We were given 60 days to vacate our location in the Admiral Place Shopping center on September 20, 2022. I went to Jesus and said if He’s accomplished all that He intended through Isaiah’s, then I was through too. But, if He chose to continue to love our neighbors through Isaiah’s I asked, “Will you please not wait until day 59 to tell us where we’re going?”

 That was a Tuesday. We had an emergency Board meeting on Saturday, and I asked our Board to believe. God knows what He’s doing even when we don’t have a clue. The following week I received a message that included a picture of a building and a price tag of $200,000. The message said, “I don’t know what your finances are or what you need, but I felt led to send this to you.”

 The next day Chrissy, Travis, 3 realtors and I were inside the building checking it out. I wasn’t inside long before I knew, this was God’s plan for Isaiah’s. So, the 6 of us sat at a table in the middle of a large open space and we prayed. Then Elle said to me if we wanted to seriously consider purchasing this building, I needed to sign a letter of intent.

 We had about $400 in our checking account, no assets, heck I didn’t have an income but if this was where we are supposed to be, Jesus can move mountains and so – I signed.

 Early the next morning I had a call from Elle. She said she had been wrestling with Jesus ever since we left the building. He had shown her promises in scripture and confirmed to her that He wanted her to buy the building for us and we pay rent until we can pay off the building!!! Hallelujah!!

 She bought the building and we moved into our new location on November 17th, just 3 days shy of 60 days. We have a commercial kitchen, a sanctuary that will hold around 125 people, a family room where we are going to install a shower and it sits on 1.3 acres – in an unassuming place in the middle of Tulsa. It is perfect!! Isaiah’s Neighborhood – A Place to Belong is starting to come into focus! We dedicated the building, property and our team to the glory of Jesus. We prayed for His protection and guidance, and we are believing for plunder to pay off the building and do necessary repairs.

Isaiah’s has turned a corner. Our mission remains, “Serving those in need in the name of Jesus and to the glory of God.” Throughout the almost 6 years on Admiral we became a drop-in center. We also received donations of used items to furnish residences for our neighbors.

Our new building is designed for community not storage. We continue to serve a home cooked meal on Wednesday evenings, Bible study and prayer. We live stream BattleCreek church on Sunday mornings, eat breakfast and have a time of fellowship.

We have some repair work to do on the building, including removing and replacing the north wall. We need painting and electrical work, replacing a water heater and installing plumbing for our shower, washer and an outlet for our dryer.

We are available to the public for memorial services. If a loved one passes and the family doesn’t belong to a church and can’t afford to have a service at the funeral home, Isaiah’s will host a memorial service. Contact deni for details, 918-289-0218.

We will have Lunch and Learns to talk about community concerns and social issues and invite some of our neighbors to share their story. Our prayer is to put a face to an issue and by hearing their story it can become a united community action, based on truth and effective problem solving.

We are looking for partners to start a Life Lessons 101 class. Bringing seniors and teens together to break through stereotypes, prejudices and misconceptions. We all have value and something to offer and this intergenerational class will be an opportunity to listen, learn and love.

Our back yard is not quite Red Rock but we believe it’ll be a Green Pebble version of outside concerts and cookouts. Maybe even overnight camping and outside movies!!

We have tilled the soil for our garden, and we need master gardeners to come and show us the fine art of growing vegetables. We have planted tomatoes! We need someone with a creative flair for flower gardens too!!

We went on our Mission Trip Tulsa last August and we just had our LOVE GOES conference!!! Creative Bliss Videography is putting our videos together to post on our Isaiah 58, In His Service YouTube channel, which you can subscribe to: Isaiah 58, In His Service - YouTube . We are partnering together to tell our neighbors’ stories on video. We have some resilient, remarkable, death defying and highly favored neighbors we can’t wait to introduce you to!!

We are praying for partners to sponsor our podcast! We will be talking with some of our nonprofit leaders, neighbors and professionals about problem solving some of the obstacles and challenges we face in our community. We will provide a platform in a respectful and loving way to ask questions, come to understanding and make a positive difference.

Isaiah’s is still loving on our neighbors in as many ways as there are needs. We continue to be a gap filler ministry by providing financial and tangible assistance. However, we are no longer accepting donations of used items. We no longer have an area to hold and store furniture, household items, toys, clothes etc.

If someone needs household items and furniture when they move into their residence, we want to provide new items. What we cannot get we will partner with other agencies to help. Our prayer is to provide a welcome home bag with hygiene items and new towels, a welcome mat, a journal, Bible, bathroom rugs and shower curtain and a $100 gift card to Walmart. We would love to have you help us build these bags!

We are no longer a drop-in center and do not have lunch sacks to give on a daily basis. We are asking folks to make an appointment to meet with me (918-289-0218) or text me for assistance (918-260-1933). The overwhelming needs of our neighbors takes me outside of the ministry doing home visits, going to meetings and doctor visits, making deliveries and checking on our neighbors.

No one is staying full time in the ministry and my schedule changes based on the needs of our neighbors so we can’t have regular open hours. Which is why we are asking donors and our neighbors in need to touch base with me instead of showing up at the ministry only to find no one is there. We are praying for a Ministry Manager so we can have regular hours but until then please contact me for an appointment.

We have two outreach liaisons for our neighbor’s experiencing homelessness. Any donations of backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, socks, underwear, etc. we will share these gifts with our liaisons and partners who hit the streets regularly. We also partner with One Hope Tulsa and Tulsa Housing Solutions. We are a member of A Way Home For Tulsa coalition.

We are an approved site for county and city court community service. We also provide community service opportunities for students. We are a partner agency with the Mental Health Association Employment First Program.  We also partner with Tulsa Responds to help with signing up for food stamps, Sooner Care and tax preparation. We don’t limit the ways we offer assistance to our neighbors.

The coolest thing about Isaiah’s is that we serve as Jesus guides and provides. So when He nudges you to give your time, talent and treasure we now have exciting new ways for you to walk alongside us.

Follow us on Facebook, check out our website and subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all of the things Jesus is doing through Isaiah’s and find out ways you can pray for us, give to us and spend time with us!! Know that you are prayed for.

In His Service, deni

Be. The. Exception.

No. More. Excuses.

“Out of everything that’s going on in your life right now, if one thing could get better, what would it be?” The question comes only after hours of listening. When there are no more tears, the quiet comes with the deep inhale and exhale of surrender.  

Only now can the present be considered. Only now can a sliver of hope be remotely pondered. A drink of water, a cracker, a tissue. Heavy sigh. Only now can we think about taking a next step.

 For almost 20 years this is the way we’ve loved our neighbors, whether in a clinic, in an ER, in church or office, an apartment, in an alley or on the sidewalk. Isaiah 58, In His Service, Inc. exists to be here with the least of these, “those people,” the poor. Isaiah 58, In His Service, Inc. exists to be here with the middle class and wealthy too. When tragedy strikes, when being overwhelmed is imminent, when someone is over their head in loss, when the problem is a hot mess, when no one else will help, when someone needs to talk, when advice is needed, when resources can’t be found anywhere else - Isaiah 58, In His Service, Inc. is here. Yes, bosses, peers, coworkers, pastors, CEO’s, landlords, executives, churchgoers – even you - have 918-260-1933 in your contacts, and you’ve used it for yourself or someone else.

 Isaiah 58, In His Service or “Isaiah’s” as we’re known on the street has been tucked away in a strip mall on Admiral Place for the last six years come December. I used to drive by 3734 E. Admiral Place many times a day as I did home visits and delivered groceries or picked someone up to take them to an appointment. It was empty for a long time. I finally mustered the courage to pull up and look inside. The Social Worker mind went to work. I could see us making a difference and placing steppingstones for people in the direction of who they were meant to be.

 We had no money, but we moved in on faith. I asked God to let us serve on Admiral place for just one year. A Board member’s husband loaded up the pews from what used to be Immanuel Baptist Church and turned them into shelves. We moved just in time for our Holiday Helping Hands Project.

We are relocating!

Isaiah’s doesn’t pick and choose a population to help. We are an equal opportunity helping ministry. For the last couple of years more and more of our neighbors are without a place to live. They are constantly being expelled even from areas that used to be secure and off the beaten path. They look for safe havens. Somewhere welcoming where they can get a bite to eat, something to drink and to restock their belongings which are repeatedly being destroyed. We are one of those safe havens.

 We have always been a gap filler ministry. Paying the deposit for someone to move into their apartment, buying car parts, paying for classes, paying fees and fines, wiping out a debt, paying a Pike Pass ticket, writing and paying for an obituary, spontaneous surprises of love. If we have the funds and Jesus gives us a nudge, we step into the hard and work together on getting our neighbor out and up. We do the different.

 Gap filler means we’re the family many of our neighbors have never had. We take people to doctor’s appointments, pay their co-pays and medications, we type up med lists and fill med planners. We celebrate birthdays with homemade cake and candles with singing and gifts. We go to funerals when a daughter, wife, or husband dies and sit close to hold a hand. Sometimes we round up the Senior Support Squad and go eat in a restaurant. It’s a time of fellowship, a time for our neighbors to eat a good meal and it gives us something to look forward to – being together.  Isolation has harmed so many of our neighbors - gathering in Isaiah’s has saved lives.

 As Christ followers we try to emulate Jesus in our efforts to care for the hurting, lonely, poor, ill, excluded, unique, desperate. When Jesus was told someone needed His help, He didn't send Peter or James or John to first gather documentation or a statement of necessity; He didn't tell those in need He would review their request and get back with them after the Board voted on it. He immediately stopped what He was doing, and He gave the outcast, woman who had an abortion, LGBTQ person, prostitute, veteran, refugee, beggar, lost and lonely His undivided attention and met their need. He gave to the glory of the Father. This is the heart of Isaiah's. We are not called to judge someone worthy or determine if they are taking advantage. If Jesus brings them to Isaiah's, then we give and serve and what they do with what is given is between them and God. We provide the tangible in order to build relationships and introduce people to Jesus.

 Hundreds of people depend on us. We will not leave them behind. We are committed to our 18th Annual Holiday Helping Hands Project. We are committed to LOVE GOES faith based social services conference. We are committed to providing Bible study and church for our neighbors.

 In the 10th chapter of Joshua in the Bible there were a group of people in Gibeon who decided to be good neighbors with Israel. However, there were five kings who didn’t like that, so they decided to band together and attack Gibeon. The folks in Gibeon sent an SOS to Joshua, “Come here quickly! Save us! Help us! All the Amorite kings who live up in the hills have ganged up on us.” (Joshua 10:6 MSG)

 So Joshua and his warriors of good guys headed towards Gibeon. They marched all night and took the Kings by surprise. The Israel neighbors chased the bad guys along a ridge all while God pitched hailstones on the bad guys. “More died from the hailstones than the people of Israel killed with the sword.” (Joshua 10:11)

 Before this battle was fought, Joshua spoke to God while everyone listened. He asked God to stop the sun and halt the moon. “The sun stopped in its tracks in mid sky; just sat there all day. There’s never been a day like that before or since; God heeded the voice of a man.” Joshua 10: 14

 God provided the time needed for the victory to take place!  We are asking God to heed the voice of a woman and rally the troops and make the sun stand still! We need to find some buildings to move into, empty our 3,154 square foot current location, continue ministering to our neighbors, sit with them as they grieve the loss of our move all while being the people God redeemed us to be.

 We have a realtor and are actively looking for a place to relocate. We want to be our own landlord and care for those Jesus brings to us in a sheltered space. We do not want to interrupt fellowship and services with our neighbors. If you can connect us with someone who has an available location, please let me know.

 Isaiah’s is a safe haven for life change, forgiveness, healing and transformation. We are a ministry for the poor. The poor in spirit, the poor in material goods, the poor in mind, the poor in addiction, the poor in understanding, the poor in listening, the poor in compassion, the poor in judgment.

 “People do not get crucified for charity. People are crucified for living out a love that disrupts the social order, that calls forth a new world. People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for joining them.” Shane Claiborne

 “We don’t have any money, but we’re moving in faith. “

 We can do more. We can do better. Together.

Be the Exception.

No. More. Excuses.

Believing to move in 30 days.

Isaiah 58, In His Service is a 501©3 nonprofit ministry. We are a gap filler ministry. We provide services and assistance in areas that other ministries and agencies can’t or won’t help with.  We don’t accept state or federal funds or funds from the United Way. We follow the Reverend Mueller approach to fundraising – we pray! Our Mission statement is, “Serving those in need in the name of Jesus and to the glory of God.”

Due to Covid-19 we began delivering meals every day and groceries to our most vulnerable neighbors in March 2020. Currently we deliver groceries and have food available for pick up. We limit the number of guests in the ministry at one time to accommodate physical distancing and we ask everyone who comes into the ministry to wear a mask.

We provide the tangible in order to build relationships and introduce people to Jesus. We do this in five areas:

1)       Financial – We will pay deposits in order to get utilities turned on or to move into housing. We have paid for propane, doctor’s appointments/bills, surgery, church camp, classes, veterinary bills, motel rooms, work clothes/boots, birth certificates, phone bills, property taxes, obituary, car repairs, glasses, transportation, motorized wheelchairs, etc.

2)       Tangible – We give vehicles, furniture, clothes/shoes, household items, toys, knick knacks, assistive devices, electronics, food, sports equipment, etc. We are open on most Saturdays from 11am until 2pm to the public. We also schedule appointments for folks in need so we can spend quality time with them, prayerfully help and provide privacy. We deliver to those we help and pick-up donations. We have a washer and dryer and do folks’ laundry.

3)       Events – We sponsored LOVE GOES, a faith based Social Services Conference <videos on our website>, Mission Trip to Tulsa, we’ve taken folks to concerts and conferences. We celebrate birthdays and special events. We had Celebrating Moms with Deniese Dillon, It’s Okay to be Single with Dr. Jennifer O’Dell and Suicide: It’s Time We Talk with Kim Spence. From November 1st to January 31st we have our Holiday Helping Hands Project. We provide Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gifts to every family who asks for our help, even if we are asked for help on Christmas Eve. We continue into January as sometimes the holidays are put on hold due to imprisonment, deployment, illness, or crisis.

4)       Transportation – We transport folks to doctor’s appts., the grocery store, out of town appts., transport after a medical procedure. We pay for bus tickets, provide gas to get to various appointments. We have an account with a taxicab company to transport folks. Since most of our folks don’t drive, we take them to our events such as concerts, dinner, birthday celebrations, parks, etc. in our 15-passenger van.

5)       Social Services – Deni is a degreed, licensed, and certified Social Worker. She will do consultations for families. We partner with Mobile Med USA and Cura Medical Clinic in Sapulpa to help with the tangible so the providers can concentrate on the medical. Individuals can do community service hours with us as required by the courts. We will host community service hours for children, adolescents, and teens for school as well. We provide resources and contact info to other non-profits and agencies to help folks get the services they need. We also contribute and refer to other ministries and agencies in order to alleviate duplicate services and to support those who do great work in our community. We are a Care Portal ministry through Battlecreek Church Downtown for foster families through DHS.

VISION – Isaiah’s Neighborhood – A Place to Belong! Our prayer is to provide an affordable, permanent supportive housing complex of 20 apartments for folks who can no longer live alone; seniors, single parent, disabled, homeless, etc. with a community center, a safe place for pets, an infirmary, Hospice, emergency housing, Mission House, Chapel, garden, Mercy ministry and transportation available by donations 24/7.

Our website is www.isaiah58ihs.org, we have a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/i58ihs and i58ihs@instagram.com. We have a Venmo account and Donor Snap on our website for financial contributions. Come hear the history of Isaiah 58, In His Service from deni A. fholer, the founder and executive director. Our Board of Directors and some of the folks we love on will share their story too! Please call and schedule a time to come visit.  There will be a tour, video, prayer and refreshments.  

Know that you are prayed for.