S U M M E R 2 0 1 3

A Year In Review
THE J ONES MI NI STRY UPDATE
BIBLICAL COUNSELING
USING PLAY THERAPY
The month of May marked the one year
anniversary of me joining the Christian
Families Today (CFT) family, and what a
year it has been! When I embarked on
this journey a year ago, I never imagined
the magnitude of how God was going to
use the ministry to impact my life.
As I entered into this season of ministry,
my heart was passionate about walking
alongside of each child, teen, and parent
to show them the hope, healing, and
freedom we have in Christ. While God
has countlessly provided these
opportunities, He has shown me that He
desires this season to be one of me
growing in my understanding of who He
is and who He says I am as His child. The
ministry begins in His outpouring over
me, and in return this outpouring
overflows to each child, teen, and parent
that comes into the office.
I wish I had the opportunity to pen every
thing the Father has been teaching and
showing me. Since time does not allow
for that, I have shared one story on the
back of this newsletter, and will continue
to send newsletters in the future to share
with you stories from the Father.
Thinking over the past 16 months, I am
lost in humbleness of how the Father
works through me to minister to His
children. Since I started working for CFT
last May, I have had 318 appointments.
The burdens these precious children and
teens share with me vary from eating
disorders, to thoughts and attempts of
suicide, to parents divorcing, to
addictions, and so many more life issues
and crises. Not only have I been able to
minister in the counseling office, but the
Lord has provided outreach in the
community through speaking to students
and parents within the schools,
participating in a neighboring countys
middle schools career fair and sharing
information about CFT at community
wide events.
As a new year of ministry has
ushered in, I am excited about the new
ideas for ministry and outreach the Lord
is providing. Throughout this newsletter
and ones to come, I will share with you
ideas the Father is giving me to reach
children and teens in the counseling room
and new programs being developed. You
will want to make sure you keep an ear
tuned into the ministry!
COUNSELING CHILDREN &
TEEN GIRLS
THE OFFICES OF CHRISTIAN
FAMILIES TODAY
A Quarterly Update On Christs Life
Expressed Through Our Partnership with
Christian Families Today
!e Great Romancer
The world around us has created love story after love story.
Each story in one way or another portrays a mighty warrior
who saves, protects, holds, loves, and fights for the love of
his life. Even as young children, these stories capture a sense
of tenderness and longing within our hearts, and leaves a
sense within us that there is something greater in the world
that surrounds us. As we mature in life from our childhood
years, we seek to find this love story within the creation
around us, whether from another human
being, work, drugs and alcohol, or even
church activities. After a period of time,
however, we feel like we are missing
something greater, but we cannot quite put
our finger on what is missing within us. In
order to fill the void, we search out in our
own efforts another love. The cycle
repeats over and over, heart break after heart
break, longing and more longing.
Within my own life, I have experienced this
ugly cycle. The first love began with
looking to fill this longing for something
greater within church activities. As I found
myself being swallowed up in almost every
activity I could imagine, I found that rather
than experiencing fulfillment, I was
consumed with tiredness. I could not understand why I was
still experiencing the nagging feeling that there something
greater, after all, I was serving every way possible I could
think of. In hopes of finally finding the something greater I
was searching for, I found other activities to get involved
with. In the end, I became exhausted, frustrated, and would
beg God to tell me what was wrong with me. Deep within my
heart, I knew there was something greater in the world and
for my life, but I was lost on how to find it.
When church activities did not allow me to experience the
fulfillment I was eagerly searching for, I began to pursue
another love, education. I believed that if I could just make
perfect grades, then I would be complete and would have
found my something greater. All throughout school, and
even college, I tried to get my worth and value from my
grades. Instead of experiencing life from my perfect grades, I
was extremely tired, stressed out, and overwhelmed.
As I approached the end of high school, I added in the
loves of dating and friendships. The heartbreak cycle
continued over and over and over. With each cycle, I could
not understand how to fulfill the longing within my heart that
told me there was something greater to life.
We each have our own unique way we seek out how to fulfill
that greater desire within us in our own efforts, whether it is
ministry, performance, relationships, drugs and alcohol, jobs,
material possessions, etc.
Gods creation is beautiful and He thought of each detail
when He created every plant, animal, and human. The beauty
of the Father is evident all around us. Within the beauty of
His creation is a love story between the Great Romancer and
His creation. As His creation, we were designed with a desire
to experience something only the Great
Romancer can fill, a romantic journey full of
love, joy, and peace. The Great Romancer,
which is God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit, devote every ounce of
who they are to woo, chase, and pursue us to
Him. His heart is not to create robots out of
us that go through life saying, I love you
God. I love you God. Rather, His desire is
to pursue and romance us to not only know
of His love intellectually, but also to
experience His love, and live life moment by
moment together lost in love for one another.
As we come to know of this truth not only
within our mind, but also within our heart,
we will begin to see how He has used and is
using every moment in our love pursuit to
woo us to Him and His love.
How do we experience this perfect romantic love with the
Great Romancer? John 15:5 says, I am the Vine, you are the
branches; he who abides in Me and I in Him, he bears much
fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. While reading
our Bible, going to church, singing in the choir, teaching
Sunday School, feeding the homeless, etc. is wonderful, they
have nothing to do with abiding. Abiding is not about doing,
but rather about being or resting. Abiding in Christ is simply
resting in the finished work of our sweet Jesus and living out
of who He says we are (I am special, I am loved, I am
perfectly made, I am adequate, I am forgiven, and so much
more!). When we begin to abide in Him, we will surrender
for Him to live His life through us, and consequently will
bear much fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and control of self). As we
abide in the Great Romancer, who is the lover of our soul, we
will experience love, joy, and peace regardless of the storms
and chaos of this life.
May we abide in Him and experience the perfect romance
with the lover of our soul!
Lori and Chris
What is my role at CFT?
My role at Christian Families Today centers around discipling
children and teen girls to know our precious Jesus as their
Savior, Lord, and Life. When examining the concept of
counseling children and teens, I am often asked how I go
about sharing abstract conceptions in a way each individual at
their unique age can understand. Judy Maddox, a child and
adolescent discipleship counselor I serve alongside of at CFT,
created a form of counseling using scrapbooking. By using the
foundation of her
scrapbooking model of
counseling, paired with toys
and games, children are taken
through the process of
learning what their Heavenly
Father says about them.
Most importantly, the
children and teens are taught
how to listen to the Holy
Spirit, and to see themselves
and others through His eyes.
WHATS NEW AT CHRISTIAN FAMILIES TODAY?
The Grow in Grace message is an expanded
teaching of Romans 5-8 which sets forth a believers
identication with Christ in His death, burial, and
resurrection. Through understanding how to
appropriate ones identication in Christ, believers
not only begin to understand the Exchanged Life,
but also learn how to bring lifes trials and
tribulations to resolution.
Operation Transformation
As the 2012 year came to a close, a new idea of ministry began to blossom within my heart and the heart of my co-worker, Greg
Cleland. After meeting with several individuals from the community who work with youth and after examining the stories of teens
who come to CFT for counseling, we have realized the need for a place where teens can learn of the transformation, freedom, love,
and healing we have in Christ.
The purpose for Operation Transformation is to guide teens into freedom from addictive behaviors by believing who they are in
Christ through the nished work Jesus did on the cross.
Greg and I have nished outlining each session and are moving forward in marketing and completing the ne details of this ministry.
This dream God has placed within our hearts is bigger than Greg and I. We need YOU! Please join us in prayer with the Father that
we will experience His rest and guidance as He guides us in how He wishes to use this ministry to reach His children.
We are excited about partnering with you! If you have any questions regarding Operation Transformation, please do not hesitate to
email me at LoriJones@cftministry.org.
Prayer is a powerful tool we
have to connect to the Father. If
we can join you in prayer for
anything, please let us know!
Email: LoriJones@cftministry.org
Phone: (770) 502-8050
Prayer Requests:
Ministry:
The children and teens I meet with
will know and experience the love
of the Father.
The students taking our ADT class
will experience what they are
studying of who they are in Christ.
The Lord to continue to provide
his creativity with counseling
illustrations and ways to connect
with these precious children and
teens.
Personal:
We will be sensitive to the Holy
Spirit and share His grace and
truth with those we encounter.
Our families will grow in
knowing and experiencing who
they are in Christ.
A vehicle for Lori.
For 100% funding of my ministry
at CFT.
Upcoming Seminar
November 1-2, 2013
WHAT I S HAPPENI NG I N THE
JONES FAMI LY?
J
:
Just added a new member to our family:
Bella, our Boykin Spaniel
O:
Overwhelmed with enthusiasm
for the doors the Father is
opening up for our families
N
:
E
:
S
:
Newlyweds for almost
a year (September
30th will make a year)
Excited about
opportunities the
Lord is providing to
connect and love on
other young couples
Short while ago we
relocated our personal
home to a new location
in Newnan
As an individual whose life has been
transformed by learning how to
experience Christ as my Savior, Lord
and Life, my hearts desire is to reach
out to children and teens with the
love of Christ, so that they too may
learn the freedom, healing,
restoration, and love that is in Christ.
By using toys, crafts, and games, I lead
them in understanding how to
experience a whole and healthy life.
Chris and I are so thankful for the
seeds you have sown in this ministry,
whether in prayer, encouragement, or
nancial support. We consider it an
honor to partner with you in building
godly families in America! Know that
we pray for you and your family daily.
When you partner nancially with me
in ministering to these hurting
children and teens, 100% of your
support goes directly to me when you
note your giving to go to Lori Jones.
Your nancial partnership is not only a
blessing to the ministry God is doing
through Chris and I, but is tax
deductible.
To partner with us nancially, you can
send your support to the address
below, or donate online through
CFTs website:
www.donate.cftministry.org
Christian Families Today
Lori Jones
174 Ashley Park Blvd.
Suite 1
Newnan, GA 30263
THANKS FOR BEI NG ON OUR TEAM!