On the Road with the Corleys

Summer Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:53:00 +0000

Hello dear friends!

As we make final preparations for another long summer we wanted to send out a quick update to remind/encourage you with what God is allowing us (and possibly you!) to be a part of this summer...and to share some exciting family news - you'll have to wait to til the end for that! We leave on Sunday for approximately three months of work in Nashville. We are basically rebuilding the rest of Cottage Cove Urban Ministries facility that we worked on last summer and are so excited to assist this wonderful ministry again and again! We will start off with a roofing project in April, move into demolition some time in May, and hope to finish up rebuilding some time in July. We hope that you will join us again this year! We felt the covering of your prayers last summer as God richly blessed our family and we would not want to go without our confidence in Him again this year. We also desire to have you along with us! There will be plenty of work to go around and we don't want you to miss the blessing of serving God by meeting the needs of a ministry He is at work in. Steppin-Out is becoming redundant in saying "prepare to be blessed!" as we set out with teams. But it is so true as we see God's mighty hand rest on every individual that makes themselves available for His use. If you have ever wanted to experience a Steppin-Out trip, this is the best place to start! There is little cost, little travel, yet you are fully in service for the Kingdom! Seek out His desire for you this summer, whether it be with us or serving Him in another way, BE ALL HIS!

We are most excited to travel as a family again but God has added an extra blessing this year! We are expecting baby #5 in October! After the initial shock ;) we are praising God that He has chosen to entrust us with another one of His greatest gifts. Meg is feeling well and will not have quite the load that she did last summer and of course all the kids are so excited to have a tie breaker for boys vs. girls! :) God is always way ahead of us and it is beautiful to see His provision, leaving no room for doubt or fear when serving the one true God!

Thank you again for all your love and support. We do hope to see you or hear from you this summer if possible, so please send us an email or give us a call as we will be available any time. We will also be updating the Steppin-Out Missions Facebook page throughout the summer so that you can keep up with us!

Amazed by His Grace!

Joel & Meg

February Update

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 18:04:00 +0000

There is nothing that keeps wicked men out of hell, at any moment, except the mere pleasure of God. -J.Edwards

Over the last few months Megan and I have had a fresh reminder and resurgence of the Truth of the Gospel. One of the tools that God has used in our lives is a Christian Classic, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards. We serve a Holy and Righteous God, who cannot tolerate sin, imperfection, or anything else that is contrary to His character. Yet in His great Mercy and Love He made Him who knew no sin, to actually become sin on our behalf so that we might become His Righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). Praise Him! We deserve only His wrath and punishment, yet because of His love and mercy, and His work on our behalf, we are instead made to be His representatives! I pray that this reminder of the greatest Truth of all will just refresh your walk with Him and cause you to stop what you are doing, in fact, please don’t read anymore of this letter until you just give Him the Praise that He deserves!!

What’s Happening? 2013 is shaping up to be one of the busiest years that I can remember, well since last year anyway! We have some incredible opportunities to participate in what God is doing literally all over the world. I am blessed to report news that God has already accomplished this year! To inform anyone who does not know, Steppin-Out has an indigenous missionary in Ivory Coast, Ya Kouassi Jaques. We have been praying to bring a well to his area not only to meet the physical needs of the people but ultimately to draw them to the Living Water! God allowed John and two other men to travel in search of water and wouldn’t you know it, the strongest signal for water was found within a few feet of the church that we were able to help build in 2010! He didn’t stop there; God also led them to the middle of the old church location. In both of these areas our team was able to find an abundance of water! God could have allowed them to find water out in a nice clearing where there was plenty of room to gather around the well, but instead He is going to draw people unto Himself and to His Gospel by bringing them right to His front door!

We also have two men currently on the field in another part of West Africa, clearing an area of the jungle for a landing strip. This will allow missionaries to get to an unreached people group and bring the gospel to them for the first time! Just take that in, Joe and Jim, two lay men from Ohio, specifically skilled in running large equipment, and God says, “I have eternal purposes for your skills!” It is humbling that our mighty God would allow Steppin-Out to be a part of His work in these areas!

What’s Next? FEBRUARY. In two weeks we will be heading to Bolivia, South America, to work at Monte Blanco. Monte Blanco is a Christian Camp located in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia. God has blessed the ministry of Monte Blanco and many Bolivians have come to know the Gospel while at Camp. Many others have been reminded of the Gospel and have recommitted their lives to walking faithfully with the Lord. This is a life and death decision in the midst of a Communist regime that is

currently running the government of Bolivia. We will be updating the buildings throughout the camp, which is on the campus of a 60 year old missionary boarding school, with all new wiring so that they are no longer dependent on Diesel generators. Please pray that we will be able to finish the project and enable this wonderful ministry to continue to clearly and effectively communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ without fear of persecution and without running out of fuel!

MAY-JULY. We will begin another large renovation at Cottage Cove Urban Ministries in Nashville, TN. This is a hot and tiring summer, but it is always amazing to partner with Cottage Cove and observe the work of the Gospel in the lives of the Children that are served there everyday. If you would like more information about Cottage Cove, or if you would like to come and serve alongside of us, please let us know!

Home. In our time home Joel has been preparing our tools and equipment for Disaster Response and Storm Relief. We were blessed to acquire a new 27’ utility trailer that we have transformed into a Mobile Disaster Response Headquarters. We hope to be self-sufficient for a quick response, having housing, a portable kitchen, and bath facilities. We were able to visit Meg’s parents in Missouri for the holidays and now Meg and the kids have been busy with getting back into school. They’ve added a couple of new challenges to their week, piano and Greek! How incredible would it be to be able to read original Greek texts as you grow in God’s Word. Okay, we’re just working on getting the alphabeta down right nowJ but we pray that ALL their schooling would simply be a means of glorifying God!

Please continue to pray with us that we will be obedient and sensitive to His leading at home and on the field. We only want to see His Gospel proclaimed, and preached so that Lost Sinners might be Found, that dry and thirsty souls might be quenched with Living Water, and the Body strengthened and encouraged through Christ. Please remember that we need you, but more importantly, you were redeemed and saved for a purpose. You are “His workmanship, created to do good works” (Eph 2). We could never thank you enough for doing your part. Whether that is through participating on a team, giving financially, or praying diligently, You Are Steppin Out Missions!

Amazed By His Grace,

Joel & Meg

November Update

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Dear friends and supporters,

As I look back on the last several months, my heart is filled with gratitude and joy, mixed with immense sorrow and heartache. They have been some of the hardest in our short ministry. Just a few weeks after our home church discovered deep sin in one of its staff, we loaded up our trailers and trucks and headed out for the 2 month Cottage Cove trip we were preparing for in our last letter. Our hearts were torn between the church family and the pain they were enduring and the clear call that we received to assist the dear ministers at Cottage Cove. As we look back, we can testify of our God’s faithfully strong hand providing for, healing, and guiding each step of the way! The weeks were filled with one team after another bringing the force needed to complete the task. As we uncovered extensive termite damage, the initial plans of a more simple renovation turned into a complete demolition and rebuilding of 1/3 of the Cove facility! However GOD PROVIDED. He allowed this all to be finished in the original amount of time along with His abundantly providing $15,000 extra funds needed! Only by God’s hand could this mountain of hindrances be moved showing His glory to all who entered that building! And did I mention that all the while we still had all of the children and the ministry of Cottage Cove functioning every day? The boys were able to jump in with the programming while Meg served in the kitchen making meals for the 30 children, as well as all the volunteers, all of this with Elsie playing at her feet and Faith as her constant helper. Even in the kitchen we saw God provide beautiful sisters in Christ eager to ease the load each week as it was needed. He also provided a part time church family, Faith Church, where God refreshed, challenged, and blessed us beyond measure in our time away from Alpine. We often say that it is our desire as a ministry to join God where He is already working and Cottage Cove Urban Ministries is one of such place.

One of the many teams this summer...for more pics find Steppin-Out Missions on Facebook!

As our time in Nashville drew to a close we knew that the Lord was leading us to return home and do our best to refresh the saints and be refreshed as our hearts were still heavy. We and our church family were reeling from the effects of the sin that was uncovered and all of the ramifications that accompany such a devastation. So over the last few months we have stayed close to home and serve our local church. We have done several projects including the siding of our own home which was in desperate need of repair, and several projects in the Alpine family. We have been meeting with families and individuals from the church, preaching on occasion, and initiating a new Domestic Disaster Response initiative for SOM that includes a mobile trailer to provide a headquarters and equipment storage so that we can quickly respond to future needs.

On November 14th I will be taking a team of 25 people down to Casa Bernabe Orphanage in Guatemala again where we will be assisting the staff and ministry with a myriad of projects and needs as we have done now for the last 6 years. It is always a blessing to return to a familiar location but this year has an added blessing, I will have the privilege of taking my 8 year old son Jonathan! I am so blessed as a dad to have this chance to lead my son in service to our Heavenly Father. Please pray with us the Lord might continue His great work in Jonathan’s life as well as our own and all families in covenant with God that we would love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and souls, and minds, and strength! As the U.S. approaches a heated election we realize that those words put into practice are the ONLY hope for this nation or the world!

Now we ask that you join us in prayer as we seek clear direction from the Lord for 2013! Here are some of the projects asking for our assistance:

• Building of jungle churches in Liberia, West Africa;

• A possible return to a work started several years ago in Bolivia at Monte Blanco;

• a major project in New Jersey with a Hatian church plant;

• A final phase of renovation at Cottage Cove;

• Deployment if and when another national disaster occurs here in the USA or abroad.

Finally, we can never thank you enough for your sensitivity to God’s leading in partnering with us. We do not report all of this to prove how busy we are. We pray that we would never be consumed by looking busy! We report in hopes that our mighty God might be praised and that your faith would be strengthened in the miraculous works He continues even in this age. If you would like to give to the orphanage project or be involved in any way in future projects please let us hear from you! We also pray for YOU that you will persevere and that you will see how vital you are in the body of Christ whether with us or in your hometown! Thank you for your love and the way you strengthen us. We cherish you our dear brothers and sisters!

June Update

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 05:20:00 +0000

Dear friends and supporters,

We are taking a break from our massive pre-trip cleaning/packing/baking/car tune-up routine to bring you all with us on our next journey! Lord willing, we will be leaving for Cottage Cove to spend another summer ministering to faithful ministers of inner city Nashville. The goal of this project is to renovate another section of the facility, providing better opportunity for these children to learn, be loved, and ultimately be introduced to faith in Christ. We will also be filling in wherever there is need in the summer programming since they are facing a packed summer short staffed! Please come along with us whether it is in prayer for the work at Cottage Cove or perhaps following God’s leading to join His work in a physical way. We are praising God that we get to be together as a family for this trip and would cherish your prayers as we seek to draw our children and each other closer to our Father in the midst of leaving behind “normal” life for a while. We want to be fully dependent on Him for strength and only display HIS power and provision through us this summer.

Some of you may not have heard updates since our last newsletter…Joel has been able to serve with teams in Liberia on the school project and in Kentucky providing tornado relief. Both trips were successful and we continue to pray for guidance as the need in both of these areas is vast. We also had a wonderful opportunity to travel the midwest visiting our church families at Gulfhaven Mennonite in Mississippi and Rockport Baptist in Missouri! It was an honor to share in both of these places how God is working with Steppin-Out and we were so refreshed and encouraged by the people we came across. It is always amazing as we share our stories with others and likewise, hear theirs, to see what God has done in our midst! As trips fly by and blur together it’s so easy to lose sight of His amazing provision and blessing if we don’t make an effort to recall them. We are so thankful for those of you we were able to fellowship with and hope to be with more of you at some point in the future!

That about brings us up to date…with a lot of potty training, homeschooling, frog catching and princess dances in between.J Today, as I write this, we will be attending and Joel will be performing the wedding of some dear friends that met on one of our projects in Guatemala two years ago! Yet again, it is beautiful to see the hand of our generous God on the lives of His children!

There is no way to describe the feeling of knowing that we take each trip and each day for that matter riding on the prayers of all of you who so faithfully lift us to our Father, who send us, and who love us with Christ’s love. A lot has happened in the last month (personal to our church family here) that has caused us to recognize our own inadequacies and to wonder at how God could use us in our weakness. Along with numerous other even greater questions involved, we couldn’t see how plans for this summer would be possible. But our faithful God makes the way for His work to be accomplished! He has so tenderly ministered to us and those around us in ways we have never known. We’ve been learning to walk constantly in His presence, turning every thought, every waking moment over to conversing with and meditating on Him. We are far from there but just striving for it and knowing that this is the kind of intimate relationship He wants with us changes everything! He is a sovereign God who has so much happening in this world! We’ll miss out if we can’t see just how much He desires ALL of our love and just how much He wants to do great and mighty things through the humblest of His creation. We pray that we will be counted in that number and pray the same for all of you. We travel with you this summer and pray that the blessing of His constant presence is heavy upon you at every moment.

By His Grace Alone,

Joel & Meg

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:28:00 +0000

the arrival

Joel has not been able to do blog updates because of internet connection but we received this update with some great pictures of the project up to this point from John Bleah (the Liberian project coordinator). John and his wife Ruth have been taking care of the guys and are a part of the group that the Lord impressed to begin this project. So here's the basics of what's been happening so far...

"Dear All,
Greetings in Jesus!
We praise the Lord and thank you for taking the bold step of faith toraise money and begin this big project!
On Wednesday, February 1, John Corley and Team arrived. Kendell of Samaritan’s Purse provided vehicle and drove them from RIA to ABCU guesthouse. Next day shopping for building materials was completed. A meeting was held with Kendell who agreed and provided a vehicle and took the team to Saclepea on Friday, 03 February. The team arrived with a rousing welcome by the Church and the Mission Team.
On Saturday, 04 February, laying out of campus began and was completed on Monday. Work on the roof and the digging out of trees for the foundation of New Guesthouse began on Tuesday. Kendell provided a truck that took the building materials to Saclepea. The truck arrived on Tuesday, 07 February. Roofing sheets are being placed on the roof and the foundation of the new guesthouse is being dug.
More photos on the way!
Praising Jesus Christ our Lord,
JB"

campus layout

making plans

fellowship

We again thank you all for your prayers throughout this project. Joel has communicated that it's not an easy build simply because the supplies are primitive which requires a bit more "inventing" to make it all come together correctly. It's also down right HOT and the men are exhausted by the end of the day. They have however received wonderful care...beds provided which Joel says would not be typical in the area, and Ruth is doing an amazing job trying to give the guys more "American" meals so that their stomachs can handle it. Joel described the people as extremely loving...and curious. They gather around watching and wanting to help every step of the way. (you can see this in some of the pictures) It is also apparent to him the effects of the brutal war that they have been through and the calloused nature that they demonstrate because of it. The fruit of this school project will likely take many years to take effect and break through the mind set that has taken hold of the culture.

first church service

-So please take on the task of interceding for these people. Only God's mighty Spirit can accomplish what man cannot!
-Also pray for John (Corley) and Joel as they will both be teaching in different churches tomorrow! May God's words be clearly conveyed!
-Pray against warfare and for the Father's strength on those involved
-Praise God for His mighty work in the nation of Liberia and for His love He desires all to receive!

roofing

The Gospel…the Power of God

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:29:00 +0000

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the Power of God for Salvation to Everyone who Believes”

I love this verse! It is such a wonderful reminder that it is not our craftiness, or our methodology, even our skill and effort that saves the souls of men, but it is only the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is our motivation to Go and to Serve. We believe that it is a wonderful privilege to be a part of the awesome work of God that He is doing in the West African Republic of Liberia. A few short months ago SOM received a call from a ministry that we had partnered with a few years ago, Missionary Tech Team. TECH is the ministry link that God used to direct SOM to Liberia and the project at African Bible College. We were incredibly blessed to be a part of what God did and continues to do on the campus of ABCU, but we had also finished the span of work that we believed God had for us there and so we have not been back to Liberia for a while now. So when TECH called, we were anxious to hear about this new opportunity to return to this country that we have grown to love, and to a people that are hungry for Hope and Salvation found in Jesus Christ. TECH described to us that they had been contacted by a ministry called AIMS (Association of Inland Mission Schools). Here is a quote from the AIMS website:

“The ASSOCIATION OF INLAND MISSION SCHOOLS (AIMS) is an intercultural, international, faith-based organization of the evangelical tradition, comprising Americans, Liberians and other nationals who are committed to primary, elementary and secondary education in the West African Republic of Liberia which is recovering from a devastating military revolution that left the nation and its people battered, bruised and broken.”

AIMS requested that Steppin Out partner with them in the rebuilding and future development of their school in Saclepea, Liberia. You can learn more about this ministry and the project in Saclepea at the AIMS website: http://www.aims-liberia.org/project_saclepea.php . SOM will be taking a small team during the month of February to replace a roof on the main building that is currently on the campus called the Carson House. Along with that project we will be assisting them by planning and laying out future building locations and forming up the foundation for a new guest house that will serve to house future short term teams and medical teams for the region. What I think is so incredible about this project and serving this new ministry is that many of the students and pastors from these AIMS schools and churches are now attending or are alumni of ABCU! In fact we will be reunited with many of those people when we return, and we will have the privilege of assisting and equipping them for even more impact throughout Liberia.

That is why that scripture rings in my mind and in my heart, the common denominator in all of these ministry efforts is the advancement and proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What an honor to do the work that He has called us to do. To be able to connect solutions to the needs of these ministries around the world and to help spread the Gospel that much further, because there are more buildings, water wells, generators producing electricity, so that men, women, and children have the opportunity to hear and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The buildings, the wells, the generators, and even the people will someday perish. But Eternity will be impacted if just one soul is saved because of the Power of God in the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Of course we could not do this ministry without YOU! And it is that same power, that same Gospel that is at work in your hearts to partner with us and to support us in love, in prayer, and in deed. We praise God for your partnership in advancing His message of love, hope, and forgiveness not only to the people of Liberia, but to the uttermost parts of the world. Thank You!

A Life Saving Message!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:59:00 +0000

So I wanted to pass along a message and a word that I believe the Lord allowed me to hear the other night from a Korean young man, who was adopted by an American Family and lived in Peoria, IL, but who now lives and studies Missions Medical Nursing in Brazil! Of course it helps that this young man's name is Micah too, and so my mind immediately went to my beautiful little red headed boy!
in one of the towns that was hit hardest by the Tsunami, Kessinuma, there is some unbelievable destruction! In fact for most of you that might read this you are familiar with Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath of that incredible storm. This Tsunami really was worse than that, I mean, never in my life have I seen anything like this. The entire coastline is decimated and one of the buildings that was completely destroyed was the building that housed the EMS services for the city of Kessinuma. I saw the building, but until Micah shared the rest of the story the other night it really didn't mean anything to me. Micah shared that the woman that was manning the radio system that day was in the building broadcasting the message that the Tsunami was coming and in fact it was said that she was at the microphone until her death. She was focused on the task of sharing the message of Hope and Life for all those that would listen and hear he message, and it cost her her life.
I'm pretty sure that I don't even need to add commentary to this story but I will at least share that the Lord did remind me very strongly and intimately that that is what He has called me to..........and you as well if you call yourself a Christian (Christ Follower). We as believers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, those who have been brought from death to life, who have been granted grace, mercy, and forgiveness are the messengers that the Lord Jesus has chosen to use to spread this message to all who would believe and head the His warning of coming judgement!
The Lord just continues to speak to me directly through His Holy Word, and especially the book of Ephesians. Paul writes these words in chapter 2;
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for Good Works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." and then also in 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ. God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
So right from the pages of scripture we are told that we are the instruments that the God of the universe has chosen, even before the foundations of the world were formed, to use to spread and to share the message of LIFE & SAFETY that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So naturally the question remains for all of us that claim to be committed Christians. For those of us that claim to be "in love" with Jesus Christ. For those of us that claim to be surrendered to His Lordship and Leadership over our lives. For those of us that claim to be "His disciples", the question is..... are you sharing that "life saving" message now, and will you continue if you know that it will in fact cost you your life? If you knew that what you had to say could save a person for all eternity, but in fact it might cost you your life in order for them to hear it, would you share that message? I am reminded of the challenge that Jesus gave to those that were attempting to follow Him, and I will end with these words to encourage all of us, myself first to really think and contemplate a response......

"Then Jesus told His desciples, " if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:52:00 +0000

Eph 6:10-20

The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

I have always loved the book of Ephesians, and I have always felt that Paul was basically writing to me each time that I would study and look into the letter. Each time I would encounter a "rough patch" in my relationship with Jesus Christ I would quickly flip open the passage listed above and remind myself that even though I can't see my enemy I know that he is real and hates my guts. I used to think that I had experienced enough around the world that "I had seen it all" so to speak.

Well then this trip to Japan came up. It's actually hard to even think of all the "little things" that have happened from the logistics in preparation to come, to arrival, to accommodations, to interpersonal communications and relations. But here is the thing... this is a very real battle. We are currently in a country that is only 1% Christian, that is known for being self sufficient and dependent on no one or no thing. March 11, 2011 changed things, and at the request of these people there is now an opportunity for Christians to come into this country, into these small towns and communities, and into these houses where statues of Buddha are common decor, and to serve and share the message of Hope and Love found in Jesus Christ. Satan hates that, he is losing his grip on this land, and here is the best part, he is already permanently defeated through the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

I just want to ask any and all of you that might read this to please join me in fervent prayer for the people of Japan. Especially the people that we have met in the towns of Ishinomaki and Kessenuma. These people just have eyes that are glassed over as they try to gather their lives up out of the rubble that is still surrounding their homes. The only thing that will break through that stronghold is the power of Jesus Christ and so please just pray that the Lord Jesus will be glorified and magnified as we yield to His control and power in our lives. Pray against the tactics and strategies of our enemy satan, pray that we might be mindful of our shortcomings and the areas where he wants to trip us up while we are here. And pray for our families and loved ones that are at home. I think of Megan and the kids and the warfare and battle that Meg is undergoing right now. I know that some of the other teams members families are going through circumstances that the enemy twists and manipulates and uses in our lives to distract us from the task that the Lord has called us to, situations that are very real and very serious, but when truly thought through are very evidently used by our enemy to take our minds and hearts from this place at this time for the work that the Lord has called us to. I mentioned that I love Pauls letter of Ephesians, one of the other parts in that letter that just overwhelms me is earlier in the text when he has just finished reviewing just what the Lord has done for us through the Cross and the Ressurrection, and then he shares about amazing it is that Christ would then call and use him for his work. But then Paul says this :

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Rebuilding Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 07:34:00 +0000

Well to be honest with you I really have no idea what to write right now? I am sitting atop my bunk bed, in our military style tent in the small town of TOME, Japan. We arrived on Wednesday and were able to work on a couple different projects that the crew that is based here was having trouble finishing. Just like when we were serving in Liberia, we have chosen to partner with Samaritan's Purse International Relief again here in Japan and their effort to rebuild homes and lives, but most importantly the church of Jesus Christ.
Yesterday we were able to spend some time with Matt Swenson who is the country director for SP here in Japan and he once again shared with us how the country as a whole is less than 1% Christian. That is hard for us to imagine, and I know that even in all my travels I have not encountered another culture where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not readily available. When Matt sent us his invitation to come just a few weeks ago he included that same stat but at the time it really didn't sink in, but now that we have put names to faces and have seen it, smelled it, touched it, stepped in it, Japan and it's need for Jesus Christ is very real!
We so much appreciate your prayers while we are serving here. SP has a great foothold in this country, but we are all confident that the enemy hates what we are doing and will try to any degree to discourage and defeat us. However, we KNOW that we have nothing to fear and that we will be here for as long as God allows and that He is the ultimate authority in our lives and in this country. Nothing has, is happening, or will happen a part from His allowing it to happen.
This trip has been hard for me to be a part from Meg. Not because of what you might think. It goes without saying that I miss her, she's my wife! I love her more than anything. But I am aware of my responsibility as a husband and also a Father. The kids are getting older and with each day they develop their own personalities and characters and I don't want to miss that time. I know that Meg is getting weary from the fights as she tries her best to teach and instruct and train the kids in the way that they should go and I don't want her to do it alone. It is really hard to not be distracted by that. I think that is a good thing though. I don't want to be comfortable in this life and especially in my relationship with Jesus Christ. I am in love with Him and I want to follow Him above all else. I am confident that it is only then that I will be the husband and father that He needs me to be and that they need me to be. So pray that I am that way, not than God brings us home sooner or anything selfish like that, but just that we seek & love Him with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength.
I am hoping to write more often on this project because......well.......there really isn't anything else to do in our spare time! Seriously though, I believe that this is something that the Lord wants for me to do and I want to share with you what He is doing.

May the name of Jesus Christ be lifted High!Pictures of Steppin Out in Japan

Let us not grow weary...

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Tue, 03 May 2011 03:41:00 +0000

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Galatians 6:9,10

We pray that this letter finds you filled with joy and endurance in the work the Lord has given you! We know that you are in the trenches day after day as you seek to honor him in the monotony (or craziness) of life. Know that you are on our hearts as you run the race! It has been increasingly obvious to us that the enemy seeks to devour our inner most being when we are walking in the Spirit. His blows can seem crushing and cause our hearts to grow weary. How we long for the day of Christ’s return when we won’t have to battle this flesh anymore! However, we know the One who has conquered it all. No, those battles will never cease while we are on this earth, but our mighty God has us here for a purpose and will see us through in HIS MIGHT! So we pray for you, we pray for your eyes to see truth, we pray that your view of self and of God are not skewed by the enemy, we pray that you are refreshed daily by His incomprehensible comfort, and above all we pray that His glory shines so brightly through you. We are honored to serve along side of you our brothers and sisters...do not grow weary!

The boys helping daddy whenever possible

We have again been very blessed in the work God has given us since our last update. This spring we spent 6 weeks at Camp Echoing Hills in Warsaw, Ohio. The camp is dedicated to “creating opportunities for individuals with special needs to know and experience Jesus Christ while gaining self-esteem, self-awareness and independence...” The project goal was to finish necessary updates to cabins so that ministry could begin this summer. The project list grew as we dug into rotted floors joists and realized this would be a complete renovation. However the Lord grew our faith as we watched Him provide over and over. We had nearly 50 volunteers give their time for this project, many of whom we had no idea were coming but the Lord just kept bringing exactly who He needed at exactly the right time. We again can give all glory to Him for His provision to complete the project above and beyond expectation! We were also blessed to actually be together as a family for the duration of this project also! God again showed His strength as Meg was able to care for the teams and our children fell in love with their surroundings and never grew weary of the new environment.

Elsie keeping buys while mommy cooks team meals

Joel is currently on a 3 week blitz of two other camp projects preparing them for the summer. He, John Corley, Jared Stutzman and Syl Yoder are now at Camp Burton in Ohio doing cabin updates and will soon be heading to Camp Barakel in Michigan for major HVAC work in their kitchen. Each of these places lack the funds or skills needed for this work, so we praise God that he has given Steppin-Out the call and ability to meet their needs. This frees these ministries up to concentrate on building God’s kingdom as they have been called! Pray for this work and for all of these great ministries to be mighty tools in the Father’s hands!

WHAT’S NEXT? Well we have a huge amount of needs being brought before us…

· We hope to return to Camp Grace in Georgia to build a lodge so that their ministry reach can be increased. This is a huge task in which we are excited to see God’s provision yet again. If the Lord allows, we will be heading down sometime near summer’s end to begin this project.

· OF IMMEDIATE ATTENTION! We continue to be contacted about relief efforts to the devastation in the south. It seems obvious that the Lord is directing our paths to meet these needs. Here is what SOM is asking of you our partners…

o Perhaps you know of someone or a church in the affected area that needs assistance?

o Do you want to be on a team for disaster response? (We would like to begin scheduling teams for an Alabama project the first week of June and continue through July and most of August.)

o Does your church want to come as a team and have Steppin-Out host your group?

o Can we count on your help financially? (You can now give online at our website www.somissions.com!)

Faith showing the guys how it's done!

We will continue to give you updates as we are informed of specific needs and more details are finalized. In the mean time however and as we end this update, we call on you to commit all of this to prayer! How might you be involved in meeting the needs of those hurting so near to us? Also pray that Steppin-Out is sensitive to God’s leading in making preparations…we can only be of any eternal worth if we are following Him. Again, we hope with all that is in us that you do not “grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” We thank you for partnering with us in this ministry as we could not do it without Christ’s body working together!

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 02:13:00 +0000

“…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”

Ephesians 3:17

Christmas is all in the Heart

I love the Christmas Season. I love the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season and the scent of cookies in the kitchen, candles and fires burning all over town and in department stores. I love gathering together with family and friends and sharing in the blessings that the Lord has given to us. Most of all I love Christmas because it is the season of remembrance for my Savior, Jesus Christ. As I was listening to some Christmas music, a song came on that had the simple phrase, “Christmas is all in the heart”. Those words might not strike you as much as they did me, but meditate on them with me for just a moment. The Word of God says that Christ dwells in our hearts. However, that is only true if we have accepted the TRUTH that He is God, that He is the Savior, and that He was crucified on a Cross for Our Sin and that He victoriously Rose from the Grave, Conquering Sin and Death. When a person accepts the Truth of Salvation through Jesus Christ they are granted the gift of the Holy Spirit, and at that moment they become the very dwelling place of God. So as we rush around from store to store in the next few weeks, trying to gratify our desires for those items that we have longed for all year, may we stop and reme

mber what this Season represents. May we not discount or cheapen the incredible TRUTH of Jesus Christ – Immanuel - God with Us. May we not rush past the opportunity to share the incredible life-changing/life-saving Grace of God and how it is the only thing that can truly gratify the deepest longings of our soul. As the song says: “No it’s not in the snow, that may or may not fall; and it’s not in the gifts around the tree, it’s in the love Heaven gave, the night our Savior came, and that same Love can still be found wherever you are, cause Christmas is all in the Heart.” If you find yourself reading this newsletter and have not found this TRUTH, then I beg you to seek my Savior right now! God love you so much, and He gave His son Jesus Christ as a free gift to you that instead of death and eternity a part from Him, you and I might have Life and eternity in His presence! I can think of nothing greater than to know God and to be known by God!

We’ve Been Busy!

In August we returned to Cottage Cove Urban Ministries in Nashville, TN. This marked the 5th time that Joel went to CC this year. Brent MacDonald had requested last year that SOM prayerfully consider helping to replace the roof structure of Cottage Cove. Brent and his staff were spending too much time and money replacing things that were damaged and at times completely destroyed as a result of a flat roof that has more holes than swiss cheese! As was expressed in our last newsletter, this was a seemingly impossible undertaking. However, all Glory to God, not only did we accomplish the project, but we were able to do it within the time frame that we hoped and within the provisions that the lord had allowed CC to have. They were literally able to completely transform their entire structure and it didn’t cost them a dime! We had 3 different teams come down including 2 men that came from Church of the Open Door in September and helped Joel finish the vinyl siding and soffit..

In October and November we were back in Liberia, on the campus of African Bible College. It was so nice to return to the campus and to see the students Joel met while doing the Chapel Roof Project. We were asked to construct a multi-purpose building that was the size of a large gymnasium. In fact that will be one of the purposes of the building as it is big enough to have probably 2 full courts in it. In addition to that building John and Jared had started the construction of a Communications Building back in the spring and we had to finish some of the work on that project as well. Within 6 weeks we took a pile of steel that was laying in the middle of the soccer field, and with a homemade crane, the Lord enabled us to erect the building and to put the roof and the siding on it, wire it up and install the windows and trim!

In between these two projects we have been busy with our responsibilities at home as well. Meg started another season of Playgroup with the moms in our community and it continues to amaze all of us at how the Lord has used this simple idea in the lives of so many. She has also been taking Jonathan through his second year of homeschooling. Joel led another season of Alpine’s LIFEGROUPS which is the small group ministry that we started last spring. In addition to that we also led and participated in Operation Christmas Child and collected 100 boxes in our first year!

On the home-front things are crazy! It is obvious we have 4 children because their noisy imagination is running wild as I write! It is a tremendous blessing that we thank God for. We know that these kids are a gift from God. We know that their health is a gift as well. Baby Elsie is growing stronger everyday and is now mobile, crawling all over the house. Jonathan is getting huge, reading now, and soaking up everything that he is learning in school and loving it (well all but the sitting still in a chair part)! Micah and Faith are always together in a world that the rest of us can’t even begin to understand. Around our house their craziness has officially granted them the name “The Reds”! We have to issue status reports as to what “the Reds” are up to? It usually involves something gross that requires cleaning and a new outfit. The Lord continues to be good to us though. Even though we are tired, very tired, we are so grateful to the Lord for what He has called us to do. We really are in a good place with regards to our marriage and our love. We still have all the day to day struggles that any young family has, but there is a perfect peace that we are in the center of God’s will that just seems to calm and quiet every storm. We couldn’t do it without your prayers though. Joel was reminded of that while flying home from Liberia just a week ago. While 30,000 ft in the air over the Atlantic Ocean you tend to dwell on the Almighty more than you do when you are sitting in a recliner watching football. He was just reminded of how dependant we are on the Lord for everything! We can do absolutely nothing apart from His Grace and Mercy in our lives. Without the prayers of God’s people I don’t think we could survive in this ministry. And the reality is that without those folks that have partnered with us financially we could not do what we do. We have had to make some adjustments as so many others have had to do as well, and we have had to understand that times are only going to get harder. So please hear our hearts when we say THANK YOU! Please hear the Heart of God as He rejoices in your faith and obedience that He will take care of you as you give to His work.

We love you all and cherish your love and support. May the Lord truly bless you this Christmas and every day!

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:21:00 +0000

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Can you really comprehend the Truth that is in that small line of scripture? Just pause for a second and reflect on your life and relationship with Jesus Christ. Have there been times and situations where you can remember the Lord doing far more than you ever thought possible? Maybe it was a situation with your health or your finances, maybe your marriage or family was going through an incredibly difficult time, maybe your church was stuck in a routine rut? I don’t know what your situation is or was, but I know that during our time in Guatemala this past May and June, the Lord showed Himself so intimate, and so incredibly faithful to do more that I could have ever thought possible. In an effort to echo the words of Paul, to God be the Glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen!

I had the opportunity and the privilege to take another group to Casa Bernabe Orphanage in Guatemala. I have been a part of this ministry since 2002 and have since taken 10 groups down. Praise God for the chance to do so! This last group came from a church in Doylestown, OH. Crossroads Community Church is a great church that really has a heart for children and families and this was their first ever international missions trip. The team was comprised of primarily woman, most all of whom were mothers leaving behind families and their “normal” day to day responsibilities. It was a different team than the typical Steppin-Out projects attract but I thought, this will be great; they can go to Guatemala and love on the children there which is obviously a vital part of orphanage ministry. After all, we are only going to be there for 10 days and this will be a nice “easy” trip for a new group.

The group was working wonderfully; they were plugged into the houses and ministry without any problems. We were into our second week at the orphanage. Hoping for nice weather we set out on a quick trip to Antigua to see the “real” Guatemala that we don’t see during our time serving at Casa Bernabe. We were also planning on bringing our trip to a close by having lunch at Pedro and Donie Hernandez’s home, they are the directors of Casa Bernabe. One of the things that the group had been praying about during our time at the orphanage was the financial need that Casa Bernabe had. The ministry had suffered a couple accidents and had some surprises in their day to day budget and they were very far behind on their bills. We as a team had been praying that the Lord would move in our midst, and show us His power in meeting the needs of these orphans. Well the Lord decided to “move in our midst that day at lunch when not only did I receive word that the utility bill that was 2 months past due was going to be paid, but the Lord decided to literally “move” the earth below us! We had a small earthquake shake the tables and chairs that we were sitting on and grab our hearts and attention as we praised God for His provision of this utility bill.

After our day was over, we headed back to Casa Bernabe. The trip was a little slower than usual because we thought that we were driving through a bad fog from some rain showers that were likely coming through the area. As we arrived back home and sat down for the youth ministry that night, it sounded like hail stones were pelting the metal roof. However, it was not hail; it was volcanic ashes and cinders that were blanketing the countryside from the Volcano Pacaya that had exploded, which was of course the earthquake that we had felt about 6 hours earlier! At this point, we are scheduled to depart for Ohio on the 29^th, just 2 days away! We started receiving word that the airport was closed and that we were not going to be able to leave for a couple of days. It was incredible to see the Lord move in the hearts of His people as I shared the news of our delay. Remember we are dealing with moms, husbands, businessmen and women, children, etc. Every one of the team members’ initial reaction was positive and encouraging. We all thought that after just a few days the air would clear up, the ashes would be cleaned up and we could go home. Once again the team received news that we were going to be delayed even longer and really had no assurance when we would be able to return home. I was so proud of the team as again they rallied in prayer to the Lord for provision and for peace, for discernment and for guidance. Remember our passage, He is able to do far more than we could ask or imagine. The Lord faithfully and intimately in a way that

only He can through His Holy Spirit and His Holy Word, he transformed our minds and gave us a new vision for our remaining time. We shifted gears, unpacked our stuff for the second time and decided to make ourselves available to the local villages as many of them had been completely destroyed by mudslides. A group of us set out for a 2 day clean-up trip to a small village near Antigua and once again saw the Lord do more than we could ever have asked or imagined He would do. We worked and shoveled for 2 days trying to help the local people simply try to find the floors in their homes, business, and even streets. It was an amazing sight to see all of the town people working tirelessly to uncover their lives from the mud and muck. It was incredible to see the smiles on their faces, and to receive a gracious thank you as you worked alongside of them. I don’t know if we helped them as much as they helped us, but it was 2 days that I will never forget.

It might surprise you what I mean by “seeing His work.” We didn’t clean-up the whole village; we didn’t provide homes for all 165 orphans at Casa Bernabe. But it was the amazing ways that the Lord faithfully and intimately dealt with each one of us as His children. It was the peace offered to an anxious heart, it was the provision of strength, funds, health, and safety as we worked. It was the way the He moved in the hearts of family back home as we stayed twice as long as we originally had planned. It was the way that He took His Holy Word and proved its authenticity and reality in our lives. It was how each and every one of us could sense His Holy Spirit moving in our hearts and lives enabling us to do things that we would never do apart from Him. It was the way that He appointed two of our team members to share their stories of God’s love amidst past abuse and turmoil to help these children break free from the bondage of guilt and unforgiveness. It was the way He filled calloused hearts with Love overflowing, now beating with a desire to hold and love these children that were tossed away and forgotten. It was the way that He united a team from very different backgrounds and personalities and drew us close as a family. It was the way that He reminded us each and every day that He authored creation and He sustains creation and that includes us. It was the way that He once again confirmed in my heart and Megan’s heart that this is what He has called us to do with our lives! I could fill volumes with more testimonies but I don’t want to miss the biggest area of all; the fact that the Lord moved in the hearts of these people “to GO” and to “Step-Out” and serve in missions. We would have never been able to see, experience, touch, witness, and do the incredible things that we did, had we not said “Here am I Lord, Send me”. The Lord continues to amaze me with His goodness and grace! It is incredible to see His people at work, whether they are in a little village in the middle of nowhere, or in an inner-city surrounded by skyscrapers and concrete, whether they are in another country or in their own hometowns, He is faithful to do more than we could ever imagine.

This is such a good reminder to me personally as Meg and I gear up for more ministry in the coming days. It is so easy to lose sight of the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness in an instant and we completely forget that He will be with us. We are excited to have the opportunity to return again to Cottage Cove in Nashville, TN. We will be leading work teams down to remodel the entire roof structure of Cottage Cove. This project will be incredibly intense, and will require us to allow the Lord to take the lead because the project is somewhat daunting and looks to be very difficult. If it’s any indication, my dad said to me the other day, “if the Lord allows us to do this, it will be one of the wildest and crazy things that we have ever done” that is a pretty loaded statement from a guy who has built 1500ft radio towers in the Jungle and erected entire buildings in the African Desert! I have no doubt that the Lord will be with us though. It is so refreshing to see “simple ministry” taking place every day at Cottage Cove. To see the children coming in from their respective neighborhoods and to know that they are being discipled in Christ is a beautiful thing. In addition to that, we are planning our second season of LIFE Groups at Alpine, where I am honored to serve on staff. We hope and pray that our local body of believers will rise up to Gods calling of connecting with one another and with our world for His glory. Then in November I plan to be gone to Yekepa Liberia and the campus of African Bible College. We will be finishing up the last couple buildings there on the campus and hope to finish everything in time to celebrate with Samaritan’s Purse, the Liberian President, and ABC University as they celebrate the dedication of the campus to the ministry. In addition to that it is an added bonus to know that Franklin Graham will be conducting a crusade in the very buildings that we are building and to know that they Lord might use our efforts in a tangible way to intersect the lives of the people of Liberia! We remain confident that though we get weary sometimes, the Lord will always do more than we could ask Him to do and we Trust Him!

Of course another way that He answers that prayer is through all of you. It makes us stop in our tracks sometimes to think that we have been able to serve in this ministry for 4 years now because of the faithfulness of His people responding to His leading. We absolutely could not, and would not do what we do if it were not for your partnership with us in this ministry. We always answer the question, “So who is Steppin-Out Missions?” by saying “You Are!” You are a vital part of what we do and we thank you for your love and generosity and your faithfulness to support us. I will close this letter with another “God moment” from my time in Guatemala. I was reading in Philippians one night and read Paul’s closing statement. I think there is no more fitting way to end than to echo the words of Paul and I hope that you hear our heart in these words: “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received the gifts that you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen” Philippians 4:17-20

We love you and thank you for loving us. We pray for you and thank you for always praying for us. We are not finished yet, and we trust that you are encouraged and challenged as you read this letter. The Lord has some incredible things in store for those people that are willing to seek Him with their whole hearts. May the Lord continue to work in your lives and bless you in the coming days.

Our Most Recent Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:26:00 +0000

March 2008

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4

Well it has been a while since Megan and I have reported to you the happenings of our little family, and there are certainly many reasons for us to Rejoice! In reading our last newsletter it dawned on me just how much has happened since the last time that we wrote to you.

To begin with, shortly after I wrote our last newsletter I had the opportunity to do quite a bit of traveling to several places where Steppin-Out was prayerfully considering doing some projects. I, along with my dad and another man, went to Longview, Texas and the headquarters of Missionary Tech Team. It was a blessing to see the Lord at work at Missionary Tech and also to see the like-mindedness of our
two ministries. I would encourage all of you to read more about Missionary Tech: (http://www.techteam.org/). We felt that the Lord was leading us to partner with them on an upcoming project that they had at their headquarters, as well as partner with them on some upcoming projects that they are involved with all around the world. Steppin-Out was able to complete phase 1 of their project in Texas this past January. In addition to that they decided to partner with Steppin-Out and assist us in some much needed graphics and display projects. They helped us get a new look (SOM Logo) for the ministry as well as create a much needed brochure. We are so grateful to the Lord for allowing us to have this new friendship and partnership with Tech and we are looking forward to phase 2 of the project there in Texas.

Without coming home the three of us left Tech headquarters in Texas and made our way to New Orleans where we were scheduled to go to San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Many of you recall that Steppin-Out had the privilege to partner with Amor Viviente in New Orleans this past year and help them in the rebuilding of their homes and church. In addition to that partnership we were asked to consider some projects that were located in Honduras where most of the congregation at Amor was from. We had the opportunity to meet some wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ while in Honduras. We met with Pastor Luis and Pastor Omar and had the chance to survey the projects that they had for their local congregations. We were asked by both of these men to prayerfully consider partnering with them in completing some much needed building projects at their respective locations. Please pray for Steppin-Out as we seek the Lord’s will for our involvement and partnership with these two men and their ministries.

After returning to Ohio from Honduras and Texas I knew that I needed to stay close to home because Megan’s due date was getting closer and closer and as you can imagine she was finding it more and more difficult to chase after the boys all day, day after day. However, there was another ministry opportunity that Steppin-Out was asked to consider, Grace Farm in Danielsville, GA. Freddie Coile is the director of Focus Evangelistic Ministries (http://www.freddiecoile.org/) and one of the ministries under that umbrella name is Camp Grace. Camp Grace is a youth camp that Freddie has been running for years “on the road”. Never having a camp ground of their own, F.E.M. has had to rent other facilities for years as they conducted their camp ministry. However, a couple of years ago they acquired 48 acres in rural northeast Georgia and it has begun to take shape as Grace Farm, the home of Camp Grace. I had the privilege of meeting Freddie and his family and walking the property of Grace Farm. While I walked and heard the heart of this man and others that were there working I found myself going back in my mind to all of the times I was a camper, and the important decisions that I made while on weekend retreats, or summer camp. I found myself drawn to being a part of this ministry and the opportunity to reach so many youth at Camp. Steppin-Out has felt that the Lord would have us partner with F.E.M. and assist them in completing the many projects that are there at Grace Farm. We look forward to seeing Camp Grace being used in the lives of young people for years to come.

As 2007 came to a close we turned our attention to the arrival of our new baby. Megan and I were anxious as to how this would affect our family and the routine that we had barely gotten adjusted to with our two boys. “What are we going to do?” was often both the first and last question on our minds each day. On the morning of January 14 we received another miracle into our lives. Faith Elaine Corley was born to us healthy and strong. There were no complications and we simply marvel at the miracle of life and God’s creation. In addition to welcoming Faith we also made the very difficult decision to stay here in Ohio. You might read that and think to yourself well that doesn’t sound right. Isn’t that where Steppin-Out is located and aren’t John and Shirley there? Yes and Yes. However, Meg’s mom and dad are still 500 miles away and it is difficult to only see them a few times a year. Especially when my parents and I are both away on different projects, it can seem at times that Meg is all alone. However, we are confident that the Lord has something in store for us here. We are now looking for a home that we can afford and fit into. Those two things don’t seem to be compatible at the moment for a family of 5. The Lord knows our needs though and we are very blessed to have this wonderful 2 bedroom apartment in Baltic. It’s cozy but we know that years from now we will look back on this time and wish that we still had our “little ones” in our “little home”.

We have a lot of things on the horizon and we are excited to see what the Lord has in store for us. Please continue to uphold us before the throne of Grace. We are absolutely dependant on your prayers. Without fellow soldiers on their knees we cannot continue in this battle the Lord has called us to. We could never adequately convey our gratefulness to you all for your support these past few years. We have continued to grow in our faith and understanding of what the Lord has called us to do with Steppin-Out Missions. We are humbled that He has even seen fit to call us to the ministry and to use us at all. Thank you all for your partnership with us. Please know that we consider you a vital part of Steppin-Out Missions.

People often ask us, “Who is Steppin-Out Missions?”
Our response … YOU ARE!

By His Grace,
Joel & Meg Corley

Prayer Requests
-Project planning for spring and summer trips
-Finding and purchasing our first house
-Making that house a Godly home for our family
-Godly growth and advancement of Steppin-Out Missions

Steppin-Out.....on the world wide web

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Corley) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:11:00 +0000

I can't believe that I am doing this........ I have put up such a fight for so long against "blogs". However, recently I have seen that they are a real asset to getting information out to people. You can tell just by that statement that I have not been into blogging. I hope to use this in the future to post stories and testimonies of some of our projects and missions trips. For the time being, until I can get aquainted with this thing I would encourage you all to check out our website: http://www.steppinoutmissions.org/

By His Grace

Joel