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

Today is a beautiful day, because “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is n law.” (Galatians 5: 22-23 ESV) ‪#‎joyinverse‬ ‪#‎blessedthisdayandeveryday‬

To Be Seen

Today is a beautiful day, because athletes exercise with great determination and self-control to receive a perishable reward; believers work for imperishable kingdom rewards. (from 1 Corinthians 9:25) ‪#‎joyinverse‬ ‪#‎blessedthisdayandeveryday‬

Today is a beautiful day, because as we live a life to honor God, we don’t have to be like Felix “as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgement … was alarmed.” (Acts 24:25) ‪#‎joyinverse‬ ‪#‎blessedthisdayandeveryday‬

Today is a beautiful day, because “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” in that “a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” (2 Timothy 1: 6-7 and Proverbs 25:28 ESV) ‪#‎joyinverse‬ ‪#‎blessedthisdayandeveryday‬

Today is a beautiful day, because we are ready and assured if we follow Peter’s instruction to “prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled, set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:13 NIV) ‪#‎joyinverse‬ ‪#‎blessedthisdayandeveryday‬

Today is a beautiful day, because “we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” “…The one who conquers and keeps my works until the end…I…

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Today is a beautiful day, because Paul explains that an heir is under the management of the father until the inheritance is complete, and we, too were under the influence of and enslaved by worldly devices, addictions, bitterness and hatred; “(b)ut when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of…

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Today is a beautiful day, because “the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.” (Romans 4:13 ESV) ‪#‎joyinverse‬ ‪#‎blessedthisdayandeveryday‬

Today is a beautiful day, because Jesus is appointed heir of all things. (Hebrews 1:2) (Photo of Creation Museum display) ‪#‎joyinverse‬ ‪#‎blessedthisdayandeveryday‬