Joni Wolf is the founder of Immanuel Quilt Ministry. She is also the maker, author, and storyteller of the Immanuel Quilt. The Immanuel Quilt portrays Names of Jesus and tells His Story. Joni travels the Midwest sharing His Story in a unique quilt to audiences young and old. She is on a journey proclaiming, in Name and Truth, God is with us.
Having experienced many God incidents in her lifetime, Wolf loves telling others about the things God has done. She has published The Immanuel Quilt—A True Story of One Ordinary Woman, One Unique Quilt, and One Extraordinary God, the pattern for the Immanuel Quilt, and The Good News Reporter--a children’s curriculum based on Names of Jesus, Bible Stories, and the Immanuel Quilt.
Joni hopes that as her readers and audiences get to know the Names of Jesus and hear His Story in a unique quilt, they will draw near to God.
In her words, Joni is a happy wife, grateful mom, proud grandmother, enthusiastic storyteller, novice quilter, compulsive researcher, creative crafter, diligent puppet builder, nervous traveler, gingerbread collector, and sporadic blogger. She lives near Indianapolis with her husband, Tom.
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. (Psalms 9:10
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
NIV)
My husband and I were introduced to Camden Lee in 2017. The adorable red-headed, blue-eyed, freckled face boy was four years old. At the time, the little guy was fatherless. His mother had all ready laid his father to rest.
When our son married his mother, he adopted Cam, wanting to officially make Cam his son. We were proud parents when given this news, and equally so on the day that Cam became our grandson.
Cam and his mother entered a ready-made family. Cam gained instant siblings; Macy, a few weeks older than he, and Zane, two years younger. It wasn't long before the trio became the three amigos.
My husband and I hoped Cam would accept us, as we were him, but we knew it would take time. He, after all, has grandparents who have been with him and loving on him since birth. We would have to prove our love to Cam. And one day spent together, just Cam and me, the tide turned.
The turning point came in taking Cam for his first-ever convertible ride. I drove him to the parks to show him where my son, his new daddy, played as a child. And we talked. Walking a trail in Forest Park, I felt him reach for my hand, and my heart melted.
Walking hand-in-hand, we came upon a library box. Inside were various books and magazines for all ages. Cam could have reached in and selected a book of his liking, but instead, he pulled out a quilting magazine saying, "You will like this one."
Cam is familiar with my traveling ministry, one with a quilt that tells the story of Jesus. However, our bonding didn't happen over a conversation about the Immanuel Quilt. Yet, it did happen over a discussion on quilts. As we viewed a quilting magazine together, picking out our favorite designs, we connected.
The cherry on top of the end of our day was when Cam said, "I don't want to go home; I want to stay with you."
God loves us. His plan from the very beginning was to adopt us and make us a part of his family. He proved His love by going to the cross to pay for our sins. As it is written,
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
NIV).
He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will ..." (Ephesians 1:5
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
NIV).
My husband and I wanted Cam to accept us and receive our love. On a much deeper level, God wants us to receive Him and His love. God desires to walk with us, talk with us, hold our hand, and hear us say, "I want to stay with you." This is the cherry on top of His day.
"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
ESV).
"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)
NIV).
