Grace Riot

08/25/2026

I met Michael Whitaker at a gas station late one night a year ago and asked if I could pray for him. He reluctantly agreed, not knowing what I believed. Somewhere in the conversation I told him about graceRIOT and what we do. Michael told me God had been calling him to evangelize and he had been running from this calling for years. He said he had to leave for basic training but when he got back he was going to look me up. I said okay, but let me be honest- seldom are people men and women of their word. We parted ways.

So when I got his message in the spring, I was impressed with his integrity. Michael began to come to our home gathering. Really pressing into Jesus, not looking for hype but sincerity. As the months wore on, God opened up space for us to really mentor him in evangelism, in his testimony.

But every time Michael stepped out to evangelize, the enemy would almost try to intimidate him. The right time came though, and as Michael stepped out in faith, he overcame any fear. From there it was go time. Now he evangelizes like it is nothing. He can talk to anyone about who he used to be and that Jesus loves them. We often evangelize side by side now.

We have witnessed Michael’s incredible growth, commitment, and talents God has given him to be effective for the Kingdom. It is so edifying to watch someone produce fruit with their lives before your very eyes!

To cap it off, Michael got baptized last week. He just keeps going up, Up, UP. And that’s what happens with a surrendered, willing vessel. You overcome! So proud of you, Michael ⚡️

08/24/2026

A Yes can be such a simple thing, yet our Yes can be an answer to someone else’s prayer. God put us in touch with a pastor out in Rogersville one Sunday. The day we met, I started testifying about what Jesus had done- Pastor Eric got to testifying, and we became quick friends. I called him one day, asking if his church would have any interest in creating hygiene packs for our Back to School Bash. They said yes, they would love to help.

We met at their church Henderson Baptist Church, Rogersville, Mo last week, and they loaded my car down with every hygiene item you could think of, divided into bags for each child. We prayed together, and they sent me on my way. The next day I went to the motel to check on the water and power supply for the upcoming event.

A Christian woman landed in my path who had just checked in the day before with her four kids. She had lost her home and said she was about to lose faith. I prayed with her and brought her out to the car to give her a couple hygiene packs still loaded in there from the night prior. She started crying- she said those bags were an answer from God. Her prayer to God was a simple one, soap for her children. ❤️

This church had no way of knowing that in saying Yes to graceRIOT, they were going to answer someone’s specific prayer the very next day. Isn’t that what God is looking for? Yeses with no ROI (return on investment). Yeses that do nothing for self but a whole lot for some. “Yes” is how we further the Kingdom together!!! ⚡️

I commend this church for looking outside their own needs to help this community and for blessing households with much- needed essentials. Thank you for your Yes!

08/23/2026

To have opportunities to revive communities like this, to get to walk beside the downtrodden, the broken hearted, the vulnerable- there is no greater honor in ministry. That the Father would entrust graceRIOT with these hearts, with their pain, with their prayers... Last night was our last outreach event at the motel, the Back to School Bash.

I think about the children who went home last night so excited by all the blessings God gave them, how jaws dropped when they saw their new shoes! I think about Shanelle who said ever since I prayed with her to give her life to Jesus a couple months ago that she’s been sober from m**h. The joy that just radiated from her face as she got baptized last night…

I think about little Xander publicly professing his faith in Jesus, also getting baptized. Oddly enough, I met his dad a year ago in Ozark when I prayed for his estranged wife and children, broke addiction off his life and gave him his first Bible. Jesus has reunited his whole family, and He allowed me to see it!

I think about Michael Whitaker and I imploring a man to choose Christ and how a kind heart can still send you to hell… Jesus, reveal yourself to Samuel…

I think about how these residents functioned as a whole community in fellowship. We listened together as Dr. Hennis testified and preached the word of God with such authority.

I think about the countless ministers covered in sweat (reality!) as they served these people selflessly in the heat The Depot at Union City. How our other hairdressers cancelled last minute, but Britney Green tirelessly cut hair alone until dark, ensuring every child who wanted a haircut got one and then moved on to the residents.

I think about the love of a Christian and how that compelled me toward Jesus in my own journey. How it was on such extravagant display last night.

I consider God and His love for all of us and I marvel at how great He is.

Thank you to everyone who made this night possible, from shoes to prayers, from hygiene packs to backpacks. Gratitude was heavy in the air, and Love was made manifest because YOU know Him.

08/22/2026

If you haven’t tried our coffee yet, I promise it will be the single most purpose-filled cup of coffee you drink! ☕️⚡️

100% of the proceeds fund the Good News! 🙌🏼

I like my coffee rich, so today I tried our Coffee with Mushrooms — Dark Roast, and y’all… this is my favorite so far! 🤎☕️

But honestly, it tastes even better knowing that your cup of coffee is helping fund our mission for the Kingdom. ⚡️

So go get your Joe for our GO!! ☕️🔥

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or
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Drink coffee. Fund the Gospel. Go for the lost. ⚡️🙌🏼

08/18/2026

Family of God, we need your prayers this week. THIS Friday the 21st is our last outreach to this vulnerable community, and we SO want God’s Presence to go before us for our Back to School Bash that night. Please pray with us for:

The children starting school this week, for their parents to show up Friday, for protection at home and covering at school

Authority over the land and the spirits at work causing deaf ears and cold hearts

Blessing over the property management for allowing us to minister these last few months

Pray over worship getting released, that it would change the atmosphere and prepare the soil of hearts to receive the Gospel and for hearts to repent and turn to God

Prayer for the volunteers and the commitment of every person who has volunteered to help Friday

Though Lacee Thompson and I will alternate weekly discipleship through October at this motel, Friday is a major night of impact for the Kingdom, for these residents and for the children.

Thank you to each of you who take a moment to pray these points for our ministry ❤️

08/16/2026

Holy Spirit is drawing God’s people down to the water! Many believers have recently reached out to ask if we could baptize them, and we want to open the invitation to all who call Christ Lord.

Why?

Jesus connects believing in Him with being baptized when He says, “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”‭‭(Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭16‬).

Jesus doesn’t make baptism an optional Christian tradition, and He commands His disciples to baptize (Matthew 28:19).

Paul adds so that through baptism we can “walk in newness of life” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭4), be “clothed with Christ” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭27), and that we are “raised up with Him through faith in the working of God” (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬).

For close to 200 years, this Finley River has been used to bury what is dead, and through the glory of the Father, raise Christians to live a life that reflects their new identity in Him.

If you have never experienced being clothed with Christ through baptism or want to profess your faith in Jesus again, come down to the water on Thursday, June 20 at 7PM at the Riverside Inn Park in Ozark, MO!

📍2629 N Riverside Rd
Ozark, MO 65721

08/11/2026

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‼️ 50% proceeds GO to graceRIOT for domestic evangelism and 50% proceeds GO to Beyond My Borders for international missions. 100% proceeds to building the Kingdom of God⚡️

Change the world one cup at a time ☕️🌎🙌🏼
Buy it at:
https://bordercrossingcoffee.com/
Www.graceriot.com

08/10/2026

We had the honor and privilege of testifying and preaching at Veterans Coming Home, but that was not what impressed Pastor Mark- it was our team’s compassion to minister around the room afterwards. “A lot of people come preach and then they leave. But your team took the time to pray with every person.”

Hallelujah! It is about the one. As I released my testimony, I made a desperate call for anyone who wanted to receive the gift of grace to stand up. A precious woman shot straight up out of her chair. He died for the one. We GO for the one. Just one soul matters.

Veterans Coming Home is such a life-giving facility. It’s for veterans, but they don’t turn the vulnerable away. Pastor Mark has deep compassion for the people. Every time I go, I leave blessed.

Father, we pray your blessings on this ministry that is feeding and clothing those in need. Multiply blessings over the work of their hands, that they would lack no good thing. Walk with these people, Lord. Cradle their hearts and heal their wounds. In Jesus’ Name we pray.

08/09/2026

I called my friend Jenny Embrey who runs her own business and ministry (Women of Armor), my sister to the east. “I need help. I have so many balls in the air, I don’t even know what’s up there, but things are falling through the cracks.” Here’s a true sister in the faith- Jenny sends me her own assistant and shield bearer, Sarah McAdams, for a whole week.

Sarah McAdams. Yes, she’s got admin skills and giftings that would make the current political administration blush by comparison- Sarah makes things happen for real. Yes, she’s an intercessor. Yes, she’s a beautiful redhead. But what’s more, she has unique calling on her life to raise up ministry “Jonathans.” Every David (or leader) needs a Johnathan (loyal, faithful companion to run with).

We began our time together Friday 7/31 and immediately went into a three day prayer and fasting session. If I tried to explain everything God showed one of us in the Spirit and confirmed to the other in the natural, you would say “That’s supernatural.” And it was. We broke fast Tuesday and then ran. Discipleship. Meetings. A podcast. Veterans Coming Home. A gathering. And boy, did we labor.

What balls are in the air? What do you need help with? Vision expanded. Organization enlarged. Website got launched. Roles got assigned. All the things that run in the background (or don’t until Sarah comes along)… started to function. Made productive to bear fruit. But it began in the Spirit, where we sought God together.

This isn’t a post about fasting or working hard. It’s about what happens when an anointing touches your calling. Sarah’s anointing touched our ministry, and graceRIOT will never be the same again. God has got big plans for this girl. The ministries will begin recognizing their needs and asking for help, and you know who God will send? Sarah, anointed confidence.

If you have a ministry that God is calling higher and can relate to overwhelmed and this bears witness to your spirit, humbly ask Sarah to come. The details will get sorted out by the One who orders steps. God uses people to help people, and He is using Sarah for such a time as this! ⚡️

Check out the new website at www.graceriot.com for a small taste of Sarah’s many giftings!

PS: we also had a lot of fun 😊 Love you, Sarah, and thank YOU for laying down your life, time, and talent to help us while we await our promised Jonathan. Nothing will be the same after your visit 🫶

With hearts bent toward the broken and a passion for unity in the Body of Christ, our goal is to love all, just as Christ so loved the world.