March 2021 Newsletter

 Dear Friend of FOA,

March is one of my favorite times of year because garden preparations are under way.  Since 2012, it has been my responsibility to oversee our garden each year.  While there is a lot of hard work involved every year in our garden there are also plenty of spiritual principles the Lord uses in a garden to teach us truth.  In just a few short weeks we will hook the plow up to the tractor and break the ground to prepare it to receive the seeds we will plant.  Each year as I plow our garden, I think of the work the Lord is doing to prepare people’s hearts to receive the seed of His Word.  Our prayer for the men the Lord sends to us is that they will have a prepared heart to receive the Word.  We pray that for men here and the men on our waiting list who we hope will soon join us.    

Preparation is a key spiritual principle that the Lord does to bring us to the place where we see our NEED.  Preparation hurts!  But it is necessary.  If we don’t prepare our soil properly, we will not have a good crop.  If people don’t see their need of the Lord then why would they be interested in His Word?  Most every man that comes through our gate is coming because he has been broken in some fashion.  Our prayer is that the brokenness will be used by God to open their hearts to the truth of His Word.  Thank you for praying with us for the men the Lord sends our way.

At the end of February we experienced quite a unique week for Mississippi with a winter weather storm that is abnormal for us.  I know much of the country experienced this storm as well.  While this storm impacted so many negatively, we were thankful that we didn’t experience any major problems.  We only lost power for a few hours and we never lost our water as so many did in the city of Jackson.  We definitely had some burst pipes from the consistent freezing temperatures, but we were able to get those fixed pretty quickly. 

As for the effects of Covid, we are continuing to bring men into the program after a few days in quarantine.  We are hopeful that we are nearing the end of a quarantine house so we can get men in much faster and fill up our beds.  Some of our men have been able to receive the vaccine at this point.  We continue to trust the Lord in His timing with this pandemic.  Thank you for your prayers and support of FOA!

Resting in Our Hope in the Lord,

Aaron Bonner

February 2021 Newsletter

Dear Friend of FOA, 

I love the simplicity of the gospel message. We must come to see our need - we can’t save ourselves or produce anything righteous or acceptable to God. That statement is offensive to many, but it is the truth of God’s Word. Only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ can someone be saved, and as a result God receives all the glory. 

The gospel message continues into the Christian life with the same simplicity. We must come to see our need – we can’t live the Christian life ourselves. Christ tells us in John 15 that apart from Him we can do nothing. Paul tells us in Romans 7 that in our flesh dwells no good thing. This message can also be offensive to the believer. The downward growth of recognizing these truths is necessary for us to see God’s provision. Just as we found faith in Christ sufficient for salvation, we will find faith in Christ sufficient for the Christian life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NASB). And of course, God receives all the glory. 

We have the privilege to teach these truths each day to the men the Lord brings our way. We do not teach the wisdom of the world but the wisdom from God. To the unbeliever it is foolishness but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. Thank you for being a part of what God is doing in the lives of men at FOA. 

In last month’s letter I mentioned that we had a positive Covid test from our men returning from Christmas pass. After 4 more positive tests, these men finally got out of quarantine on February 1st after just over a month. We are thankful there were no severe cases that required hospitalization. However, this delayed our ability to bring new men into our program. We look forward to once again starting the process of bringing new men in. Please pray for them to be prepared to receive the truth of the Word of God. Thank you for your continued prayers for the protection of our ministry from coronavirus. 

Trusting in the Faithful One, 

Aaron Bonner

January 2021 Newsletter

 Dear Friend of FOA,

 A New Year is before us, and while some want to forget 2020 I am thankful the Lord is always at work. Last year had plenty of trials but the Lord is always faithful to use trials to teach us more of His faithfulness and sufficiency. While things here at our ministry changed, the unchangeable Word of God continued to change lives. In 2020 we saw the Lord continue to send broken men our way and change their lives through the gospel of Jesus Christ – the power of God unto salvation for all those who believe. In 2021, we will continue teaching the unchanging Word each day to the men the Lord brings our way. The brokenness of our world magnifies our need of Christ.

 Just yesterday I had a difficult phone call from the mother of a student who left last week after just a few weeks with us. He left early due to medical needs. Unfortunately, upon his return home he continued his drug use, and this call was to tell me he had died from a drug overdose. We grieve with his family. Just a couple of weeks ago this man told me that he was a believer in Jesus Christ and wanted to change his life. I am hopeful that he was indeed a child of God through faith in Christ. His death hit our students hard and reminded all of us where our sin can lead. Please pray for his family and pray for our students to understand the importance of walking with Christ.

 At Christmas we allowed 12 students to go home on pass. They returned and quarantined. Unfortunately, we had a positive test for Covid and they are still quarantined. No one has had any major symptoms. Please pray for these 12 men and our staff member, Anthony Horne, who is with them in quarantine.

 Thank you all so much for your response in giving to help with the Christmas bags for our men.  Your generosity allowed us to fill their bags with needed items and to have some left over to share with new men who come into our program. 

 Finally, I want to make you aware of a recent article that John Lee wrote in the Madison County Journal about FOA and Dad’s recent retirement. If you are interested, you can find it online by searching “Madison County Journal Friends of Alcoholics.” 

 With gratefulness for God’s faithfulness to use His Word to change our lives,

 Aaron Bonner

December 2020 Newsletter

 Dear Friend of FOA,

 As we approach Christmas this year, we have the privilege of celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Christ humbled Himself and took on human flesh. He was born of a virgin to be our sinless Savior. He was born in Bethlehem – the same city where sacrificial lambs were raised for the sacrifices in Jerusalem each year. He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We celebrate His birth because He was the promised seed of the woman mentioned in Genesis 3.  He came into the world for a reason.  He went to the cross as our substitute to pay the price of our sin.  We are purchased by His blood.  He was raised on the 3^rd day defeating death and sin. He now is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven as our great High Priest. Mankind has the full provision of salvation available if we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.

 In Colossians 3 we are told to set our minds on things above.  In Hebrews 12 we are told to fix our eyes on Jesus. While we celebrate his birth, we do not fix our eyes on the manger because Christ is not there.  While we remember his death, we do not fix our eyes on the cross because Christ is not there. Oh that we as believers would come to fix our eyes where Christ is in glory.  Oh that we as believers would understand our position in Christ and abide above where God has placed us in Christ.  God tells us in Ephesians 2 that we are seated with Christ.  This year as we celebrate Christ’s birth with thanksgiving for God’s faithful provision, let your mind dwell on all that He has provided for you as a believer in Christ.  This is the true and authentic message of love, peace, joy and hope that God has given us. 

 We have the privilege at FOA to proclaim this message each day to the men the Lord sends our way. Thank you for praying for these men. Their need has been met in Christ and it is our prayer that they recognize His provision.  At the end of November, we had one of our men trust Christ as his Savior!  Praise the Lord!  Thank you for praying for our staff as we rest in the provision of Christ’s life to minister God’s Word each day.  Please pray for our men during this time of year as most will be separated from family.  We desire to encourage them in these days and to remind them of the great gift God has provided for them in Christ!

 With gratefulness for God’s full Provision in Christ and your support,

 Aaron Bonner