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Dec 23

December 2024 Update

News

Christmas All Year

Dickens’ fictional character Ebenezer Scrooge famously said, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”

It’s hard to say whether Jesus expected his followers to celebrate His birth in the way we do these thousands of years later. However, there are timeless themes in the story of Jesus’ birth that, if we allow them to inform our lives, will be a blessing to us and those around us.

Jesus’s birth and childhood in humble and poor circumstances, and his constant associations with those less fortunate, demonstrate the importance God places on people, above material wealth and status. We should follow Jesus’ footsteps and reach out to anyone regardless of where they come from or where they have gotten themselves.

The supernatural phenomena associated with Jesus’ birth, including manifestations of angels and His birth to a young virgin, should inspire us to seek divine intervention in the problems we face. We must believe in miracles. God is able to place his divine spark inside a person and transform them. Pray constantly for God to show himself. He is able.

We live in a dark world, and yet it is a world that God created as a beautiful home for mankind. Jesus’ birth is a story of light in the darkness. The light of Jesus in us can burst as a bright star upon the dark spaces where we sometimes live and serve. Through Christ, the beauty of creation as God first intended it can be glimpsed again, if imperfectly, as His followers bring the good news of redemption and live transformed lives.

Scrooge may have had in mind such Christmas graces as hospitality, generosity, and friendliness, and the birth of Christ is about these things, but Christmas is so much more. The birth of Christ represented an epochal change, the inauguration of God’s kingdom on earth.

Christmas is for all the year. Christmas is for life.

—Mike Fisher, Manager of Operations

James G. Weaver – December 7, 1950 – December 5,2024

Remembering James Weaver

Today, we at Lighthouse Publishing experienced a deep loss. This morning, James Weaver passed from this life into the presence of the Lord. Jimmy filled an invaluable role here as our primary office staff member for nearly seven years.

After retiring from his career as a laboratory technician, Jimmy gave his time and talent to our ministry. He went above and beyond simply processing mail and maintaining our database, to establishing personal connections and sharing notes of encouragement with untold numbers of prison inmates.

At the end of 2022, Jimmy retired a second time, and we have missed his presence often. And now as the Lord has called him away, we are left with many great memories of his infectious laugh, intense care for others, and thousands of hours of service on behalf of people he never met.

Pastor Jimmy

There was once a kindly gentleman,

Jimmy Weaver was his name;

Often when I crossed Sproul Mountain

I heard much about his fame.

Jimmy was a much loved pastor

In a little country church,

Personal friend and trusted mentor

To the folks who worshipped there.

Jimmy cared for those in prison—

Lighthouse was his usual spot.

He helped propagate the vision:

Reaching a less fortunate lot.

Jimmy was a kindred spirit,

Though I didn’t know him long.

He enjoyed a table garnished

With nutrition quite diverse.

Time was short to know my namesake;

Only twice we got to talk.

But I have those treasured memories,

Now life’s path alone I walk.

Friends, there is a kindly Being

Who you really need to know,

Time is short and life is fleeting,

Talk to Him while here below.

Jesus Christ, your Friend and Savior,

Now invites you, “Come and dine;”

Jimmy’s waiting at the table—

Till we make our heavenly climb.

—James Hoover, Loaves & Fishes magazine staff

Publishing Update

Issue 54: Evangelism

Since our October newsletter was published, issue 53 was shipped. We are currently finishing up issue 54, and hope to have it ready for editing and design soon. Our current bank account balance is around $13,000. We project a printing cost of $22,000 for this issue, and a postage cost of around $9,000. With design and other expenses, the total cost of this issue is expected to be around $35,000, so our goal is to raise an additional $22,000 in funding by press time.

Nov 05

October 2024 Update

News

Change and Hopelessness

One of the most depressing realities in life is the difficulty of change. My personal weaknesses sometimes have such a grip on me that I can feel like there is no way I will ever overcome them. I’ll never succeed in becoming the person Jesus would have me to be.

Looking around, there is also reason to be pessimistic. Much as you pray, hope, and try to help, the problems of people that we care about and attempt to serve just will not go away. It is hopeless!

And if that were not enough, our world is stuck in age-old ruts of conflict and despair. One would think that with modern science and centuries of humanimprovement at this point, we would be living in a much better world than our forefathers. But are we? The more things change, the more they stay the same.

And then I think of that friend who overcame significant health challenges simply by faithfully exercising discipline over time. I think of another acquaintance who emerged from a prison experience as a faithful brother and evangelist for the gospel.

In fact, every day I interact with people who have changed from being selfish or obnoxious or ungodly into being lovely, content, and mature men and women. Even one of these stories is enough to lift the attitude of hopelessness that wants to overwhelm us. Change is real. It happens!

But how? The answer is simple, yet complex. Change is only possible through the supernatural power of Jesus. At the same time, God asks us to play a role. He calls us to renew our minds. As we contemplate God’s glory, we are transformed into His likeness.

God calls us to put off the old self. When we confess our sins, He affects change in our lives—we become clean. God calls us to die, and then Christ lives His life within us. As we begin to walk with God, we (and others) observe the tangible results, and suddenly hope comes alive. Change is real!

We play a part, but we can’t begin to do it ourselves. Remember that when working to help others change. They need your help and God’s help, and when combined with their own will to grow, the results can be truly astonishing. Keep working for change!

—Mike Fisher, Manager of Operations

Issue #53 Status

Issue 53 has been shipped to our readers and distributors. This is the third issue of the year, and we are blessed to share it with our readers. We are so grateful to our donors for the gifts that have enabled this project.

Issue #54: Evangelism

At this time we have begun work on our next issue. The topic will be evangelism. Prisons are ripe fields for evangelistic work, but they also are home to Christians who may have the spiritual maturity and the opportunity to reach out to others in need. These believers need instruction on the task that all Christians should be engaged in: reaching the world for Christ.

Will issue 54 be our fourth issue of the year? We would love to see it happen! It will require partnership between our donors and our magazine staff. As God provides the resources through your kindness, we will do our best to steward our resources and prepare more Bible-based content for prisoners.

Distributor Feedback

Inmates love it. It has the Word, stories, Bible studies, and crossword puzzles. It is great!

—Chaplain John Benson, Tucson, AZ

Reader Feedback

I just want to say thank you for providing this wonderful periodical free of charge. This helps individuals who don’t have much money, like me, to further our studies and ultimately continue to strengthen our relationship with the Lord. I absolutely enjoy all the material you include in each issue. God Bless.

—Justin McDonald, Lubbock, TX

Jul 13

June 2024 Update

News

Not to Resist an Evil Person

Since its founding, Lighthouse Publishing has been operated by churches and staff who share the Anabaptist theological perspective. The more well-known churches in this framework are typically the Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites, or Church of the Brethren. Sometimes, these sorts of churches are known as the “peace churches.”

Although Loaves & Fishes is intended to be of help to a broad range of faith traditions within Christianity, sometimes our unique perspective may be evident to a discerning reader. Our next issue is about one of the teachings of Jesus that have come to define the Anabaptist position.

Jesus taught that not only should one not resist an evil person, but that evil should be repaid with doing good. It is an idea that can be very difficult to put into practice, and there are many opinions about what this means for Christians living in a world filled with evil. 

Regardless of your exact views about how we should treat those who would do harm to us or others, I hope you will see the clear benefit of encouraging Christians in prison to live in peace with others. In an environment that is often characterized by selfishness, manipulation, and strife, Christians have a unique opportunity to love their enemies and respond unselfishly and kindly to anger, hatred, and violence.

The willingness of Jesus to lay down His own will and ultimately His life is the supreme example of the power of good over evil. In issue 52, it is our goal to point our readers to this sacrifice and call them to follow Jesus’ example of love and peace.

Challenges We Face

It is nothing unusual to face challenges in non-profit work, and we typically make our donors and others aware of our needs. So, we want to make you all aware of developments that are affecting our ability to ship Loaves & Fishes into some facilities. Some prisons apparently are now choosing to disallow the receipt of paper publications, including books and magazines.

Some of our longtime distributors are contacting us to let us know of this change and the need to discontinue their subscriptions. This has a negative effect on our circulation, and I want to invite all of you to pray with us that the opportunity to ship our magazines into prisons would remain open in as many facilities as possible.

In addition to praying with us, we invite those of you who distribute Loaves & Fishes to spread the word to colleagues, friends, and acquaintances who may benefit from receiving the magazine. In our last newsletter, we informed our distributors about the availability of back issues, and many of you responded with requests for extra magazines. We were delighted to fill those requests. Thanks for helping us to put our inventory to good use.

Since we have been unusually blessed with financial support recently, we are currently able to publish Loaves & Fishes on a quarterly schedule, a goal of our organization for many years. We gratefully receive the gifts our donors provide, and on behalf of the thousands who read and distribute our materials, thank you so much.

Issue 52 Status

Our next issue is expected to ship in late June to early July. The cost is fully funded. Pray with us that the thousands of packages that are shipped would reach those in need at just the right time, and for energy and inspiration for our editorial staff. Thank you again for your support.

Distributor Feedback

The Spiritual Care Team at Eastern State Hospital are so grateful for your generous donations. The Loaves & Fishes Bible study publications are a great blessing to all our patients as they are being reminded of the importance of their faith and the amazing love of God. Thank you to all at Lighthouse Publishing for all that you do.

—Rev. Ana Rivera-Georgescu/ Religious Coordinator, Eastern State Hospital, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services

Reader Feedback

It is nice that people always think about people in jail. We always experience abandonment from our loved ones. But God is always at our side. Thank you! Keep up the good work.

—Margentina Panilla, Prince George’s County Correctional Center, Upper Marlboro, MD

Thank you for the awesome publication. It really helps us and inspires us prisoners and lets us know we are not alone.

—Christopher Brenner, FMC Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX

Apr 24

April 2024 Update

News

 Springtime!

The time of year when many living things turn from brown to green is my favorite season. I love to see the emergence of buds and the spring cultivation of fields and gardens.

In my day job, I manage a grocery store, and in my business, we pay a lot of attention to what is growing in warmer regions. This is because those areas are our sources for produce during the colder seasons.

I have the privilege of observing strawberry pickers in North Carolina, and I am fascinated by their skill, teamwork, and work ethic. A hundred pickers will begin at one end of a field, and in an hour’s time, they can harvest an entire massive field and bring in a truckload of beautiful fresh fruit.

As each pail of berries comes in from the field, supervisors check them for quality, pack them in retail flats, and scan the picker’s cards to ensure each picker is paid for his or her work.

Currently, we ship Loaves & Fishes to about 350 bulk subscribers. I envision this group of people working in God’s fields every day, bringing in a beautiful harvest.

The addition of souls to the kingdom of God is the first goal we seek, but further than that, we want to see them cultivated and developed in the same way we would care for fruit-bearing plants. We hope to see the harvest enhanced by character growth, increase of knowledge, and spiritual formation.

Finally, we know that at the end of the day, as we individually bring in the fruit we have harvested, God waits with a reward of blessing. He will not forget our labor of love.

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23,24).

—Mike Fisher, Operations Manager

Need Extra Magazines?

If you distribute Loaves & Fishes, be aware that we currently have an abundance of inventory of certain back issues. Each time we publish, we order from 5,000-10,000 extra copies so we have the ability to immediately fill new subscriptions that come in.

At this time, we have plenty of inventory of the following issues: 51, 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, and 40. We have lesser quantities of the following issues as well: 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 28, 27, 26, 25, and 24.

If you can use any of these in your work, please let us know how many you can use, and we would be delighted to send them to you, as always free of charge. All we ask is that you put them into the hands of prison inmates who might find them a blessing.

Issue 51 Shipped

Issue 51 was shipped in mid-March. We ordered 69,150 copies of the magazine, with a circulation of 62,215 at the time of mailing. The cost of printing and shipping this issue was  $26,881.13, for a cost of 40¢ per printed piece.

This issue was published and shipped one month of schedule, and represents the first time we have been able to publish on a three-month interval. It has long been our goal to publish quarterly. Thanks to our donors who generously supported this project.

Issue 52 Update

Our team is currently working on producing issue 52. The theme of the issue is “Nonresistance,” or the idea of suffering love taught and exemplified by Jesus and His followers.

In prison, fighting and retribution are normal life, and are often considered necessary for survival. We hope to point our readers to the example of Jesus, who laid down His life so others could benefit, and think about what this might mean for prison life.

As of this writing, our funds on hand are around $19,000. We have a goal of shipping the next issue in mid-June. In the intervening time, we hope to raise a minimum of $12,000-15,000 to cover the cost of printing issue 52 and cover overhead expenses.

Donors to this ministry are deeply appreciated as an integral part of our work. May God richly bless those of you who give as you are able.

Distributor Feedback

I have a friend in Fresno California who is a street preacher. He reaches the worst of the worst. I sometimes send him boxes of tracts and small Bibles to pass out. I was recently given a whole box of  Loaves and Fishes magazines and I wanted to let you know that I'm sending them out there. So, from Pennsylvania to Tennessee then out to California this message of Jesus Christ will go. The impact you're making has not gone unnoticed. Thank you!

—Elizabeth Spivey

I am the Chaplain at Halawa Correctional Facility, the main facility in Hawaii. The Chapel is not funded by the State, and everything we have is by donation to make available for the inmate population. Your Loaves & Fishes Magazine is a blessing to the men here in Halawa. We have approximately 200-250 inmates attending chapel services on a weekly basis. We serve a prison population of over 850 inmates. 

With Warmest Aloha, 

—Chaplain Alan Leigh, Aiea, Hawaii 

Reader Feedback

Thank you all for this amazing booklet. I enjoy everything inside it all the time! Especially all the great stories and testimonies from different walks and persons. God Bless.

—Sergio Rojas Lara, CCI, Tehachapi, CA

Thank you for your magazine! It's very uplifting and touches on things we will need in the real world as well as things we can use while incarcerated. The Bible studies help give me a direction to go when I'm swamped with verses to read.Thanks for helping to bring hope where it feels hard to come by sometimes.

—Brittany Barnes, BJC, Texarkana, TX


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