April 2026 Update

Seven centuries before the Lord Jesus came, Isaiah prophesied:

He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:3,5,6

Philip P. Bliss (1838-1876) composed a beloved hymn, “Man of Sorrows.” The last two stanzas are:

He was lifted up to die;
“It is finished” was his cry;
now in heaven exalted high:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!

When he comes, our glorious King,
all his ransomed home to bring,
then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!

I write this update letter on April 2nd, just before Good Friday and “Easter.” This is another special opportunity to worship the Lord in spirit and truth.

We echo “hallelujah” for many reasons. I give thanks for God’s blessing on the Finding Freedom Seminar in St. Louis on March 28th. I presented a revised edition of the seminar that applies the Exchanged Life Counseling message to overcoming addictive behaviors. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Mark has had more opportunities to minister the Word to churches in Tennessee and Florida, as well as a chapel service at a local Christian school.

This month we anticipate presenting our Introduction to Exchanged Life Counseling Seminar in Knoxville on April 11th. Then on April 25th I get to return to Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Bellefontaine, Ohio to present our Finding Peace Seminar and preach on Sunday morning.

This morning two ladies dropped by our office to sign up for our summer seminar and workshop. They have a vision to offer the For Me to Live is Christ book and videos for small group at their church, and to be equipped to provide Discipleship Counseling to women there. One of them who attended the conference previously testified to how the Lord impacted her life through this vital message.

“Are you still planning to move to Knoxville?” We are asked. We opted out of one possibility and continue to seek the Lord’s guidance about this.

Our Guides, Mark and I are still busy with personal ministry as we get calls almost daily for struggling people seeking help and biblical guidance.

We declare “hallelujah” for the privilege of sharing the rest of the gospel in counseling, life coaching, chaplaincy, and equipping.

Another well known hymn writer, Ira Sankey, observed, “It is said that the word ‘Hallelujah’ is the same in all languages. It seems as though God had prepared it for the great jubilee of heaven, when all His children shall have been gathered home to sing ‘Hallelujah to the Lamb!’”

Until that day may we offer praise through our abiding life, stewardship, and ministries.

Yours in Christ,

John Woodward
Director of Counseling and Training

Grace Fellowship International
P.O. Box 368
Pigeon Forge, TN 37868
865-429-0450