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Stephen &
Brooksyne
Weber
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Monday,
March 11, 2024
A
young Joey
Cullen hugging
my Mom.
We
visited with
Joey and his
wife Lori
yesterday.
Mom's
earnest
prayers and
continued
interest were
an
encouragement
to Joey and
many others.
Wherever Mom
went she loved
people and
people loved
her.
"No
Hopeless
Cause"
Message
summary: In
Christ there
is
forgiveness! There's
no hopeless
cause. He
is able to
save to the
uttermost. A
statement from
a book I read
many years ago
by Max Lucado
comes to mind.
He uses it to
conclude a
powerful
redemptive
story of a
wayward child.
It's God's
call to all:
"Whatever
you have done,
whatever
you have
become,
it
doesn't
matter.
Please
come home."
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"But with You there is forgiveness" (Psalm 130:4). "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Today's message is a bit longer as we share an experience we had this past weekend. It was Ester's birthday on Saturday so she was blessed by a joining the women in our ABF class for breakfast at Panera and later that evening we had dinner with the Lapp family at Crackerbarrel.
"But with You there is forgiveness" (Psalm 130:4). "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Today's message is a bit longer as we share an experience we had this past weekend. It was Ester's birthday on Saturday so she was blessed by a joining the women in our ABF class for breakfast at Panera and later that evening we had dinner with the Lapp family at Crackerbarrel.
Sunday
morning we
left bright
and early to
attend church
in
Philadelphia.
We have two
connections in
the church.
Phil and his
wife Carol are
longtime
friends going
back to Bible
College in the
mid seventies.
Phil
planted
the
Philadelphia
Christian
Center which
he has served
for over 40
years.
The other connection is Joey Cullen, whom we came to know while he was growing up in Massachusetts in the 90's. Joey, his sister and mom attended the church we pastored in Taunton. Fast forward a couple decades and He is now Phil's son-in law and associate pastor.
Both relationships would bear a story but today we focus on Joey and his family who came into our church as a very troubled teenager in the mid-nineties. When introducing us yesterday he shared his testimony and it bears listening to (we have this video from the service cued to where he starts).
Joey's story is similar to his mother's story. Both remind those of us in ministry to never give up on people.
The other connection is Joey Cullen, whom we came to know while he was growing up in Massachusetts in the 90's. Joey, his sister and mom attended the church we pastored in Taunton. Fast forward a couple decades and He is now Phil's son-in law and associate pastor.
Both relationships would bear a story but today we focus on Joey and his family who came into our church as a very troubled teenager in the mid-nineties. When introducing us yesterday he shared his testimony and it bears listening to (we have this video from the service cued to where he starts).
Joey's story is similar to his mother's story. Both remind those of us in ministry to never give up on people.
Yvette,
Joey's mom,
came into the
church we
served with
her two
children while
in her
mid-thirties
and she has a
powerful
testimony of
God's
forgiveness
and
restoration.
She freely
shares her
testimony with
the hope that
Daily
Encouragement
readers will
rejoice with
her in the
transforming
power of Jesus
Christ.
Yvette was raised in an ungodly home where she experienced physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from her mother's boyfriend and stepfather. Due to this ongoing abuse Yvette ran away from home when she was fourteen and lived on the streets.
She describes her life for the next 20 years as a series of addictions to alcohol, drugs, tobacco and sexual immorality. She had an abortion, as well as two children by two different men in abusive marriages. Many would call her life a "hopeless cause." But with God there are no hopeless causes!
A friend invited Yvette to her church and for the first time in her life she heard the message of Christ's love and forgiveness. At that very time Yvette accepted Christ and thus began the major overhaul that is the process of spiritual transformation. After a couple years of staggered spiritual growth she came into our church with a tremendous amount of baggage that often contributed to her wavering Christian experience.
Over the next few years Brooksyne and I, along with others in the congregation, spent a great deal of time praying with her and sharing specific Scriptures pertinent to the current trial she was facing. She spent a lot of time in our home – we wanted her to be in a Christian family setting.
Yvette was raised in an ungodly home where she experienced physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from her mother's boyfriend and stepfather. Due to this ongoing abuse Yvette ran away from home when she was fourteen and lived on the streets.
She describes her life for the next 20 years as a series of addictions to alcohol, drugs, tobacco and sexual immorality. She had an abortion, as well as two children by two different men in abusive marriages. Many would call her life a "hopeless cause." But with God there are no hopeless causes!
A friend invited Yvette to her church and for the first time in her life she heard the message of Christ's love and forgiveness. At that very time Yvette accepted Christ and thus began the major overhaul that is the process of spiritual transformation. After a couple years of staggered spiritual growth she came into our church with a tremendous amount of baggage that often contributed to her wavering Christian experience.
Over the next few years Brooksyne and I, along with others in the congregation, spent a great deal of time praying with her and sharing specific Scriptures pertinent to the current trial she was facing. She spent a lot of time in our home – we wanted her to be in a Christian family setting.
Yvette
experienced
great loss in
her life
during this
time and was
homeless for a
period as
well.
She battled
with the enemy
who still
greatly
desired to
have her. But
her heart was
tender and
Jesus desired
to have her
far more than
Satan because
He wanted to
take the ashes
of her life
and turn them
into something
beautiful, and
He did just
that.
Due to her lifestyle, prior to becoming a Christian, both of her children followed in her path and entered a disparaging lifestyle that was similar to hers. I recall as her pastor, along with our church, frequently praying for her children but seemingly to no avail. Since there were no visible signs of change I must admit my faith was often weak, but we continued to pray.
Due to her lifestyle, prior to becoming a Christian, both of her children followed in her path and entered a disparaging lifestyle that was similar to hers. I recall as her pastor, along with our church, frequently praying for her children but seemingly to no avail. Since there were no visible signs of change I must admit my faith was often weak, but we continued to pray.
Here
we are some 25
years later
and Yvette has
stayed
faithful to
the Lord, and
in the years
since we moved
down to
Pennsylvania
from New
England, both
of her
children,
Nicole and
Joey, have
accepted the
Lord and are
in active
Christian
service. In
fact all three
of them worked
in Teen
Challenge!
Yvette and her
husband Wayne
are currently
the directors
of Adult &
Teen Challenge
in
Connecticut.
In Christ there is forgiveness! There's no hopeless cause. He is able to save to the uttermost. A statement from a book I read many years ago by Max Lucado comes to mind. He uses it to conclude a powerful redemptive story of a wayward child. It's God's call to all:
In Christ there is forgiveness! There's no hopeless cause. He is able to save to the uttermost. A statement from a book I read many years ago by Max Lucado comes to mind. He uses it to conclude a powerful redemptive story of a wayward child. It's God's call to all:
"Whatever
you have done,
whatever
you have
become,
it
doesn't
matter.
Please
come home."
Be
encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, we
pray for the
prodigal son,
daughter,
husband, wife
or other
family
member(s) who
have strayed
from their
faith in God.
May they hear
and take to
heart Max
Lucado's
words,
"Whatever you
have done,
whatever you
have become,
it doesn't
matter. Please
come home."
For some of
those
prodigals
there is no
longer the
brick and
mortar home
they left, but
they can still
come home to
their heavenly
Father, find
His
forgiveness,
grace, and
mercy to meet
their sin
problem and
every other
need they
have. We pray
that they will
indeed come
home to You,
our Father.
Amen.A personal word from Yvette: I want to encourage those who are struggling to keep pressing forward, do not give up, and don't lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5&6). God is faithful to those who earnestly seek Him and put Him first (Matthew 6:33). When you're praying for your loved ones don't give up when you don't see instant results or outward change, because God works in the heart where only He can see (Galatians 6:9).
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
Following
Joey's
testimony
Pastor Phil
welcomed me to
the platform
for a brief
greeting. We
hugged as Joey
looks on. Phil
is fully
Italian. When
we visited
them in their
start up his
mom fixed an
outstanding
Italian meal
that we
remember to
this day.
Phil
and Carol
Menditto
We
remember
visiting the
church when it
first started
in the early
80's and met
in a Howard
Johnson's
hotel. It is
now one of the
largest
churches in
Philadelphia
and definitely
a city church;
very multi
ethnic and
multi racial.
Phil is a
straight
shooting
preacher who
doesn't shy
away from the
truth and Joey
told me that
they regularly
have people
walk out due
to being
offended about
something. A
mark of Phil's
character was
demonstrated
early on when
a number from
his own family
members
expressed
concern that
too many
blacks were
coming into
the church.
Phil, a young
man at the
time, told
them he wasn't
going to tell
God who to
lead into the
church and
thus lost
attendees from
his own
family. Based
on observation
I would
estimate
60-70% of the
church was
black. Phil's
hard preaching
style was
peppered with
reminders of
how he loved
the
congregation
and I could
sense the love
and esteem
they have for
him.
Philadelphia
Christian
Center is very
mission and
outreach
focused. They
have a fleet
of Mercy
Trucks
that go into
the city and
beyond to
provide food,
clothing and
other items to
those in need.
This photo was
taken in the
Kensington
section of the
city, a rather
infamous open
drug market.
If you've
never heard of
Kensington
here is a video
from last
Saturday. I
see on the
schedule the
Mercy Truck
will be there
tomorrow.
We asked Joey
if they see
many coming
into the
church from
this outreach
and he told us
that's not
their goal but
rather to
witness and
have local
churches in
the area
follow-up.
Joey
praying with
two young men
at the altar
call following
yesterday's
service.
In
2006 I had the
privilege of
officiating
Wayne and
Yvette's
wedding.
Wayne and Yvette determined early on, as they pursued their relationship, they would wait until their wedding ceremony to enjoy their first kiss. They kept their word and at this point of the ceremony Stephen's excitement at being the one to give them permission to enjoy their first kiss was captured on camera. There were a lot of Teen Challenge students present so it was a very emotionally charged congregation who witnessed their vows and verbally celebrated this very special moment. I (Brooksyne) tease that Stephen couldn't open his mouth this wide in Lancaster County without some fly making its way in.
Yvette's
daughter
Nicole
(pictured with
her husband
Eric)
graduated
from
Gordon-Conwell
Theological
Seminary and
they have two
children. She
too has a
remarkable
testimony of
salvation,
deliverance
and healing.
Here's the wedding photo for Joey and Lori in June 2010. Wayne & Yvette (Joey's mom) are in the left in the photo. Lori's parents, Pastor Phil and Carol Menditto are on the right side. It was a real joy to attend a wedding for a young couple setting out in life with a determination to mutually serve the Lord. We had dinner with them yesterday following the service and what a joy to see them doing well and serving God together along with their 2 children!
Lorna led our youth group during a time in Joey's life when he was rebellious but she determined to show the love of Christ to this troubled young man. The hug at his wedding reception shows his lasting appreciation!
Another
memory but no
photo:
When
we moved from
New England to
Lancaster
County in
February 2001
we rented an
old farmhouse
north of Mount
Joy for the
first year
before we
bought our
current home.
The farmhouse
overlooked a
covered bridge
over Little
Chiques
(Chickies)
Creek. Up the
creek a bit
from the
bridge was a
densely wooded
area with a very
spooky looking
old truck
parked in it,
probably right
where it broke
down. As I
recall it had
evidence of
being a party
spot with beer
cans and
bottles strewn
about.
Yvette and Joey, who was an older teenager by this time, came to visit us from our former church in New England. Joey was going through a very rebellious teen season at this point. He was a city kid unfamiliar with the country and I was and still can be a bit of a rascal so I decided to issue a challenge to him.
It was very dark and I challenged street tough Joey to go into those dark woods on Risser Mill Road where the truck was parked and prove he had found it by taking a photo from inside of the cab. He took up the challenge and was gone for quite a while. When he finally came back he told us he found the truck and took a photo, but we only had a film camera in 2001 so we had to wait till we had the film developed to see the proof. Sure enough he was telling the truth! I sure wish I could find that photo now! He told me yesterday it was so very scary but he was determined to do it. His mom was scared for him too! I told him that's what "real men" do instead of participating in the nonsense of the world.
Yvette and Joey, who was an older teenager by this time, came to visit us from our former church in New England. Joey was going through a very rebellious teen season at this point. He was a city kid unfamiliar with the country and I was and still can be a bit of a rascal so I decided to issue a challenge to him.
It was very dark and I challenged street tough Joey to go into those dark woods on Risser Mill Road where the truck was parked and prove he had found it by taking a photo from inside of the cab. He took up the challenge and was gone for quite a while. When he finally came back he told us he found the truck and took a photo, but we only had a film camera in 2001 so we had to wait till we had the film developed to see the proof. Sure enough he was telling the truth! I sure wish I could find that photo now! He told me yesterday it was so very scary but he was determined to do it. His mom was scared for him too! I told him that's what "real men" do instead of participating in the nonsense of the world.
"In Heaven's Eyes" Watch on YouTube Kathy Unger
A fervent prayer rose up to heaven,
A fragile soul was losing ground,
Sorting through the earthly babble,
Heaven heard the sound.
This was a life of no distinction,
No successes only trials.
Yet gazing down on this unlovely one,
There was love in heaven's eyes.
In heaven's eyes there are no losers,
In heaven's eyes no hopeless cause.
Only people like you
With feelings like me,
Amazed by the grace
We can find in heaven's eyes.
The orphan child, the wayward father,
The homeless traveler in the rain.
When life goes by and no one bothers,
Heaven feels the pain.
Looking down God sees each heartache,
Knows each sorrow, hears each cry.
And looking up we'll see compassion's fire,
Ablaze in heaven's eyes.
"Just
When You
Thought"
Watch
on YouTube
Joseph
Habedank
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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