Adult Bible Studies and Daily Devotions

Tom Donnelly

Israel

Pictures while my wife and I were in Israel.

Haiti

A couple pictures of from one of our mission trips to Haiti.  I have been there 7-8 times so far.  Please check out the following links to learn more:

www.CaribbeanChildrensFoundation.org

www.norainhaiti.spaces.live.com/

Firmly Rooted Financial Appeal

Dear family and friends,

I pray that this letter comes across as an appeal from my heart to yours.  Nearly a year ago Firmly Rooted Ministries was birthed as a teaching, training, counseling and mission ministry.  Since then, the Lord has richly blessed every area of this ministry:

-         Firmly Rooted continues to provide a website that contains daily devotions and recorded Bible studies.

-         I have been given the opportunity to teach two weekly classes in the Oxford area.

-         I have, and continue, to counsel several individuals and couples through personal spiritual issues.

-         Firmly Rooted has reached out in a big way to the city of Pontiac with gifts of compassion, food and spiritual support.

-         Since the Earthquake in Haiti, Firmly Rooted has provided the Children of Israel Orphanage with solar powered lamps, water purification devices, and monetary support.

I recently went to Haiti with my step-daughter Adrianne and we both come back with the intense desire to do more:

-         In my visit to Haiti I was asked by lay pastors to come to Haiti to teach and to train them.  Pastor Markey Kessa (the President of the Lutheran Church in Haiti) asked me to come and assist him in the training of 100 pastors in the next four to five years.

-         I have committed to the Izidor family that I would assist them in rebuilding the orphanage and making the Torbeck property what the late Pastor Israel Izidor envisioned it to be.  He dreamt that on that property there would be an orphanage, school, medical clinic, church and conference center.

I turned 50 this year and have spent a lot of time pondering what I have done for the kingdom of God. I personally have a tremendous tug on my heart to make the leap and go into full time ministry again.  My wife, Kimberly, is simultaneously experiencing the same tug on her heart.  We currently have wonderful jobs and with eyes of sight we can think of a hundred reasons why not to do what we’re thinking about doing.  But with eyes of faith we sense two things very clearly.  First, that God is calling us to spend the rest of our lives using the gifts He has given us full time.  Secondly, that He is aware of all of the eyes of sight issues and will have them under His control.

Kimberly and I have prayed about all of this for months and our conclusion is that the Lord wants us to be in full time ministry with Firmly Rooted.  We have been asking the Lord to open/close doors in all of these areas to help guide us in a direction.  God, over the last several months has clearly opened doors for both of us to continue to move toward full time ministry.  We feel called and compelled to serve the Lord in this way.  We have committed to go to Haiti for 6-8 weeks this summer to get some inertia behind the rebuilding process and to test further what our full time ministry should look like.

I am asking you to earnestly join us in prayer over this move.  It is important for Kimberly and me to follow the Lord’s lead and not our own.  We anticipate that the Lord will continue to speak to us as clearly as He has been as we all join in “homothumidon” (one mind) praying over this ministry.  Secondly, we ask that you earnestly pray about how you can financially support the ministry.  There is so much work to be done, but many hands make the work easy.  We need your involvement to make this possible.  I am asking you to consider supporting the ministry for a three year period.  I am asking you to consider an annual commitment of $1,000.00 in any increment you can make possible.  If 250 people/churches/organizations support Firmly Rooted with a $1,000.00 per year commitment this would provide Firmly Rooted with $250,000.00 per year to support the vision of the ministry as described above.  We would be able to continue to do the work we are doing, and more.  Your response to this appeal as soon as possible is important to us as we prayerfully develop our plans to move forward as God directs us into full time ministry with Firmly Rooted.   Please pray about this appeal and see where the Lord leads your heart.  If you choose to respond with a commitment of support please let us know through one of the following ways:

Email – tom@firmlyrooted.org

Paypal on the website www.firmlyrooted.org/your-support/

Mail to Firmly Rooted Ministries P.O. Box 751, Oxford, MI 48371

Your support, of course, is tax deductible.  Please be certain that Kimberly and I are praying for you as you consider this appeal.  We praise God that He is faithful to His children and will bless them as they choose to serve Him.

Peace!

Tom

INTRODUCTION

Firmly Rooted is a ministry offering Bible Studies, Daily Devotions, Counseling and Evangelistic Outeach.

I am so excited to have this opportunity to introduce this website to you.  My purpose is simple.  This site is a place for Christians to get together for Adult Bible Study (downloadable audio files) and Christian discussion.  I became a Christian when I was 16 years old (learn more about me).  I know what it is like try to study the Bible and only get more confused.  After graduating from the Seminary I began to look at the Bible in a different way.  I began to ask it questions.  In asking it questions, the Lord began to provide me answers.  The Lord used the Word to explain the Word to me in more clarity.

In order to get involved in this site make sure that you register, and then log in each time you return to the site.  As long as you are logged in, you can ask questions and post responses in the forums.  I hope the forums become a safe place for all of us to open up and discuss the Biblical and world view questions that seem to plague us and our world.  I do not claim to have all the answers, but collective we should be able to nail many of them.

I think we all know that we would be better witnesses to the world around us if we felt more confident that we had a better handle on Biblical truths.  The success of this site is directly connected to the level of support and involvement we all have in it.  Stay involved, invite others to get involved, and lets have some fun studying God’s Word and this world we live in.

Peace!

Tom

CHRISTIAN SUPPORT ON THE INTERNET

I thought it would be a good idea to list for you websites that have been helpful to me.  More will be added over time.

Personal Devotions

Max Lucado’s daily devotions have been a daily thing for me for years.

Biblical Research

Crosswalk Is a place for great Bible study support.

Biblical Teaching

A site where you can find free Sunday School lessons and teaching support.

Powerful Presentations

Lifehouse’s Everything is a must see for everyone!  Ever doubt that God loved and cared for you?  This is a must see!