Findings: My Journey To Joy                            

This is the true story of a church in America's Bible Belt, the First Christian Church in Florissant, Missouri--a church with a meager beginning and record of steady growth for forty-nine years until the weight of sexual abuse charges against a youth minister left it, and its congregation, broken. This is a case history and analysis of those events.  

This is for the victims.—Joy S. Taylor, Author

Joy in Verse Encouragement for 20240826

Today is a beautiful day, because “On the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am the Lord; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.’” (Exodus 6: 28-29 ESV)

Prayer for Today

Father, like you promised Israel, You brought me out from under my burdens, brightened my walk and secured my future through Jesus Christ. Thank you in the name of the Savior, by His authority and according to your good and perfect will. Amen. “Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and…

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Joy in Verse Encouragement for 20240823

Today is a beautiful day, because God heard the groaning of His people and remembered His covenant, “Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you…

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Prayer for Today

Father, the four words You spoke to Moses are the most important I know. Everything hinges upon them. They are the supporting timber of the cross. If they are not true, my faith falls like a house of cards in the wind. They are, however, true, witnessed by everyone who heard them or wrote them…

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Joy in Verse Encouragement for 20240821

Today is a beautiful day, because “God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the LORD.’” (Exodus 6:2 ESV)

Prayer for Today

Father, my soul looks up to see the climb ahead of me. You are with me every rung of my days. Each turn of the earth is an opportunity to become closer to you. Every lift of my foot to reach the next level is aided by your grace and mercy. My eternal hope comes…

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Joy in Verse Encouragement for 20240820

Today is a beautiful day, because God gave Jacob a vision of a ladder to heaven with the LORD standing above it, “And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, ‘I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give…

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Prayer for Today

Father, I am encouraged and uplifted by your multiple declarations that You and the LORD. You are the Holy One, Yahweh. You are mighty and worthy of praise and exaltation. I honor You with my prayer, because You have called me out of the dessert, out of the darkness and into your marvelous light. You…

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Joy in Verse Encouragement for 20240819

Today is a beautiful day, because God declares who He is at least 184 times in His Word, “And he said to him, ‘I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.’” (Genesis 15:7 ESV)

Prayer for Today

Lord, every day is new with You, beginning with the first blink to waking up in the mornings. Something different comes around daily, but I have consistency in You. I have peace in You. I have steadfast love in You. Thank You that even as You make things new, You remain the same. You are…

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