Ministry Adventures with Cathy

“We may not be able to bury Shelly near our Dad in the Jewish section of the cemetery….” Shelly’s brother, Douglas, Emailed me in August of 2017.  As I reflect, it seems much longer ago.  I knew that Douglas had recently come to faith in Jesus.  I had not as yet met him.  He asked if I would call Shelly and proceeded to relay, “She doesn’t know Jesus, she hates God, and she is resistant!”  My thoughts: God is able!!!  This is HIS work! Shelly and I exchanged several Emails and voicemails before we finally connected ear-to-ear.  Shelly was transparent…”I’m an atheist.”  I asked her, “Why?”  Her animosity was overshadowed by her quivering voice which spoke to me of hope.  She told me that she’d been calling out to God for years regarding her chronic back pain and her cancer.  “He’s not answering me.”  Following two quite lengthy conversations on the phone …after relaying much Scripture…during our third conversation on S...

Once upon a time. . . .   Our Storytelling Class at a local retirement community was launched approximately two years after God opened the door for us in 2005 to teach a weekly Bible study at the facility.  As I sat in the Library waiting for the crowds to arrive on that afternoon in 2007, one Jewish woman entered the room.  “Are you here for the Storytelling Class?” I asked.  “No, I’m here to read the newspaper,” she replied and sat in a chair behind me.  Robert, a 92 year-old Jewish non-believer, entered the room.  While we waited for others to arrive, Robert asked questions about Jesus.   As we conversed, I wondered if the newspaper-reading lady could hear us.  Ten minutes into our conversation, I stopped wondering when she answered a question that I had posed to Robert!  I then addressed Evelyn directly and explained to her that I teach the Jewish roots of Christianity.  I told her that I teach against anti-Semitism....

I love and live to share Jesus with Jewish people!  What a glorious Bible study we enjoyed at one of the retirement communities yesterday…along with a more personalized “come to Jesus” visit with one of our Jewish friends who has been inquiring about the “afterlife.” I KNOW God has called me to this ministry!  From past blogs that I’ve penned, which you may have read, you know that our transition to the Southwest from NYC/NJ was directed at sharing Jesus with Navajo and Hopi Native Americans.  Fast forward…upon moving to Phoenix, God burdened my heart for Mormons who continued to knock on our door.  After several years of sharing Jesus with those in the LDS church, I must admit that I became tired of reading the sermons of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young for the purpose of refuting their teaching.  I cried out, “Lord, I want to spend more time understanding your precious word!”  Soon thereafter God placed me in the Scottsdale Bible Church drama troupe ...

Stanley joined our Tuesday Bible study the fall of 2017.  He has been a blessing from our first encounter!  A few weeks ago, Stanley shared with me that God had pointedly directed him to the retirement community where we, by God’s grace, hold a weekly Bible study and have done so for over 13 years.  This dear man, in his mid-eighties, is being mightily used of God at this facility. In the May 2018 blog, Daniel, a Jewish non-believer, was introduced to you.  Daniel entered the Library following the closing prayer at our Bible study.   He wondered what we were all about and then shared that he, Stanley, and another friend, John, had discussed the afterlife at lunch that day.  Daniel and John knew that they could voice their questions about life after death to Stanley.  Of course, Stanley invited them to the Bible study.  Daniel railed at God during one of his first visits.  We stood adamantly against his words and Daniel backed down....

My friend, Wendy and I rang Uri’s bell two days ago. I’ve spoken much about this 89 year-old Ukrainian Jewish man in the ministry newsletters. Uri immigrated to the United States in the 1990’s. He is a proud citizen of the United States. We call on Uri once a month and converse with him on the telephone in between visits. Last year, since our July visit occurred close to Independence Day, Uri played “God Bless the USA” on his laptop. If we dared to speak a syllable, he shushed us. “You need to listen to every word,” he demanded. For this dear man who lived most of his life under the Communist regime, freedom is ever so sweet. How did God cause our paths to cross? Three and a half years ago during the Jewish holiday Purim we coordinated a Purim celebration at one of the retirement centers on the west side of the Valley. Purim is in the book of Esther. When God delivered the Jewish people in the Persian Empire from annihilation, Mordecai, Queen Esther’s cousin (Est...

What can I express in these blogs that I’m not reporting in the monthly ministry newsletter?  I've been wrestling with that question.  Perhaps the answer is wrapped up in the word "express."  The blog is more for expressing...for sharing reflections.  The newsletter is focused on reporting.  So, I'm coming to you in "Cathy's Ministry Adventures" - pondering and sharing what I'm learning from the Lord.  By the way, do you receive the monthly Jewish ministry update? Do you wish to receive it via Email? Please let me know – cwilson@chosenpeople.com In the April 2018 newsletter, I had mentioned that I found myself consistently relaying, “that’s a whole ‘nother story,” during the Passover Seders and one-on-one visits with Jewish people in March.  Most likely I’ve used this phrase throughout the years.  “That’s a whole ‘nother story.”  What does that mean?  Those words are essentially telling people, “I have a connected anecdote to what I...

Resurrection Sunday was nearly two weeks ago.  The week leading up to Resurrection Sunday God gave me the privilege of conducting four Passover Seders in four different churches, Tuesday through Friday, in Chandler, Tucson, Scottsdale, and Phoenix - following three Passover Seders in the beginning and middle of March.  What a joy!  The fast-paced schedule has continued.  How could the week following Resurrection Sunday be filled to capacity?  What’s “capacity”?  I thought perhaps there might be a bit of a respite?  What’s “respite”?  I must admit, while “respite” isn’t noted on my calendar on a regular basis (shame on me), I don’t think I’ve reached “capacity”!   I LOVE the ministry to which God has called me.  However, to offset crashing about 8:30 p.m. one evening, I took 30 minutes to watch part of a 1937 movie, “Captains Courageous.”  (It took me four evenings to watch the entire film) I wasn’t sure what to share in th...