameful life of failure and poor decisions. And Jesus did NOT avoid her.  He went to her on purpose!  And she believed Jesus when He told her He is the Savior. When she believed that day she received Living Water and was restored to a right relationship with God. She left the water in the bucket behind to run to tell others about Jesus!  She began a relationship with Jesus that would both mend and fill her broken and shattered heart. He gave her purpose.  Go and tell "WHOEVER"! I love that story because it's my story too.  What is your story?  Who are your "WHOEVERS?"  

     I am preparing to mobilize a team to the Middle East, soon. Why? To tell that world about Jesus!  We have a message of hope from God for"whoever!" A gift from God we will eagerly extend to "whoever" for their response to believe and to receive, this compassionate, merciful and very expensive gift. John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them"  He wants to mend and fill their broken hearts and broken lives and give them a new purpose, so all people in this broken world will hear about Jesus.  

     As always, I am deeply and forever grateful for your loving, caring and generous gifts of financial support and for your prayers.      Romans 10:13 - 15  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him if they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
Thank you for sending me!