October 2022
ONE THING I DESIRE
“If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be?” My mind seriously mused over the question.
As Mike and I ran into our local Costco, seeking shelter from the sweltering summer sun, the thought kept bouncing around my brain: “If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be?”
Perhaps I will find the answer in here?
I examined the aisles.
Nothing here!
We gathered our groceries and at the checkout were greeted by a bubbly young lady: Lily.
Lily’s water bottle was filled with a fuchsia fluid, and Mike wondered to himself: Why is there a bottle of marked diesel at this check out station?
Lily grabbed the bottle and vigorously shook the pink potion, eyeing the eerie liquid for undissolved solids.
Then she shook it again.
Content at last, she unscrewed the lid and proceeded to gulp down the “marked diesel.”
Lily screwed up her pretty face as she swallowed hard.
“Lily,” I looked at her name tag and inquired, “what are you drinking?”
Bewildered, she replied, “Kool-Aid.”
“Kool-Aid?”
“Yeah, I was so delighted when I discovered a package of Kool-Aid at home this morning. I imagined the fruity flavour would be better than just plain water. I can’t understand why I ever enjoyed Kool-Aid as a kid. … It’s…it’s yuck!”
“We have a cooler in our truck filled with ice-cold water and San Pellegrino. I’ll grab you one of each.”
“No, don’t do that. It’s OK.” Lily politely declined the offer.
Mike and I motored to our vehicle.
I eagerly grabbed an ice-cold bottle of water and a dripping-wet blood orange San Pellegrino from our cooler.
I found the answer I was looking for and had to get to Lily immediately.
As I reached her checkout station, Lily’s eyes widened. “Oh, my! No way! Really, no way! Oh, my!…” I choked up as I handed her the drinks, and with tears in her eyes, she embraced me.
If I could ask God for one thing, I know what it would be.
This.
Helping people like Lily.
The smile on her face and the tears in her eyes are what life is all about.
So many Lilys are yearning to taste something sweet. Their expectations are so high, convinced they are doing the right thing, they swallow the Kool-Aid.
Mike and I recognize that God has given us such a beautiful opportunity to reach these people, to offer them something pure and refreshing: The Saviour’s liquid of life, as Jesus Himself promised the woman at the well: “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).
Traditionally, a significant part of It Is Written Canada’s ministry has been to meet with its partners and sponsors once a year in various locations throughout the country for Partnership Weekends; however, for the last two years this has not been possible.
We hoped we could make it happen this year, but by the time the country opened-up, venues across the country were priced way beyond our budget. Therefore, we decided to stage an It Is Written Canada rally, starting with one at the Really Living Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, October 22nd, 2022.
The theme is “One Thing I Desire,” addressing the question: “If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be?”
We hope you can make it to this event in-person, but if not, you can also attend online by clicking the livestream links at:
It Is Written Canada’s webpage: IIW.ca
facebook.com/ItIsWrittenCanada/
YouTube.com/IIWCanada
Mike and I thank you for your prayers, for sharing our messages with your family and friends, for your words of encouragement, and for believing in the work God is doing through the ministry of It Is Written Canada. Also, we thank you for your loyal financial contributions this year, which have enabled It Is Written Canada to connect Canadians to the abundant life found in Jesus in a way that is personal and relevant.
~ René Lemon
Upcoming Episodes
October 1: From Extreme Brokenness to Extreme Repair
After Sandra and Ken Murphy faced one trial after another, they went to their Father in Heaven for help, and were totally unprepared for the abundant acts of love and support they received.
October 8 & 15: Coming Home, Parts 1 & 2
Jerry Shiel left home at the age of sixteen, lived on the streets for a number of years, and kept getting into trouble with drugs and violence, which meant he spent time in and out of jail. Then, he hit the big time, working as a model in Los Angeles and Dallas, but God had another plan for Jerry’s life.
October 22: Thank You, Jesus, for Your Peace
Meet David and Darrell Beaudoin, who today are so thankful for the peace Jesus brought into their lives because before they committed themselves to the service of the LORD, they were going down a very dark and dreary path. You will be blessed by their story.
October 29: The HEALTH Benefits of Walking
Dr. George Cho and Mark Johnson show how you can feel better and have more energy than you ever had in the past by making one simple lifestyle change.
Prayer in Action
We would also like to pray for you, so please send us your personal prayer requests, and we will add you to our prayer list here at It Is Written Canada.
From Our Viewers
“Thank you both so much for your dedication and the outreach of It Is Written Canada’s ministry. I love to watch your lovely program every Sabbath. May the Prince of Peace bless you both and your ministry.”
– Glen
“Thank you for the excellent and very interesting programs you produce.” – John
Ministry in Action
We are so excited to be starting our new season at It Is Written Canada in November. Thank you so much for praying for our team. We are especially grateful to our dedicated film crew, Duancey and Otto Castillo, for all their hard work and creativity.
CAN WE ASK YOU A FAVOUR?
For the last few months, we have been giving away hundreds of copies of THE EPIC DREAM, written by Mike Lemon. Many have been blessed by reading this faith-building adventure and will be sharing it with their family members and friends.
If you have not yet received your copy, please call us to request one: (905) 404 – 6510.
We are also pleased to announce that Ruben Dias and Mischa Gelb have finally created an account for this book on Amazon.com.
So, we would really appreciate it if you could, please, take a moment to leave a positive review on Amazon.com if you enjoyed reading the book.
Thank you so much!
THIS MONTH’S FREE OFFER – Where God and I Meet, by Martin Pröbstle
The Sanctuary in the Old Testament is a rewarding study; however, all the formalities, furnishing, and figures involved can be baffling. With this in mind, Martin Pröbstle brings clarity to the subject. He uncovers an interesting connection with Heaven and how the Sanctuary is linked to our own spirituality today.
Health Nugget
“As in the natural, so in the spiritual world: every power unused will weaken and decay. Activity is the law of life; idleness is death” (Christ’s Object Lessons, pg. 364).
PUMPKIN PIE FILLING
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk
- 1 tbsp ground flax
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ cup cornstarch
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Whisk the first four ingredients, and let sit at least 10 minutes (or refrigerate overnight).
3. Combine all ingredients, pour into a 9-inch pie crust, and bake 28 minutes. It should look underdone when you take it out.
4. Let cool, then refrigerate at least 5 hours uncovered to let it firm up.