Isaiah 58:12(GWT)

Dear FCR Ministry Supporters,

Isaiah 58 is one of many of my favorites in the Bible. Other favorites that confirm my relationship with God are Matthew 5 with all the “Blessed are those who…” and all the “They will”.  Romans 12:2, which is the key verse for Full Circle Refuge and is the foundation of everything the ministry is all about, - Transformation into a new person in Christ.  So many actions of what GOD has called us to be like – like His Son – Christ! Over the years in ministry to at-risk youth, I have learned that you can never go wrong with using God’s Word to speak the TRUTH into a person’s life.

Here is an update on what He is doing in our lives

and the lives of the kids we see everyday!

 Praises from FCR: In FCRs “One Degree at a Time” program, I have started, with some of the young men in the Augusta community, a weekly session of reading though the book of Proverbs.  All have agreed to read a chapter a week and when we meet we will share our thoughts together.

One of our gang affiliate guys had never heard of “The Book of Wisdom- Proverbs” and was very interested in the contents of a Dad telling a son about a life in GOD.  This young man shares his finding with me via text message – “it talks about how not to follow others that will lead you to evil”.  This text opened us up for more conversations about his life and where he is going. After a great texting session, here is what he said, “ no cuz I would want to fully commit to God and not be in the streets…I still love the street life chillin with my boys, I wanna give my whole life to God…not just a piece. Proverbs is good I’m thinkin bot reading the other chapters too.”  What a Blessing I received that day!

THANKS TO GOD for allowing me to plant the Word in my heart and then take prompt action to share it with others who otherwise most likely would never get the chance to hear the Truth.  This is why we continuously ask for you to support Full Circle Refuge with your prayers, direct ministry, and financial partnership support.  God will use you to reach one for HIM. 

As you know, years ago FCR started just as ministry to young men in the juvenile justice system; however, the ministry has expanded to so much more than I could have ever predicted.The YDC ministry is changing as the juvenile justice system is changing.  The YDCs are looking more and more like prisons with limited time and place to actually go and do Bible Discussion Groups. Even with these limitations, FCR is still very active in Augusta YDC, Lighthouse Care Center of Augusta, Sandersville RYDC, Eastman YDC, and Sumter YDC. At Eastman YDC, we just finished up a DVD series called; “They Sold Their Soul To Rock & Roll” and I shared about Salvation as “The only person allowed into Heaven is a perfect person”.  One student stopped me and his expression was at a lost as he questioned:  “Why are we here in this group with you” if there is no hope!?  Well, we know the rest of the story. I continued to share with him about Jesus as the Perfect Person that covers all our imperfect life with His life to give us access to His Father and of course to Heaven! 

The verses I share are life verses for me. Someone instilled these truths into my life much like GOD gave the Israelites milestones to remember what HE has done for them. These milestones continue with Jesus’ great entrance on earth and the greatest event ever – the death, burial and resurrection. These seeds of Truth that we plant everyday will grow as God waters and molds this special one who was once downtrodden into a new person in Christ.

Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in us.

By this power He can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Ephesians 3:20(GWT)

The programs and interventions of Full Circle Refuge (FCR) are Christ-centered with goals of improving and protecting communities, restoring families, and ministering to the needs of youth at-risk for violence, delinquency and gang affiliation. Each month, FCR’s programs/interventions continually validate our ministry’s mission as we see more requests for our services by schools, community leaders, and the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Results published by OJJDP indicate that family interventions for at-risk youth and "religiosity" were among the leading indicators and explanations for juvenile crime drop in the study by the World Congress of Criminology and the University of Pennsylvania (Understanding and Monitoring the "Whys“ Behind Juvenile Crime Trends: From Understanding to Leading Indicators, 2005).

For FCR to continue this critical mission, I will need your help. 

·         If you have committed to pray for us, will you share with another prayer warrior about FCR.

·         If you have committed be part of direct ministry, will you share with another person the experiences God has allowed you to see.

·         If you, or your churches, are financial partners with FCR, will you share with someone what it is that is a burden about at-risk youth.

It is true, the Harvest is plenty but the workers are few! I really don’t want to see any kids slip through the cracks of the culture and not get a chance to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Prayers for FCR:

q  PRAY that GOD will raise up more burdened Christian people who are willing to serve as Bible Discussion Group leaders, mentors, facilitators, and prayer warriors for young minds in spiritual bondage.

q  PRAY that GOD will increase our wisdom to provide “Living a Life of PROMISE” groups to Juvenile Justice campuses across the Southeast.

q  PRAY that GOD will provide, at the perfect time, all the financial needs to meet FCRs budget each month this year.

Thank you for the full partnership you provide though your ongoing prayers, financial support/gifts, and dedicated volunteer service to this ministry and its mission!!