Ministry Adventures with Cathy

Eccl. 3:1 – To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven… . “A time to; a time for”….  Some explain the repetitiveness as a reminder of the relentless monotony of life!?  Conversely, I’m reminded by this Scripture that life is bustling with activity for God’s glory!   During the summer the Jewish ministry seems to reveal additional purposes.   While deadlines are always in the picture, there seem to be less between May and August.   Consequently, at this time, ministry aspirations grow as I prayerfully and excitedly ponder.   The result…either new thrusts and/or undeveloped layers are added onto existing ministry adventures!      In May I arrived at one of the retirement centers hours prior to the weekly Bible study.   This has been my pattern since 2005 which has afforded opportunities to visit Jewish residents in their apartments.   Of late, however, fewer have responded to my knocking on th...

May 2019 Hi, Ho!  Where have I been?  I’ve been continuing to trek “hither and yon” – mostly “hither-ing” (read the last blog).  “Yon-ing” doesn’t happen as often. The Passover season took us to northern AZ and Nevada (from Las Vegas north to Elko).  What a joy to fellowship with brothers and sisters in the Lord across state lines, to hear about and pray for their Jewish friends who need Jesus (and perhaps to meet their Jewish friends at the Passover Seders), and to share with all why Israel is significant in God’s plan for the world and why a Jewish person placing their trust in Jesus is the most Jewish thing they can do! As we left Las Vegas following precious times with many friends, former and new, we looked forward to seven or so hours of driving through new territory.  Our Nevada experience has never been north of Las Vegas…until now.  Soon after getting on the highway, the GPS directed us off the highway.  Odd?  Perhaps a detour d...

The card was staring me in the face!  I gazed back and said, “I LOVE this card!”  I am so thankful for the story that God has given me.  It’s the story of Jesus in my life and the thrill of sharing Him with others. We each have stories.  We each have adventures.  How imperative it is to relish the life episodes that come with our name emblazoned on them…from God! This blog is entitled “Ministry Adventures with Cathy.”  How would you define an “adventure”?  Adventure means “an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous experience or activity.”  “Escapade” is a synonym for adventure.  Escapade means “an act or incident involving excitement or daring.”  Really?  Hazardous and daring?  Perhaps I should change the name of the blog.  Although…. I have several good friends who enjoy fantastic adventures…traveling hither and yon.  “Hither” for me consists of driving to various neighborhoods, some out-of-town, or out-o...

It’s the day after the day after the day after !!   If you use that verbiage, as I just did, what do you mean?   What do I mean?   Post-December 25 th ?   Post-anticipation of December 25 th ?   Is this verbiage positive or negative? This Chanukah/Christmas season was exciting!   May I share one day?   December 12 th was stirring.   I’m smiling and I’m thanking God as I recall that day.   Bobby and I traveled to Gilbert during rush hour!   An endoscopic ultrasound on his pancreas was scheduled.   I sat next to a woman in the waiting room who was playing a game on her phone and laughing.   I inquired about the game.   Her response: mah jongg.   That registers with me as many Jewish people play mah jongg.   I asked if she celebrated Chanukah.   “Yes, I celebrate all holidays.”   I then asked if she was Jewish.   Her answer: “I’m born again!”   I confirmed what she meant and she furthe...

“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 ...