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Meet A Volunteer: Keith

Keith has been serving at the Justin site for a little over a year. “I was brought up catholic and never really got into church after I grew up. I started using right out of High School. I was partying with family and friends until I was 25 years old. I put myself in rehab and I knew if I put myself there and could stay clean for the 2 weeks I was there, I could pull through,” Keith said.

After rehab he started working as a rancher and got saved seven years ago. He went all in for Jesus and decided it was best for him and his now ex wife and son to move to Texas for a better living environment. “The passion that God was showing me was so overwhelming I needed to listen to where He wanted me to go, so we went,” he said.

Keith heard about Feed the Need from Josh, who is a leader at the Justin site. Josh is also a leader in celebrate recovery where Keith is a part of too. “He told me about Feed the Need Missions on and off for a year or so. Things happened in Bridgeport and doors got closed so I moved to Denton. When I moved I got involved with Feed the Need Missions. I can now share my testimony of using drugs for 10 years, to the person I am today,” he said with excitement.

“I love Feed the Need Missions. I think people should come and experience it too, and get involved,” Keith said. “The smile on kids face and being able to pray with people and cry with people when they are struggling is what it’s all about, just being there like Jesus would.”

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Impact Stories: Justin

From now until the end of the year we will be sharing stories from each of our sites across Texas. Every site has the same mission: to feed people physically and spiritually. We see God using our volunteers and those that come to grow and build relationships with those in Christ. Here are just a few of the stories from our sites this past year.

JUSTIN serves every Thursday starting at 5:30pm at Justin Park located at 415 N. College Avenue, Justin, TX 76427.

Josh

Josh has been serving with Feed the Need Missions for the past couple of years at our Justin site. He is currently our trailer lead and resides in Justin with his wife Patty. Josh heard about the ministry by attending a class Brandon Phifer was facilitating at First Baptist Church Justin about being on mission. “He spoke about Feed the Need Missions and what it was about so I went to the site to go check it out,” he said.

“I didn’t really understand what Feed the Missions was about. I stood behind the grill and cooked. Didn’t say much to people,” he said. “Now I know what it’s about through the training and stepping up. It’s about the relationships and sharing the gospel. I no longer get upset when I see people taking several burgers home. It’s not about the numbers it’s about a personal connection with them and Jesus Christ,” he said in tears.

Josh has grown a lot through serving. He will even tell you his personal conviction and how he tries to look at all situations through Christ’s eyes. “It’s hard to do sometimes, but this ministry has helped me do that,” he said.

Shawna

As Shawna was trying to formulate her words about how Feed the Need Missions has helped her grow she realized that it was in so many different ways and that the impact was far greater than she thought. “I’m a single mom and have been coming to the Justin site for a while and it has helped me by providing a meal for my children so our monies can stretch a little farther,” she said.

“I love the new changes in Table Talk and how the message is presented now. It’s not just about a person sharing their testimony, it’s about growing closer to Christ. It has also made me realize how important the mission of Feed the Need Missions is. More people need to be doing this,” she said.

When asked how Feed the Need Missions has helped her personally she said “Because of you guys I have more confidence in myself. You have helped me understand more of what walking out my faith and being a Christian is. I am now serving and have a leader role at the site which I never thought I would be able to do and I can! We all can,” she said.

 

When you give to support our communities, people’s hearts and lives are being changed.

With your help, Feed the Need Missions will continue to provide a hot meal and share the love and message of Christ to those in our communities each week.

Can you help Feed the Need Missions continue serving each week by making a generous contribution of $25, $50, or $100 today? Without your generosity, people like Josh and Shawna, might not get to hear about the love of the gospel and what it truly means to have people who love and support you where you are.

Don’t delay, give now and make a difference in your community today.


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Meet a Volunteer: Jaynet

Jaynet has been coming to the site for almost a year not just for food, but also for friendships. “A friend from First Baptist Church Justin was delivering Thanksgiving baskets (Gobble Kits) last year and there was a Feed the Need Missions flier in there. I wasn’t wanting to come out for the food, but the lady told me some people come out just to visit,” Jaynet said.

She loves to bring cookies with her every week to bless those who come through the line for food. “I was use to blessing folks with cookies, and thought delivering to Feed the Need Missions would be a great way to start building relationships,” she said. And it has. It also helps her to get out of the house once a week. And she said, “cookies make people smile and I like to make people smile.”

“Feed the Need Missions has allowed me to meet and get to know people I never would have met before. I am 81 years old and like to serve others. I sometimes stay for the video at the end (Table Talk).” Jaynet has grown by being able to bring a smile to others. It fills her heart with so much joy that she continues to bring cookies every week and enjoys a burger while fellowshipping with others.

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Meet a Volunteer: BRANDY

Brandy has been serving at the Justin site since 2017. Her and her husband Daniel accepted the Site Coordinator role this past year. Brandy has struggled with addiction and depression throughout her young adult life. The past three years Brandy has been working diligently to get her life back on track.

Because of her transformation, her struggles are far less dramatic compared to when she first started serving with Feed the Need Missions. “I have come to realize I truly am a new creature in Christ and the OLD really has GONE. Today, I focus on moving past what I used to be, and growing more into who I want to be. Feed the Need Missions has offered encouragement and accountability in my victories and struggles. It has truly become my forever family,” she said.

Feed the Need Missions has led her to grow in Christ by offering a discussion with lessons during Table Talk each week. Brandy said, “It has inspired my growth through scripture, fellowship, and prayer. I have grown in Christ through this ministry by loving volunteers and others who participate in the community.”

“I am gratefully thankful for Feed the Need Missions in helping me see who I really am, learning more about Jesus, and the transformation that has happened in my life.”

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MEET A VOLUNTEER: SHELIA

Sheila lives in Justin, Texas and currently attends the Justin site. She and her husband have been attending since Fall of 2017. Her husband, John, worked with our Site Coordinator Daniel who invited John to come for a burger. Sheila had just gotten out of the hospital when she was she received a burger from her husband.

After several months of healing, Sheila came to the site to serve. She was physically limited on how to help because of her two broken ankles. Over time she’s been able to stand on her feet and serve with joy. “Feed the Need Missions has helped me get outside of my four walls (house),” Sheila joyfully said.

Feed the Need Missions has impacted her by providing a new family, “one that I love AND they love me back,” she said. “My favorite part is the fellowship and volunteering. It has given me a sense of worth and also has provided support in my faith, hope and encouragement. It’s not as scary now to step out in faith,” Sheila added.

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Site Stories: Justin

From now until the end of the year we will be sharing stories from each of our sites across Texas. Every site has the same mission: to feed people physically and spiritually. We see God using our volunteers and those that come to grow and build relationships with those in Christ. Here are just a few of the stories from our sites this past year.

JUSTIN Serves every Thursday starting at 5:30pm at Justin Park located at 415 North College Ave., Justin, TX 78647.

Jay

Jay moved to Justin Texas from California in 1975. Growing up he spent most of his life moving around. “Dad was in the military and we moved around every 3 years. I had a hard time making friends and keeping friends because of it,” he said.

He moved in with his parents in 2009 to take care of them. In 2010 his father passed away and in 2016 his mother. Jay was married, but divorced because of alcoholism and other reasons. Right before he moved in with his parents Jay decided he needed to quit drinking and to get his life back on track with God.

After Jay’s mother died he started battling depression. He found himself slipping back with no where to turn. Before Jay started serving he would come to get free food and Brandon, our Justin Site Coordinator would pray with him every chance he could. Soon, Jay started serving and was being picked up for church by Brandon.

But that’s not all, just a few months ago Jay called Brandon in desperation. He was wanting to take his life. With a gun to his head he sent a desperate text message to Brandon and Brandon immediately went to his house. Through conversations and prayer Jay realized his life on earth still had meaning.

Jay was just recently baptized at First Baptist Church Justin where Brandon attends. Brandon was able to be in the baptismal with Jay. “I was the crazy guy dancing and raising my hands in the air after I came up out of the water. If it wasn’t for Brandon helping me through my challenges and praying with me, I would not have been able to experience God’s presence, and if it wasn’t for Feed the Need Missions I wouldn’t have a place where I can serve and share my story with others.”

Sheila 

Sheila lives in Justin Texas just a few miles from the Justin site. She heard about Feed the Need Missions from kids holding up signs for free hamburgers almost a year and a half ago. 
 
“Feed the Need Missions provides me an opportunity to meet new people and make friends. These friends have prayed and help support my emotional needs through my multiple chronic health issues. I have Sjogrens, Polymyositis (auto-immune, lymphoma, and cancer). As you can imagine it gets lonely.”
Shelia attends the Justin site when her health allows her too. Her favorite part of Feed the Need Missions is the devotional at the end (Table Talk). “Table Talk helps me learn. It has also enabled me to be brave enough to ask people to pray for my polymyositis and other chronic health issues.”

DONATE NOW

When you give to support our communities, people’s hearts and lives are being changed. With your help, Feed the Need Missions will continue to provide a hot meal and share the love and message of Christ to those in our communities each week.

Can you help Feed the Need Missions continue serving each week by making a generous contribution of $25, $50, or $100 today? Without your generosity, people like John and Peggy, might not get to hear about the love of the gospel and what it truly means to have people who love and support you where you are.

Don’t delay, give now and make a difference in your community today.

 

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ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH

Scott heard about Feed the Need Missions through a friend who was attending Celebrate Recovery at First Baptist Church in Justin, Texas. Growing up, Scott was introduced to drugs and alcohol at a very young age. When his father passed away last fall, he started drinking heavily and was popping Adderall to cope with the pain.

All Scott knew his entire life was the streets. He was married, but is currently separated. Left with raising his three boys on his own, he moved into his mother’s home while trying to clean himself up from his addiction. “God started speaking to my heart. All I could do was sing praise and worship songs. Once He got a hold of my heart and was telling me enough was enough, I decided enough WAS enough. God asked me to do it for no one else but myself and Him. I am now free from the bondage.”

“It’s only been a few months that I’ve been clean,” he said. He’s now working full time and serves at his church on a CARES team. He visits the Feed the Need Mission site every Thursday in Justin, not because of the food but because of the people. “I have no friends and nobody to talk to. Feed the Need has helped me to be open and to find trust again. I can be the new me here, and still talk about my past.” He also said, “before I worked for Satan but now I work for God and because of my past and my struggles I can come here and be the person to listen and help others.”

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Community Stories: Justin

Every week until the end of the year we will be sharing stories from each of our six communities. Each of our communities serve anyone who stops by, but we have noticed that at each site similar stories start to pop up. We see God using our volunteers and those that come to grow and build relationships with those in Christ. Here are just a few of the stories from our location in Justin.

Justin serves on average 115+ meals every Thursday at Justin City Park. This site is one of our newest sites and currently our only site in the Denton area. Those we serve come broken and afraid of what others will think of them. Relationships are being made with the love of Christ, and we are able to be good witnesses, a listening ear and help them through their brokenness.

 

Daniel and Brandy

Daniel and Brandy married a year ago in November. Their past has been full of addictions and abuse and they decided together they needed to move. Where to move was the question they faced. They knew they  had to get out of the devastating situation they were currently in to be able to pursue Christ again.

Through prayer the Lord told them to move to Texas. They obeyed and ended up in Justin, Texas just outside of Fort Worth. They found a house to build a stable home for their three children.

Daniel was at the library one Thursday night studying for his seminary classes. Brandon, the Feed the Need Justin Site Coordinator, walked into the library, approached Daniel and offered him food. Brandon shared about Feed the Need Missions with Daniel as they walked across the field to our new site. Little did Brandon know Brandy, Daniel’s wife, was at home recovering from a hernia surgery. When Daniel brought dinner home for the family Brandy asked, “who did this for us?” Now their family attends our site faithfully and serves their community. Daniel has even shared his testimony at the site.

“Feed the Need Missions has started filling that void. You know, the void you have when you’re trying to get your life back on track and not sure where to turn. We needed loving guidance and good friends in Justin,” Daniel said.

Brandy added, “Obviously this is divine intervention. We both had fallen away. The closer we focus on Christ the closer we come together as a couple. We are so thankful for you guys and the support you have given us. We used to be Sunday morning Christians and lived a double-faced life. We were both drinking heavy and I am a recovering drug addict, and to know we can come to a place to serve and allow healing to take place brings joy to our hearts.”

DONATE NOW

This is the kind of difference you are making when you give to support our communities.  With your help, Feed the Need Missions will continue to provide a safe place people like Daniel and Brandy can gather for a hot meal each week, a place where you see the love of Christ in action.

Can you help Feed the Need Missions continue serving each week by making a generous contribution of $25, $50, or $100 today? And if you give by the end of the year, thanks to a generous matching gift, your donation will be DOUBLED—up to $12,000—to make an even larger impact in the lives of so many people in our communities.

So don’t delay, give today so you can DOUBLE your gift and help even more people like Mike experience unconditional love.

 

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Thanksgiving Happenings: Updates

Thanksgiving Day

On Thanksgiving Day our Feed the Need Justin site will be serving Thanksgiving dinner to it’s community. The site will be having a potluck style classic Thanksgiving Dinner from 5pm-6pm. If you’re in the Ft Worth area and you and your family need a hot meal or a place to serve on Thanksgiving, join us at 415 N College Avenue Justin, TX at the Justin City Park.

Thanksgiving Boxed Dinner Giveaway

Feed the Need Missions had the opportunity to partner with Primera Baptist Church this past weekend and provided 220 turkeys for their food pantry distribution. In addition, each Feed the Need site in the Bastrop Area registered families for Thanksgiving Dinner Giveaway meals. With your help, we were able to make 140 meal bags and pass out another 210 turkeys, for a total of 430 turkeys.

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One dad that stopped by recently lost his job, and he was so thankful to be able to still provide a Thanksgiving meal for his family. His family thanks everyone who has been a part of Feed the Need. “I can’t believe you did this,” his son said while helping him with groceries to his van.

What a blessing it is to know that many families will be able to cook a Thanksgiving meal together!

 

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Meet A Volunteer: Brandon

Brandon Phifer has been leading the Justin site since 2016, but has been a part of Mission U-Too almost since it’s beginning. Check out his story to learn about his heart and vision for Mission U-Too in the Denton area.

Years ago my closest friends started serving burgers and hot dogs in Bastrop, TX under the name Mission U-Too. When they originally started I participated at only a small level, but I was so grateful for their heart’s desire to make much of Jesus. I helped when I could, but mostly observed from a distance. The consistency of meeting weekly prepared them in ways they could not have expected. It was not long after they started that a fire devastated the area and destroyed hundreds of homes, which included at least 20 families from my home church. The work they did, that I had the joy of participating in, to care for the displaced families, first responders, and anyone else in need was tremendous and the city began to recognize their faithful and compassionate hearts.

I moved away from the area a couple years later, but Mission U-Too continued to grow and I kept in close contact with my friends. They started multiple sites and made disaster relief an important function of what they do. Although I didn’t live nearby any of the locations to serve regularly, I was able to take my son and join them in Moore, OK after a tornado wrecked the lives of so many people. This trip only served to increase my ever growing desire to be part of this ministry. While I had aspirations to start a site in the North Texas area, I had very young children and was at the beginning of a new career. I simply felt the timing was not right.

A couple years passed and Mission U-Too was still on my mind. I thought about the importance of leading my kids into a mission-minded lifestyle. I view my career as a mission field where I can seek to point people to Jesus, but my kids don’t get to see that. My wife and I became more and more convinced that we MUST get them involved in mission so they don’t grow up viewing the Christian life as something you do only on Sunday and Wednesday. We considered many nonprofits, but with a baby, a toddler, and a young boy, most of these seemed a bit impractical.

My wife and I continued to pray for wisdom about how our whole family could be on mission together. I found myself specifically being called to Mission U-Too, but asked God to solidify that I was hearing him correctly by putting it on my wife’s heart as well. My wife already has a great desire to serve the Lord and longed to get the kids on mission too, but if Mission U-Too was the route we should take then I wanted her to hear from God, without my influence, so we could be on the same page.

A short time later my wife approached me and said, “Let’s start a Mission U-Too!” That green light was all I needed and I began to plan and organize and prepare. We immediately began praying that God would stir people’s hearts to want to be involved. There is no question in my mind that Mission U-Too is a good thing to do, but I wanted God to call people to it in ways I could not possibly get the credit for. Over the next ten months God began to bring things together. My wife suggested a location that she felt was great, a park in the center of town. The city manager was excited about the idea and granted approval. I decided to put together a six week study to lead at my church that would encourage people to a missional lifestyle. I did not push Mission U-Too in this class, but offered it as an outlet to put to practice what we had been studying if they felt God calling them to it. I had lunch with many people and presented the vision of Mission U-too to my church life group. After all of this, a training was put together and 20 people showed up to a Friday night and Saturday training session! God was answering our prayer of putting the ministry on people’s hearts and calling them to be involved!

We launched our site in November 2016 and it has been a huge blessing. My children love serving and will often leave the playground to come ask how they can help. One of my boys really doesn’t understand why we cannot do it every single day and the other boy has shed tears when he can’t make it. The joy seen in the eyes of the volunteers is so exciting because just as much as I value feeding those in need, I have a great desire to see the Church, the body of Christ, on mission in the communities God has placed us in. As Christians we must show the love of Christ in words AND actions. We have faced some cold nights and it gets dark while we serve, but there is always a family that comes that really benefits and the smiles on the faces of volunteers never seem to fade.

We serve an awesome God who is already doing wonderful things in Justin, TX…in my family, in my Christian friends, and in the community. God is so incredibly good!

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