NOW WHAT? (10/9/26), Article by Joni Ames
Dear Friends,
I laid in bed thinking about what all I’ve done in my life. I was a single mom who worked for other Ministries, eventually went into my own ministry, and even trained others for ministry. And now in my 70s, I said to God, “Now what?“
Do you know what He said to me? “That’s up to you.“
That was a mic drop minute for me.
At the end of everything is a new beginning. If we will allow ourselves to not quit, not feel sorry for ourselves, not give up, but to step into it, our life still has value and meaning.
We may be slower, but we don’t have to be done and over with.
Age does not equal stupidity. It equals experience.
When I was in the hospital, one person came around and was asking me my background. They asked my highest level of education, and I said I have a doctorate in theology, an associates degree in business, and a certificate degree in computer operations. She about flipped out. She said she had never before met a patient with a doctorates degree in anything, let alone to have two other degrees as well.
When she left the room, that caused me to feel pretty good about myself and my life. It got my mind off of my health situation and onto the fact that no matter what my health situation is, my life and education and experience is still worthwhile.
When we go through life-changing experiences, we have a choice as to what our life will change into. Will we sit and rot, or will we use the experience and life we have left for the good.
I developed a saying earlier on in my life and it goes like this, “If you let anything start stopping you it will never stop stopping you, so don’t let it start.”
So even though I can’t travel all over the country like I used to, I have continued to teach and minister and council utilizing Zoom and other means of communication.
You would be surprised as to how that works. Because you can be having a rough day and feel down on yourself, but when you give out what God has in you, the return is that it encourages you as well.
Other people can give up on you if they want to. That’s their problem. But don’t you give up on you.
Write articles and let them become books. Speak what is on your mind and let it become teachings for the younger generation.
My students at the schools of ministry that I teach at over Zoom have told me that the stories of my life encourage them to know that God is real and helps them to continue to press on in life.
I remember Rick Joyner saying that in the very areas where we have been wounded, once we are healed, we then have authority to heal others.
We don’t just wear scars. We wear badges of courage from days gone by. From the battles and victories we have experienced throughout the years.
In other countries, they value their elders. They know that they have wisdom to pass on to the younger generations. For some reason in America, they often throw the older folks away and forget them. How sad.
I love it when a younger person asks me for my advice. Even if it is just about cooking. Because I love to cook and I am a good cook.
When I lived in South Carolina, I would cook lasagna or meatballs or some favorite dish and put it into containers and give it away to the workmen in my apartment building or my neighbors. They loved it. So did I.
At Christmas time over the years, a couple of my aunts would bake Christmas goodie boxes of cookies, cakes, and candies and send them to me. Those became my favorite things to receive.
With platforms such as Instagram and TikTok and Facebook, your wisdom has a place to be shared. Whether it is about cooking or just life in general. Don’t let it go to waste. Use it.
So in answer to the question, “Now what?“ - the answer is, “That’s up to you.” and the question is, What will you do?
Do what makes you happy and what will make other people happy. Fill your days with good things. It’s up to you.
Love and Blessings to you!🙏
Joni
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Joni Ames
P.O. Box 58026
Charleston, WV 25358
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To schedule a zoom meeting with Joni, email her at:
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