November 2025
Dear Friends of God’s Resort,
We are so very grateful that you share in the work of God’s Resort through your gifts and prayers! May God bless you richly, He surely is blessing us!
Austin began using drugs after his brother was killed, trying to cope with the overwhelming emotions he didn’t know how to handle. His depression and complacency opened him up to every demon he entertained. He was lost in deep dark sin, and he ended up serving a three-year state prison sentence.
Much earlier God had spoken to Austin in county jail and from that he knew God was real, but he didn’t want to quit the sin lifestyle and he ran from God. He says, “I ran from Him and He always pursued me.” In prison, God spoke to him again. “He showed me what I was like as an innocent little boy and how far I had gotten from God, and it racked me as I longed for his presence.”
He decided to pursue God completely. “I knew nothing in this world would match what Jesus had to give me!” That is when he went to the Forge. It was from there Austin came to live at God’s Resort. “I could not express how much God’s Resort means to me! It gave me my first home, a place I could care for. It became my family that surrounded me with pure unconditional love – that made all the difference. His love changed me at God’s Resort!”
Austin was a leader in our recovery program and says it was leadership training for the next season of his life. Austin recently graduated and transitioned from God’s Resort back to the Forge to be the Residency Assistant!! We say he’s our ambassador to the guys to encourage their coming to God’s Resort. He says he is our “secret agent man!” To watch the celebration of Austin’s transition from God’s Resort, click here. The sharing time begins at the 19-minute mark.
Thank you again for making stories like God is writing in Austin’s life possible through your partnership and gracious support! If you’d like to give a special gift to help more God’s Resort residents like Austin heal, grow, and chase their dreams, follow this link.
Jay St. Clair
Executive Director
This month has been full of blessings at God’s Resort!
We were honored to welcome several wonderful groups, including cross country teams from all over the country who were here for Ozark Christian College’s NCCAA Championship. While visiting Joplin, each team chose items from our donation needs list, went shopping, and delivered their gifts directly to God’s Resort.
In all, 27 teams stopped by to learn about our ministry and bless our community with an incredible number of supplies including 88 bath towels, 258 washcloths, 38 hand towels, 25 bath rugs, 73 oven mitts, 75 dish cloths, 2 mattress protectors, 46 blankets, 46 kitchen towels, 11 microwave scrubbers, 7 potholders, and 35 laundry baskets.
What a tremendous gift! These donations will help us prepare dignified, fully supplied homes for future residents, and we are deeply grateful.
We’ve also had a month of meaningful transitions at God’s Resort.
The Well has officially moved out of the three-bedroom Pearl Street home and into their new space at 1414 Euclid Avenue. We are now preparing that house to welcome a resident family.
A dedicated Life Group from Hope City played a huge role in this transition from moving furniture, to cleaning an apartment for a new resident, to sorting and counting all the donations from the cross-country teams. This group showed up with strong hands, willing hearts, and even some enthusiastic kiddos ready to pitch in.
Thank you to everyone who helped make these projects possible. Many hands truly do make light work, and we couldn’t do this without the support of our community.
A huge shout-out to Helix Gymnasium!
This past month, Helix wrapped up an incredible food drive for our residents by collecting an amazing amount of food and monetary donations to bless families here at God’s Resort.
And they’re not stopping there! Next month, Helix Gymnasium will be hosting a Christmas drive for our resident children, gathering gift certificates for fun “experiences” like movies, bowling, arcade visits, and more.
Thank you, Helix, for faithfully loving and supporting the families of God’s Resort!
Current Needs & Ways to Get Involved
We have several opportunities to serve and make an impact this season!
· Children’s Ministry Helpers – Volunteer with our kids on Sunday evenings at 5:30 p.m.
· Children’s Meal Teams – Prepare and serve meals for our children on Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m.
· Women’s Bible Study Meals – Provide breakfast for our Women’s Bible Study on the first Saturday of each month.
· The Well Volunteers – Join our team of volunteers serving at The Well.
If you’re interested in getting involved or have any questions, please contact Machaela Cantu, Community Engagement Coordinator, at machaela@godsresortjoplin.org. She’ll help you get connected!
We’ve been busy settling into our new home on Euclid Ave. in Joplin and uniting with the girls at Loving Grace! As we look ahead, we are filled with anticipation for all that God has planned for 2026. We deeply value your prayers and support for the expansion of this beautiful ministry – serving women, strengthening community, and moving forward together as God’s Resort – The Well! For a deeper glimpse into our ministry, please read this letter written by Stephanie, Life Transition Coordinator at The Well, about our recently graduated resident, Jenni (Pictured here with her sister Bethany – Jenni is on the right):
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I met Jenni around this time last year while having lunch with my husband, Dan, at Watered Gardens. Jenni was volunteering in the kitchen. Dan shared with her how the Forge had helped give him structure and leadership to rebuild his life. Jenni asked if Watered Gardens had anything similar for women, and Dan told her about the new ministry at God’s Resort called The Well.
Over lunch that day, I immediately saw how desperate Jenni was for Jesus to do in her what He had done in Dan and me. The next day, I brought her an application, and in December she moved in.
During her time with us, Jenni was, first and foremost, in love with God’s Word. She often encouraged others to join her in prayer and to read the Bible together. She developed a sweet connection with another resident and helped her navigate the computer, among many other things—including introducing her to her mom, Sarah, who then invited the new friend into her home. Jenni also invited the ladies at The Well and God’s Resort to swim with her at her parents’ home. Jenni truly loves community and people.
Jenni also served at NALA. She was able to attend Crowder College and obtained her CNA certification. She said goodbye to disability after taking a job at Access, helping low-income families receive dental care. She bought herself a car and continues to thrive in her job. Jenni loves her family deeply. While she was living with us, we were honored to meet her two sons and her sister, Bethany.
I recently asked Jenni if she had anything she would like to add about her stay at The Well. These are her own words:
“I’m grateful for my time at The Well and what it’s taught me about the love and support of the family of God. It’s been a safe, gentle, and supportive place to adjust after some really difficult life events. I’m glad that it’s here for women needing love and healing, and I hope God will use
me to help bring life to others. I plan to volunteer at The Well and am praying about what other ministry opportunities God has for me in the future.”
I love and respect Jenni’s decision to continue her healing journey with her parents. I had a similar experience with my own parents. In many ways, I had to go back to where it all started to make peace with it before I could understand how to move forward and heal with my own children.
Blessings,
Stephanie
God’s Resort Youth
This November has been filled with laughter and anticipation! As the kids are turning in their chore charts and memory work, the only thing they are talking about is how excited they are to buy a gift for their parents! The generous hearts of kids are such precious gifts. Speaking of memory work, one of our 4th graders has been reciting our monthly memory verse each week with ease! Colossians 4:2 is ingrained in all their little hearts!!
A 
handful of our kiddos were a part of the Create2Educate: Prone to Wander exhibit. We would LOVE it if you went to Spiva to admire our kids’ work! GR kids are sheep numbers 51-63. It goes over the parable of the Good Shepherd in Luke 15! This exhibit partners with children in Kampala, Uganda to buy school supplies for kids in Africa. This was such a fun event and one of our kids still asks me to this day if their artwork is on the wall. What a huge blessing and confidence boost this exhibit has given to our sweet artists! We are hoping to make another trip over there with the kids that couldn’t come to the opening night of the exhibit. Thank you to Steve and Cindy Head for including us!
We are looking forward to partnering with Helix again! They are graciously hosting an open gym that our God’s Resort kids are invited to! I cannot begin to express how thankful we are for those who bless our kids with experiences that cultivate a desire and longing to explore, take age-appropriate risks and move their bodies in a way that glorifies the Lord!
Please consider partnering with us in prayer as we enter the holiday season! From the Christmas Parade to the Christmas Shoppe to Christmas – please pray for energy and comfort this holiday season. We LOVE you all and are so thankful for YOU!
God wrote it in the scriptures before Psychology caught on – gratitude is a powerful part of healing. At God’s Resort, gratitude is always part of what we do, and during the Thanksgiving season, we lean into it even more deeply. When we pause to say, “thank You” to God, we remember where we’ve been, how far God has brought us, and the hope that carries us forward. Thankfulness shifts our focus, strengthens our hearts, and draws us closer to the One who restores all things. It’s not just a feeling – it’s an act of worship that opens our eyes to God’s presence at work among us!
And worship is where that gratitude comes alive. When we lift our voices, raise our hands, or quietly bow our hearts, we’re giving thanks in its purest form. Worship turns gratitude into a response – an offering back to God for His grace, His mercy, and His steady faithfulness in our recovery journey. In those moments of praise, we’re reminded that we’re not alone, that God is fighting for us, and that every step forward is a gift from Him.
At God’s Resort, when we sing songs of thanksgiving, something powerful happens: burdens lift, peace settles in, and hope rises. Worship gives us space to reflect on God’s goodness and to celebrate the small and big victories He’s brought into our lives. It becomes a sanctuary where gratitude and healing meet – a place where hearts are renewed and spirits are strengthened.
We’d love for you to join us in this season of grateful worship! Whether you’re a worship leader, musician, tech volunteer, or someone who simply loves to thank Jesus for all He’s done, there’s a place for you here. Come be part of what God is doing at God’s Resort as we enter this Thanksgiving season with hearts full of gratitude. To get connected, email jon-michael@godsresortjoplin.org or call 417-553-4080.
