Adventures Continue....

"The LORD is my light and my salvation. Who is there to fear? The LORD is my life's fortress. Who is there to be afraid of?" Psalm 27:1

I realize it's been over a year since I posted a new blog! Since 2013:

I'm still fulltime on Chaplain team with Pacific Youth Correctional Ministries as a Para-Chaplain reaching out to incarcerated youth in 4 different Orange County locations. In 2014 I have traveled to Salinas, Northern CA for 3 trips, ministering at the Monterey County Juvenile Hall also. The last 2 years the Lord has opened up many new platforms to share His Word, my testimony, & His love/truth at many public high schools in Orange County. [mostly in the city of Santa Ana]

This is my 3rd year doing gang intervention on the streets of inner city Santa Ana with Lives Worth Saving group. I have ministered to at-risk youth for 12 years but the last 3yrs God has shifted my passion & focus to gang members more specifically! This is my calling & I never imagined it would be. Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles has reached out to thousands of gang members in the last 25+yrs & a program has started in OC area called Project Kinship. This vision God showed me about 3yrs ago so I am excited to see how God uses this much needed program in OC to reach the gangs & help with rehabilitation/restoration. I have been busy teaching bible studies, church services, biblically counseling, doing discipleship, & mentoring/continuing care of teens/young adults. Raising up leaders for next generation & pointing the hurting to the Healer!

Had an amazing opportunity to be a Co-Author of an International Best Seller "I Am" book, so I'm now officially an international author! Praise God. Book can be found on Amazon. Lord's using this compilation of testimonies to reach many youth & adults struggling around the world.

I will be returning to the beautiful country of Uganda Nov.  28th-Dec 16th 2014 to serve the Lord & the Ugandans in prisons, schools, villages, orphanages, hospitals etc. But we all know we GO to bless them but THEY always bless US in return! please pray for the 7 of us who will be going.

This spring I was humbled to receive an award from the Senator of California, Lou Correa, for being nominated & selected as one of the "Women Making a Difference" in Orange County! It was so  encouraging & a reminder for me to continue doing the hard work God has called me to & He will bring the Harvest! Thank you for everyone's prayers & financial support each month. I'm still praying for more monthly supporters so can continue to do this work fulltime.

May we continue to live BOLDLY for Christ, not in fear. For if the Lord is our light & Salvation, who are we to fear? God bless you!!! Go out & fearlessly love others.
-Para-Chaplain Michelle Smith

Adventures Continue.....

what does Michelle's week look like???

2010 God called me to leave my paying teaching job of 3yrs, sell my car, leave my apartment by the beach, leave my family & friends & my home country & take a leap of faith & fundraise over $16,000 to travel overseas for 11months on a backpacking mission trip called the World Race w/Adventures In Missions! I said "YES LORD" & went on the biggest faith challenge of my life....so far. It  grew me dramatically on so many levels & prepared me in many ways for my NEXT big leap of faith......

2011 God called  me to leave the COMFORT & SECURITY of a PAYING fulltime job to come on staff  with the Chaplains as a FULLTIME local Orange County missionary with Pacific Youth Correctional Ministries! This solid Christian ministry has been reaching out to troubled youth for 30yrs strong &  has a legacy! I'm honored to serve on a faithful team of passionate, Godly people!

2004  I started volunteering w/Pacific Youth & teaching weekly Bible studies. That is how i discovered the highly forgotten population of incarcerated youth & God WRECKED my heart for them. LITERALLY.

So here i am. Sunday- Saturday. Day in and day out, reaching out to troubled youth & their families on the gang populated streets of Orange County & behind the walls of the various Juvenile Hall correctional facilities (Youth Guidance Center, Juvenile Hall, Joplin Youth Center,  Youth Leadership Academy). I DO NOT get paid for what i do FULLTIME. Yet it IS a fulltime job. And  like everyone else, i have living expenses that need to be paid: gas, health insurance bills, phone bills, food, clothing, car mechanic bills, taxes etc) example: i've had my health insurance bill sitting on my desk at home the last week because i don't have $$$ to pay it yet :(  i spent almost $500 on car mechanic bills this month which left me at 0 for my account for the rest of this month, which means  i'm now using CREDIT to pay for gas for ministry daily this week.

So what does Michelle's week REALLY look like?

 I feel like i pretty much LIVE at Juvenile Hall during the week!!! I have actually had Probation Staff ask me if i sleep there hahaha!!!

*** I drive back and forth there several days a week
*** I'm there in the afternoons & evenings teaching Bible studies on week nights
*** Discipling  teens (one hour sessions w/teen: helping them walk with the Lord in everyday situations, go through packets/assignments together & teaching them His Word through Biblical counseling)
*** Delivering Bibles to youth who have personally requested them/sharing Gospel/prayer needs
***Meeting up one-on-one to follow up with Religious Request forms that the youth fill out when they have questions/want direction/help w/spiritual needs
***assist with administrative duties in the office
*** Helping teach both Sunday services at the Hall & YGC (each service is about an hour & half)
***Like any teacher, we need preparation time to prepare lessons & study! So i spend hours making lessons/studying how to BEST reach our troubled youth population the most EFFECTIVELY!
***Gang Intervention on the streets for several hours on Saturday evenings each month with Lives Worth Saving ministries which is under the umbrella of Pacific Youth. Sharing the Gospel, praying for gang members & their families/needs, providing resources for schooling, jobs/other needs.
***Mandatory bi-annual training sessions with Pacific Youth in order to stay sharpened in our ministries & be united.
***Bi-monthly conference room 2hour Chaplain staff meetings held on Wednesdays to come together & work as a team.
***Wednesday evening home bible studies that i co-lead in inner city Santa Ana on a notorious gang street. These studies take time/thought/preparation. God has also called me many times to help them out financially w/certain needs of the family when they come up. That money comes out of my own pocket from the donations i live off of.
***Helping serve at Pacific Youth Special Events throughout the year at different Juvenile facilities.
***FUNDRAISING FULLTIME is another job role! haha  It takes time to communicate w/supporters & to do the "footwork" of  fundraising.
***Inner city events/outreaches/evangelism w/other missionaries/pastors
***FOLLOW UP CARE/continuing care for Juvenile Hall teens who get released back into society & do not have much support or Godly guidance. God's been using me as a mentor to take teens to church services/meet up to catch up with life & walk life with them through their struggles.

***There is not a day that goes by that i am not actively preparing studies or ministering in some way!!***

                                               ^^^  (YGC Girls' Event) ^^^

RIGHT NOW I AM ABOUT ONLY 40% FUNDED. IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO DO THESE DAILY IMPORTANT MINISTRIES I NEED TO BE 100% FULLY FUNDED!! I AM ASKING YOU TO THINK ABOUT  PARTNERING UP WITH ME FINANCIALLY ON A MONTHLY BASIS! I'M ALSO TRYING TO MOVE TO SANTA ANA SOON, BUT NEED MORE MONTHLY SUPPORT IN ORDER TO PAY RENT!

WOULD YOU CONSIDER A $10,$25, $50, $75, $100 MONTHLY GIFT FOR 2013?

IF I DO NOT RECEIVE FUNDS TO PAY LIVING EXPENSES, I WILL NEED TO STOP DOING THESE CRUCIAL LIFE CHANGING MINISTRIES!

GIVING OPTIONS: GIFTS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!
GIVE ONLINE:
www.PYCM.org (click on donate & then click on "Para-Chaplain Michelle Smith")


GIVE BY CHECK: (PLEASE NOTE ON ENVELOPE OR CHECK "ACCOUNT #041" & make payable to "Pacific Youth Correctional Ministries")

Pacific Youth Correctional Ministries
P.O. Box 8875
Redlands, CA 92375

IF YOU HAVEN'T SUBSCRIBED TO MY BLOG, PLEASE DO SO YOU CAN STAY UPDATED!

PRAYER TEAM: if you'd like to receive a weekly email about ministry prayer updates/requests & specific names/requests from my Mon night Bible study w/Juve Hall boys, please let me know!!! Or if you know of a church group who would be interested in partnering up to help the troubled youth!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, PRAYERS & ENCOURAGEMENT.

His servant,
Para-Chaplain Michelle Smith   (another blog soon to come on recent Easter events w/teens!)

Updates: Behind the walls w/Incarcerated Youth!

Update on December 2012 Events: Little late but didn't want to forget to give God glory for everything that happened!

 

Dec 10th: Annual Christmas Pageant :around 200 teens participated!! Many teens placed their faith in Christ that evening after hearing the Gospel & seeing the TRUE CHRISTmas story acted out! I was with my favorite boys in YLA (Youth Leadership Academy facility) & we had 35 boys. Such a joyful evening & many boys & girls shared that it was the BEST Christmas they have ever had!! God did amazing things. We had an increase in Bible study attendance AFTER this event!!!

 

Dec 8th: Annual Youth Guidance Center:  We had about 80 teens participate in the Christmas event! We had the teens act out/read scripts for Christmas story & we also played a bunch of fun games with them to help them memorize scripture & His promises. And brought them more Christmas cookies than they could consume.The volunteers & i had a chance to chat w/them & pray for them. We gave them Christmas cards to write on/mail to loved ones. One boy said "Michelle, i don't have anyone to give this card to. May i give it to you & can you please write something encouraging in it & give it back to me?" This touched my heart. So i filled the card up w/verses & words of hope & encouragement & he was so blessed by that! Here are a few photos of that evening!

 

Praying/catching up with one of the boys i have known for a while. It's such a blessing/rewarding to have a connection with them. They trust me!

 

 

Dec 14th: Annual Joplin Christmas Event: 46 boys were involved in this event & it was a fun night! We had a magician come & perform for them, the boys LOVED him! A former incarcerated youth (Mikey Place) came & shared his testimony of how God radically changed his life & shared w/the boys that they also can have that same success story & hope IF & WHEN they trust Jesus as their Savior & surrender their lives to Him. Mikey is attending Murrieta Bible College & growing in the Lord tremendously! So proud of him. We also had lots of good snacks/goodies for them & had some time to fellowship/pray with them.

 

 

Next blog i will update you all on all of the contacts/events we have had over 2012 (we keep each contact w/youth recorded!) It is pretty cool to look over all the contacts & lives saved/Bibles distributed etc over the year to get a feeling of the impact God has had. Although we still have no idea the big picture...only when we get to Heaven someday will we truly see the amount of lives impacted & the full Harvest!! Oh what a day that will be)

 

Sometimes we get impatient & worry & doubt His will & timing of things in our lives....just wanted to remind MYSELF & YOU that God is ALWAYS on time!!!

 

Just this Sunday God allowed me the privilege & blessing to see an 18yr old place his trust & faith in Jesus Christ & i have known him for several years! It was such an exciting day!!! Years & years of me & others praying for his salvation & softening of the heart, & God is mighty to save.

 

Do not give up. God hears our prayers & is faithful to answer.

 

1 Thes. 5:17 "pray without ceasing;"

 

Oh it's an adventure living for Christ. Never a dull moment.

 

Currently:

 i'm quite busy teaching Bible studies w/boys in YLA, discipling girls in different units, helping lead a home church in Santa Ana in gang neighborhood (planted this home church about 2 months ago), visiting adult jails on weekends to minister to lonely prisoners, helping teach Sunday services, fundraising donations (still in need of more monthly consistent supporters)...and just investing in the lives God has put in my pathway.

 

With the intense schedule of ministry, God has been reminding me how extremely CRUCIAL it is to be DISCIPLINED in spending ALONE dates with Him. To get away to somewhere QUIET & read, pray, listen to His voice & reflect. Because how can i continue to pour out if i'm not FILLING UP? Thanks for your love & support!!

 

 

Para-Chaplain Michelle

 

What in the world happened last Wed night?!!

I realize that events/situations happen everyday around me that i am COMPLETELY unaware of. Things that are out of my sight/vision and events that i may see with my very own eyes but still do not fully comprehend what is going on.

As a born-again Christian, having the Holy Spirit living in me & guiding me, I have the One true God dwelling in ME! I am a human with a natural body who has God's Spirit in me, with God's Super Natural power, insight & strength.

The scripture speaks of  Spiritual battle happening daily, all around us:

Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."


We can't always SEE with our physical eyes, but many times i can see/feel the Spiritual battle.
(me sharing my testimony at an event in Santa Ana, close to the neighborhood where our Bible study is)

Last Wednesday evening Danny & I arrived at this street at dark, around 6:30pm. We have many people backing us up in prayer. Over a year of weekly ministry, friendship building/follow-up has taken place.This is the FIRST time in DECADES for this street to have a home church/Bible study!!! God, as always, gets the credit! Our Lives Worth Saving Gang Intervention team this year has really helped them out w/their physical needs & stayed well connected.

We spend almost 3 hours praying, catching up, fellowshipping, and planning for Wed 11/28/12, Wed evening. Our 1st official Bible study teaching. The whole family was excited to see us & very welcoming. Two other women from the apartment complex came & joined us. We had deep spiritual conversations & were sharing each other's testimonies & bond.The family who is graciously opening up their home to us is playing a HUGE part in the revival of this street & city. I know God will bless them tremendously.

At around 7:30pm a fight broke out outside & we heard yelling. After 30min the fight stopped, as we prayed in the apartment for peace, in Jesus name.

At around 9pm Danny & i leave & say goodnight to everyone. As we are walking down the driveway of the complex, we walk past 2 guys in their late 20s/early 30s standing there, right outside the apartment. We say "God bless you" as we pass by them. As we walked toward the parking lot, Danny turns around & says a sentence that still, a week later, still trips me out & shocks me "Those two guys were gang members, posting up outside for the  last 3 hours to guard us so that if anyone tried to mess with us or cause trouble, they'd be standing alert in front of the apartment."  My jaw instantly dropped. I was speechless for a moment. What??!!!!   Let me get this straight, i was unaware that for the last 3 hours we were in that apartment doing ministry, these 2 men, who are legit gang members & don't even know me, are watching our backs & guarding us out of respect for us. WOW! Now i am not happy that they are in a gang, but just to see God making peace with people who could easily be our enemies, is unheard of & frankly, a MIRACLE! This stuff doesn't just happen regularly. And i know that God had His guardian angels protecting us. Those 2 men were risking their lives for us, when  i don't even know if they know God or not. They were not young gangsters either, they were older experienced ones!!! But I believe God is already working on their hearts, "behind the scenes" & beyond what my natural eyes can see!

Proverbs 16:7 "When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him."

(i used to visualize angels as wimpy people with white wings, but now i believe my guardian angels are warriors!!)

Thank  you for your prayers. Every "little" thing is a BIG thing, if you know what i mean. Progress & revival is happening on this street in Santa Ana & in this city. Lives are being changed right in front of my very own eyes. The beautiful thing is seeing the father/husband of this household turn to the LORD & now he is trying to reach out to gang members who he knows & who still look up to him & respect him. He has INFLUENCE on this street & in this neighborhood. Despite the evilness that goes on here, God's will is being done!

Tomorrow night, Wed 11/28...  6:30pm-9pm, we are at it again!!! Soldiers on the frontline. The LORD will be victorious.

His Servant,
Para-Chaplain Michelle Smith

Update on Special Events with the Teens!!!

Hey there! It's been a very busy few months! On top of teaching weekly Bible studies, one on one visits, discipleship sessions,church services to incarcerated youth & weekend gang intervention on the streets w/Lives Worth Saving, I have helped out & attended several Special events the last month at different locations!

Hebrews 13:3 "Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

Friday October 5th: we had our annual Retreat event at Youth Guidance Center in Santa Ana! A unique opportunity to eat pizza, play volleyball, have big group & small group discussions & activities with them for 5 straight hours!!!(we usually just get 1 hour) We had 21 young men & women participate. These teens are involved weekly in our Bible studies and church services. I had a chance to get to know some of the Probation Staff members also, they need LOVE too! I was reminded that even though our focus is the youth, God uses our words & actions to be His witness daily to the staff. They watch & hear everything that we do & say!The young men especially opened up to us more than usual that day, while they shared about their growing up experiences & their relationship (or lack of) with their parents/relatives & how it has positively or negatively affected them. Chaplain Rick did an excellent job at organizing this event & leading it.I helped lead the small group for the girls near the end & i shared about purity & how God views beauty VS what the world says beauty is. Shared parts of my painful testimony of eating disorders/depression/bad dating & relationship choices in the past & my journey to believe God thinks i'm beautiful & that i'm His masterpiece!

Psalm 139 says we are FEARFULLY & WONDERFULLY MADE!!!! RECEIVE IT & BELIEVE IT!

Saturday October 13th: Chaplain Rick Johnson & I went to the annual Hoopla Basketball Tournament event hosted by The Bible Church of Buena Park.(My favorite sport is basketball, i so wanted to play!!!!I used to play & coach for many years!)  It was a fun field  trip for 16 teen boys & Probation staff to leave their Youth Guidance Center & Joplin Youth Center facilities for several hours & play some good ol' ball outdoors & compete! 2 boys who were recently released showed up to join the rest of the boys to play also. Anytime we get a chance to spend time with the teens, i ALWAYS make sure they KNOW that God loves them, has a plan for them & has NOT GIVEN UP ON THEM! I always ask them if they want prayer & they rarely turn that down! So i prayed for them on the court sidelines, listened to their stories & struggles & shared verses of God's scripture w/them. It was great to high five them & cheer for them competing in something POSITIVE & see the teamwork between the players. We ate burgers with them & there was a guest speaker who shared the Gospel (guy in the middle of the pic!)

 

Friday October 26th: i attended the Graduation Ceremony at Youth Guidance Center (Drug Treatment Center for incarcerated teen boys and girls) It was my 1st graduation ceremony i have ever been to at a youth facility and it was so touching!! I was like a proud mama bear cheering for her teenagers! Several teenagers received their high school diplomas & gave incredible speeches. They were given a rose to walk into the audience & hand to the 1 person who inspired them/supported them. Tears ran down my face as i saw each teen locate their mentor/family member/teacher/supporter who meant the world to them, as both parties hugged & cried! Very emotional moment. There were also many teens who received their GEDs, which is still a huge accomplishment for them! After the ceremony i was able to meet a few of the teens' family members for the first time & let them know how proud i was of their son or daughter/grandson. Seeing them finish their schooling encouraged me & inspired me!!!! Against all their battles & obstacles they are facing, God gives them strength to do what many feel is impossible!!! I was honored to watch them all dressed up in suits, ties & dresses, walking proudly down the aisle with their heads up high, with bright hopes for their future!!!

 

Luke 1:37 "For NOTHING is impossible with God!"

 

As you can see, being a Para-Chaplain is NOT just a week day job! I never clock out! If i am not there physically at the 5 different Orange County facilities ministering with teens, i am in the neighborhoods of Santa Ana on the streets reaching out to gang members & their families, praying, fundraising, writing blogs(haha), preparing Bible study  or church service lessons, studying the Word, etc. I thank God everyday for this honor, privilege & huge blessing to even be a part of these troubled teens & their families.

 

THEY INSPIRE ME!

 

In order for me to continue this awesome ministry God has called me to fulltime, i am in need of your prayer  support and financial support! I depend on donations in order to pay for my living expenses/bills/gas  etc. If you feel led to give, the info is on the right side of this site! May His peace & love be felt today.As the holiday season is here, the youth have a very tough time being locked up & we have several more events coming up soon to minister to them during Nov and December. Please keep these events in prayers!

 

Para-Chaplain Michelle Smith aka Rebel for Jesus!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

God's Promises!

Last Tues August 28th, this gorgeous rainbow over Juvenile Hall reminded me of God's Promises after i spent the prior hour reminding the incarcerated youth.They have a difficult time trusting other people because most of their lives were crushed by broken promises & no steady foundation to rely on.(God knew i also needed the BIG reminder up in the sky that evening!)

We have ALL broken a promise to someone before, even if our intentions were to follow it through. We have ALL had other people break their promises to us, causing disappointment & mistrust.

I have encouraging  news for you &I!!! God NEVER breaks His promises to us!! He is ALWAYS a Man of His Word.He paints a majestic RAINBOW in the sky as a constant reminder of this.  The following are just a few of the many promises He has for those who have FAITH & BELIEVE in Him:

Hebrews 13:5
"I will never leave you nor forsake you. "



Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Matthew 11:28-29

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Isaiah 40:29-31
"He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint."

Philippians 4:19
"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."



Romans 8:37-39
"No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Proverbs 1:33
"But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.”

John 14:27
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.



Romans 10:9
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."



Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."


John 4:13, 14
"Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

John 10:27-30
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one."

Matthew 7:7,8
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

***These PROMISES we can TRUST & plant our HOPE in. This doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of ALL of God's Promises He gives us, but i pray that it encourages you!***

God promises to provide for His children, and He has definitely PROVIDED for me & continues to leave me in awe. He is TRUST WORTHY!

Matthew 6:33
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."




Love in Christ,
Michelle Smith   aka  Warrior for Him!