Quarterly Newsletter | Living by Design Ministries

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Hello, Friend

As I reflect on this past quarter, I am overwhelmed by God’s patience and enduring love. He never stops pursuing, perfecting, and propelling me toward His plans and purposes.

A mentor in the faith recently encouraged me to expect Jesus around every corner.

As believers, we must be ready for Jesus to enter our lives and circumstances. Even so, He rarely comes from the direction we anticipate.

The most beautiful thing about our relationship with Jesus is that it’s personal.

He is intimately aware of our deepest longings and our rawest needs. He knows our limitations, and He is not surprised by our weaknesses.

He accepts us where we are while making us something more.

The realities of life and ministry often leave me feeling like a hamster on a wheel.

But when I look at my Lord, I see the rhythms of rest that rejuvenated His soul and reconnected Him to the Father.

In Mark 6:31 BSB, Jesus urged His disciples to “come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.”

In response to this invitation, I’ve purposed to begin my work day with five Psalms, one Proverb, and a few minutes of prayer.

Billy Graham's Words of Wisdom Bible Reading Plan inspired my new devotional routine.

"Whether Billy Graham was traveling or at home with his family, he relied on daily readings from Psalms and Proverbs to strengthen his relationship with the Lord–and direct him on how to treat others."

This daily practice reminds me of God’s great power and authority over humankind. It confirms the absolute necessity of humility and wisdom in the Christian walk. And it rejuvenates my weary soul!

I am ready for whatever lies ahead because I do not have to face it alone.

My eyes look for Jesus, and my heart rests in His presence.

Sarah Koontz
President, Living by Design Ministries

P.S. If you have any questions or want more information on any topics discussed in this quarterly update, please don't hesitate to contact our team at info@livingbydesign.org.

Prayer Requests for Living by Design Ministries

✔ Pray for our Fundraising Efforts: During our Spring Fundraiser (May 1-23, 2023), we hope to engage 30 new recurring donors and an additional $450 per month in funding to support our growing ministry. Thanks to our generous matching donors, all new recurring gifts will be doubled for up to 12 months (and $5500 total). Because God has called us to serve His Kingdom purposes by cultivating this free Bible study ministry, we must actively seek out people who are willing to stand in the gap and cover the cost for our Bible study participants. Pray that the Lord would lead people to give generously and bless them abundantly for their participation in this important work

✔ Pray for Upcoming Projects: Sarah Koontz is currently working with our Pastoral Council members and editing team to research and write our fall Bible study. Please pray for wisdom, protection, endurance, and joy as they engage in this process. Pray specifically that God would give Sarah wisdom and insight as she studies His Word. Ask Him to help her focus during her writing time and give her the ability to make consistent progress despite many distractions.

✔ Pray for our Social Media Presence: Our social media reach has consistently decreased over the past several years. Although we have accepted this current reality, we still desire to uplift and encourage our readers through social media. Please pray that God would give us supernatural favor in this realm. Specifically, that He would lead our loyal readers to seek out and share our social media content with their friends. We believe these platforms are part of our mission field and desire to be a reliable source of biblical wisdom and insight on social media.

✔ Pray for our International Readers: We recently surveyed our international readers and were moved by their stories. When we began this ministry, we had no idea how God would use it globally and have been consistently surprised by our international impact. Survey results show that our readers who live in developing countries depend on our free Bible study resources as a primary source of spiritual nourishment. We want to cover these beautiful souls in prayer as we ask God to divinely, powerfully meet all their needs through Christ Jesus our Lord.