Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Nov./Dec. Newsletter

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40

A Season to be thankful!
This past year, we have learned from people we’ve met that this ministry is needed for many different situations and people here in Adair County.
We are here for the mother of three kids who lost their father in a car accident.
We are here for the two little 7 year old girls of that family that are starving themselves so that they can die and go be with their daddy.
We are here for a 7 year old boy of another family that doesn’t know the father he’s had growing up isn’t his real father.
We are here for that mother who has to decide when to tell him.
We are here for the social worker and the victims of abuse who work together for answers day in and day out.
We are here for the Pastors that are overwhelmed by the many needs around them and that need help.
We are here to help people heal from wounds from, their family, church and community.

Adair County has a population of approximately 22,000 people. There are only a few counseling agencies within Adair County.
Our services meet a critical need for affordable counseling services. Adair County has a high poverty rate. ($21,835 average annual income for Adair County, $34,997 average for Oklahoma, $38,615 average nationally)
Adair County is one of the highest counties in Oklahoma for the number of protective orders filed due to domestic violence. Within our county, many statistics show that there is a need for families and individuals to have affordable counseling options. We offer marriage counseling as well as individual counseling for both a husband and wife who find themselves stuck in a pattern of abuse or abusing.
67% of people of 25 years of age do not have a high school diploma. Many of our young people are not finishing high school. We want to offer workshops to area junior high and high schools working to help students answer the question, “Why Try?”

We are called to help these families in our community. Thank you for supporting this ministry. We cannot stress enough how donations big or small, can be multiplied to do great things. Thank you for choosing to be a part of the great things that are happening in Adair County.

Your donations are not taken for granted.
When we receive a contribution, a few of things happen in our minds and hearts:

We are grateful for whom God calls to share their blessings with us.

We are amazed at His timing. Every gift, big or small, has been received at the perfect time,
allowing us to purchase books, mail our newsletter, host a retreat, apply for our 501c3 status, and continue using our time for counseling sessions.

We feel motivated to keep helping people find significance and confidence for their lives.

Thank you!

Evening counseling appointments available in the Northeast Oklahoma area.
Spiritual direction and formation sessions are also available.
Call 918-507-3150 to schedule an appointment.

Make a tax-deductible contribution today to: FreshWater Ministries, Inc.
Rt.6 Box 1095, Stilwell OK 74960
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Our Purpose

Helping people find significance and confidence in their lives.

We are a non-profit organization, operating solely on the generosity of individuals who desire to partner with us as we strive to help all people find significance and identity in their lives. Please consider partnering with us.


Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." - John 4:13-14

What is Spiritual Direction?


We define Christian spiritual direction as help given by one Christian to another which enables that person to pay attention to God’s personal communication to him or her, to respond to this personally communicating God, to grow in intimacy with this God, and to live out the consequences of the relationship. (William A. Barry, SJ and William J. Connolly, SJ, Center for Religious Development, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA)

Is it the same as counseling?
Although very similar, spiritual direction provides a place to deal with issues that remain hidden and dark within a person’s soul, many times issues that have been suppressed for so long that the person doesn’t fully realize how much it is affecting them. Counseling’s primary focus is on a plan of action to deal with the effects of woundedness within a person’s life. We will sometimes refer to a counselor when a more clinical, psychological approach would be more beneficial. Spiritual direction’s primary focus is to teach people how to let God accompany them through all of their life, including their past pain. By companioning people in their pain, they will gain confidence from His presence and power.