September 2021 Newsletter
S T O N E S O F R E M E M B E R A N C E
During our Night of Prayer to dedicate the building, we laid the first four stones of remembrance. We will continue this tradition with each story of the Lord's faithfulness.
Dear 431 family,
Praise God for the building that is now in the name of 431 Ministries! If you haven't been following us on social media, we officially took the keys on June 23, and began demolition on August 15. We had an open night of prayer to dedicate the building and pray for the future before we began renovations. During the night of prayer, we laid our first “stones of remembrance.” We wanted to have a physical reminder, just like the Israelites, of all the times the Lord has been faithful to us. Our prayer is that they serve as an encouragement not only to us but those around us who have heard the stories and believe.
Since then, we have had many different groups of volunteers come out to serve with us at the new building. We've removed trash, damaged flooring, and the old drop-down ceilings. We've scrubbed the walls and floors, and worked on the bathroom. The transformation that has happened already is absolutely incredible, and we couldn't have done it without you!
Please keep us in your prayers as we finish the remaining demolition.
Speaking of prayer, three years ago we started praying for God to provide an architect to draft our floor plans as we dream about all that will happen in the space in the future. Phillip Chuor from Finish Your Chores stepped forward, offering his talents as a gift, and we are so grateful. Just like us, he recognizes that this building is the Lord’s.
Please pray with us that the Lord continues to guide this whole project. We commit it to Him, knowing that He will accomplish all that He desires within the four walls. Our prayer is for His presence to be so powerful that guests, volunteers, and staff feel tangibly surrounded by His peace that passes understanding, His steadfast love, and His joy through all circumstances.
Another update, if you haven’t already heard through a different avenue, is that the main reason we have been working so hard on the building is to host our first-annual Fundraising Gala on September 30, 2021. Through several awesome moments, the Lord confirmed that this is the date, location and opportunity to do so.
If you haven't already, we want to invite you to purchase a table or half a table and join us at 5:30 on the 30 for hors d'oeuvres followed by dinner, activities, and a silent luxury auction. Our goal is to fill all 21 tables with supporters who are inviting potential new supporters and volunteers. We will be having it at our new building to give an exclusive first look at the future while raising funds to continue all the necessary remodeling. We know that those who see the building with their own eyes will see in it the potential we have for a plethora of ministry opportunities. We also know that in its current condition, the building cries out for tender loving care. It needs a lot of work from both professionals and volunteers.
We pray that many who attend will possess (or know someone who possesses) materials and/or professional skills that could be donated, given at cost, or provided lower than the going rate. If you’re interested in attending, or know someone that you think should attend, you can find out more and purchase your tickets at 431house.org/gala.
As we wrap up this month's update, we were going to share more about our program and how the Lord has used something as simple as a car ride to save a life, but less than 24 hours before this was finalized, a client posted an amazing personal testimony on her Facebook page. We couldn’t let this update go out without it, so we've included a third page that has the whole Facebook post (edited for spelling and grammar).
Please continue to be praying for all of our clients, new programming, events and opportunities that the Lord brings before us. Pray that we may keep Colossians 2:2-3 at the forefronts of our minds and that we are reminded that the purpose of our ministry is that these ladies are “encouraged in heart” and “united in love,” that they “may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
May He always get the glory. Amen.
“Angels Exist, and It's You.”
a 431 client
I never thought I could love again. I never thought I could trust again. I never thought anyone would ever get through to me again. I had assumed God had already exhausted all His options for my life, and I had accepted that. I never put much thought into someone who could know the whole truth about me and still could genuinely love me. The Lord has such a funny way of showing you that you were wrong about Him. That doubting His abilities and trusting your own mind instead of having faith can really keep you burrowed in some dark places.
I met you in a place in my life where I had nothing to offer you but my story and my determination
to desperately make some radical changes. I couldn't offer you a list of goals, or a list of accomplishments that I had already accomplished. I couldn't show you my house and this wonderful place I had created for myself. I couldn't tell you all about my faith that I had in the Lord because
at that time I didn't have any faith. I couldn't even offer you love because I didn't have any left to offer.
It wasn’t until I met you, a stranger, while at the lowest of my life with nothing left to give you, nothing to offer you — the only thing left that I could do was say "I'm going to do this one more time, I'm going to trust one more time. I'm going to believe one more time. I'm going to get up one more time. I'm going to choose to live one more time." And it wasn't for me, because if it was for me I would have already done it.
Instead, I made a commitment to myself that I'm going to start from the beginning and I'm going to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The good, the bad, the horrific events
—my whole entire lifetime—because God is telling me it's okay. And I don't think I had really ever trusted that voice in the back of my mind (for obvious reasons) but I'm so glad I did.
You have been the biggest blessing to my life and I will never be able to put in words what kind of individual you are, what you have done to my life and how much you saved me. How thankful I am that God sent you for me! He knew what He was doing. You may not have known what He was doing, I may not have known what He was doing, but He knew exactly what He had in mind when He put us in each others’ paths.
The only thing you could offer me most days was hours on the phone, coming over to my house, making me leave the house, forcing me every time I started to step back, saying "just grab my hand, just take it." And I did and you took me to some miraculous, healing places in my mind that nobody has ever taken me. You have shown me a different way of life that I had never been exposed to, and you showed me the side of myself that I forgot was there.
I love you, I love 431 Ministries and everyone involved. You and your team changed my life forever.
[Mentor], angels do exist and it's you ❤