Embracing Life

July/August, 2011 Embracing Life Journal

2011-07-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

See the Embracing Life Journal for July/August, 2011 including articles and video focused on the Embracing Life Intensive held at the Anaheim Vineyard in June, 2011. Click here! for the Journal.

April/May, 2011 Embracing Life Journal

2011-05-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

See the Embracing Life Journal for April/May, 2011 including articles and video focused on Finding God's Wisdom Amidst the Confusion of Illness. Click here! for the Journal.

February, 2011 Embracing Life Journal

2011-03-26T23:08:00.000-07:00

See the Embracing Life Journal for April/May, 2011 including articles and video focused on Finding God's Wisdom Amidst the Confusion of Illness. Click here! for the Journal.

December, 2010 Embracing Life Journal

2011-03-26T07:42:00.000-07:00

See the Embracing Life Journal for December, 2010 including articles and video from the ELM Carolers. Click here! for the Journal.

November, 2010 Embracing Life Journal

2011-01-14T14:31:00.000-08:00

See the Embracing Life Journal for November, 2010 including articles and video testimony that focuses on "What is a Life-Altering Condition? Depression and Caregiving. Click here! for the Journal.

October 2010 Embracing Life Journal

2010-11-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

See the Embracing Life Journal for October, 2010 including articles and video testimony that focuses on More Life!, our 8 session group utilizing our "Breaking Free from the spirit of death" booklet. Click here! for the Journal.

September 2010 Embracing Life Journal

2010-11-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

See the Embracing Life Journal for September, 2010 including articles and video testimony that focuses on The Embracing Life Series, our 14 week healing, discipleship group. Click here! for the Journal.

Find us on Facebook

2010-07-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

From now on Embracing Life Ministries will be posting all news, notes, interviews, pictures and videos on our Facebook page.

Click here: Visit us on FACEBOOK to view and make comments.

Spring/Summer ELM Update

2008-10-21T13:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

There’s much to share about Embracing Life’s activities in the first half of ’08, however, I’ll begin with some personal news that ordered the pace of the first few months. It must be said, that in spite of facing more medical problems at the start of the year, I felt confident that I was in the all-encompassing care (and watchful eye)of the Lord. Through the gifted people God placed over me and the devoted, inspiring leaders He placed under my direction, I experienced the Goodness and Generosity of the Lord like no other time.

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm. 33:18-22

Personal News

For those who did not know, I was diagnosed in December ’07 with prostate cancer. The diagnosis came totally unexpectedly as I was tested only a year before and was fine. It was the second occurrence of cancer for me: the first being AIDS-related, Kaposi’s Sarcoma back in 2003. While this cancer did not require chemo-therapy – Praise the Lord – the varied options for treatment all warned of hazardous possibilities. After researching and listening to lots of anecdotes from others, I decided to have a radical prostatectomy – total removal of the prostate. Through a referral, I was led to one of the finest urologists and surgeons in the country who, only weeks after operating on me, died suddenly at age 45 from septic poisoning. He was a brother in Christ and the most brilliant and caring medical professional I have ever met. I am not ashamed to say that I wept over the news of his tragic death…as did many who barely knew him. Today, I am fully recovered and cancer-free–a testament to his skill and promise that he would do all within his capability to give me many more years here to serve the Lord. Dr. John P. Stein: heaven’s gain, the medical profession’s loss.

Kansas

My surgery was set for late February so our January More Life! Training in Wichita, KS went on as planned. Neil Driscoll and I ministered together at our dear friend Penny Dugan’s home – a neo log cabin where we packed ‘em in. The setting was appropriate given the two pioneering ML! groups that emerged from that adventure. New Jerusalem’s ministry there has become a familiar base for me in the Midwest – one which I always love to return to.

Philippines

Ten days after returning from Kansas, Debbie Driscoll and I flew to the Philippines for trainings in Manila and Cebu City, a resort city of sorts located on one of the many islands that make up the country. We had the unique opportunity of doing healing services in two hospitals for breaking free from the spirit of death. (We all know that would never be permitted in the U.S.) There were over 200 doctors and medical workers attending which was a milestone for everyone involved. After our More Life! Training in Manila, we flew south with the Embracing Life Manila team, headed by Becky Del Corro along with Virmi Nery and the Wholeness Ministries leaders. We met up in Cebu City with a Christian Medical Association for a retreat entitled “Doctors in Touch, Back to the Cross”.

Only a handful of the 40 present knew what we were about; undoubtedly, the prayer time and training had to have caught them off-guard. Unfazed, they dove right in and participated with gusto. This was the first time for many to look at the manifestations of the spirit of death in their lives – both personally and nationally as Filipinos. Our hearts were knit together with those dear men and women who so emotively described the profound affect on their country that centuries-old subjugation from others had had. How thrilling the hope we witnessed in their healing and the liberation in Christ we celebrated after our weekend together.

Southern California

May 9th and 10th we held our first More Life! Training at my home church, Harvest Rock in Pasadena. I’ve included a picture of the downstairs lobby which was our venue (the building was once a famous concert hall) aptly called ‘The Fire Room” for obvious visual reasons and also spiritual –it’s where all the prayer ministry happens.

The Friday night ministry time saw about 120 folks and the next day a good 40 people attended the training. At last, on home turf.

Little time passed before we had to gear up for our annual Embracing Life Leaders’ Training at the Anaheim Vineyard at the beginning of June. That successfully completed, we had to quickly focus our attention on preparations for our “Share the Life!” fundraiser on June 28th…this time held in my own backyard.

Along with the anointed music by Becca Dricoll, we had endless delicious food and great testimonials. Of special note was a live interview over the internet with EL New Zealand leader, Glenys Brookbanks. Everyone wanted to hear more from her but Alas! had more of me instead. Lots of old friends showed up and had a chance to peruse the information gazebo set up to display the history of the ministry (posters, magazine articles, photos of past volunteers…etc.) as well as new publications. It was a full three hours that flew by. More than any donations received at the event (for which we’re grateful), the presence of friends gathered was (to me) a picture of the Lord’s great mercy and faithfulness in persevering. He took a mustard seed of a ministry like AIDS Resource Ministry (ARM) back in 1985 and produced – through the prayers and support of so many gathered there – the ever-growing Embracing Life Ministries of today. My heart was full and rejoiced to be alive to see it.

Travel News for Prayer Covering

As I write this, Neil and Debbie Driscoll and I are preparing for our next ministry trip down under to New Zealand and Australia. This will be the first More Life! Training in NZ and our first EL ministry endeavor –ever– in Aussie land. We’re all excited about the fruit that we know will come from this trip…lots of breakthroughs in people’s lives, accompanied by many healings.
Dates: Aug. 18- Sept. 1

In October I’ll be meeting up with Sonja Stark, the Director of Living Waters Europe for a conference in Finland where we expect many of the leaders involved with various healing groups to come. The venue will also provide a good platform for me to share about the More Life! booklets recently translated into Finnish and talk about future trainings there.
Dates: Oct. 8-14

Finally, Debbie and I are going to Argentina in November to do a More Life! Training, sponsored by Mauricio and Daniella Montion. Daniella has worked tirelessly on the Spanish translation of all our literature and has started teaching from the materials. It will be our first venture in South America and we’re really thrilled for the opportunity.
Dates: Nov. 12- yet to be confirmed

Bless all of you for helping make this a hallmark year for Embracing Life Ministries already. May the future be even brighter for all God’s children who have placed their hope in His unfailing Love.

With His Grace,

Jonathan

"Life-filled"Training Comments

2007-07-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

Last month's Embracing Life Leaders Training (June 6-9)was remarkable for the profound transformation the Lord did in so many. The following are excerpts from just a few testimonies we received from participants.

From Connie(a Pastor of Children's Ministry):
I have been to many 12 step meetings, Bible studies, retreats, etc. Many times I leave with a feeling that something was left out and a feeling of wanting something more.

Well I got it at Embracing Life! This teaching and study at Embracing Life Series (ELS) teaches you to move forward in your brokenness and pursue the fullness of life. Live life in abundance. ELS teaches that it is ok to move forward in our fallen world embracing life and teach others to do the same.

ELS has a good beginning, middle and end. And all through out the 4 days as we were lead inside our own challenges whether it was pain, chemo, shame, brokenness, rejection or whatever…..I LOVED that we were confronted and left with truth! Truth that heals …we were not left in a place when experiencing emotional turmoil thru the exercises. Life was spoken.

This ELS taught in depth the importance of the cross and the power there of! Healing, release and freedom were experienced and taught how to operate in it at a deeper level.

My ELS small group leader, Debbie, survived a cancer that should have taken her life. Her love for life and vivaciousness to give it away was contagious. Our other ELS leader, Karen, has a husband with Parkinson's and she originally came to help him thru ELS. Well, the Lord gave her so much to give away. She had wisdom and was so transparent, too. They mentored us on how they have embraced life thru all kinds of trials and circumstances. Small group was potent.

For me came freedom on Friday to be bolder and have more courage in what God has for me. Trust Him and step out. I experienced an exercise that was wonderful in helping me realize some sticky words that were spoken over me in the past that still had some weight in my life. I’ll keep this in my tool box!
All I could pray was more, Lord, more. More of You! Lord, help me give it away!

Great prayer tools were taught. So much happened the week I came back. I stayed at the hospital for a friend having emergency surgery, prayed for a friend who’s son had a stroke, prayed for a friend who’s very sick & missing work, received a letter from someone that lost her mother, got a call from a volunteer that lost her mother…this was all in 3 days. My heart wanted to explode and I loved praying MORE LIFE in them and their circumstances AND speaking the truth of John 10:10.

These 4 days added to my continued life long lessons and relationships that strengthened my purpose in this life. Thank you, Lord!

From Elizabeth:
I cannot tell you how profoundly affected I was by the training! It is
nothing short of miraculous! I can't seem to stop telling people about
it! It really feels like the discipleship class I have been looking for
all of my life! Not simply about God, but creating a hunger for more in
relationship with God and then facilitating us into more relationship
right after! God really showed up! Thank you, thank you, thank you, for
facilitating this and sharing your lives with us! I really cannot yet
comprehend how much healing and freedom I received! God is so good!

From Diana:
More Life alive and well in the High Desert. 20
letters have gone out to women from my church and
we're starting More Life next Monday. I've purchased
folders, paper, and name tags. One person "read
ahead" already prayed the prayer at the end of Breaking
Free and is experiencing relief from a long lasting
depression that she previously attributed to chronic
fatigue syndrome. Likewise I've been experiencing
freedom from depression like I haven't in years so I'm
enjoying that.
So "pass it on" is happening!

Well, I think you can tell from the above, the Lord did a lot! There are more testimonies but I think those are potent expressions of the corporate, liberating healing He did for all of us there...leader and participant alike. The enclosed photo is of our wonderful EL leadership team who, together with the Lord, enabled the training to be such a rich, heartfelt experience for everyone.

I wanted to also draw your attention to the "Link List" to the right of this blog. You'll note we also have a blog for EL Finland. Now native Finns who visit this page can click on the link and read up on news - in Finnish - from their EL leader over there: Antti Jaatinen. Check it out Finn fanatics!
In the future we hope to have all our international EL leaders around the world with their blog linked to us in their own native language. Wait for it to happen in a neighborhood near you.

In the future, I'll be sharing here articles written by friends and ministry leaders associated with EL who, I think, have important insights into the more abundant life in Christ we all are seeking. Meanwhile, next month, I'll be getting back to you on the latest news going on at EL.

Blessings,
Jonathan

APRIL 2007: Embracing Life Ministry Update

2007-05-31T17:07:00.000-07:00

"It's not the method but the effort of prayer."

I want to recount an event that occurred several months back. Forgive me for not informing most of you about it at the time. If not for a faithful friend who emailed a few, I might not have received the prayer covering I did.

December of 2006, I went to the ER suffering from an extremely painful kidney stone that, thankfully, passed the same day. The results of the abdomen CAT scan however revealed anomalies in my lower right lung which required yet another CAT scan for my lungs. Two small, tumor-like spots showed up. After consulting with a specialist, I was quickly scheduled for surgery to remove and biopsy the growths. The surgery went well, though more extensive than expected. Two pieces were removed and the lung stapled shut. The end result: no cancer, no growths whatsoever! Returning home after three, very wearying days in the hospital (and a large scar), I was kindly met with lots of encouraging, prayerful calls.

At one a.m., my second day home, I abruptly woke from a dream, sat up and said out loud to myself: "There's been a prayer breakthrough. I'm well." And well I felt, though wondering whose fervent prayers had pushed it through. Then I heard that still small voice of the Lord inside reply: "It's not the method but the effort of prayer." Quite simple, really, but essential in exercising our faith, because to the Lord, every effort of prayer on one's behalf – warlike, casual mention, pleading or brief – every one of them He acknowledges as a contributing part in healing. In the words of that oft-quoted advertising campaign: "Just do it!" If, as David wrote in Psalm 56 one's tears are "on your scroll…in your record", how much more God's notation of our prayers. To each of you who prayed for me – blessings! My speedy recovery and infection-free results are because of your simple faithfulness.

More Life! Leaders Training: Virginia Beach
In January, we had our first More Life! Leaders' Training in Virginia Beach, VA. It was sponsored by Sought Out Ministries' director, Katherine Allen (in photo w/ EL Anaheim team: Neil and Deb Driscoll). About fifty people attended the full training with at least one new group already resulting from it. We received lots of positive feedback with one leader commenting: "The format of the training [made it] easy for laymen in the church to begin ministry and let the Holy Spirit do the work. The materials were easy to use, not too heavy, not too light." Our heartfelt gratitude to the terrific folks who made our time there so memorable. Special thanks to the VB Vineyard pastors Darren and Jinhee Wiskow, who graciously provided their church and attended the training. It was an anointed time, full of life!

A life remembered: John Marcum
On March 23rd 2007, our dear friend John Marcum went to be with His Lord (in photo w/ wife Gail). I had the privilege of marrying him and Gail back in 1995. Their marriage was the first wedding I performed and what a treat that was. All went beautifully! I had known John from earlier days at our EL support group meetings and Gail as one of our ministry volunteers. They have been staunch and generous supporters of Embracing Life ever since. A hemophiliac who battled debilitating physical problems his whole life, John remained an overcomer, a resolute warrior and, above all else, lover of God. All of us who knew him are grateful to the Lord to have been part of his life. A love and life now utterly fulfilled in Christ.

Closing thoughts:
I thought I'd conclude with a quote from John Piper's latest book, Battling Unbelief. Quoting Jesus in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.", Piper comments: "Belief is not merely an agreement with the facts in the head; it is also an appetite for God in the heart, which fastens on Jesus for satisfaction…The point of theses images of drinking and eating is to make clear the essence of faith. It is more than believing there is such a thing as water and food; and it is more than believing that Jesus is life-giving water and food. Faith is coming to Jesus and drinking the water and eating the food so that we find our hearts satisfied in him." [emphasis, Piper]

May we be fully fed and satisfied in Him.

Bless you all for your wonderful support of Embracing Life; the "effort" of your prayers and your generous giving are a constant source of encouragement.

With God's Grace and Peace,
Jonathan Hunter