Hello and welcome to Joy City, a weekly blog and podcast, hosted by yours truly, Stuart Welch the Lead Pastor of Life Connection Church located in Modesto, CA and my co-host brother John Cunningham Jr., who we call brother J.C. We want to invite you in, to join with an amazing community of friends that are quickly becoming an intimate part of our daily life. I am your host and excited to hear your stories and deliver great content that can help YOU change your life and truly transform as we celebrate the greatness of God and His presence in the every day moments of YOUR life. Knowing that the Creator, the Grand Weaver of our lives is present with us and then leaning into that Presence can be revolutionary for YOU, so let’s enter in, to the City – Joy City.

You see, Joy City isn’t a geographical location, it’s a place where YOU can find your joy and happiness in the kingdom of God, following hard after God and fulfilling the call of God in your life. It’s a place that welcomes us all with open arms. In Joy City faith is all important, our trust and confidence in the ways, will and word of God. Let me hip you to this; Jesus never uttered and opinion, He never guessed. He didn’t give us sound wisdom or keen observation like Solomon. Not at all, Jesus’ words are the essence of truth and when we adhere and follow them intently, we become stronger, healthier and joyful. Understanding that Christ overcame the world and for YOU and every other resident of Joy City, this brings great rejoicing.

We welcome Divine Adesida, one of our Conference Ministerial Candidates who tells us her journey to a relationship with Jesus, how her life plans and goals were interrupted by this life in Christ and her call to the ministry. Working in the Tech industry and making great occupational strides, yet quit her job in 2018 to travel the world and go to Bible School.

Divine shares about knowing she was “dead-set” on being a lawyer when she was 4-years old. She talks about being an immigrant, Nigerian born and travelled to the United States with her parents and four suitcases. Learning a new language, a new culture and being accepted.

Both of Divine’s parents are bi-vocational pastors and she was rather head-strong and a bit rebellious, doing it like she wanted to do it. She also speaks on rejection and relationships – just a powerful example of determination and trust in Jesus beyond all life’s circumstances. Rejected from graduate school three times, not finding her first true friend until she was 19 years old.

She comments about the work of the Holy Spirit in leading her into her calling to pastoral ministry. She is a worshipper and figured she would be a worship leader and walk in the prophetic calling in her life. It was a prophetic word by an instructor in Bible School.

Divine leaves us with, “To whoever may be listening to this, we prayed for you and we prepped for you. God loves you, cares for you and wants a relationship with you.”

So when God opens our eyes in Joy City we can clearly celebrate others for our differences, we can support one another in our efforts and we can cheer one another on in the spirit of unity and when One wins we all win.

No one can come face to face with what God is like and ever be the same. Welcome to Joy City. Seeing His true image, touches the depths of our soul and beholding His glory will renew our minds, transform us and give us strength to live this life for Him. Come on in, where the table is spread and the feast of the Lord is going on. I want to invite you to be a part, a resident of Joy City. A place where the Body becomes stronger and our love for others only increases.

I’ve enjoyed being your host and you can comment below, or email me at pastorstuart@lifeconnection4christ.org or call me at (209) 522-3583.