<img src="my-image.jpg" data-no-lazy="1" alt="" width="100" height="100" />

[email protected]

Book Review

Book Review

May 8, 2023 | Review

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

IQM Show and Tell

IQM Show and Tell

May 8, 2023 | Review

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 book, 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 colors 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

Holiday Mart

Holiday Mart

Dec 1, 2022 | IQM Journey

The three days leading up to the Trader’s Point Christian School Holiday Mart, I was sick. I had signed the ministry up to be a vendor in hopes of getting the word out more about this unique ministry, and with the hopes of getting the attention of the school so that I might receive an invite to go and speak to the school body someday. There I was looking forward to going to my grandson’s school, and I was sick.

I prayed, asking the Lord to make me well, in time, if I was to go. Well, He made me well. By 1:00 a.m. the day of the event, all symptoms of sickness was gone. I was good to go!

My first visitor was nine year old Everly. Everly’s mother was a vendor, too, stationed not far from my booth. Everly came to say Hi, to check out my look-alike puppet I had setting on the table, and to find out what I was selling. I explained that I am a storyteller who tells the story of Jesus with a quilt and I told her how the Immanuel Quilt portrays many names of Jesus.  I asked if she could tell me any Names of Jesus. I was impressed with her answers, Son of God, and Savior.

I told Everly how the Immanuel Quilt is like a puzzle. Like a trooper she matched Names of Jesus to their corresponding quilt blocks. She quickly identified the block with a cross representing Jesus’ Name, Savior. After playing the matching game she asked, “Do you know that Jesus is building me a mansion in heaven?”

Everly’s mother had spoken this truth to her daughter, yet Everly seemed pleased that I confirmed it’s true. She then said, “I wonder what my mansion will look like?”

I told Everly how God knows everything about her, knowing the things she likes and the things she dislikes. I said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if your mansion doesn’t include some of your favorite things.”

Her eyes lit with the excitment of a child about to tell Santa what they hope to receive on Christmas morning. “I really like dalmations!”  I couldn’t help but grin. I said, “Everly, my friend, your mansion will not only probably have a dalmation, it may just have a hundred and one!”

My conversation with Everly was only the first of many incredible interactions that occured throughout the evening. My puppet look-alike was getting the attention of toddlers in strollers, young children, teens, parents, and grandparents and drawing them to  the Immanuel Quilt Ministry booth. I lost count of the number of interactions, but Tom can confirm, there were many. All evening,  to one person after another, I was telling people about Jesus. There were  times when others passing by would catch wind of what I was saying, and stop to listen too.

One group of teens were trying to take a sneak selfie with the puppet. They giggled at being caught. I took the picture for them and then they allowed me to tell them the story of the quilt. They diligently tried finding the hidden images representing Names of Jesus.After spotting the Lamb of God, one said, “Now that I’ve seen it, I can’t unsee it.”

Isn’t this this the heart of God? That once we’ve seen Jesus–His love, His mercy, and His grace, we will never be able to unsee it.

This Christmas the greatest gift we can give is helping others see Jesus.

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

Weak and Weary

Weak and Weary

Oct 19, 2022 | IQM Journey, Musing

One a weekend I was scheduled to speak, Tom and I had the three youngest grandkids staying with us. While I would be speaking, Tom would be watching the kids– without me.

The moring of the event, chaos and busyness of trying to do all that I could before leaving the house, I had all of twenty minutes to get myself ready. My morning was rushed and void of quiet time with the Lord, and I was running on four hours of sleep. Weary and worn, I felt inadequately equipped to go and serve the Lord. Saying a quick prayer, I asked the Lord to carry me through.

Five-year-old Grayson asked where I was going. Telling him that I was going to a church to tell women about Jesus, I asked what he thought I should tell the ladies. He said, “Tell them Jesus loves them. That He loves them so much that He died on a cross for their sins. But that He is not dead now. He lives in heaven with His Father and, someday He is going to come back for them to take them there to live with Him and His Father.”

Though I had no quiet time to spend with the Lord, through the lips of my grandson, God spoke.

I gave the message Grayson told me to give, and taking his advice to have a puppet sing, Grandma Puppet sang, This Little Light of Mine. 

A high school sophomore told me she loved the story that I shared.

The trend continues of God showing His hand at work in the youth.

Later thanking God for carrying me through, I heard him whisper, “I always do.”
​

Char-broiled Burgers

Char-broiled Burgers

Oct 11, 2022 | IQM Journey, Vision

During a trip to speak to a women’s group, Tom and I incorporated into it a mini vacation to Branson Sight and Sound Theatre to see Jesus. The opening scene started at the Sea of Galilee and looked very much like what Tom and I saw when we ourselves stood on the Sea of Galilee.

Before leaving home, I began praying that the words I speak be words given me by the Holy Spirit. The night before we were to leave I was given a vision while I slept. I believe it was a vision was from God showing that He would honor my request. As I explain the events that unfolded over the course of the week, I’ll let you determine if He did.

In my vision, I saw a burger cooking on a griddle over an old cast-iron cook stove. While it was still cooking the griddle was pulled out from under the burger, as if by some invisible hand, and the burger flipped up and over onto the open flame. End of vision.

The event for which I was going to speak, the theme was Jesus, the Thread of Time. Jesus is the Ancient of Days. The antique cast-iron stove represented God, the Ancient of Days!

Scripture refers to the Word of God as solid food good  for the soul. I was going to deliver the Word of God. The burger represented the Word of God, solid meat.

My words would not fall flat (flat griddle), but that He (the arm of the Invisible God) would flip them so that they would be char-broiled (open flame) Words from the Spirit.

To fifty people at the Concordia Lutheran Church Women’s Ministry League dinner, I told His Story in a unique quilt. The comments I received was thanks for speaking of the Holy Spirit.

The next morning at our hotel, one of the workers was outside on his break while we were loading our luggage back into the truck.  The young man, who looked to still be in his twenties asked where we were from, and where we were heading. When I told him I am a speaker and was in town for an engagement the previous night, he asked what I speak about. I told him about this traveling ministry of  which he said, “Oh, man! God just keeps doing this to me!”

I learned Ryan is a believer. He and his friends get together every week to pray. He said he would be praying for the Immanuel Quilt Ministry. What Ryan meant by his comment is that God keeps putting people in his path who have ministries. God placed me there in his presence for the Spirit to iniate a conversation and affirm for Ryan that he is being called into ministry!

At the Sight and Sound theatre, an unexpected opportunity arose for me to talk about Jesus with my elbow neighbor seated next to me. The tall Texan and his wife while waiting on the show to begin, passed the time by looking at one of the postcards of the Immanuel Quilt and trying to figure out which Names of Jesus the blocks represent. Jesus was playing before the show began.

On Saturday I had a booth at a craft fair where to several folks I spoke about Jesus sharing tidbits of the Immanuel Quilt story. To a veteran, the Faithful and True tugged at his heart. To another, the border of the quilt spoke Jesus’ Name, Banner. To another the Name, Dwelling Place resonated great reverance for the Lord. One after another, the Spirit was speaking to individuals through the Immanuel Quilt.

It seemed everywhere I went last week I was seeing the hand of God at work.

As uplifting as it was to witness all these encounters, what brought me the most joy was meeting two girls who separately came to the craft fair.

The first was a fourteen-year-old who showed maturity beyond her years in her walk with the Lord. She just kept coming back to the booth to hear more of the Immanuel Quilt story. In the end, she purchased a book for her brother telling me that she knew it would help him draw closer to Jesus. She already hears God speaking to her, and he is telling her she will have–a ministry!

The other girl was around five or six years old. I had Grandma Puppet with me and when I saw her approaching, I put the puppet on my arm. As she got closer to me Grandma Puppet spoke to her and said, “Hi! What’s your name?”  The bright-eyed girl engaged in a conversation with the puppet. Grandma Puppet sang Jesus Loves Me for her.  The girl shouted, “Sing it again!” I asked the girl to sing along with the puppet, but she said she didn’t know the song. So, using my raw ventriloquism talents I started another round of Jesus Loves Me, and to the girl’s surprise and mine, her mother and grandmother joined the puppet in singing the song! With much delight the girl one more time said,  “Sing it again!”

Though I no longer blog the journey, I couldn’t wait to tell you << Test First Name >> about all these encounters of God at work. There is hope for the future! There are people hungry for the Lord and a young generation who is excited to sing His praises!

Thank God for char-broiled burgers!