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Boy in Kenya learns about Jesus through Immanuel Quilt Ministry curriculum

Boy in Kenya learns about Jesus through Immanuel Quilt Ministry curriculum

by | May 8, 2023 | reviews

Isn’t it fun when you get a glimpse of how God actively orchestrates the details of your life to bring about good?

I never imagined when I sent a Facebook message to another Indiana member of my authors’ group, Joni Wolf, that it was the beginning of great things, things God had planned to bless orphans.

Joni is the author of “The Immanuel Quilt: A True Story of One Ordinary Woman, One Unique Quilt, and One Extraordinary God.” I recognized her story from an article I’d read somewhere before: In her dream, Joni was given intricate details of a quilt she was to make, portraying the names of God. She was to travel and share this quilt as her ministry.

I can tell you that The Immanuel Quilt is breathtaking. Trimmed in purple, each square represents a different Biblical name for God, from Good Shepherd to Morning Star.

I was excited to connect with an author who shared my mission of sharing Christ’s love. We decided to meet up and swap stories, and that meet-up lead to a shared purpose.

It turns out, God was leading Joni to write a children’s curriculum that could be used in VBS, Sunday School, Bible Clubs, small groups, etc. Since I have a little experience in that area, she asked if I would contribute…and if I’d like to use the curriculum in our orphanages! Convinced that these visual cues would aid children in remembering the names and associated Bible stories, I happily agreed.

A partnership was formed.

On our recent trip to Kenya, we piloted “The Good News Reporter” curriculum. Encouraging children to tell the good news about Jesus Christ, this curriculum introduces 30 names of God, but focuses on the names Word of God, Creator, Immanuel, Savior, and Dwelling Place. Lessons for each of the five names are included along with suggestions for games, crafts, songs, and activities.

As you can see, the children at El Shaddai enjoyed making the crafts, playing Names of God Bingo, doing the God Speaks worksheet and hearing the Bible stories. The content lead to great discussions in the older groups, and lots of fun in the younger ones. I’d call it a success!

What’s more, Joni has generously offered to donate 15% of the sales from her books sold along with the curriculum to The Boaz Project toward supplies needed for our VBS trips. So, if you’re looking for a great, Bible-based curriculum to use with children—even at home!—I have to recommend The Good News Reporter.

Learn more or make your purchase at Immanuelquiltministry.com

Believing in miracles,
April Jurgensen
Executive Director, The Boaz Project

A Review from A Fellow Author

A Review from A Fellow Author

by | May 8, 2023 | reviews

The Immanuel Quilt is for Christians and non-Christians alike. If you think that God stopped speaking to His people long ago—You really need to rethink your beliefs.

God continues to speak to His children today—sometimes in crystal clear thoughts, sometimes in new revelations from His Word, sometimes from preachers—from teachers— from fellow Christians, and—in dreams—as is outlined in the book, The Immanuel Quilt.

Joni Wolf takes you on a journey discovering some of the many names and qualities of our Lord and Savior—Immanuel—that she received in a dream from God. Called out of her comfort zone in several areas, Joni proceeded to obey her Lord and one of the most beautiful, intricately detailed quilts was created—by His specifications— that tells once again, the old old story in a new and exciting way. Each precisely designed quilt block tells a part of His story and brings the reader into closer proximately with Jesus.

If you have the chance to hear Joni Wolf’s story in person, go!—It is an uplifting, unbelievable, and incredible story—and if you don’t have that opportunity, read her book—the next best thing! It is written in a format that draws the reader in. It educates, stimulates and creates the opportunity to feel the Holy Spirit at work.

Yes! God is still at work among His people. Don’t miss out on it! Experience The Immanuel Quilt by Joni Wolf. It truly is a true story of one Ordinary Woman, One Unique Quilt, and One Extraordinary God!​

Marjorie E. Hopkins – Free lance writer and author of Dying to Meet Him – Wit and Wisdom from a Funeral Director Wife

A Reviewer’s Discovery

A Reviewer’s Discovery

by | May 8, 2023 | reviews

When Ilene Tucker invited me to attend an event at Grace Baptist Church this past week, never would I have imagined what I was about to experience. She explained it was to be a talk by a lady about a quilt called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” She even wrote a book about it. A book? What could one possibly write in a book about one quilt?

Joni Wolf is a friendly down-to-earth lady and from the start of her talk, I was captivated by what she was saying. The caption on the cover of her boo, The Immanuel Quilt, calls it A True Story of One Ordinary Woman, One Unique Quilt, and One Extraordinary God.” And it was exactly that. As her story unfolded, I began to realize it was not just for quilters–it’s a story everyone should hear. Her faith in God and her love for God’s Word was borne in her obedience to follow His leading into the unchartered territory of designing and making a God-honoring quilt. She explained how God guided each step of her remarkable journey. She offers a real-life example of God’s clear leading in one’s life. It’s a story that gives God the glory. And it offers inspiration and challenge to each and every believer to be willingly used in service for God.

​As Joni explained the intricacies of the quilt and the decisions involved with designing and making the quilt,

it was easy to understand why a book was necessary. The names of Jesus lining the outer edges of the quilt were painstakingly narrowed down to 30 from 300. The right fabrics with meaningful color took time to select. Designs to depict each of the 30 names took careful thought. Each pattern had its own story, a reason to be included, in the making of the quilt.

Needless to say, I came home with her book. It’s a beautiful coffee-table worthy book filled with professional photographs in color by Cassandra Parkins of Inspired Studios. It’s also a Scripture-laden book with over 300 references spread throughout. The introduction is followed by six chapters. Chapter Five is titled “His Story” and, as you turn each page, you will read an individual explanation for each of the 30 names bordering the quilt. You will be encouraged, inspired, comforted, and blessed as you go through the names with accompanying Scripture for each one. You’ll even find God’s plan of salvation explained.

But there’s more. As you move to Chapter Six, “The Immanuel Sampler,” the names of Jesus are repeated to include a personal story for each name. As Joni says, “This chapter is intended to acquaint you with the ways God makes His presence known in our everyday, ordinary lives.” By the end of the book, Joni has achieved her purpose of pointing us to the One who is always with us…Immanuel.

Melba Largent

Gone in a Flash

Gone in a Flash

by | Feb 22, 2023 | Uncategorized

 

The purple thumb drive that stores most of the Immanuel Quilt Ministry files—died. And they were stored in no other place.

The book manuscript, the photos of the quilt, the curriculum, the pattern, the Bingo game, the presentation notes, and the PowerPoint files—are gone.

At first inkling the thumb drive was about to die, Tom copied all my files onto his work computer and external hard drive, and on another external hard drive.

The next morning when I tried to open one of the files from the second external hard drive, there were no documents in the folder, nor in any that had been copied. None.

I tried to put the original purple thumb drive into the computer, and nothing on it would open.

I took the liberty to remind God that by His breath He gives life. I asked that He allow the breath of the Spirit to well up in me so that I could blow into the original thumb drive and bring life to it long enough to get the files transferred to the new thumb drive I had purchased. He answered my prayer!

The thumb drive opened long enough for me to copy every file. Once the task was finished, the purple drive–died again.

At that point, it didn’t matter, I was shouting praises to the Lord for restoring that which was lost.

However, the story doesn’t end here.

The following morning, I got up, inserted the new thumb drive to open a file and begin work, and a message popped up on my screen telling me the drive was corrupted. I couldn’t even get into the drive.

Five-plus years of work gone in a flash—gone in a flash drive.

Though I felt like crying, instead I spoke to a couple of friends asking them to pray that my files would be retrieved. Tom, too, prayed with me for the files to be resurrected.

I blew into the dead thumb drive, hoping that God would again retrieve the files for me. After praying and blowing into the drive, Tom took and inserted it into his work computer. Praise the Lord, the files opened!

We opened every folder and copied each of the documents, saving them to new folders on his computer. This time we made sure all files were getting copied and saved.

We not only copied the files to his work computer, but to his Cloud, his external hard drive, our external hard drive, and to two thumb drives!

God retrieved that which was lost and I didn’t want to risk losing it again.

The definition of retrieve in verb form according to Merriam-Webster is this:
To locate and bring in (killed or wounded game)To call to mind againTo get back againRescue, SalvageRestore, ReviveCorrect, as in remedy the evil consequences ofTo get and bring back
Sounds alot like what God does, doesn’t it? It seemed to be a theme He was tying into my situation, and, a few others of late too.

Last week Mom was pleased to have finished piecing together the Immanuel Quilt jigsaw puzzle. However, when she got to the point of putting in the final piece—the piece was missing.

Mom knew the piece had to be somewhere, it was one of the corner pieces she had set aside at the start.

Mom searched the area where she was working on the puzzle, but could not find the piece. Tom and I searched high and low for the piece. We could not find it either. I told Mom to pray and ask God to guide her to the missing piece.
A couple of days later the missing piece was found.

The piece was on top of the Immanuel Quilt book, which was on top of the bed, more than five feet away from the desk where she was putting the puzzle together. We are convinced God placed the piece on the book knowing she would find it when she would go to put the book away.

Though we prefer these incidents had not happened, I am grateful for the message God has woven into them–that He is the One who rescues, restores, salvages, and revives the dead…with the blow of His Spirit.

The blow of the Spirit is what is taking place at Asbury University. God is retrieving that which is lost. The rescue, revival, and resurrection are to bring us to God, to the intimate presence of Immanuel, God with us.

Hallelujah and Amen.

“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” –Luke 19:10

book review from janis price

book review from janis price

by | Feb 17, 2023 | Uncategorized

The Immanuel Quilt is a beautiful book about a holy God who sent His Son into the world, not to condemn people, but to express His love to us. Joni’s book is not just an attractive item to display on a coffee table, it is a visual reminder that Jesus lived died, and arose again. Him many Names depicted in the Immanuel Quilt showcase the many titles of Jesus, the Name that is above all name. It is a reminder that He truly is who He said He is–God with us. I highly recommend reading this book, AND sharing it with others too!

Janis Price, Board of Director
Stonecroft Ministries