Sharing God’s Word to help others grow spiritually and serving the less fortunate in the community have been at the top of Jim and Linda’s list. A variety of work projects have taken place since Jul 2003 with Rebuilding Together, Restore St. Louis, Habitat for Humanity, Grace Church Helping Hands group, and the New Life Evangelistic Center. Regular work projects continue to evolve as needs are discovered and met.
In Dec 2006, Jim felt burdened to help others grow spiritually. He began sending out weekly articles, inspired by God, which reflect how God has been working both in his life and those around him. Using the scripture in God’s Word to share these insights helps others apply God’s truths to their daily life. The idea was that we don’t just hear God’s Word, but that we Live His Word. (These articles can be seen in the “Living His Word” section of our website and others can be found in Part Two of the Amazing Grace book. Any of the articles can be requested via the website and you can sign up to be added to the weekly distribution list).
During this same time, Jim, Linda, and their family began distributing care packages to the homeless on Christmas morning in downtown St Louis. The needs were great and the number of homeless was increasing each year.
In October 2007, we began to feel a tremendous burden for those in need, such as the homeless, women in domestic violence shelters, and those in need around the world. We knew that more could be done to help.
Together, Jim and his brother-in-law Mike Medley felt led to develop a foundation that could be used to reach these people through various ways that would help both their spiritual and physical needs. God’s Word tells us to first feed the hungry and then they will be ready to receive His message.
As a result of our burden, Plant Today was incorporated as a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) entity. The first project was to design a book, called "Amazing Grace", which could be used to introduce the underserved to Christ and help develop the beginnings of their spiritual lives. Miraculously, God supplied the funds for development and printing of the first 1000 copies!
What makes this book unique: This book gives the simple Gospel message of God’s grace, love, compassion and forgiveness. This book gives examples of those who had “more than enough” but still didn’t know His amazing grace. It also tells about those who were so crushed in life that they had no hope of His amazing grace. In addition, Part 2 contains eight messages with detailed Bible scripture references that will help the new believer grow in their new found relationship. Many stop in their walk after receiving Jesus; Part 2 is intended to encourage them to both start and continue walking with the Lord.
In May 2008, Mike began volunteering at a faith-based migrant day labor center in West Palm Beach, Florida, that assisted those in the Latin Community with both physical and spiritual needs. He met with the pastor who ran the center and asked what the conditions were like in that pastor’s native country of Guatemala. The pastor shared about the many needs and vast poverty. We believed God was directing us to see what we could do to help with this group of people.
In October 2008, we made an exploratory visit to Guatemala with the pastor to visit the small town of San Pedro Las Huertas and to talk with that local pastor. The details of this trip and ensuing events in that area can be found under Ministry Outreaches / Guatemala Background Information.
In July 2008, Jim & Linda began working with a homeless shelter, a women’s shelter, and a food pantry in their home town of St. Louis, assisting with facility repairs, distributing copies of Amazing Grace, and serving meals. In October, Jim and his family started a Canine Ministry at a Senior Living Center to reach out to the elderly and show God’s love in a practical way, including passing out copies of Amazing Grace. In addition, leading up to Easter, they prepared decorative Easter egg ornaments to pass out and cards containing the legend of the Dogwood and the sacrifice Jesus made for us. More information about this outreach can be found under Ministry Outreaches / St Louis.
In February 2009, God reminded us there were many in the Latin Community in St Louis that had both physical and spiritual needs. With few churches offering services in Spanish, how were these brothers and sisters in Christ being fed spiritually? In addition, how were those who did not know Jesus being reached? Jim met with two leaders from the “Amigos en Cristo” group and began partnering with that group to help reach the large St. Louis area Latin community. Since then, he has assisted in providing for physical and spiritual needs, including holding weekly prayer/discussion meetings and house-church type meetings.
In April 2009, leading up to Easter, the Amigos group did an outreach to provide clothing, God’s message of hope, grace, and salvation and an invitation for a meal and movie viewing of the life of Jesus. The following day, “The Hope” movie was shown to the attendees and at the end, an invitation to accept Christ was given. Following the invitation, those who accepted Christ were given information about “The Next Step” as Christians, information about the Amigos en Cristo group, and a bible in Spanish. Everyone then joined in fellowship for a homemade meal prepared by the Amigos group members and to further discuss the movie or answer any questions participants may have. The event was quite successful in continuing to lay a foundation to reach this community and develop relationships with them. See Ministry Outreaches / Amigos En Cristo.
For many years, Mike and his wife, Diane, and daughter, Larissa, had been involved in a church-sponsored therapeutic riding program for special needs students. God began to use their experience and Plant Today to do more in this area. Students at the church ministry sought more riding opportunities. Mike was approached by a representative of the local “Stand Down” program, a faith-based outreach to homeless veterans with emotional needs, who was interested in a partnership that could assist veterans with healing. Larissa was approached about helping special needs students in a local school. Offers of free horses for a program were presented.
The Lord continued to provide for these varied opportunities to serve, and He continues to present new ones, limited only by His imagination.
BACKGROUND — Before Living His Word Ministries
About Us
Living His Word Ministries — The Beginning
Operating one ministry from two locations has been increasingly difficult, with Mike being in Florida and Jim in Missouri. In order to more easily manage the ministries in each region, it was determined that a second ministry should be started. Common areas will be worked on together as a partnership, and geographically unique ministries will be worked on separately. Plant Today will cover the ministries started from Florida and Living His Word will cover the ministries started from St. Louis.
As mentioned above, God has a large imagination. Jim and Linda wanted to continue serving those who God puts on their hearts and provide others with the opportunity to join God in what He is doing through their ministry. Starting a non-profit organization allows others to be involved. Living His Word Ministries has incorporated as a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) entity.
In June 2009, God began to stir the Spirit in Jim in another way. God burdened him to think and pray about the current situation on the Indian reservations. He had read several times and believes that when God burdens us to pray for a situation or person, that is also His invitation to join Him in what He is doing. God had burdened Jim’s heart about the American Indian since he was a child. It seems God had now decided to rekindle the flame.
In August 2009, the opportunity came to make an exploratory trip to the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in South Dakota to see how Living His Word could get involved with their needs.
During the visit, he was able to tour some of the 19 communities on the reservation and get some photos typical of the conditions. He always knew the reservations were like a Third World country right here, but didn't know many of the details. He listed some of the information he found in research before going and then put together a trip report with photos of the actual trip to share the current conditions. Both can be seen in detail in the Ministry Outreaches / Indian Reservation.
Jim and Linda Moehsmer
Jim Moehsmer grew up with religion and the knowledge that Jesus died for his sins. He always felt like there was a barrier between him and an unreachable God. Everything Jim did was about what he thought would make him happy or successful, but he wasn't satisfied or content. Something was missing that he could not provide. Following a series of bad choices, Jim found out you could have a personal relationship with God through Jesus, and if he accepted Jesus into his life, He would change the desires of his heart. In January 2003, Jim invited Christ into his life and has become content, focused and purpose driven.
Once the barrier was removed between Jim and Jesus, Jim has had an ever growing hunger for God and His Word. He no longer feels bound by the cares of the world and believes God has made up the years of separation from Him by "religion."
Linda Moehsmer also grew up in religion without the understanding that she could have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. As the difficulties in life emerged with Jim and the marriage, she turned to God. In December 2002, Linda invited Christ into her life.
God has given her a new understanding of life and of her purpose for being here. Looking back, it is apparent God had a plan, a purpose, and a timetable to bring her and Jim to the place He wanted them to be.
With Christ in the center of her life, she is actively involved in serving others alongside Jim. Not surprisingly, she enjoys spending time with their grandchildren and spoiling them as best a grandmother can.
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Jim is active in service ministry and has a passion to help others grow in their walk with the Lord. He believes the Lord has burdened him to encourage new believers, and help all believers continue growing closer to God each day, through discipleship and writing spiritually thought provoking articles.
Jesus said, "go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matt 28:19-20).
God has clearly led Jim to two scriptures that add meaning, direction, and encouragement as he walks through the obstacles of life with the Lord:
Isa 41:9-10: “I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isa 43:1-3: “... Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, ...”
God brought Jim from the ends of the earth for a purpose. Jim has committed himself to serve the Lord completely and to be a tool in the Master's hand. Jim and his wife Linda have been married since January 1977. They have three children and five grandchildren.
