Monthly Update - January & February 2024

Making a difference update, from the recovery field – January / February 2024 edition. Below are the highlights that happened in the Life Issues ministry over the last couple of months:

I. Benevolence

· Gave emergency night's stay to a man on 1-4-24.

· Purchased a phone card for a man on 1-15.

· We purchased supplies the last couple of months, for renovating a house that 3 of our men will be living in.

· We paid a lady's electric bill on 2-5.

· Gave box of food to lady on 2-16

· Helped homeless man with shelter on 2-17 & 2-18.

· Helped a couple with their electric bill on 2-27-24.

· We worked with HBF to help a man pay for his assessment and SATOP classes, so that he can get his license back, in late February.

· We worked with HBF to help pay a lady’s rent in early March.


II. Jail update

· I’m still discipling with an inmate @ Boonville (Ted), he just finished this course with me! His new release date will be sometime in mid-May, so we’ll look forward to seeing him and working with him on the outside in a couple of months! Ted and I talk almost every week and he’s very encouraging and looks forward to meeting our group and ministering to others.

· Jim S. took a Jim took a box of Bibles to CCJ on 2-5-24. Jim is also still in contact with Terry, who will be released in November of this year.


III. Church

· Several of our students and leaders are involved in discipleship:

o D1: These folks are in our one-on-one continue discipleship material – Tracy W. is starting discipleship with Pam J. (lesson #1), Matt L. is with Steve F. (lesson #6), Larry O. is with Brady B. (lesson #6), Alana M. is with Betty A. (lesson #8), and Conner F. is with Rich Huber @ Harvest Baptist (lesson #11).

o D2: Belinda F. is going through D2!

o HBI: Pam J., and Mary W. are both taking a full load of classes in HBI.

o TJH (The Journey Home): No one is currently going through TJH.

o Brian R. is taking a 10-week class called “How To Disciple”, that began on 1-21.

· We have a steady flow of students and former students who attend church (God’s support group) with us (many at different churches too), but recently I texted with a former student who’s been visiting HBF. She communicated with me that after a few years of withholding forgiveness from someone, that she has “fully forgiven” this person and now has peace in her heart. She went on to thank me for the time I spent teaching her and others and wanted me to know that she listened and is obeying the word of God that was invested in her, hallelujah!

· Attached are pics of Kathy M. and Tracy W. with their new Bibles!

IV. Recovery

· Matt A. completed Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT) on Friday December 8th with Pat L, but we just gave him his certificate of completion on 2-2 – See pic.

· Matt L. completed his probation on 2-22.

· I helped Marissa L. get to a detox and treatment facility on 3-12-24, please pray for her to break her addiction to Fentanyl.

· Chris Coen is leading our meeting every other week and is taking us through the 12 steps of recovery from the Life Recovery Bible. This is a very insightful study and we will be looking at step #4 on March 22nd, if you want to join us?!

· As I told you a couple of months ago, Life Issues reached a milestone that I’m excited about, which is a church in Sullivan MO that has started a recovery group in their church, and the pastor is patterning their group from what we’re doing, and they’re calling it Life Issues! Pastor Josh has a leadership core of about 5 people who he plans to hand over the ministry to in a few weeks, PTL!



V. Events

· Joe and Heidi Custin with a mental health organization called NAMI of Greater KC (Home | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness) gave their testimony on 1-26 – see pic. This was an amazing night for us as we heard their testimony of drug addiction with their son and his mental illness, that eventually took his life. Their perspective was very insightful; feel free to pull up our you tube channel and listen / watch it, “Life Issues Ministry 1/26/24 (youtube.com)”.

· Life Issues held our annual leadership on 2-10 this year and we had about 14 or 15 present. It was good to reflect on what God has done and is doing, and to look forward to what God is going to do with our group! The meeting ended with Chris and Lauren letting us know that after 2 years of trying to get pregnant, they are pregnant, PTL!

· We had a bonfire on 3-1 on our church property, for our Life Issues meeting. It was fun and well attended. Sonic provided hot dogs and buns, and we had marshmallows and Hershey’s bars for smores, attached is a picture of Angie and I (it was a serious fire).

· We will be taking our annual group picture on 3-22 and preparing literature for our annual fundraiser (Homecoming), which will be held on 8-30 this year.

VI. People

· Several from our group have been taking Jimmie and Rosie food as she undergoes chemo for cancer. Rosie’s numbers are looking good and she feels good for the most part, now she will undergo radiation and surgery in a few weeks, prayers for her please.

· Each year I hand-pick someone from our leadership group to receive our “Volunteer of the Year” award, and this year it went to Linda Jones – pic. Linda has been a key part of this ministry from the first day until now and is always selflessly giving of herself for others, whether it’s discipling, counseling, giving rides, watching kids, taking food to those in need, or whatever is asked of her, and she does it day after day and year after year, thanks for giving to the Lord Linda, I am so glad you gave!

· I thought I would share a brief testimony this month since I was saved 32 years ago on 3-13. I have been saved / born again about half of my life now and it’s good to reflect on where I was and where God has brought me, and the work he has me involved in. After my salvation and discipleship, I was a deacon for 12 years and I’ve been a pastor for about that many and was ordained in 2021 (I think). In addition to the Life Issues ministry that I pastor, I’m HBF’s facility pastor and the ABF (Sunday School) pastor for The Foundation Class. I’m also in my 39th year at my job with Catalent Pharma Solutions, where I hope to retire in a couple of years. It’s a full life, but I have a faithful wife of 42 years, and I couldn’t do any of the things I do without her, and I wouldn’t be who I am without her and my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Angie and I have 2 children, 2 in laws, and 4 grandchildren, and we love them all dearly!

· I rejoice with the wife of my youth and am glad to report that she got to lead a lady to Christ last month and I got to lead a man to Christ this month! This week while helping the lady hooked on fentanyl get to a detox facility, I had a God moment after this lady told me “I owe you my life”. It’s hard to process that statement for me and I don’t take any credit, the glory is all the Lord’s! However, as I step back and look at my life and the grace I was given at salvation, when someone saved my life and soul, it makes me want to invest my life in a ministry effort to save and rescue others from death, via the gospel of Jesus Christ.

· As you read this snapshot of my story and hear of how God is using me and Life Issues, please consider your own story and consider if you have a time and place in which you were saved / born again? If so, are you involved in ministry on some level, do you faithfully attend a local church and are you contributing to a Bible believing, soul winning cause with your time, talent, and treasure? I have a goal to finish well and a desire to hear “well done” at the end of my time here, and I would have no greater joy than to help maximize the time you have left too…





· Please pray for God to use us mightily in 2024, for without him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things! Sincerely, Steve Fleshman – Life Issues pastor and founder, Proverbs 4:23…

Monthly Update - November & December 2023

Angie and I want to wish a Happy New year to each of you, I'm attaching a recent picture of us.  

We really covet and appreciate your prayers !

Making a difference update, from the recovery field – November / December 2023 edition. Below are the highlights that happened in the Life Issues ministry over the last couple of months:

I. Benevolence

· We distributed a Thanksgiving meal that was donated for a family on 11-16.

· We put gas in a man’s tank on 11-26, so that he could get to work.

· We distributed 3-4 boxes of food to families in need, in the month of December, and 21 or 22 for the year (from food that we purchased or food that was donated by HBF members).

· This year, I got to play Santa Claus with other people’s money; 2 separate families gave me $400 each to distribute anonymously for them, below is how I spent the $800:

o $150 went to O’Riley Automotive to pay for parts for a man’s car.

o $100 went to buy a bicycle for a man with no transportation – see pic

o $300 went to help a single lady pay her rent.

o $100 went to a man to help him pay his rent.

o $125 went to help a couple pay for their electric bill.

o $100 went to a single mom to help with Christmas.

o $75 went to buy a giant print KJV Bible for a lady who only had a Morman Bible.

· As you can see, I spent $950 (Life Issues pitched in a little too)!


II. Jail update

· I’m still discipling with an inmate @ Boonville (Ted), he’s on lesson #6 of 7 in our correspondence. We’re also putting money on his books so that he can make phone calls, we talk almost every Sunday evening. Ted is getting released in March, and we were able to help him with his home plan, so we will see him soon.

· I’ve personally written to 3-4 inmates in the last couple of months and I know Jim Stovall has too. Please read this excerpt from one of the men that Jim is writing to:

TM's testimony… "I read my Bible completely through 9 times in 2023 - praise the Lord Jesus Christ for his mercy and grace! The washing of water by the word sure beats all the TV and media most everyone else consumed in 2023... Well, I'm in Mark now on reading my Bible through (10th time this year) so I hope to finish Revelation by the end of this month! Either way I praise my Savior for having read his book that many times this year! The fastest I've ever read my Bible was 17 days! I read it thru twice in 40 days last year this time! I love the genealogies now whereas prior to 2023 I dreaded reading all the names! Now they are some of my favorite parts of scripture! It’s amazing that what I once dreaded reading in scripture I now love and what I once loved reading are no longer the most exciting parts of scripture to me! Amazing! TM"

· We ran an attendance report for a man on 12-12, so that he could submit it to help with a legal issue in KS.

· Jim S. took a box of Bibles to Cass County Jail in early December, and I mailed a box of Bibles to the prison in St. Joseph MO, to their Chaplin for distribution – see pic

III. Church

· Several of our students and leaders are involved in discipleship:

o D1: These folks are in our one-on-one continue discipleship material –Brian R. just finished with Pat L., Matt L. is with Steve F. (lesson #4), Alana M. is with Betty A. and are on lesson #8. Conner F. is with Rich @ Harvest Baptist (lesson #10).

o D2: Belinda F. is going through D2!

o HBI: Pam J., and Mary W. are both taking a full load of classes in HBI.

o TJH (The Journey Home): No one is currently going through TJH.

• Sarah led Raquel to Christ on 10-11-23 – see pic. 

• Jeff A. cried out for salvation over the phone with me on 12-6-23 – see pic.; Jeff’s getting baptized soon. 

• Becky W. received Christ by faith at our meeting on 12-8-23 – see pic; she’s getting baptized on January 14th. 

• Anthony B. received Christ by faith at our meeting on 12-22-23, he’s getting baptized in Feb.

· I counted 11 people who have made professions of faith in 2023 (that I know of), who are connected with our ministry, “This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” Ps. 118:23



IV. Recovery

· Matt A. completed Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT) on Friday December 8th with Pat L.

· Jenny G. now has two years off meth and a year off alcohol and a year off marijuana and in February she will have two years off cigarettes!

· We ran an attendance report for a man on 12-12, so that he could submit it to help with a legal issue in KS.

· Life Issues provided 7 hours of community service for Tracy W. to keep her out of suspension.

· We updated our LIM website with addiction poem on 11-20, and a new link on 1-2-24, feel free to check it out at www.lifeissuesonline.org.

· Life Issues reached a milestone that I’m excited about, which is a church in Sullivan MO is starting a recovery group in their church, and the pastor is patterning their group from what we’re doing, and they’re calling it Life Issues and using some of our material, here is a message from their pastor – Steve… Thanks so much for sending me everything. I really appreciate it! Our first meeting is Thursday night, January 11th. I am doing a preview of the program tonight (1-4) for our church family and some community leaders so they can come and see what the program is all about. I appreciate your prayers my friend. Thank you!



V. Events

· One of the events that I was a part of this year was helping to distribute “Christmas Boxes” of food to less fortunate families, in need of a boost with buying a big meal for their family. HBF collected food items for the boxes, and a handful of us delivered them to the homes of the families. This year we distributed 13 full boxes (family of 4 or more) and 11 partial boxes (less than 4 people in home). Anyway, usually about half of the folks, or more, are connected to our ministry, so it was a blessing to help distribute the food and visit with folks in their home, PTL!

· I know that several other Christmas gestures were done by our group, here’s a couple of them. One lady went in with other neighbors to pay for a family’s rent in December. Also, one person from our group saw a need that another lady had, and collected a big box of kitchen items and we gave them to that person anonymously.

· As you probably know, Life Issues has an end of the month testimony, and we had Jaylon Taylor come up from Mount Vernon MO to share, and this was a special night. Jaylon is a 22-year-old young man who was hooked on Heroin but is now a born-again believer who is a dynamic preacher – see pic of him and I from 12-29.

VI. People

· The story below is about a family in our church who requested that I give them the names of some families that I think could use some gifts for their children for Christmas, who may not be able to afford much. I gave them the names of 2 families in need that I knew of and 2 other families that could probably also use some help. As it turns out, they decided to give gifts to all 4 families (13 children). There were 4 big piles of presents for these 4 families and even gifts for the parents, it was amazing for me to help distribute some of the gifts (one lady shed tears of joy). It was not only a blessing for the folks who received the gifts, but also for the family who donated them, as you will read:

" Isn't it wonderful that our life is hid in God? That Christ loves through us? Every day I remind myself that I am a piece of empty conduit that the Lord flows through. And how I desire to remain empty so I in my flesh don't plug up that flow to others!

The biggest miracle I think that happened for providing for the families was a random neighbor I barely know asked if I might need bags of clothing that they needed to be rid of!

This family had real small babies, so I did not expect any clothing to match the families in need.

When I saw the sizes, I consulted those bags of clothing in my garage and wouldn't you know it, their little girl wore sizes up and they matched the needs!

Another family pitched in also with things last minute as God had also moved in their hearts to give away every year and happened to that very week go through their items to give away with like sizes. And was making a drop off to donate that coming week!

Another blessing was a small business endeavor that never went anywhere containing over one hundred fifty-dollar tree items they allowed us to take back and swap for toys for the children!

I know you asked for a paragraph or so, but it was overwhelming what God did to provide the gifts to give. When he lays a desire on one's heart, he never leaves us alone to fulfill it. He walks with us each step of the way to show us that we are never alone in anything that he asks of us to do. That's just our God! 

Thank you for allowing us to give and serve and love on these families this year! It truly was an honor to let Jesus' love this Christmas be poured out on someone other than ourselves!  "


· Please pray for God to use us mightily in 2023, for without him we can do nothing, but through Him we can do all things! Sincerely, Steve Fleshman – Life Issues pastor and founder, Proverbs 4:23…