July 2025
Dear Friends of God’s Resort,
You are a true blessing to everyone at God’s Resort! It is the generosity of supporters like you that allows this ministry to continue to provide a supportive home and a loving community to our residents!
The children’s ministry is a highlight of God’s Resort, and your support makes it all possible. In addition to helping our adult residents, we are passionate about nurturing the next generation, helping these amazing kids discover God’s love and develop their incredible potential as children of God!
As we shared last month in our e-newsletter, MacKenzie Richars is our new Next Gen Coordinator! Mack has a huge heart for children! She is doing a wonderful job building relationships and impacting their lives through camps and VBS this summer, as well as through the regular care she provides. The kids have a few more exciting opportunities coming this summer as they prepare to go back to school. Through generous partners they will receive free haircuts, a back-to-school clothing shoppe, backpacks, and school supplies!
Your investment in God’s Resort is a vital investment in the future of these precious children. Thank you, thank you again, for helping change the future, one child at a time! If you would like to give a special gift toward helping our children gain healing and stability, click here.
Love and prayer,
Jay St. Clair
Executive Director
Volunteer Spotlight
Youth Volunteers Bring Energy and Service to God’s Resort!
We were thrilled to be joined by three incredible youth groups from Nebraska this month: Elkhorn Hills UMC, Trinity UMC, and Westridge UMC!
These amazing students, along with their leaders, came ready to serve and serve they did! Through our partnership with Chip Boyd and Abide Missions here in Joplin, these teams jumped into action across our campus. From facilitating activities and sharing joy with kids during VBS (see more below about VBS under God’s Resort Youth!), to rolling up their sleeves for practical projects, their impact was felt everywhere.
Together, they:
● Painted a stairwell
● Stained picnic tables
● Pulled weeds and planted flowers
● Changed air filters in residences
● And most importantly, brought energy and love into every space they touched
We are so grateful to Chip Boyd with Abide Missions and the youth groups from Elkhorn Hills UMC, Trinity UMC, and Westridge UMC for choosing to spend part of their summer break pouring into the mission of God’s Resort. Your hard work and hearts for service made a lasting difference.
Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus!
Current Serving Needs:
– Thursday morning Coffee and Chat breakfast team
– Overnight volunteers at The Well.
– Sunday Night Food Group for October 12th
Are you interested in serving at God’s Resort? Contact Machaela Cantu at machaela@godsresortjoplin.org!
The Well at God’s Resort
Hunger for Prayer, Community, Love, and Healing
Let me introduce to one of our beautiful residents: Jenni. Though we love her name, we love even more when Jay calls her Jesus Jenni. This name is perfect for her, because in walking with Jesus Jenni, we know how much she desires to follow Jesus, and how much she wants to be healed by him.
She reminds us of the story of Blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10. Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man answered, “Rabbi, I want to see,” and Jesus replied that his faith has healed him. We have heard Jesus Jenni say many times since she joined The Well last December how much she longs to be healed from her depression. Sadness can steal any sense of hope for the future. The only way that Jesus Jenni can find healing in her desperation is to keep moving forward to trust God and cling on him.
In Jesus Jenni’s time of suffering, we have seen God surround her with a community of people who are committed to listen to her and lovingly minister to her through prayer and fasting. Many times, we have seen the other residents at The Well listen to her heart and pray with her. When the staff and residents get together each morning, we always pray for Jesus Jenni. So many other godly women have been praying over Jesus Jenni – including her own loving mother and other members of her family. What a beautiful picture to demonstrate how much God loves her through his people and how he desires her to find healing in Jesus. She is experiencing in God’s community a strength for her faith.
We are all in a spiritual battle, and none of us can defeat our enemy without God’s army of prayer warriors on our side – people willing to walk with us in our struggles. None of us are supposed to walk alone – God created us for his community. And when we pray, whether by ourselves or with God’s people, we are open and transparent with our desperation for him and the healing that only he can provide.
We want Jesus Jenni’s story, and the healing she is discovering, to encourage you to humble yourselves before the Lord and his people. If you haven’t already, find trusted people who are willing to bear your burdens, no matter what they are. When we weep together over our brokenness, the journey of healing begins – the journey that Jesus Jenni is still learning to walk by faith. And God will teach us day by day that as we depend on him, we receive healing, joy, and hope.
God’s Resort Youth
A Summer of Fun and Growing in JESUS!
This month was filled with fun, faith and adventure for our God’s Resort Kiddos! Most of our Elementary aged kids went to camp with Hope City and learned about the importance of loving one another, being kind to one another, forgiving one another, and praying for one another. Camp was an amazing experience. The kids got to pray over one another, make friendship bracelets, swim in the spring, as well as go zip lining. There were some pretty great conversations at camp; our kids have brilliant minds that are constantly seeking answers!
We had an amazing time at VBS and even got to enjoy a bounce-house/water slide that a volunteer group brought for us! During that VBS time we got to learn about having Radical Forgiveness, Real Obedience, Rowdy Kindness, and being Ravenous in Prayer – IF you haven’t caught on, our VBS theme was Willie’s Rodeo (the Willie is Willie Robertson from Duck Dynasty). Overall, we have had a great month, and many memory verses have been committed to memory! We are loving the summer weather and thanking Jesus for His beautiful Creation!
Please continue to partner with us in prayer as we start wrapping up our Summer in the Psalms! We have been learning about all the ways we worship God. Also, for the kids who memorize and recite Psalm 23:1-6, they will get a little ice cream party in August! So thankful for how God is moving in these sweet little hearts!
Supplies Needed for New Residents
Would you consider helping supply some items to prepare homes at God’s Resort for new residents? Here is a list of items that we currently need. Items can be dropped off at the God’s Resort Community Center (1501 S. Pearl, Joplin) Mon-Thurs, 9-noon or 1-4, and Friday, 9-noon. Thank you for any items you can provide!
- Cookie Sheets
- Hot Pads and Full-size Oven Mitts
- Large Mixing Bowls
- Sleeping Bags for Our Kids and Teens (New or Lightly Used)
Let Us Gather
Sunday Night Fellowship
Sundays at 5:30 pm
No Sunday Night Fellowship Aug 31
Bible Study
Mondays at 6:30 pm
Refuel Prayer Service
Tuesdays at 6:30 pm
Recovery Meeting
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm
Coffee & Chat
Thursdays at 9:00 am
Men’s Bible Study
Saturdays at 8:30 am
No Men’s Bible Study Aug 30
Men’s Prayer Breakfast
Saturdays at 8:30 am
Women’s Bible Study
Saturdays at 8:30 am
The Blessing House at God’s Resort
1505 S Pearl, Joplin, 64804
No Women’s Bible Study Aug 30
