Fortified Foundations A year ago we were waiting for the approval from the Codes Department to lay the foundation for our home. Looking back at the process of laying the foundation, I was reminded of all that was involved and the importance of laying it correctly.

There are many facets to laying a strong foundation. To our human eye the lot on which we were going to build looked level, but it was actually unlevel. Grading was done in order to correctly level the ground that would support our future home. Leveling the ground was important to the security of the structure. Once leveled, trenches were dug and footings poured.

All concrete foundations are constructed based on the structure they are meant to support. In other words, the taller the structure, the taller the foundation walls and forms must be. That is where the Codes Department enters the picture; they decide if the walls are high enough to support the structure to be built upon the foundation. Once the foundation walls are approved and poured, sand is dumped onto the floor of the foundation space and dispersed evenly. Then a vapor barrier is laid. Wire mesh and rebar are placed over the vapor barrier and the concrete foundation poured. Rakes and shovels are used to evenly distribute concrete across the foundation space. Embedded foundation anchors are set in the wet cement, safely securing the walls of the foundation. The detailed process a builder follows in order to lay a strong foundation is exceedingly crucial to the safety and security of the structure that is being built.

As Christians, we are to build our lives upon a secure foundation: one that is level, with appropriate foundational walls, trenches, and footings to support the structure being built. A vapor barrier is very crucial because it protects what is inside the house from destructive matter that can seep through the foundational floor. If a vapor barrier is not installed, water will seep into the foundation and thus into the home causing major damage to

wood floors or carpeting, as well as destructive mold. The barrier protects. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God are the barriers to the foundation of a Christian home.

When the preparation was completed and the cement was being poured for our foundation, we set a copy of God’s Word, a Bible belonging to my grandfather, in the foundation at the front door. Our desire was that anyone who entered would be standing on the Word of God. It was important to Mark and me that the foundation of our home be built upon the Word and the person of Jesus Christ.

The sole purpose of the Secrets Savored Ministry is to help young women and their husbands establish and maintain their homes upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Each functions as an “embedded anchor” to safely secure their family structure and help them to understand that the protective barrier for their homes and lives is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you for partnering with us in changing the foundation of one home at a time for God’s glory!

“Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:47-49

“The foundation I’m built on is unshakeable faith.” Will Hart

Visit our website at www.secrectssavored.org

January 2014

Thank You from Mark and Dianne DoughartyMark and I would like to thank those who invested in this ministry and in the lives of numerous young women in 2013, either financially or prayerfully. We stand amazed and grateful at God’s working in our lives, the ministry, and His provisions this past year. The year ahead is a blank tablet on which we wait with anticipation to see what God desires to write for this ministry and the story He continues to script with our lives.

Blessings and gratefulness!

Mark and Dianne

Jonathan and I were married six years ago. Our home was founded on the understanding that we were both Christians. We loved each other. Oh, we had our occasional fight, but for the most part our marriage was blissful. We had been active members in our home churches since we started dating, were engaged, and then married. On October 20, 2013 during the commitment portion of the service, Jonathan asked if I would go forward with him to pray. His dad happened to be the deacon at the end of the aisle. He asked Jonathan if he was saved and if he knew where he would go when he died. Jonathan thought for a minute, and said that he has always had the head knowledge, but hasn’t seen any fruit in his life that would bear witness to his salvation. He wasn’t certain that he had ever really made a full commitment or total surrender to the Lord. His mom, who is also a counselor, came over to join us. Jonathan prayed right there, asking Jesus Christ to rule in his heart and our home. It was such a sweet time for all our family to experience together. What a wonderful day that will never be forgotten! Our home had never changed so drastically, as it did over the weeks following Jonathan’s total surrender to the Lord. In 2 Corinthians 6:14 Paul says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” We truly believed for many years we were equally yoked, but we were not. I am so thankful Jonathan realized his need for Christ. What a difference it has made in both of us! With the Lord’s help and guidance, we are working together to build trust with one another. It is our desire to have a much stronger marriage. We are praying together and connecting on a level we’ve never experienced before. We are enjoying family time with a fresh outlook and a deeper love. I believe we were totally unaware of what was missing in our lives. Jonathan has begun to meet weekly with a gentleman from church, and we are discussing together what we are learning about

A Word of Testimony from Brittanie Golding

the Lord and His word. His quiet times are now very important to him. He is reading scripture to our children regularly, and I can see him growing in his faith on a daily basis. It’s encouraging and challenging all at the same time. He challenges me to be the best mom and wife I can be, and ultimately obey the Lord’s calling in my own life. I’m so thankful for the Lord’s hand in our marriage. We have begun to set boundaries for our family in areas where we want to protect our children, such as time, television, phones, etc. I am grateful our children were young when their daddy was saved. We’ll have many years of growing together to build a strong foundation for their futures, as well as our marriage.

I’m involved in the Secrets Savored ministry at Bellevue Baptist. It was wonderful to share with the ladies in our group how the previous Sunday morning, Jonathan had asked the Lord to be Ruler and King of his life. They rejoiced with us, prayed with us, and are continuing to encourage our family. I’ve learned so much through the Secrets Ministry about the home, cooking and organizing. But, more importantly, I’ve had a chance to grow closer to the Lord and the ladies involved. I’ve grown to love each of them and have true fellowship. Our Bible Studies are encouraging; focusing on women of the Bible, and learning how to be a Godly wife and mother. I’m so thankful for the leaders of this ministry who are pouring into our lives each and every week. The foundation upon which our marriages and homes are built is very important. I encourage each of you to look at the foundation of your home and make sure it’s founded upon Christ. Think about the legacy you want to leave behind. If your home is not founded on Jesus Christ, then pray and make the changes necessary. “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” Isaiah 33:6

- Brittanie Golding

A Word of Testimony from Sarah Watkins

Alex and Pat Pope

Kevin and I have been married for seven years and have one daughter, Sophie, who is two years old. We both accepted Christ at an early age, I was nine and he was nineteen. In the past several months neither of us has felt that we have been completely living for the Lord. The Holy Spirit was strongly convicting our hearts and on December 22, 2013, we made a personal decision to go forward at our home church, Bellevue Baptist, and rededicate our lives to Christ. Even though we believed in God the Father, His son, Jesus Christ, and the inerrancy of the Bible, we didn’t always apply God’s Word to our own personal lives. We would read Bible stories to Sophie and teach her the principles of God’s word, but we were not living in total obedience to Him. Over the past six months, it seemed that everywhere we went God was speaking directly to us; the message our pastor preached each week seemed as though it was written just for us. The lessons taught in our Life Group seemed as if they were directly intended for us. Conversations we had with other Christians seemed to be related to the struggle we were having with the question of our salvation, even a fun night of cookie baking at Ms. Dianne’s house turned into a conversation about salvation. We knew we loved the Lord, believed His Word and had a relationship with Him, so it was difficult to fully understand what He was trying to tell us. For several months we prayed for answers. We had deep conversations with one another, spoke to other Christians and then it became evident just what God wanted us to do. He wanted us to lay aside our lives, fully surrendering to Him, which is exactly what we did. We came to realize that prayer is a two way

conversation, talking to God but then listening for His response. The day we rededicated our lives to the Lord was amazing. We both left church with a refreshing sense of joy that we hadn’t experienced in a long time. For the first time in years, we would be celebrating the birth of Christ being fully surrendered and completely committed to Him. The weight of the world was literally lifted! Who would have thought that our lives would be so totally changed in the midst of adulthood? We certainly didn’t! Before that day, we thought we were doing everything right, but much to our dismay, God had something better for us. We had to fully open our hearts to Him, listening for His voice and walk by faith, choosing Him over all else. During the months that the Lord was drawing us to Himself, and since we fully surrendered our lives to Him, our personal lives have been miraculously changed. Many things in our marriage relationship that used to overwhelm us are not so overwhelming anymore. We now turn to prayer and work together to get through them. The things that used to irritate us about one another or life, we are learning to appreciate. Struggles of everyday life are now turned over to God and we find peace in knowing that He will always answer us, guide us and protect us. The most important lesson that we have learned is that we can fully trust the Lord in all circumstances and be assured that He will always provide what is best for us and our family. We are not in control. God is ultimately in full control and He asks that we seek him and He will in return bless us with more of Himself. Any decisions we now make as individuals or as a family are taken to our Father for direction. A healthy marriage must have a solid foundation built upon the Lord, so that through Him, you can grow spiritually as an individual and as a family. I would strongly encourage everyone, regardless of where you are in your life, to get involved with other Christians. Our church has set a wonderful example for us, we have learned from the many godly people God has placed in our lives. The Secrets Bible study has personally impacted my life more than anyone will ever know. My heart is extremely full and excited to meet each week with these amazing ladies. Kevin and I are excited about our new spiritual journey together, teaching our daughter about Christ, and strengthening our walk with our Savior.

- Sarah Watkins

Visit us on Facebook for recipes, decorating ideas, or-ganizational tips, and more! at https://www.facebook.com/SecretsSavored

Visit our website www.SecretsSavored.org

to see pictures of the fall classes and projects!

Checks should be made payable to GMF and mailed to: Global Ministries Fellowship |P.O. Box 1150 |Cordova, TN 38088-1150 (Please designate “Secrets Savored” on a separate sheet of paper.) Donations may also be given online at https://www.egivingsystems.org/support/46716/. In the “Purpose” drop down box, please select Secrets Savored.

Help Meet the NeedsSupport the t2 Hope for the Home ministry financially. Your financial gift will provide:

• Supplies & curriculum for Secrets classes• Publishing, marketing, and distribution of

Secrets Savored curriculum across the country• Aid in expenses related to promoting Secrets

Savored to churches and organizations• Operating costs for the website• Communication with donors • Underwrite administrative costs• Future development of Secrets Savored

Rev. Richard HamletPresident/CEO GMF

PRAYER: Is it THAT necessary?

The Bible explicitly states that prayer is not only essential but non-negotiable! Prayer is the very lifeline between the believer and our Heavenly Father! All through Scripture, God gives strong commands regarding the manner prayer is received and answered; but if we take it lightly, we can expect no answers!

What is prayer? For the believer, it is the very spiritual air we breathe. It is communion which enhances and accompanies the fellowship between us and our Father, not only individually, but collectively. It is relationship – the love language with God the Father meant to be “time alone with God.” It is asking and receiving. It is meant to be personal, spontaneous, unrehearsed, from the heart and may be engaged in any place at any time! To be effective, prayer must be rooted in the Word of God which, in itself, must be the foundation of our life in Christ. Apart from the Word, we have no clue as to the position we must take in any decision facing us. If left to ourselves, we will make a move when God desires that we wait, or we will quickly go to others to seek their insight rather than seek the direction of the Holy Spirit. Prayer, based on the Word, insures a life filled with purpose and meaning, even if it is in the waiting process. Wise is the one whose prayer life is founded upon God’s Word. The writing of Andrew Murray reveals the relationship between the Word and prayer: Little of the Word, with little prayer, is death to the spiritual life. Much of the Word, with little prayer, gives a sickly life. Much prayer with little of the Word gives more life, but without steadfastness. A full measure of the Word and prayer each day gives a healthy and powerful life. May we be found faithful in basing our prayers upon the Word so our great God can make Himself known through us by the very power of His Spirit, accomplishing that which He has deigned to do in us!

by Carolyn Higginbotham Classes Offered at:

Bellevue Baptist Church Memphis, Tennessee

Contact Person: Mrs. Marge Lenow- WM Director 901-347-5730

Kirby Woods Baptist Church Memphis, Tennessee

Contact Person: Mrs. Amy Barron- WM Director 901-682-2220

Ridgeway Baptist Church

Memphis, Tennessee Contact Person: Mrs. Cheryl West- WM Director

901-761-1110

Woodlawn Baptist Church Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Contact Person: Mrs. Erica Richerson- Pastor’s Wife225-753-1667

Spring Semester