My good friend (and “adopted” sister :)), Modeline, began “The Living Epistle Project” about a year ago. The following is her description of this project…
The Living Epistle Project is a series of video interviews with christians from all walks of life such as lawyers, accountants, human resource, finance, missionaries, actors, hair dressers and more who God is writing a letter to the world with their lives.
The Living Epistle Project is created by Modeline Fenelon, a lover of Jesus, an attorney and a singer who the Lord Jesus has been and is writing a letter to the world with her life.
The idea for the Living Epistle Project is birthed out of Modeline’s monthly fellowship with a few of her Brooklyn Tabernacle Kids co-worker (co-volunteers). They are ordinary women with a heart after God. Every time they met they would share their testimonies. Each of them has amazing and surreal testimonies. They are as ordinary as the next person but with one exception, God is writing extraordinary letters to the World with each of their lives.
The hope for this project is for Jesus to be glorified and for individuals to be blessed.
My family and I first met Modeline when she came to our town to attend Law School. A move elsewhere became necessary in order for her to complete her degree. Her stay here was long enough for us to get close and become good friends. Modeline has since completed her law studies and has worked in that field as well as sought ways to serve others in ministering to them from her heart. The journey of her life has been one that has required perseverance, faith and trust.
One of the ways in which Modeline has been serving others is to share the testimonies of Christians who are living out their walk with Christ as a “Living Epistle”. An epistle is “a written letter”. The Bible speaks of us being “epistles” – which would make us what you might term, a “living” epistle. The apostle Paul wrote to the followers of Christ in the city of Corinth, that as a result of his ministry, they were like a letter, confirming the effects and intents of his ministry preaching Christ.
2Co 3:2-3 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
So…if we are living out the gospel, the Good News of Christ, we are an epistle who is walking around demonstrating what has been written in our heart by the Spirit of the living God.
Modeline has chosen to use, as a theme song, a song that my mother and I wrote for Vacation Bible School one year. Along with my father, my mother, I would say, has been one of the most powerful epistles for me to read in my own life. This is because she desires with everything in her – to follow God. She communicates this by the decisions she makes, the sound counsel she gives, the heart of compassion she shares with those around her – her daily life. My mother has been the director of VBS at our church for quite a number of years now. In addition to this, she writes the curriculum for the teachers. This is no small undertaking. There are others who assist her in these projects, but it is her wisdom and understanding that puts it all together. Quite often, musicians from our local church write songs for the students to learn during that week. Sometimes that includes me. This particular year, my mother was hoping there could be a song written that specifically conveyed the message she wanted to communicate to the VBS students. We worked together and the song, “A Living Epistle” was born.
I am a letter to you from God; are my words pure, do they ring true? Do I say kindness, forgiveness and peace? Do I read Jesus to you?
Do I say that He’ll take care of you; He’ll satisfy, love faithfully? Can you read holy and do you see joy? Can you read Jesus from me?
Do I say that He is coming soon; get ready now, tell others, too? That He’ll lead and guide you to know what to do; is it signed, Jesus loves you?
I am a living epistle, God’s special messenger of hope. I must preach Christ at all times, whether in word or by my life. Showing His love for all the lost, telling His truth whatever the cost. Of His love so free, a witness I’ll be. May you see Jesus in me!
Over the past year or so, Modeline has interviewed multiple people whom she recognizes as being living epistles. She is now broadcasting weekly on Saturday morning on the Power of Worship Radio station from Brooklyn, (9:00 Central Time) http://powerofworship.net/. Her first program was last Saturday and it was quite a powerful testimony from a young lady named Irina. Sadly, these programs are not currently archived. Hopefully that will change. You may have already heard some of these (they are on facebook, too, I think) but you may listen to testimonies of people she has interviewed here, though…https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7y7DSjoM_QmT1VQd37wwKA
And now for the prayer request…Modeline has graciously asked if I would share the story behind the song on the next radio broadcast. Many of you have known me for a long time – this means you know my weaknesses and hopefully a few strengths but most of all this means that you know our Heavenly Father, Who is the Source of anything worthwhile in my life and the Redeemer of all the times I’ve not handled life situations the way He would have (in grace and love). And so, I humbly ask for your prayers as I do this. If there is any need for you to forgive me for some sin of omission or commission that I have not already asked your forgiveness for, I humbly repent and ask for your forgiveness and His. My desire is that the Lord would be magnified in and through me in some way…I am so unworthy of His grace and am amazed at His mercy and faithfulness in my life.
If you would like to…http://powerofworship.net/ and click on “listen live” this Saturday, September 19, 2015 9:00-10:00 Central Standard Time.
Thoughts by Rachel 