It really seems like in the last few years that the meaning of my name has held true to its meaning.
April of 2009- Major pruning happened in my life. I started waking up! Worked at Elk's Camp Grassick
January of 2010-I was asked to be on leadership for Chi Alpha Campus Ministry at DSU.
May-June 2010- Went on a mission trip to Ethiopia for a month to work and minister to kids in an orphanage.
September of 2010- Was asked to lead a men's small group bible study on the college campus for the year.
Janurary 2011- Asked by Pastor Josh Skjoldal to be on his youth leadership team.
February-May 2011- I was asked to be the Youth For Christ Director for the Dickinson High School for the spring semester.
May 2011-Starting Berean School of the Bible to become a certified minister.
There has definitely been an increase happening in my life since I have taken the initiative and accepted Jesus back into my life in April of 2009. When I decided to commit my gifts, abilities, dreams, and whole life to God, he started a road for me, a road of increase. Before that moment in my life, I was going nowhere! I was running a race but a race on a treadmill. I wasn't getting anywhere. God wanted me to run a race, a race at a pace that would actually get me somewhere. A place of great Destiny! Looking back at this list I have just made and pondering it, I can't believe all that has happened in that time frame! Time has flown by. Looking at this list, God started out small. He knew my spirit was very sensitive back in the summer of 2009. He gave me a task, a new task to work at and that was working with kids with disabilities at Camp Grassick. God knows us better than we even know our own selves. God had a plan and he knew how to go about it to get me to where I am today. As my growth has happened through these past couple of years, my spirit and life has strengthened and I have noticed that when my spirit becomes stronger, God asks me to do bigger tasks. Did I make some boo boos on the way? Oh yes I did! It was how I handled them this time in my life that made the real big difference. It was a way of a relationship with someone that knew how to work those situations out for my good. It was someone that knew how to love, give wisdom, knowledge, peace, restoration, and to give a great future. His name is Jesus Christ. He has never let me down no matter how many times I have let Him down on the highway of true life. By the grace of God, the awesome people that I have been in fellowship with and being mentored by some awesome men and women of God I am becoming the man God created me to be. I know I have a future in the name of Jesus! (Jeremiah 29:11)
I believe a persons given name from birth and its meaning can become part of the ministry God has in store for you and you only if you choose to walk for Him and to move in His calling for you. I know I didn't see much of an increase in my life before recommitting my life for Christ. I know I was falling deeper into a pit of darkness that I had no business being sucked into. (that is a whole other blog for another day...lol...) My prayer is that God continues to do increase in my life! I was reading 1 Chronicles 4:10 today and it says, Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. I know God wants to bring increase down into my life. I know in order for that to happen I must continue to meditate in His word, have a steady prayer and devotion life, draw closer to Him, and to say prayers just like this one that Jabez said because I know when I ask, I will receive.(Matthew 7:7-8) All I want to do is to increase in a life and calling that God wants from me. This is my mission.
The question I have for you is; Are you allowing God to move through the meaning of your name?
God Bless,
Joseph "God will Increase" Stefalo
Joe I just first off want to say that I love your picture up there. You look like you care for those kids so much, and you just want to share everything that God has done for you and want God to do the same in their lives too. It's amazing what God can do for people who love him, and try their hardest to keep his commandments. I know you do that, and God allowed his words to flow through you a couple times to encourage me to not lose faith in Him, but to praise Him no matter what! Lately I've been reading the word a lot, and trying to come closer to Him and gain a relationship that is like a chain that can't be broken. I feel Him near me everyday and it's awesome, cuz that is all I need to live my life. I got to share the word of God with like four or five people this week, and usually I'm way too scared but I had faith in God and all went well. I just hope that I can please God to the fullest everyday, kinda just like your mission Joe. Your always an inspiration, and I thank God that He put you in my life or visa versa hah. Thanx Joe, your awesome and God bless you =) From John Musick
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