a church in pursuit of God, with a passion for people

A Word Hunt
You are to hunt for ten words of five letters each and all beginning with the letters RO.
Each word is described or defined to help you guess it, and you may check your answer
by looking for the word in the Bible verse given.

1. Large stones. (Jeremiah 4:29)

2. Parts of a house. (Matthew 23:6)
3. Man of a certain nationality. (Acts 22:29)
4. Garments. (Luke 20:46)
5. A way to cook meat. (1 Samuel 2:15)
6. Parts of a tree. (Mark 11:20)
7. To waken. (Genesis 49:9)
8. The opposite of smooth. (Isaiah 40:4)
9. Kingly. (Esther 5:1)
10. Large twisted cords. (Acts 27:32)
Answers. Don’t peek!

Jonah Word Search

This word search uses words from the story of Jonah. See how many of the
words listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally,
backwards, across— every direction.

ASLEEP H Z Y X H A P M Q S D H PERISH
BELIEVED C W L H S I R E P E N T PRAYED
BELLY A S L L I S A R K V I O PREACH
BOOTH E S E E H U Y C J A W O PREPARED
FAST R E B C S O E I D W O B REPENT
FISH P N H I R I D F E G R D SACKCLOTH
GOURD I D T F A C E U R M M N SACRIFICE
GRACIOUS H N O I T A V L A S I A SALVATION
JONAH S I L R E R E R P N H L SHIP
JOPPA I K C C M G I Y E V A Y TARSHISH
KINDNESS F U K A P N L V R P N R TEMPEST
MARINERS A F C S E B E M P T O D WAVES
MERCIFUL S P A R S H B O N L J D WIND
NINEVEH T C S O T H J D R U O G WORM
 Randy Gideons . Lead Pastor . Warehouse Church
J ust a few thoughts as we get ready to
start a new year and get another
chance!
I woke up a number of years ago while on
vacation and it dawned on me that Kelley
would soon be all grown up and family
vacations as we have known them would
be a thing of the past. Just this past year
as my family was in a theater watching
“Toy Story 3”, it came to the scene where
Andy is getting in his car and leaving for
college. All of a sudden I thought…that’s
Matt! One day Matt’s going to leave home
too! I started sobbing...not tears and a
little emotion...I am talking sobbing! Matt
turned and said, “Really dad?” I had
reconciled to the fact that Kelley is half
way out the door but, until that moment I
had not even begun to process the fact
that Matt would soon be going also.
There was a particular year that I put the
video camera down at Christmas and
entered in to the occasion. It had been my
job since the kids were born to make sure
that we had every special event on tape. I
could never fully experience the
unwrapping of gifts because I was playing
Holiday Director for movies that would be
watched in our old age. That day I decided
that once in real time with all the emotions
would be better than a life time of trying to
relive the moment on a television. Since
then we have about 10 – 15 minutes of
video for each Christmas and that’s it.
The rest is recorded in my heart and mind.
I read a book a number of years ago titled
“Epic” written by John Eldridge. In those
pages John taught me that your life is like
a movie.
There is a beginning, middle and an end.
He explained that we really live the
beginning and dread the end but we make
the mistake of losing our way in the
middle. He goes on to encourage us that
we should enjoy our lives like a really good
movie…one chapter at the time. Don’t fast
forward and try to see how it turns out but
savor every morsel as you turn the pages.
Years ago when David Schott and I used
to eat out together a lot. I used to get
agitated as I would quickly devour my food
and then have to wait while David seem to
take forever to eat his food. If I said
anything I would get the speech…”you
paid for it…you should enjoy it!” (or
something with a point like that). Today I
like to be the one who finishes last when
eating with family or friends. Sometimes I
forget and swallow the food whole. But I
feel quite accomplished when others are
waiting on me!
I used to use gas and energy passing cars
one after another in order to try to get
somewhere faster. It took me looking in
my rear view mirror many times to find the
cars I had passed were right behind me no
matter how hard I raced to get to my
destination. I could have gone with the
flow and enjoyed the trip!
Finally…I remember Ferris Beuller’s quote
in John Hughes film …”Life moves pretty
fast…If you do not slow down and
smell the roses once in awhile, YOU
COULD MISS IT!”
Happy New Year!
TAKE HIM WITH YOU

H ave you ever been around

someone long enough that you
already know the stories that they
are going to tell? Perhaps you have
already heard them or depending on the
person, you might have been there or
been a part of the story to tell. A neat
thing happened like that one Sunday at
church. Let me tell you about it.
You see, we are only INSIDE the four
walls for a few hours. We live everywhere
else. We have contact and make
impressions on people daily. Keep in
mind: you have the opportunity to have
church every day. It might not be with
someone else but Jesus said He is with us
ALWAYS!

I was sitting in my chair waiting for church

to begin and was just listening to the folks
chatter around me. Dawn and Randy (her
son) were chatting back and forth telling
each other “I love you”. Steve and Ray
were talking about hunting and the
M atthew 28:20
weather. Other men were talking about
the Men’s Tool Exchange that took place
the night before. I just took it all in and
... “And su rely
was picturing each scenario as it unfolded.
I began to think about “church” and I am with
realized that in each scenario, they were
having church. They were spending time
together, admonishing each other and you a lwa ys,
taking care of each other’s needs.

As I kept listening and thinking, I said to to the v ery end

myself, “You know, they had and are
having church outside of this building”.
Then God said, “Yeah, I know. I was of the a ge."
there. I always am.” I was not expecting
to hear from God right then because I was
just taking it in. Funny how He speaks
when I’m not expecting it. As I began to
think about what He had just told me I
realized that what we do INSIDE the four
walls is a small fraction compared to what
we are supposed to be doing OUTSIDE
the four walls.
 by Brenda Petersen

And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all
afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and
brought him to the apostles.
Acts 9: 26-27

O
knowing.
nly God knows the potential of
each believer. We can project
what we think God might do in
someone's life, but we have no way of
We see only outward
Thank the Father for those He has sent to
you who believed in what God could do in
you, even when others doubted.

Henry & Richard Blackaby

appearances and behavior, whereas God
looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

The apostles were skeptical of some who

professed to be Christians. No one
seemed more unlikely to become a
dedicated follower of Jesus than Saul of
Tarsus. He had been one of Christianity's
greatest enemies, even overseeing the
murder of Stephen (Acts 7:58-60). When
Paul suddenly expressed an interest in
knowing the leaders of the Christian
movement, it was natural for the apostles
to suspect devious motives and to doubt
his conversion. Nevertheless, despite the
apostles' reluctance, Barnabas assumed
the best in Paul and risked his own life to
be Paul's advocate.

You may identify with Paul. Perhaps you

were an improbable candidate to be a
committed Christian. It may be that God
placed a Christian friend beside you to
help you develop your faith.
Awakening Fast
January 10 through January 30
Start the year 2011 spiritually strong by
joining us in a 21 day season of prayer
and fasting. This year, as we unite with
hundreds of pastors, churches and
ministries all around the world, we will
harness the power of praying and fasting
together.
Whether you’ve fasted before or if this will
be your first time, Awakening is designed
so that you can participate at any level.
Fasting tips, resources and tools,
including information for kids and youth
are available at www.awake21.org.
Why are you fasting? Is it for spiritual
renewal, for guidance, for healing, for the
resolution of problems, for special grace
to handle a difficult situation?
02... Demetrius Elridge
02… Kara Crofts
03… Tiffany Terhart
04… John & Elise James
08... Nika Felty
12… Emma Symonds
12... Isaiah Kasperek
16… Phil & Patti Lutz
Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading
and objectives for your prayer fast. This
will enable you to pray more specifically
and strategically. Through fasting and
prayer we humble ourselves before God
so the Holy Spirit will stir our souls,
awaken our churches, and heal our land
according to 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Make this a priority in your fasting.
16… Sue Dehart
17… Leo Lenschow
19… Bob Davis
25... Ronnie Tiller
29... Jesalyn Kasperek
29… Jill Porvaznik
30… Robbie Shoemaker
31... Josie McDonald
 by Sonia Shearer

Happy New Year!

Have You Made Your Resolution?

A s I typed these words, I realize that

for many hope has been deferred
and that the New Year may not
look so happy to those who are living on
don’t tell someone in desperate need that
“Jesus loves them” unless you decide to
fill a need first or find someone who can. I
can assure you that those words will fall
on deaf ears unless you take action to
the streets or in homes with no heat or that
have no food. It is very hard to believe help them. If money is what you have to
that God loves you when you are cold and give, then by all means, give money. But
hungry and you can’t feed your children or the thing they really need is your heart and
you have no money to take your child to your time and most of all your love. They
the doctor if they are ill. need relationship. They need to be helped
I believe that we can be that hope and in so many more ways than most of us are
that we can represent God the father, God willing to give, and they need to be able to
the son and God the Holy Spirit through help others. Do you know that when you
our constant giving into the storehouse. It help someone your endorphins kick in and
isn’t only giving of food and clothing, but in your serotonin levels increase and you feel
mentoring those around us. At some point happy? That has been scientifically
we were mentored by someone, and proven, thus the “joy” of giving.
maybe we are still being mentored. I So my challenge to you for the New
would like to think that I’m still being Year is find someone to take under your
mentored but can mentor others. The long wing. Feed them, love them, build
term goal is to help people learn to fish so relationship with them and introduce them
to speak. Give a man a fish and he/she to Jesus. That would be a great New
eats for a day, teach a man/woman to fish Year’s resolution.
and they eat for a life time. May God richly pour out his blessings
I’m going to suggest that our New on all of us the coming year so that we
Year’s resolutions would not be about our may bless others.
health, or our financial goals, or reading
our bible through in a year but bring the
Bible to life for someone. We have about
350 people who come to our church. If
each one of us touch just one person, that
is another 350 people. If we continue to
give hope to others, they in turn will give
hope to someone. We need to feed them
first, get them warm, and then share the
word of God with them. It is so hard to
hear words when your stomach is aching
because you have not had any food or you
are shivering so much that your teeth are
rattling. I’m going to suggest that you
What is "One Thing You Can't Do To Save Your Life?"

Julie Macrae ~ I cannot eat Calamari Amber Leslie ~ Waitress because I am

even if it was the last thing to eat in the oh so clumsy!
world!
Kelly Mahoney ~ Bowling!
Brenda Sims~ I can not compose an
answering machine message on the first Derek Striker ~ Give salvation.
take. Never have I been able to do
this!

John Rohal ~ I could never deny

that Jesus Christ is my Lord and
Savior.

Jeanne McDonald ~ Sleep past

5:30 in the morning....thanks to my
little Jakers.

Sonia Shearer ~ Sing!

“Find the Cross” is being replaced by Kid’s Corner!

Last newsletter the cross was hidden in the
Christmas Light Graphic.

Congratulations to Vincent Mahoney for finding it first!

Also, Deborah Tiller & Julian Evangelist.

Every Sunday ~
averagejoe’s Café
Free continental breakfast served from
10:00am to 10:20am
Contact: Renee Stoffel @ 253-2465
THEWAREHOUSE BAND
Contacts: Aaron Symonds @ 330-1928
Mela Striker @ 365-1006
WAREHOUSE NURSERY &
PRESCHOOL
We believe in ministering to the needs of
even our littlest members. Our qualified
teachers create a positive experience that
introduces nursery and preschool children
to the love of Jesus early on.
Contact: Jill Porvaznik @ 793-1326
WAREHOUSE KID’S
Warehouse Kid’s is for all boys and girls in
Kindergarten through 6th grade. We provide
a combination of games, interactive
characters, and fun filled songs capture
kid’s attention while showing them that
living for God is the best way to live!
Contact: Ron Sellers @ 787-0385
ation
elev
Young Adults of 18 to 29 years old gather
for fellowship and different activities.
Contact: Vance Harbaugh (941) 720-3912
2nd & 4th Sunday ~
S T A T U R E Youth Group @ 1:00pm
Community Center West Room
Contact: Neal Hayes 365-1496
Next Meeting: January 9 & 23
2nd & 4th Wednesday ~
The A L T A R @ 7:00pm
Sit at His feet . Be in His presence . Make
intercession
The Lindsay Home
The Plantations off Hwy 27
24113 Peekskill St. South Leesburg
Contact: Sandy Lindsay 315-0245
Dinner served @ 6:30pm
Next Meeting: January 12 & 26
Check out the web page at
www.vcfleesburg.com
for everything on the
calendar this month.
1st Friday ~
READER’S Book Group @ 6:30pm
This group is for the discussion of books
pertaining to the Christian Faith.
Brenda Sims Home
600 Bidwell St, Fruitland Park
Book to read:
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
Contact: Brenda Sims (352) 787-5266
Next Meeting: January 7
New this year in Reader’s Group!
We will be picking a book from the Bible
each month to read. Hope you can join us
for the discussion!
2nd & 4th Friday ~
Harp & Bowl - Worship & Intercession
Cochran Home
3233 Indian Trail, Eustis, 32726
Snacks at 6:30; Harp & Bowl at 7:00
Contact: Cliff Cochran @ 483-3140
Next Meeting: January 14 & 28
4th Friday ~
Older Gents @ 11:30am
Older Gents is an opportunity for men over
50 to meet for lunch and enjoy great
conversation over a variety of topics that
affect all of us.
Golden Corral, North Leesburg
Contact: Leo Lenschow 429-2563
Next Meeting: January 28
You can give an offering also.
Just make a memo to “Storehouse”.
1st Saturday ~
Love & Marriage
Jeff & Sue Myers home at 6:30pm
41737 Kendra Lane, Weirsdale
This is a monthly gathering for young
couples married 15 years and less
(or soon to be married).
We hope you will join us as we
pursue discovering God's principles to
"becoming one" in our marriages; in our
relationships with one another, and with
Him.
If you need assistance in finding a sitter for
your children, please give Sue @
504-6506 a call and she will try to assist
you.
Contact: Brian Sellers 504-6221
CREATIVE ARTS
Drama! Dance! Pantomime! Sign language!
Flags! Children's ballet! These are just a
few venues that have been incorporated
into the Creative Arts Ministry at the
Warehouse Church. The message of
salvation through Jesus Christ and the
ministry of worship are key factors in the
foundation of our Creative Arts Ministry.
Many people are blessed through the visual
arts and this is why this ministry exists.
Look for future opportunities that will allow
community oriented theater and dance.
Contact: Barbara Smith @ 315-1400
Hmong/Mong
I n the mountainous regions of South China live
the Hmong/Mong people an Asian ethnic group.
Because of political and economic reasons,
many of this group had to move to Laos, Thailand,
and Burma. Hmong people in the early 1960s were
recruited by the US Central Intelligence Agency to
be guerrilla fighters during the Vietnam War.
Because the Hmong fought the Communist-
nationalist Pathet Lao during the Secret War
(Laotian Civil War), tens of thousands were caught
up in the aftermath of retaliation and persecution
and therefore sought political asylum in Australia,
France, Canada and United States.
I knew very little about this people group until
two families moved next door to us as neighbors.
The Yang family originally lived in Northern Laos
and because of the communist retaliation there they
left everything and through the help of Catholic
Church refuge relief were able to fly to Southern
California, where they lived for a couple years.
Because of Peo’s computer expertise, he
acquired a good position in one of the many
computer companies in the Boston area. Of course,
because of the expense of homes in the suburbs of
Boston they moved to Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
Pao Yang and his family lived in the first floor
apartment and Touhoua Yang and his family lived in
the second floor apartment.
Pao’s wife worked outside of the home but I
have no idea where. The younger brother worked
as a mechanic in a local factory and his wife baby-
sat for all the children. Mother Yang could not
speak any English. Betty and I just called her
grandma and she would smile with approval. All
together, there were eight grandchildren. While I
trimmed the bushes, they would run over to the
hedge on our lot line asking me many questions. I
must say they were a handful but good kids, the
parents would not allow the children to go out of the
yard without someone of the Yang family with them.
I often would sit down on the ground and talk to
them about history, geography and Christian
principles. I loved that they were so open to me and
enjoyed listening to my stories. Telling stories has
always been a stretch for me. (I am sorry God I do
not want my nose to grow long like Pinocchio’s.)
One of the older daughters shared with me that her
Dad wanted her to marry a Christian because they
make better husbands than a Shaman or a Buddhist
believer would. She was happy that she would
have a choice.
Of course, the two families worked all the time
doing something productive for the betterment of
the family. The men scraped off the old paint and
painted the house, did carpenter work and poured
cement. One of Grandma’s jobs was a small
garden in the back yard. I can see her yet bent over
with her bottom straight up into the air working for
long periods of time. All of the women and children
would go out to sweep the steps, driveway, and
sidewalk, mow the lawn and shovel snow. (When
the two families purchased a motorized lawnmower
the men did the mowing.) The very small ones
basically got in the way of the activities and in the
wintertime played in the snow. One winter we had a
big snowstorm and because our driveway was so
big, I hired a person to move the snow for us but I
did our sidewalk.
I went next door and helped the women shovel
snow and they were shocked but very appreciative.
On certain festivals, the women wore colorful
dresses. They are a proud people, maintaineing
their culture and blending in to American holidays.
It was very difficult to communicate to them
except the older girls spoke very good English. The
oldest son Pao did well in communicating with us
and was very open to Betty and me. The families
were Christians and belonged to the Missionary
Alliance church. I was taken back by the stories
they lived and shared with me. They had
testimonies of trusting God, Him providing and of
protecting and delivering them from the Communist,
storms, and the evil one. Even the way they were
able to come to America was a story in its self.
There were over 250 families in the Leominster and
Fitchburg area and most belonged to the Laotian
Missionary Alliance church. Pao told me that the
churches in America were weak – no Holy Spirit
power. They believe they were in a mission field to
bring the true Jesus Christ to the lost. Pao told me
he felt very few in the American church were saved.
I wish you could have heard his heart.
In the Southeast Asia (Hmong/Mong) if a boy’s
father died, he loses his inheritance. He became an
orphan – a boy without protection, without provision,
and without an identity.
In reality, he became a foreigner who has no rights
or privileges. Orphans had to scratch out a living in
a world of chaos. Missionary Alliance, which is a
small domination, sent missionaries to their area of
Asia many years before. Palo’s parents were killed
and a godly Christian man took him in to live with
them, later adopted him giving him their name so he
was no longer an orphan – redeeming him from
someone without rights to someone with an identity.
His new father (mother) recognized his spirituality,
intelligence and supported him in his quest. This
Christian man went out of his way to be a good
father and Peo showed his appreciation by taking
care of his stepmother after his second father
passed away and made it possible for her to come
to America and live with the two families. He said
because of their love and giving him their name was
the major reason he serves Jesus Christ today.
He was thankful of what America was to them
and did for them but he also understood the
Christian worldview – Shamanism, Buddhism and
Christianity. He believed that the gospel should not
accommodate the whims of culture. He believed
that preaching the gospel and living out the sayings
of Jesus was the method to which lasting change
would be the outcome. Wherever the gospel was
lived most courageously and speaking out the truth
against racial and governmental injustice,
Christianity was the most fruitful. As bible believers,
our responsibility is to build the kingdom of God. As
citizens of this new world order of righteousness, we
are to understand historic Christian truth; to know
Scripture and classic fundamentals of the faith. Our
responsibility is not to be accepting of whatever is
popular; a false gospel of material advancement,
end time heresies and self-center speculations. He
insisted that those who confessed Jesus Christ as
their Lord must contend for values in their culture
and restore a sense of Godly understanding. The
only way theological truth reaches the world through
the actions of ordinary everyday followers of Jesus
in the marketplace. We are called to serve and not
to be served. We are called to Love and not to
expect Love. He contended Love was an attribute
of God not man. Man filled with the Love of God
could only Love.
Dr. Martin De Haan wrote in his article
“Windows on the World”, “Choosing the biblical
worldview is not just adopting a philosophical
change of mind and adopting a new set of
assumptions. It means trusting Christ as our Savior
from sin and following Him as Lord. For Christ is
the centerpiece of the biblical worldview.”
A life of redemption will change your
identity and your inheritance will
exceed your expectations.
Of course, this will
require daily decisions.
As one reads the New Testament, one sees a
large-scale battle going on between the forces of
God and of good and Satan who is the leader of
everything evil. The biblical worldview offers hope
in a life that resonates in the brightest and darkest
sides of our human nature. For those who respond
to the forgiveness offered in Jesus the Christ, are
no longer a foreigner. A life of redemption will
change your identity and your inheritance will
exceed your expectations.
Of course, this will require daily decisions. For
those who follow His leading and stay in His
presence and appropriate salvation given for His
namesake will receive the promise of eternal life on
this earth and a place of existence with Jesus. The
biblical worldview offers hope in a life on earth and
one to come in the heavenlies. “Then I saw a new
sky (heaven) and a new earth; for the former sky
and the former earth had passed away [Gr. to arrive
at a destination] (vanished), and there no longer
existed any sea” (Revelation 21:1, AMP). “For,
behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and
the former things shall not be remembered or come
into mind” (Isaiah 65:17, AMP)
Check out Leo’s blog
on the Warehouse
website at
www.vcfleesburg.com