 Dear Family & Friends, Look up! Lift your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh! (Luke 21:28) There are a lot of speculations for this upcoming solar eclipse on April 8th. We are sure you have heard or even felt the buzzing going around. Whether you believe it is biblical or whether you believe it is coincidental, you cannot deny the One who created the sun and the moon. Whatever the reason, there is a purpose for it. We believe if you have Jesus in your heart, you are already looking up, lifting your head, and understanding your redemption draweth nigh because it could happen at any minute of your life – like it has already for many of our loved ones who have gone before us. Brent and I have recently moved our RV to the Bastrop RV Park where we have been blessed with a shade tree, carport, storage shed and lean-to porch. One of the best parts about our location is we are .9 miles from our church with lots of potential to reach many in this RV park for Christ. This park is full of long-term residents that need a dose of Shepherd Ministries’ love. One beautiful neighbor we met is Somer Ann. Somer Ann is a missionary who has asked us for help with transporting her small RV to Dickinson, Texas. She has been called to team up with another missionary there to help with those who have missing loved ones. Please keep us in your prayers as we will transport her on Wednesday, March 27th. She has already taken us around this RV park and has introduced us to many friendly people. Passing the baton is what we call it. She has an amazing love for Christ and is a strong witness for Him. As a gift for her friendship and love to us, Brent surprised Somer Ann by power washing her RV preparing it for new beginnings. Please pray for her safety, strength, and endurance in this new chapter in her life. On Wednesday, we received a text from one of the residents we met in this RV park, her name was Alison. She asked for prayer for another couple in the RV park we had not met named Kathy & Joe. Joe is in hospice care and Kathy was not in a good way, she hasn’t been sleeping and she hadn’t been eating. Brent and I decided to pick up soup and a sandwich and immediately made our way to her RV. We introduced ourselves and listened to her share openly about her husband’s situation. We prayed with her and told her we were here if she found herself not wanting to be alone and she could call us anytime of the day. She was so grateful for our visit and has been in touch since we saw her last. Please pray for Kathy & Joe. Last Saturday, March 16, Brent was ordained a Chaplain for Heirs of Grace church. He was the first Chaplain ordained by Heirs of Grace and it was a wonderful sight to see friends come out to support Brent and be a part of this honorable event. We would like to thank the Soldiers of Christ Ministries Chaplains for their long drive in from Georgetown and San Antonio, Texas, to witness Brent’s ordination. All those who attended made it incredibly special for us both. Recently a beautiful sister in Christ named Nancy, a professional Spanish teacher, asked if she could teach me Spanish at no cost. I am so honored to have this opportunity and could not want anything more right now, especially with the border issues. What a blessing from God! I began taking lessons about a month ago and believe me when I say it is hard trying to get back into school mode after all these years. Please pray that my mind will grasp it, retain it, and rejoice in it. Thanks for your love and support, we are looking forward to our growth in this RV park and watching the Lord move. Please keep us in prayer that we will be able to touch many lives for Christ - and sooner than later, for their redemption draweth nigh! In Faith, Hope & Love, Chaplain Brent & Laura Jones “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” Deuteronomy 28:6-10 P.S. – See pictures attached.  
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 Hello Family & Friends, As 2023 ends, we want to tell you how much we appreciate all the prayers and support that we received from each and every one of you. Maybe you’re thinking, well, I didn’t really pray a whole lot for them, or I could have prayed more, we collectively are a body and when you don’t, there’s another that is. We totally believe that in the Spirit we are all one, and when we have need, the Lord prompts His children to begin praying for that one person, or a whole nation. When we look back at 2023, we remember lots of faces and hearts of people that were helped, not just the ones in our newsletters, but even those that came against us after trying to help and serve them. It is heartbreaking when we are here for the least of these, but they are bound by evil and desire not the goodness of God, but only what they can get from the kindhearted. We pray the Lord’s protection over all of you. We hope you enjoy the pictures below – we love being able to help people and share the gospel with who we can and where we can. These few pictures include some of those we have served and those we partner with to serve others. Our presence may be the only Jesus anyone sees that day, so if we remember that – it makes it easier to trust that God can and will use us for His purpose that day. We pray that as you look back over this past year of your life, that you will be able to see the goodness of God and how He uses you and protects you each day. We are thankful to Him for you! We want to take the time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! We ask for prayer for Shepherd Ministries as we embrace the challenges that await us in 2024. Thank y’all so much! In Faith, Hope & Love, Chaplains Brent & Laura Jones  Hello Family!
Shepherd Ministries of Central Texas (SMCT), has been "an answer to prayer!" for quite a few people in multiple ways this past year. We shamelessly write this because Brent and I are called to bring the love of Christ into each situation and point people to Jesus - as He is the answer to their needs and the reason for our involvement. We witness firsthand how He touches people's lives daily with His kindness, goodness, and love and we get to share with them about His saving grace. We often get calls like this: "Brent and Laura, can you help us find help for this elderly disabled woman? Brent, can you come talk to my cousin, he just got out of prison... Hey Brent and Laura, there's this homeless guy that needs help.... Laura, can you talk to this person and see if y'all can help them?" Over and over we answer the calls, but God gets the glory! This last year SMCT helped many people with everyday living expenses (utilities, rent, food), medical bills, dental visits, eyeglass replacements, etc. We visit the lonely and aging, and pray with those who have no one else...We have also been a blessing to local ministries like Bastrop Pregnancy Resource Center, Hope House of Bastrop, Help For All Nations, Hands and Feet Ministry, and many others. We have made ourselves available to the Lord to be His hands and feet, but we can't do it alone! That is where you come in. Would you help us continue to be available to answer the calls that come to us daily? We expect them to only increase. Whether it's a one-time end of year gift or a monthly commitment, no matter the size, we need help to be available to help others. We are not looking for recognition for what we do, we are just grateful for the opportunity to serve as missionaries on American soil. This is our deepest desire and with you as a partner, it will be accomplished. To donate online - click on www.centraltx.org and then click on the donate button. Or you can write a check out to Shepherd Ministries and mail it to P.O. Box 364 Bastrop, TX 78602. If you prefer to use ACH, please text or call us at 512-784-5585 or 512-321-0669 and we can send you that information. Thank you for considering and remembering us. We cannot overestimate how much it means to us to know you are behind us as we minister to the least of these everyday. Thank you for your love, prayers, and support. We are truly grateful for each of you. We wish you and your family a blessed and merry Christmas season! Much Love to you all ~ Your Friends, Brent & Laura Jones Chaplains Hello Family & Friends,
In James chapter 4, James gets all the way through an explanation of our dependence on God then says on the last line (vs. 17) “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Between that, and Jesus Himself saying, “love each other as I have loved you,” - that sets an excellent standard for how we should go about our lives in this chaotic world. In our experiences we see walls and barriers come down on a personal level when we stick to those two principles of doing good, and love’em like Jesus. The miracles we see in this Bastrop community are a daily fascination to us, and we so love to share the remarkable things God does with the lives of those around us! (Acts 2:46-47). Since our last newsletter in August, there has been a whirlwind of activity within the ministry, as well as in the world. What we realize is that our willingness to help others just looks different lately. In fact, it has opened our eyes to see the wide diversity and unique needs that were used to magnify and glorify the Lord by just answering the call and allowing Him to do the work through the ministry. There seems to be no limits to God’s grace. Our stories here reflect on some of these instances. Edie has been someone that Brent and I have been walking with for the past year. We have seen how her spiritual life has been drawing closer to the Lord and witnessed her baptism in a private pool this past summer. So, it was no surprise when she asked us for help with her sick dog Duchess. Duchess was her 13 yr. old Rhodesian Ridgeback dog that could no longer use her hind legs to get around and her weight was too much for Edie to carry in and out of the house. Edie hated what she knew she needed to do, and that was to release Duchess from her suffering. The problem she had was there was no way to get her to the vet. One morning Brent decided it was time to help Edie with Duchess and he called her and told her to get ready, we are taking Duchess to the vet. Brent was able to load up Duchess in his backseat and proceeded to spend the rest of the afternoon taking all the steps with Edie as the vet released her Duchess from pain. Edie was not prepared for the instant grief that would follow, but it meant much to have Brent there to comfort her. Brent took Edie and Duchess back home and dug a grave for Duchess in the backyard. When Brent returned home, he said it was a very taxing, emotional experience for both Edie and him as well. Brent allowed me to debrief him and then I prayed peace over him. I love how Brent loves like Christ. Another request came from Wayne, a childhood friend of Brent’s who lives in the Corpus Christi area. Wayne had a coworker, we will call him Tom, who was injured in a motorcycle accident, had not returned to work, and was spiraling downhill into depression. Wayne could tell that Tom needed help like counseling or something, and so he reached out to Brent, thinking Brent could talk to him. Brent was prompted to contact an ex-employer, Frank – a strong man of God, who retired from construction work and became a life coach with Serenity Counseling and Life Coaching Services. Frank told Brent that if Tom were ready to attend counseling, he would set him up an appointment to have him come in for consultation. Brent reached out to Tom, and he agreed to counseling but had no income to pay for his visits. Shepherd Ministries agreed to pay for six counseling sessions for Tom with Serenity Counseling and Life Coaching Services. The sessions proved to be successful, Tom received his dignity back, is now back at work and getting his life back in order. Tom was very thankful for the counseling sessions, and Wayne witnessed firsthand the touch of our faithful God. Shepherd Ministries received a phone call from a nurse at Humana Hospital looking for help for a patient. Seems Darla, a disabled elderly woman, who lives in Georgetown, an hour drive away from Bastrop, had her friend Kelly, a nurse, calling around to help her find someone, anyone to help put together a leather recliner that was delivered in three separate boxes and needed assembly. We still are not sure how Kelly received our number but an act of God, no doubt - Brent knew it was something he could do. We asked people we knew who lived in the Georgetown area, but we could not find help, so Brent drove to Georgetown and pieced together the recliner for Darla. While he was there Darla, and her younger caregiver were given hope through Brent sharing Jesus Christ is the only answer to it all. No doubt it was a divine appointment and he loved how Jesus used him to speak truth into their lives. Brent and I continue to maintain discipleship through men’s and women’s groups including state jail ministry, and chaplaincy meetings weekly. We are fascinated and honored to be called on to bring the love and the messages of Jesus Christ to those around us daily. You see, Shepherd Ministries of Central Texas is who we are and loving and caring for people is what we do. We appreciate your love, prayers, and support which we know is God’s gift to us. Do you have any concerns or need a listening ear? Please call, text, or email us - we would love to hear from you. You are on our hearts too, let us pray with you. God bless you family! In Faith, Hope, and Love, Brent & Laura Jones  Hello Family, In our last newsletter, we wrote about Jack who was needing help moving, was ill, and was baptized with the help of Brent. Jack became a friend and a brother in Christ in the last month of his life and on Thursday, May 26th, Jack left this earth to be with his Father in Heaven. He never waivered in his belief that he was going to heaven and the messages on Brent’s cell phone proved he was ready and his love for Jesus and for Brent were real. One desire that Jack had was for Brent to connect with his 36 yr. old son Zack. The night before Jack’s passing, Brent and Zack finally met in person for dinner. They have become fast friends. We have been ministering to Zack since his dad’s passing and have helped him with some burden’s left behind. We will continue to shepherd Zack through this season and will remain friends for life. Michael is a disabled man on a walker who barely made it out of his house alive as an electrical short set his house on fire and burned it to the ground. We have been aiding in the emotional and spiritual support that Michael has needed over these last few weeks. We asked him to go to ADRN (Austin Disaster Relief Network), and as volunteers of ADRN, we have agreed to be the Disaster Relief Shepherd for Michael through this traumatic season. We will provide the connections to clear his property of the debris that was once his home, and we have faith that the Lord will provide for the house replacement to fill Michael’s need. This incident with Jack and with Michael, has Brent and I looking for ways to help those in need in times such as these. We desire to learn more about hospice, more about indigent care that’s available for indigent individuals, and ways to tap into resources for those in need that are available in this city/county for these types of circumstances. We have connected with a Pastor friend of ours to talk about end-of-life ministry. The Lord has laid it on both our hearts to minister one-on-one with love, to these individuals He will put in our path. Please pray for Zack’s healing and Michael’s recovery and pray that the Lord continues to give us discernment and revelation regarding the care we are to provide as shepherds for those hurting or in need. And finally, on May 22nd, the Bastrop Christian Ministerial Alliance worked with teachers and students of the graduating class at Bastrop High School and Cedar Creek High School to put together a baccalaureate that was student lead. As members of the BCMA, I volunteered to decorate the fellowship hall and create a party atmosphere with refreshments and door prizes for those students who participated. We had many churches and businesses around Bastrop and Cedar Creek participate with donating prizes for this event. My help came from Brent, Leslie, Priscilla, Marianne, and the Lord. I couldn’t have done it without them. A total of 28 students participated, along with their families. God is so good; all the students went home with a door prize! So, from “end of life” we see the opportunity to help with “new beginnings” which is why we’re so grateful to the Lord for our donors that make our presence in these situations possible! Thank you for your love and support. “May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 (NLT) We love you family! Brent and Laura Jones 
 Hello Family – we are so pleased to share with you our first newsletter as Shepherd Ministries of Central Texas. We pray you are blessed by it! An ongoing duty for being a faithfully present minister is not only maintaining past relationships with God encounters, but also being ready when the Lord presents new opportunities for us to be His vessel to shine through. “What does that even mean?” you may ask. Well, let me give some examples. We have established many connections with others that love to help people. One such “soul lover” is a Wesley Nurse named Delilah, a bi-lingual woman of many talents who called us wanting to know how to help “Jack”. I quickly asked for Jack’s phone number and called him. Turns out, Jack needed help moving in a few days, and he has health challenges that prevent him from doing this without help. I decided to get his address for a one-on-one “encounter,” which is my favorite way to connect. By the time two hours passed, Jack had shared his struggles and had a heart full of gratitude for our response. We worked with him to get a plan together, which began easing his mind. I invited Jack to attend a men’s Bible study at the church the same evening and it was good to see him there. And yes, this all happened in the same day. God can move quickly in the hearts of those who seek Him, and a few days later, Jack and I went to the Colorado river at Fisherman’s Park, where Pastor Billy baptized him. It was so beautiful! (Acts 2:38). Jack came out of the water glowing, and we sat him down so he could witness six more people being baptized. One of those others being baptized was Angela, who Laura has been spending time with at a class for new believers. Laura attends this class with new believers she invites, so they don’t feel awkward or alone. Laura was honored to assist Pastor Billy with baptizing Angela, which for us in the Christian community is a declaration that we identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our willingness to follow Him as our King until He returns. The true transformation of sincere believers is astonishing, and we are so awed by what our God can do through people whose hearts beat for Him! We have also witnessed God’s presence in times of turbulence. On March 21st, many towns in Bastrop and Williamson Counties found themselves on tornado watch, and the city of Round Rock was hit by a cyclone, which took everyone by surprise. Laura and I served with Austin Disaster Relief Network days after the event and provided emotional and spiritual support to many who were affected by it. Laura ministered to one woman still reeling from the event, full of nervous energy as she told her story. She mentioned she was watching the news, which is how she was warned about the cyclone. She and her husband were heading to the closet when her doorbell rang. She ran to answer it, and a young lady was standing at the door asking to come in for safety. She let her in and took her into their safe place - just as she asked the girl her name, the tornado had passed, and there was no more wind. They had some major damage to their house, but she said because her interest was on the girl more than the storm, she didn’t even realize what was going on around them. The young lady, a house guest of their next-door neighbor, was left home alone and was afraid.   Laura & Brent having fun at Celebration Community Church’s 35th Anniversary. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the tornadoes, but many received extensive damage and this lady’s neighborhood had just regained electricity five days after the tornado. After praying with this woman, she was relieved to know that we were there to listen and help. Trained to respond to this kind of trauma, Laura explained that her nervous energy was normal behavior for a normal person who had gone through an abnormal event. She explained that many other emotions would arise in the coming days and to be on the lookout for what she might experience with herself, her husband or even neighbors that have also been affected. ADRN serves the hurting, providing resources to help restore lives. Jesus heals the hurting, and Laura and I know first-hand how gentle He is with those who experience the damage and trauma when natural disaster hits the place they call home. Knowing that we are stronger and more effective when we band together and serve, Shepherd Ministries of Central Texas will be joining a group of other Christian ministries in Bastrop County. The Bastrop Christian Ministerial Alliance (BCMA) is a diverse group of Pastors and Leaders of ministries within the Bastrop area that meets once a month to address the needs of the community and they plan events to bring the city of Bastrop together for Christ. Recently, they hosted an early Sunrise Service on Easter Sunday for the whole community of the city of Bastrop. And through BCMA, Bastrop is one of two cities in Texas that have signed up for the March for Jesus, the other city being Dallas, Texas. We invite you and your family to join us here in Bastrop, Texas at Fisherman’s Park on June 4th at 9:00 a.m. at the Pre-March Rally starting point. We will march to the Bastrop County Courthouse through downtown Main Street beginning at 10:00 a.m. Rain or Shine! The specific purpose of this occasion is to positively declare Who we are for, not what we are against. We will leave our denominational differences behind to come together to lavish all our praise upon Jesus. It’s going to be phenomenal! We are stronger and more effective too because of your prayers and support. If you want to partner with us, please find our donation link at www.centraltx.org. Any gift amount would be greatly appreciated. We are extremely blessed to be able to write to you today. We pray all is going well with you and your family. Please email or call us with any prayer needs or let us know of someone who needs help, we will be happy to assist in any way we can. We love you family. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
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AuthorShepherd Ministries of Central Texas Archives
August 2024
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