OPEN TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY
August 14 to 16, 2018
10 am to 4 pm
Office: 262.275.6466

Dear Friends:
Have you noticed:
~ the school supplies available in all of the stores now?
~ the shorter days with cooler mornings, and often foggy?
~ parents ready for their children to return to the structured school day?

Ahhh … the signs that the start of a new school year is around the corner. Another season of transformation is upon us!

“And all of us, as with unveiled face,
continued to behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another;
for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit.”
~ 2 Corinthians 3:18

We all, along with the children, continue to be transformed; what a glorious blessing!

Blessings . . .

Jan

PS: FREE FIREWOOD to anyone who is willing to help cut up fallen trees at Agape House Counseling Center; contact the office: 262.275.6466 or office@AgapeHouseHeals.org

IF YOU CAN HELP WITH DEMOLITION/RENOVATION PROJECTS, such as: Installing Siding, Painting, Building Walls and Demo, join us any of these days:

Saturday, August 18, 2018,
Saturday, August 25, 2018, OR
Saturday, September 1, 2018,

8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
please contact us at 262.275.6466 or office@AgapeHouseHeals.org
And meet us at 119 Phillips Avenue, Walworth

Prayers and Praises:

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

~ Continued unity for our staff and school.

~ A solid foundation to come together for the staff of the Home and School for Boys.

~ The upcoming students and their families as they prepare for this life changing year!

PRAISE GOD FOR:

~ Current training for staff and volunteers to prepare for this upcoming school year.

~ All house staff returning after a summer break, preparing to love on our girls.

~ A wedding in our midst; happy blessings for a special Agape couple!!!

“For with God nothing will be impossible.”
~ Luke 1:37

LOOK WHAT’S NEW!!!
Lakeshore Estate Resale is a local charity that has been created to support local causes. They will accept “gently used” donations for resale, and all net proceeds from the sale of items you donate will be sent to the charity of your choice.
Simply designate Agape House and your donation will benefit this ministry. And you can shop for yourself here, too!

Phone: 262.325.5459; Open weekends only;
Located at 80 N. Walworth Street, Williams Bay, WI

Dear Friends:

“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.”
~ Matthew 6:9-10

It has always been our prayer at Agape House to do God’s will, in all that we do at Agape House. This week I am happy to say that His will for us to open a boys’ home and school is coming to fruition!

A few weeks ago, we spoke about ‘Something new. It is coming!’ And now here we are . . . something new, but really something old because we began this process 4 years ago when someone offered us a home in Elkhorn that seemed like the perfect set up for a boys home and school. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right place or the right timing.

Move forward to 2018, and we see that God had another plan! Full Gospel Church recently donated their 119 Phillips Avenue church building in Walworth to us, and we are now officially planning to open a boys home and school – praise God!

The next step in this process is to do a little bit of demolition so we can begin some painting, building of walls for office space, install new flooring, etc.

IF YOU CAN HELP WITH DEMOLITION WORK
Saturday, July 28, 2018
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Please contact us at 262.275.6466 or office@AgapeHouseHeals.org
And meet us at 119 Phillips Avenue, Walworth

Watch for more details to follow as we get this project up and running.

Blessings . . .

Jan

Prayers and Praises:

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

~ The families that are considering Agape for their child for the 2018-19 school year; may they be filled with peace and hope about their decisions. We are now saying child instead of daughter, as we may be able to open the school for boys yet this Fall! Please pray for God’s will be done with regard to when we open the boys school.

~ Our returning girls to be strengthened in all that they have learned in the past year about who they are in Christ, and that they are walking in that knowledge over the Summer as they are given opportunities to mend relationships and let His healing be evident in their lives.

~ His blessings to pour forth for our staff and their families over the Summer months, as the need for His presence, comfort and strength is great in many ways; pray also for these families to walk faithfully trusting our awesome God!

PRAISE GOD FOR:

~ The generosity of the congregation of Full Gospel Church, and their hearts’ desire to support and encourage Agape House in this new venture of opening a home and school for boys; together we can all make a difference, one child at a time!

~ Those who will jump on board to help with the demolition and renovation of the building for the boys home and school, and the hope of offering these services to young men, as well as young girls!

~ The prospective staff and volunteers God has already provided to begin this ‘New Thing’.

“For with God nothing will be impossible.”
~ Luke 1:37

Upcoming Event Supporting Agape House –
Mark Your Calendars for Saturday, October 13th

Summer Office Hours: CLOSED THURSDAY, 6/28/18

Dear Friends:

“Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”  ~ Isaiah 43:19

Something new. It is coming! Do you see it? Or are you not even looking?

With summer officially here, time will be enjoyed by all with vacations, summer camps, beach days, picnics and catching up with old friends. It is full. I admit to being caught up in the daily grind and all the fun to be had while doing so. I don’t always quiet myself to take the time to look at what’s to come. Then, when the new arrives and hits me square in the eyes, I question where that came from! But the truth is, God is always speaking to us, revealing Himself to us and showing us glimpses of what He has on the horizon for us. With our busy lives, do we make time to allow the new? I recently heard a bold statement that is still stepping on my toes ….. “If you are too busy, you are wasting God’s time”. That’s right: God’s time; not mine!

Something new is coming. Do you see it? Are you using His time wisely?

Blessings . . .

Kym

Praises for:

All the staff and volunteers who have made end of year clean-up and organizing for the upcoming year happen!

The girls who are able to re-unify with their families for the summer break

A time of reflection and refreshing for our house staff as they take the summer off.

Prayers for:

A new lead teacher for the School

Staff retreat: For the staff to unify, vision cast and pray over the upcoming school year’s needs

The families that are considering Agape for their daughter for the 2018-19 school year.

Summer Office Hours

We will do our best to be here these hours, but it might be a good idea to call before coming . . . sometimes I am the only one here, and I get called away on another task. Thank you!

Tuesday to Thursday
10 am to 4 pm
Office: 262.275.6466

Dear Friends:
Connect . . What do you think of when I say this word?

A few months ago, some of us at Agape House attended a movie by Kirk Cameron called ‘Connect’. It was very insightful as to what is going on in our world with regard to the use of social media, cell phones, etc. It’s too bad it was only available to see for a very short period of time because this is one of those movies I think everyone should watch.

Ultimately, they revealed that there are 5 lies people are believing in our fast-paced society as a result of social media, cell phones, etc.:
#1: I am the center of the universe.
#2: I deserve to be happy all the time.
#3: I must have choices.
#4: I am my own authority.
#5: I don’t need teachers/mentors; information is all that matters.

WOW! Is this really the message we want our society to believe, especially our young people? I don’t know about you, but when my phone beeps, dings, rings or sings to me, there is a reaction in my head! It makes me think there is something important that I must deal with on that phone! And, if I allow that thought process to go one step further, it can make me feel important, needed, or special; not to mention the fact that it can be a distraction from dealing with what is really going on in my life.

They went on in the movie to reveal the truths about the lies stated above.
#1: GOD IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE.
#2: WE CAN HAVE JOY IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES THROUGH GOD.
#3: CHOICE IS A PRIVILEGE; BE THANKFUL!
#4: GOD IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY.
#5: SEEK GOD FOR WISDOM.

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ~ John 8:31-32

If we can focus on this basic truth as closely as we hold on to our cell phones, we will find ourselves in a much better place in this world. I pray that together we can convey this truth to the world

Blessings . . .
Jan

Prayers and Praises:

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

~ people to be able to set aside their phones, and have face-to-face conversations with family and friends.

~ all of us to recognize the truth about what is happening in our society today, and to do our part to redirect everyone His truth.

~ God’s healing for all those who have been hurt/bullied/abused through social media, and change in how we use these modern day tools.

PRAISE GOD FOR:

~ His truth that sets us free, as we cling to it and share it with others/

~ volunteers who have been helping with painting projects at Agape this past week as we freshen things up!

~ hope and healing in a hurting world.

“For with God nothing will be impossible.”
~ Luke 1:37

LOOK WHAT’S NEW!!!
Lakeshore Estate Resale is a local charity that has been created to support local causes. They will accept “gently used” donations for resale, and all net proceeds from the sale of items you donate will be sent to the charity of your choice.
Simply designate Agape House and your donation will benefit this ministry. And you can shop for yourself here, too!

Phone: 262.325.5459; Open weekends only;
Located at 80 N. Walworth Street, Williams Bay, WI

“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you

and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Isn’t this a great promise from God? With graduations going on everywhere, it is a good time to encourage our young people with this hope-filled message from God! Our graduation/recognition ceremony last week was a blessing as we had 3 young ladies receive their high school diplomas, and another one graduate from 8th grade!

This is no small accomplishment for our Agape Angels, as they have much more to accomplish during their time at Agape House than simply a high school diploma. And this is where the ‘hope and a future’ looks dramatically different because most of our girls would not have completed high school if they hadn’t come to Agape House, seeking to overcome the affects of trauma in their life, in one form or another.

Ultimately, the goal is that they come to know who they are in Christ so that they can walk out their days after leaving this program continuing to grow and change as God shapes and molds each one of them.

Blessings . . .
Jan

Prayers and Praises:

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

~ All of our graduates across the nation who are moving on to the next season in their lives, pray that they know who God is and that they are seeking to know God’s plans for them!

~ The girls as they have longer weekends with their families/respite care for the next few weeks, that they will recognize what they have accomplished in the past year, and see God working in their lives..

~ The plans God has for this ministry as we continue to follow the path He leads us on!

PRAISE GOD FOR:

~ Recognition given at our graduation last week for goals reached by our Agape Angels, and what they realized has been important to them at Agape House this past year. We give God praise for all of you who have been a part of making a difference in their lives, and hope you enjoy these thoughts:

Agape made a difference in my life by:
Loving me more than anyone ever has.
Helping my family grow closer with God and blessing us.
Showing me how valued I am and how worth it I am.

At Agape….
I made a lot of friends
I got a lot of help on my schoolwork and I learned about God’s love.
I learned there are seasons for everything and you will get through them.
I have gotten so much help and support and feel loved and cared about.
I have learned to be patient, to forgive and to love.
Set goals and accomplished them. I learned how awesome life can be.
I am learning to be a more godly woman.
I learned to have patience.
I am learning so much about myself
I am learning to trust God.

I no longer:
Feel alone
Self-harm
Down talk myself

I’d just like to say:
Thank you for blessing my family and me with your kindness and support.
You have helped me walk close with God and have brought my family together.

~ Volunteers from Brooklife Church who donated their time this past weekend to participate in a ‘Work Day’ at Agape House! The tasks they completed were many, and their service is greatly appreciated.

~ Hope and a future . . . such reassuring promises!

“For with God nothing will be impossible.”
~ Luke 1:37

Have you checked out the newest shop in Williams Bay yet? Lakeshore Estate Resale is a local charity that has been created to support local causes. They will accept “gently used” donations for resale, and all net proceeds from the sale of items you donate will be sent to the charity of your choice. Simply designate Agape House and your donation will benefit this ministry. Be sure to do some shopping for yourself!

You are invited to join us for our
Graduation / Recognition Ceremony
Thursday, May 24, 2018 – 6:30 p.m. in the MPR

No RSVP Required; Light refreshments will be served afterwards!

Dear Friends:

We stand back swallowed in life’s chaos that stirs around us, and miss the moments that matter as it all passes by. The chaos isn’t always bad, but it is distracting. So we watch and pray and wait and do. We do what we know how to do in our own strength.

But God asks us rest in Him. He is the One who stands in the calm of chaos and directs our steps. In Him, His glory is revealed in us. In Him, we are able to be powerful. In Him, we accomplish more than we might ask our even think. In Him, we have watched these beautiful daughters of His do all that and abundantly more this year. In the midst of the daily chaos, our vantage point has been limited. But, in reflection of this past year, His abundance is obvious!

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,
to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” ~ Ephesians 3:20

Blessings . . .
Kym & Jan

Prayers and Praises:

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

~ Peace during this season of transition.

~ Respite providers for the families and girls in need.

~ Discernment for upcoming opportunities within Agape House’s ministry.

PRAISE GOD FOR:

~ Girls who are crossing the finish line stronger than any of us imagined possible!

~ Stronger family connections and bonding as the girls prepare for reunification for the summer months!

~ Mentors who are so creative with the time they invest in their relationship with their mentee!
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
You have set Your glory above the heavens.”  ~ Psalm 8:1

LOOK WHAT’S NEW!!!

Lakeshore Estate Resale is a local charity that has been created to support local causes. They will accept “gently used” donations for resale, and all net proceeds from the sale of items you donate will be sent to the charity of your choice. Simply designate Agape House and your donation will benefit this ministry. And, you can also go shopping here, too!                                                                    Located at 80 N. Walworth Street, Williams Bay, WI

Dear Friends:

The beauty of new life all around us at Spring time gives us peace. I think we all need a reminder once in a while that it is possible to have peace, in spite of how things look in our secular world. Once we get to that place of peace within our spirit, the next challenge is hanging on to it, in spite of the troubles we face in our lives. At John 16:33 we are told to take heart because God has overcome the world! His promise is peace that passes all understanding.  We may not understand it while we are walking in the storm, but we find peace.  We trust Him knowing He will use the storm to nourish our soul.

Have a blessed Mother’s Day!

Kym and Jan

Happenings at Agape House:

There’s been lots happening at Agape House this past week; see current photos on FB.

Prayers and Praises:

Please Pray For:

~ Peace: for our girls, their families, the world; and especially for our Mother’s as we celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend.

~ God’s plans for the future design of Agape House, and that we are walking in His will.

~ the girls to be able to accomplish what they need to in the next 2 weeks before graduation.

Praise God For:

~ Peace in this world in the midst of the storm.

~ Patient staff at ‘crunch time’ in spite of tender emotions.

~ An amazing staff and volunteer corp at Agape School: we’ve celebrated Teacher’s Appreciation Week and all of our volunteers with a volunteer luncheon; we are blessed!

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
You have set Your glory above the heavens.”
~ Psalm 8:1

Counseling at Mukwonago Location

If you are looking for Biblical counseling and live in the Mukwonago area, contact:

Carol Hayes, B.A, Christian Counselor; 262.894.7397 (text/voicemail)

Support Agape House through purchases at Amazon

Choose Agape House, Inc. and  Amazon donates money to our mission with every purchase you make!

You are invited to join us for our Graduation / Recognition Ceremony
Thursday, May 24, 2018  – 6:30 p.m. in the MPR
No RSVP Required;  Light refreshments will be served afterwards!

Walk Amazed With God
Thank You for a Successful 5K!

We are very grateful to everyone who joined us for our annual 5K event last Saturday. As you can see in this picture, it was not raining or snowing – yeah! We had over 200 participants support us as we brought awareness of Child Abuse Prevention month to the community – the support for this event was tremendous!

See more thank yous, photos and videos from the 5K on FB

Prayers and Praises
It’s that time of year again . . .at Agape House; we are walking amazed with God as we watch Him transform our caterpillars (the girls) into butterflies – it is always such a beautiful process!

Max Lucado says, “God loves us just the way we are, but He is not finished with us yet.” God continues to refine us to help us be just like Jesus. Our girls are in a transitional time as they finish up these last few weeks of school, uncertain about what the future looks like for them.

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

~ Respite options for girls who may not be able to fully re-unify with their families this summer.

~ Endurance for staff as they minister to the girls in preparation of upcoming transition into their family homes this summer.

~ Ministry needs for the 2018-2019 school year.

PRAISE GOD FOR:

~ A successful 5K event bringing awareness to child abuse and the impact it offers.

~ Girls who are achieving goals, beginning employment and other independent activities.

~ Grant monies awarded to Agape House from Alliant Energy Foundation.

“How great is the love the Father has for us.” ~ 1 John 3:1

Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers for this ministry.

Jan and Kym

Dear Friends:

Peeking out on the crisp white snow are these beautiful crocus flowers, giving us HOPE that Spring is here!
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick…”
~ Proverbs 13:12

Hope: Highly anticipated expectations
Deferred: Prolonged or delayed outcome
Heart Sick: Feeling despondent

We put our hope into many worldly things; we hope:
– for our favorite team to win the game.
– to go to our favorite restaurant with our friends this weekend.
– our children bring home a great school report.
– our car makes it one more year before it needs replacing.

We hope and we hope and we hope. It is a normal reflex in our world to hope. Placing our hope in those things often leads to the disappointing outcomes as those things we hope for are not reliable. People fall short and things are unpredictable. Life, this side of Heaven, leaves us feeling heart sick. This side of Heaven that is. When we put our trust in Jesus, our hope is secured in Him. He never leaves us or forsakes us. So when the world fails to meet our expectations as it often will, we can rest in the Truth that He created us to persevere through the resistance and rest in Him.

Peeking out of the crisp white snow are these beautiful crocus flowers. Trying to make their way into a world that was to be prepared for their arrival, they push their way through the opposition. They know where and when they belong even though it appears the earth is not yet ready for them. We have a lot to learn about hope from these budding beauties!

Please Pray For:
~ The families as they transition into more time together with the girls during weekly home visits.

~ The girls to .be filled with hope during moments of pressing into natural opposition so they may become who they were created to be despite the circumstances.

~ Our upcoming Run/Walk/Stroll 5K: Be Amazed With God.
DON’T FORGET TO REGISTER TODAY!

Praise God For:

~ Opportunities for the staff to connect and refresh through professional enrichment.

~ All who have signed up to participate in this year’s 5K event as we bring awareness about Child Abuse Prevention month!

~ Our volunteers who continue to be so faithful in serving the needs at Apape House.

Blessings . . .

Jan & Kym

We hope you will join us for our annual 5K,
and get your teams ready to help us bring awareness about
Child Abuse Prevention Month

Register and download Sponsor forms at  www.AgapeHouseHeals.org/Events

Walk-ins/Registration now $30, includes event & lunch; t-shirt depends on availability
(Children 16 & under are FREE; t-shirt and lunch are optional at $5 each)

Fee is waived with $100 or more in sponsorship donations;
The following prizes will be awarded to the 3 participants with highest sponsorship monies raised:

~ Canopy Tours of Lake Geneva – Gift Certificate for Two for a 2.5 hour guided zip line canopy tour!
~ Heyer True Value – Gift
~ Main Street Country Store – Gift Cert

Check-In at Event: 8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Event Begins: 10 a.m. at Agape House
Lunch served from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm in the MPR

Our Precious Agape Angels

For Valentine’s Day, the girls were treated to a fabulous Spa Day by many volunteers and Jasmine’s Salon & Spa in Lake Geneva hosted the event this year, which was a fun treat. After they had their time at the ‘Spa’, getting all dressed up, they were treated to a dinner out at Tuscan’s Tavern & Grill in Lake Geneva, which is where they are seated in the picture above, in front of their fireplace.

Thank you also to everyone else who contributed their time, talent and gifts to make this a very special event for these girls, wherein they were shown how much God loves them through the hands and feet of so many of you:
~ Pesche’s Greenhouse
~ Sandy’s Upscale Consignment
~ Kimberly Ausen
~ Patricia Landreman
~ Frank & Mary Lou Stellato
~ Kaleigh Thelen
~ Deborah Werner

And an extra special thank you to our Coordinator for this entire event: Barb Ditzenberger!