At Friendly Village, 65 people came to our Christmas party, and everyone prayed a prayer of rededication with us. There was such a wonderful anointing that filled the room, that they were praising the Lord and raising their hands as we sang worship songs. They’ve invited us back for a Valentine’s Day party, and they told us we are the best program that has ever come to their building. To God be the glory!

In October and November, we had Thanksgiving parties in the nursing homes and senior buildings and centers with an emphasis on being thankful and trusting God.

We encouraged them with Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”, and with Philippians 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” We also used Psalm 115:11, “You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is your help and your shield.” One of my favorites to teach them is Nahum 1:7, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.”

On Veteran’s Day, volunteers from the St. Louis Dream Center gave out 200 gift bags to the veterans at the Jefferson Barracks Hospital of St. Louis. They were well received by the veterans and also by the staff, who were very helpful. They met many discouraged people, but everyone was encouraged as the volunteers went through the buildings bringing joy and love as they handed out the comfort packages. Many veterans were pleasantly surprised that they were being appreciated for their service to our country, and looks of sadness turned to smiles. Each package contained a letter of appreciation, a shampoo, a soap, a toothbrush, a lotion, and a lip balm.

After Thanksgiving, we began holding our Christmas parties. We always have larger attendance at Christmas than any other time of year. We also see an increase in salvations during the Christmas season. When they come expecting to receive a gift, they are already open to receive from the Lord. A great team of volunteers and JOYs makes these parties possible.

For a decade, the St. Louis Dream Center’s team of volunteers and trained staff has been reaching out to thousands in the inner city. While it’s a thriving, life-giving church and ministry center now, its conception was a little bumpy.

Before we opened the St. Louis Dream Center, Joyce Meyer Ministries operated a soup kitchen. We did a lot of good things to help the poor in that area. But after some time, we started to feel quite unsatisfied with the long-term results we were seeing in the lives of those we were helping.

God soon showed us the missing piece. Even though we held daily services at the soup kitchen, we still were not able to see the full effects without a permanent local church.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO07fERoatA

How the Dream Almost Didn’t Come True

David Meyer, CEO of Hand of Hope, distinctly recalls a trip with parents Dave and Joyce in 1999 to the Los Angeles Dream Center. After Joyce had preached in a very crowded gymnasium, they were given a tour of all the various ministries they were operating. On the plane ride home, she turned to David and said, “I want to start a Dream Center in St. Louis.”

David admits that for the first time in his career at Joyce Meyer Ministries, he looked at his mom and said “No.” He went on to list every reason he could think of: how much work it would be, how we didn’t have the personnel, how we weren’t properly equipped…

Joyce didn’t argue with him. She simply said, “Okay.” David breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he had avoided the situation. What he didn’t take into account was someone else was pushing this idea.

Taking a “Blind” Step Forward

“Not even a week had passed before God started to convict me and He clearly asked if I would do this for Him,” David explains. “So I was faced with a choice—I could be disobedient and miserable or I could choose ‘blind’ obedience and be in God’s will.

“So we prayed, trusted God and started taking steps to build a Dream Center in St. Louis. God provided the opportunity to purchase a fairly run down campus that was no longer being used. And it just happened to be in the most troubled part of the city.”

David went on to say, “We put one foot in front of the other, hired like-minded staff and started meeting the needs of the poor—asking for nothing in return. It took a while for the neighborhood to trust our motives but love always wins in the end.”