Rest - Celebrating Life - Love Goes - Growth
I was blessed to stay in a cabin by Table Rock Lake for a week. Upon arrival as I headed down the stairs I was greeted by a family of deer. Sweet. Once inside I thumbed through the guest book and found my entry from August 2021, wow it’s been 4 years since I took some time off. No wonder I was tuckered.
God’s creation
Upon arrival as I headed down the stairs I was greeted by a family of deer. Sweet.
It took a few days of sleep, tears and prayer to feel ‘normal’ whatever that means. Lots of prayer walking, coffee drinking and being present too. I went to see David at the Sight and Sound Theatre and sat in the 2nd row from the stage. Incredibly impressed with the talent and the biblical story of David unfolding before me.
Trying to make my $8 cup of amaretto ice cream last, I received notice that one of my guys had passed. We have been walking with him for over 8 years. As I sat in my reminiscence, I couldn’t remember a time I saw him completely sober. He was kind, funny and tortured by the life he remained chained to.
January 2023, we moved him into a subsidized apartment. He finally had a bed, a couch, a kitchen, a TV and a shower he could call his own. He had been denied social security disability more than once, so we have been paying his rent every month for the last two years. We were by no means the only agency walking with him, there are four I can think of easily. Everyone loved him.
I decided to head back to Tulsa 4 days earlier than my planned departure and headed out on Thursday morning. His funeral was at 10am and I got there with 10 minutes to spare. The service was in the cemetery and as I headed up the hill, I saw familiar faces. So many of his friends and family we have been walking with on and off for years.
He spoke often of his love for Jesus, so we were celebrating that he is with Jesus whole and sober for forever. I sprinkled red dirt on the casket and turned to meet his daughter for the first time. She was lovely and her smile reminded me of her dad.
I have taken many pictures of her dad over the years, and I put a collage together and mailed it to her. He used to say I wasn’t old enough for him to call Mom, wouldn’t call me Grandma out of respect and so he settled with Aunt deni.
So many stories, so many derailed lives. So many who need a neighbor to love them back on track.
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This correspondence is long overdue. First, I am extremely thankful to The Mitchell’s for offering Bless Inn to me once again for respite and renewal. I savored my time there. Also, thank you to everyone who pitched in at Isaiah’s. Thank you to everyone who attended our Evening of Gratitude!
We moved into our building in November 2022 paying $1250/month. The price tag is $214,000 for us to own it. We have been paying rent which has not gone to the principle of $214,000. We must no longer be in debt and are raising funds in order to write one check, PAID IN FULL!
We have been blessed with incredible partners who have donated thousands of dollars’ worth of materials, man hours and expertise to make considerable improvements to the property.
New LED lighting throughout the building, a walk in shower, demolition and reconstruction of our north wall and Celebration Station ceiling, lots of electrical work, painting the lobby and outside of the building, getting an original painting of our logo on the east end of the building, lots and lots of landscaping and yard work, all of the outside siding and gutters were replaced, tilling, planting and watering our garden and raised flower/herb beds, a new water heater and ice machine, a row of freezers and refrigerators, plumbing work, a riding lawn mower, mounted TV monitors, a koi pond in the making and of course our first cottage! We have renderings for Isaiah’s Neighborhood – A Place to Belong.
At the end of this month Kenric will complete his final Eagle Scout project and paint the Gathering room! We have another TV monitor to install as well as a surround sound system, we will install a new security system and extend our WIFI service to the entire property. We will add a 550-gallon potable water tank to water the garden. It is exciting to see so much accomplished and to continue to walk in obedience with God’s direction.
The first phase of our vision is to purchase our property. The second phase is to purchase a lot to the south of Isaiah’s and .3 acres to the north and then put a fence around the property. The third phase is to put 10 cottages on the property!
For the last two years I have been working with Storia Publishing to gather blogs, emails and letters I have written beginning as far back as 2007. I went through hundreds of writings to design a book that is more than a memoir but a call to action. We have placed the stories in chronological order, inserted ‘Points to Ponder’ and included an extensive glossary in the back that we call ‘Deniisms, Definitions, and Did-Ya-Know-Discoveries’.
The book is titled: LOVE GOES: Stories of Stirring the Pot, Sitting in the Mess, and Loving Like Jesus. It is 'live' and the paperback and Kindle versions can be purchased on Amazon!! I've ordered a number of paperbacks to sell and should receive the first shipment later this week!
Because we don’t own the property we are limited to how much more we can do towards making Isaiah’s Neighborhood a dream come true. It is time for Isaiah’s to own 5903 E. 9th Street and we are asking for your prayers and support to make it happen!
Isaiah’s has been the recipient time and time again of God’s miraculous action! We were given a seed offering of $2100 to open our building account! We believe and are praying in agreement that we can raise $250,000 by June 1st of next year!!!
$250,000 by June 01, 2026!!!!!
We are reaching out to 250 donors, supporters, partners, strangers, friends, churches, ministries, and even family to donate $1,000 and designate the donation to our building fund!
As a thank you, we will forward a copy of LOVE GOES: Stories of Stirring the Pot, Sitting in the Mess, and Loving Like Jesus to you!!
YES! We will accept gifts smaller than $1000 and gifts larger than $1000!!! We just ask that you include a designation ‘building fund’ with your donation and let us know if you’d like a copy of our book!
Major Announcement: To request services, resources and assistance, we ask that you reach us at 918-289-0218. This is a landline, so call and leave a message.
EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 08, 2025 THE 918-260-1933 number will be shut off.
More news to come…please read above again. I really did say the 918-260-1933 number will be inaccessible beginning on 09/08/25.
“Over and over Jesus placed us right where we needed to be – to sit in the loss, to bless in the need, and to listen with hope.” LOVE GOES
We can do more. We can do better. Together.
LOVE GOES
Know that you are prayed for.
In His Service,
deni A. fholer, LMSW, CCFP