I am just about beside myself with excitement! Why? Are you wondering? It is because the Kids Ministry Resource that has been born out of the Upside-Down Kingdom book is now ready!
I will not go on about it - but I will tell you what some other people are saying:
What do other […]
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Last week I spoke with a friend from Tulsa Oklahoma. I was describing to him our current experience of starting a new church. It was only January 2008 when we decided to move from Kalamazoo, Michigan, to South Carolina. Now, in November, we find ourselves settled into a new place 1000 miles away from home. “Wow, you guys really took a step of faith,” my friend said.
I thought about it, and I realized how smoothly the journey has gone. The “step of faith” was making the decision to move and plant a church. Ten months ago, we couldn’t see how anything would work out. What would we do for money? How long would it take to meet friends? How would our kids adjust? How would we find a baby-sitter? There was nothing going for us in Knightsville SC and everything going for us in Kalamazoo! If we decided to go we would leave behind friends, security, a great church and an amazing position as Associate Pastors. There were no feelings of excitement about this prospect whatsoever. There was only the most subtle notion in my gut that we needed to do this. We were literally basing our whole life on a vision my wife had!
Stephanie:
About 2.5 years ago, I had a vision. During a time of prayer I found myself flying south over the United States and I knew I was heading towards South Carolina. As I flew along the coast line, I saw a large knight standing inland, and I heard a voice say the word “Knightsville”. I had never heard of a place called Knightsville before. Then, the Lord said “this would be a good place to plant a church” and He handed me a mandate containing the blueprints for us to plant a church “that beats with the heart of David” in Knightsville, SC.
Scott came home and I told him of the whole experience. Then, we did what any God fearing Christian would do. We logged on to the Internet to find out if there was indeed a place called Knightsville in South Carolina! Amazingly, there was.
It was not until after we announced our decision “to go” that the windows of heaven opened. Immediately, our home church pledged an amount of financial support for 6 months. We walked into the unknown as if the way would open – and it did. We started preparing our house to put on the market. It sold on exactly the right day.
Everything happened so quickly and all of a sudden we are were in South Carolina! When we arrived, the Lord said : Everything is an opportunity. This has helped us to expect open doors everywhere we go. When we meet someone we invite them for dinner, or at least exchange information. There are always people over for a meal. Just last night I met someone in front of our subdivision. Her car had a flat tire. She was going to try to change it in the dark in the middle of a busy road. I told her to come to our house instead. She did. I changed her tire while Stephanie fed dinner to two women and their five kids. When we meet someone we “stay in the moment” as far as it will go, because we don’t know what type of opportunity it may be. We don’t take anything for granted. We chase every chariot we see and we have seen amazing things open up.
Also God told us: Your family is key. This might seem like a “no brainer” to some, but for us it was helpful. Are we going to feel anxious because we’re not spending this time “working”? No, God told us that our family time is getting work done. So eating out as a family, or going to the park is part of “our job” in this season. In fact, our first contact in the area was made at the bookstore, a place where our children wanted to go to play. We are growing close to the family we met that night. We met, not by “getting serious” but by playing with our kids, by listening to God.
We have been in South Carolina for almost 3 months now. Everywhere we go we see God’s favor as He opens doors and introduces us to people. We had our first monthly meeting on October 5th and 50 people came – including our kids!
This whole journey has been incredible! It would have been so easy to say “Not so Lord…it is not the right time for us to do this!” However, we have seen that in our weakness He has been strong. Despite the challenges of living in faith, and planting a church with four little kids, we are having the time of our lives on this adventure with Jesus. We highly recommend the pursuit of church planting!
If you want to hear more about our adventures visit:
www.newdaychurchsc.com
The Upside-Down Kingdom is calling….
To purchase, click on the link “Buy Upside-Down Kingdom” to the right of this image.
““It was said of this land that the very air had the power to change hearts, and that the Silver Streams could wash a man’s poverty into the Great Sea. Throughout the ages, singers had sung songs, thinkers had thought thoughts, and philosophers had pondered. Astrologers and magicians had gazed into the answerless stars, but the secret of this kingdom was not revealed to the wise. Only children really understood the secret, and if they told you, you might not believe them.”
In The Upside-Down Kingdom, Stephanie Quinn Jones allegorizes God’s kingdom for children and adults alike. Revealing God as a loving, fatherly king and God’s kingdom as an enthralling, magical and adventurous realm to live in, Jones weaves a tale of escapade and intrigue sure to capture the interest of any young reader. Susianna and Ulysses live a life full of discoveries and adventures in The Upside-Down Kingdom. When Susianna’s grumpy cousin, Clarabelle, is tricked by a deceptive troll, a journey is set in motion. Unable to rescue their companion, they seek counsel from the Great King, by whom they are given a mysterious mandate and a wonderful promise. Join Susianna and Ulysses as they embark upon a twisting and turning excursion which will turn your world upside down! ”
Wanna purchase a copy of my book?
Visit Tate Publishing’s website via the link on this page: “Buy The Upside-Down Kingdom”
For bulk orders you can contact Stephanie Jone s (that’s me) via this site for special rates.
Testimonials
“I’ve had great fun reading The Upside Down Kingdom with my 3 girls as our prayer time before bed. It’s brought up amazing questions and discussion from them about God’s Kingdom and how we can know the King, experience His presence, hear His voice and pray for healing. “Using our inside eyes,” as it’s called in the book, has probably been the most significant lesson. We also began praying that Holy Spirit would give us dreams about the Kingdom. My two oldest each had an amazing dream revealing to them truths about the Kingdom a few weeks ago which was so special to each of them. They are beginning to recognize His voice and use their “inside eyes”. We only have a few chapters left and we’ll be eagerly awaiting the second book of the trilogy!”
Theresa Difato
Jacksonville, FL
“I have learned about what “inside eyes” are and how to use them. Like not to judge people by what they look like on the outside.”
Clare (11 years old)
“When Rufus went to the palace of the King, it reminds me that when a boy I know, Sammy, who doesn’t believe in God, meets Him, he will be changed.”
Ana (9 years old)
“I like the key and the treats the kids get from the King with messages on them. The King was taking care of them.”
Isabelle (5 years old)
In recent months I have felt challenged with the following question. How free am I to be myself? I think about Jesus, he said what was on his mind. He lived a life that was the perfect example of freedom. His “yes” was yes and his “no” was indeed no. There was no pretense, no hiding. He was able to be who He was meant to be, so that He could do what He was meant to do. I want to live that kind of life. Don’t you?
I started to consider other well known leaders. The apostle Paul, Smith Wigglesworth, Maria Woodeworth Etta. Leaders who were were brave and seemingly unhindered by the snare of the fear of man. I want to live that kind of life! Then, I found myself thinking about Adolf Hitler. Not somebody I want to emulate, but a man whose leadership had a huge impact on the world. I took some time to learn about him, and I discovered something that struck a chord inside of my heart. Did you know that Adolf Hitler’s childhood dream was to be a Christian minister?
I discovered this fact in every biography that I found concerning Adolf Hitler’s childhood years. And I started to ask myself these questions. What if Hitler was really called by God to enter the ministry? What if he had fulfilled this call? What if his gift to address thousands of people and cast vision was used to expand God’s kingdom and not the Nazi regime? What if Adolf Hitler had become who he was meant to be?
As I was dizzied by the possibilities I thought of something else (actually Scott did). Adolf Hitler is a name with which we are all familiar. We are all impacted by his dreadful legacy. But what about all the “leaders” we never even hear about? The ones who should have been great. The ones who did not fulfill their destiny. The ones who did not become who they were meant to be.
God declared to Israel “I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” He declares the same intentions to his people today. I believe with all of my heart that in order to do what we are meant to do, we need to become who we are meant to be. Adolf Hitler became an orphan at the age of eighteen. He was poor, living only on an orphan’s pension. It was during this time that bitterness rose up in his heart against various people groups. And…. you know the rest of the story.
In the Beatitudes Jesus said “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Isn’t that just the dream of your life? To see God. I want to see God in every area of my life. I want to see him in my fulfilled destiny. I want to see him when the false prophets of unpaid bills, sleepless nights and unsolvable problems tell me “You don’t have what it takes.” I want to gird up the loins of my mind and run fast and hard the race that is prepared for me. I want to be free of unforgiveness, bitterness and shame. I want to have the eyes of my understanding enlightened so that I can see God and receive the vision He wants to impart to me. I want the orphan in me to experience divine adoption. I want to become who I am mean to be, so that I can do what I am meant to do? Don’t you?
In response to these important questions we are now offering a week end seminar called “Becoming You”. It focuses on the experience of becoming who you were meant to be so that you can do what you are meant to do.
In 2002 I was waiting in my office preparing to counsel a young lady who was very broken. As I prayed for wisdom something happened that changed my whole paradigm for ministry. Jesus walked into the room.
He came and sat next to me on the couch, quite close to me. His back was toward me and He dropped His loose robe over His shoulders bearing His naked back. It was covered in open wounds and sores, it was bleeding. Jesus turned to me and said words that have become a part of me. “Would you minister to my body?” I was crying, saying “yes, yes, of course I will” and He handed me a flask of oil.
That event has shaped our approach to ministry. Every individual, every group, every church we approach to minister, it is Him. It is His body and His request. It is with His resources that we prepare His own body, His bride, for Him.
Hello! Thanks for visiting. Feel free to browse. Read about what’s happening with The Joneses. In case you didn’t know, I (Stephanie) have written a book! It is an allegory of the kingdom of God for Young Readers called THE UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM. Oh and another thing…we have started a church…with all our spare time…you know….
