GINA: Well, welcome to FJM TV. I'm Gina here with Cristy and
Joe, and we are here on the rooftop of Fred Jordan Mission
on the corner of Fifth and Town right in the heart of Skid Row.
And we are talking about thanks plus giving. And there's a lot
to that, how we need to have thankfulness and gratitude at
the same time. But right now I just want to welcome you and say
thank you so much for joining us today, and we want you to get a
part of our social media family. So go to fjm.org, see how you
can get plugged in. We have so many things coming up at this
time of year. So many people here on Skid Row are in
need. And Cristy, what is one way
that those watching that can get involved?
CRISTY: Yeah. Everyone can just go online, like you said, go to
fjm.org/social, you can connect with us on there. Also, all our
TV programs are on there, so if you want to catch up. But also,
we started something this year that has been just an absolute
blessing to so many, and that is just getting a daily text that
has a Bible verse and encouragement from Joe. So alls
you have to do is just text the word Bible to 626-314-7703 and
you're able to sign up and get this every
day, Monday through Friday, and it's just such a blessing
to just start your day like that.
GINA: It really is.
JOE: It even blesses... it even blesses me. And it's like, a
devotion from Joe, and I'm like, oh, that's from me. A little bit
of God's Word, and then I share a little bit about God's Word to
encourage people with that verse. But I, you know, I'm one
who has to give credit where credit's due. So all credit goes
first to God for His Word, right?
GINA: Yes.
JOE: To God's Word for being able to
share that little scripture. And then all credit...
GINA: I was jumping the gun.
JOE: All credit then on a human level goes to Ms. Chrisy here,
because Cristy said, Hey, we got to do this. And she pushed it
and pushed it and pushed it and pushed it some more. And it
wasn't like I needed to or really wanted to add any more to
my plate, but it's a great thing. And so Cristy's work with
me, been so patient and thank you so much. And now Mo...
GINA: This younger generation reaching
so many more through social media.
JOE: Every Monday through Friday you can receive Joe's
devotional. And it's brief. If it takes you more than 60
seconds to read, then you're probably still asleep.
But it's just something to encourage you, which
is the quick little bite of God's Word.
GINA: See, I like that. Short and sweet and to the point.
JOE: You know, we're... Girls, we're coming up on Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving, a time to give thanks. And, you know, this
country over the, you know, over 200 years has lots to give
things for. And, you know, so many times people don't seem
like there's much to give things for, but...
GINA: Not in this day and age.
JOE: There really... there really is a lot to give things
for. You know, I thank God for this beautiful day that's so
cool and beautiful, a little bit cloudy for the change of the
season that we're in. I thank God for the air that we get to
breathe, for the beautiful skyline. You know, I thank God
that we have the opportunity to serve literally thousands and
thousands, six floors below us at street level, as we get to
demonstrate and declare the love of Jesus to people. I give
thanks for you and you and all of our staff. I give thanks to
you, our viewers and those who pray for us and support us.
Without you, we wouldn't be here so much to give thanks for
literally, tens and tens and tens of millions, if not
hundreds of millions of people have been served food, clothing,
shelter, and the love of Jesus. We've seen souls saved. The
kingdom of God has grown, and hell has shrunk because Jesus
has used us and you as our partners here on these streets
and beyond, to reach people. So, so much to give thanks for. And
I just wanted us to talk about it a little bit today that
Thanksgiving is such an important day, just to reflect
and give thanks, but really what about the 364 other days?
GINA: That's what I...
JOE: Isn't that a great time to give thanks too?
GINA: Yes, absolutely. I mean when you get up every day and
you can just, if you can't find things to be thankful for, look
outside, look at the sunshine, the fact that you're breathing.
My dad used to say not every day may be good, but there's
something good to be found in every day. And it just changes
the atmosphere in your thoughts around you in who you're talking
with. All of a sudden things, you're talking about, your
problems, your problems, but all of a sudden you start talking
about God and the possibilities that He can do in your life and
be thankful and we're grateful and we're thankful. It just
changes a mindset. It changes your life actually, every day
being grateful and thankful. So it just works for me. When I'm
going down a road and things are just so hard or overwhelming or
I'm finding myself complaining about this and really focusing
on this negative situation, I have to stop myself and say, no
in the name of Jesus, I'm going to give this to you Lord. And
I'm going to thank you in advance for how you're going to
turn around that situation. And even going a step further in the
scripture says, don't worry, but instead pray and, then thank me
in advance for what He's going to do. And so it's like all of a
sudden when I've got this problem, I start looking at it,
but then I start thinking God for the outcome I want. It's not
like I'm trying to negotiate with Him, but it does that
praise and that thankfulness changes my whole mindset.
JOE: And Christy, you're a little bit younger and, you've
been through a lot in your life thus far as young as you are,
but, what are some of the things and some of the ways that you've
learned to be thankful even through just all the times that
you go through and your generation's different
than our generation, and what does your
generation think about thankfulness and gratitude?
CRISTY: Well, I think it's important for a lot of people,
for everyone, for every generation. And what's been said
about my generation is that we're entitled, which I'm sure
is true in some sense. But I do think that I see so much good
happening through my generation. I see so much good of people
being generous and grateful for what they have and it's
something so beautiful to see that I think just encourages us
all. So something I always say is that gratitude always leads
to generosity and they're kind of interchangeable. You can't
really have one without the other. And I just remember in my
life where I grew up being gifted a lot of things, being
gifted, I was the product of a lot of people's generosity,
which was amazing. I grew up on the mission field and it was
full-time support and all that, and it was good. But I think
when I got older, I had to kind of switch my mindset and be
like, I want to be a giver. And it was very intentional and I
don't think it changed in me overnight, but I do remember
very intentionally asking God like, God, I want to give more
than I receive. And when I switched that mindset from being
like, I want to get, I want to get and kind of like my
generation, I deserve this, I deserve that to, I want to give,
then God started showing up beyond what I could imagine. He
started providing in ways that I could just not even explain. And
it just really shocked me, that it was within weeks that I
decided to change my mentality from taking to giving that God
started blessing me so much more. So I'm like, let's change
that reputation of we're entitled and let's start being
grateful and let's start being giving.
GINA: That's so beautiful, and that's what we see when the
volunteers come down here at Skid Row for the events we have
or just the daily feeding of them giving to those that are
hurting. They're always so blessed when they leave at the
end of the day, they thought, man, I thought I was here to
serve, but I'm getting the blessing. I feel like I was
there blessing them, but I'm really leaving with the blessing
and of giving and the generosity and it's wonderful when we give
God all the glory for that.
JOE: Yeah, my mom and dad taught us always that it was better to
give than to receive. When you're a kid, getting is pretty
good. You get the toys at Christmas, you get the blessings
from mom and dad, and it's good stuff. But the one thing that I
learned that was very practical that a lot of people maybe don't
get to learn is I was brought to Skid Row from the time I was a
few weeks old, and this is where we grew up too. I grew up in
Covina, 30 minutes away in the suburbs, but 30 minutes we were
on Skid Row watching our mothers, and our mother and
father care for the poor, the needy and the homeless and the
hopeless. And so we would have to do all the special events.
Thanksgiving was one of the big days. We would block off the
streets and do a feast for 10, 15,000 people. My dad would
preach the word and win people to Christ. My mom would be there
encouraging 'em and loving on the moms and the families and
Christmas would come and we'd give tens of thousands of toys
away and I got to be there to pack the toys to give 'em away.
Watching these little kids come through and receive those toys.
I really learned that man, this giving thing is pretty cool and
I got so much out of it, and here I am almost from the time I
was a baby almost 60 years later and I'm still doing it. And it's
not like it's not cool if my kids give me something for
Christmas or my birthday or my wife does something nice for me.
It's nice, but my life has been more about giving than
receiving, and I'm so much more blessed, and my life is so much
more full. And I just want to encourage all of you out there
if you want to try and test that, try to out give God, and
you never will. Give everything you can to help those in need.
Give everything you can to help change a life, change a soul,
and you will see your life blessed beyond measure. It
really is better to give than to receive.
GINA: It really is. And we'll be right back.
ANNOUNCER: Turkey, stuffy gravy, green beans, and pumpkin pie
too. That's what will be served at the Fred Jordan Mission once
again. This year will you join the Jordan family and thousands
of special guests as we give thanks? At the corner of fifth
and town in Los Angeles. Since 1944, this has been a tradition
every Thanksgiving for over 80 years. We set up banquet tables
and chairs and serve a hot Thanksgiving dinner to our
friends on the streets who are alone or have nothing to eat. If
your life has been blessed, then we invite you to give thanks
with us. How you ask a donation is a great start. We invite you
to give and help us make this Thanksgiving memorable for those
who will sit at our Thanksgiving table. Please be as generous as
possible and do it now while it's on your heart. You can give
securely online at fjm.org. That's fjm.org. Want to mail a
gift? Then send your check to Fjm Fox 12345, Covina,
California 91722. Or volunteer, there's nothing greater than
serving a meal, sitting, talking, and encouraging others
who are less fortunate. It truly is better to give than receive.
Go to fjm.org to learn more. Together we are
making a difference in the lives of those
who have nothing this Thanksgiving.
GINA: Well welcome back and we are talking about Thanksgiving.
We've got a big event happening here on Skid Row coming up, and
we want you to get involved. You can volunteer. We need your
prayers, we need your financial support, and you can go to
fjm.org and see how you can get plugged in. And we can't wait to
hear from you there. And also all of you that are joining us
on social media, thank you. I mean, it's neat to see your
excitement for what we've got going on here at Fred Jordan
mission. So welcome to family. We're glad to have you. And if
you haven't got a part of our family there on social media,
then again go to fjm.org and join us on social media, and
we're just so thankful, right? We've got a wonderful show.
We've been talking about the importance of how being thankful
not just on Thanksgiving but daily, how it can just touch and
change our lives with the heart of gratitude and a heart of
thankfulness daily. How it can change our situation and how
you've just grown up here since a baby here on Skid Row and see
how your life has been so blessed by learning the real
meaning of giving rather than receiving.
JOE: I just love giving. I do.
GINA: You do have a heart...
JOE: It's fun. It really is. It's fun. It brings me joy,
because again, seeing the blessing that God uses you to
touch another life, I mean that is a blessing. And to know that
they are so encouraged. I mean, we walk on the streets and
stuff, they're, oh, Mr. Jordan, and how's your mom? And so
grateful that your dad came here and, they talk to our staff and,
to Cheryl who's like, we call her headquarters, she helps run
everything, but she's our office manager and a million other
things. But she walks around and they're like, are you one of the
Jordans? She's like, no, no. Well, thank you so much. I'm so
glad that you're still here and stuff. But it's not just Fred
Jordan and the Jordan family, but it's our extended family.
Our television program has been going since 1951.
GINA: Wow, that's exciting. That is just, Jesus.
JOE: 75 years here, coming up real quick. And it's been on
weekly television here in Los Angeles the longest running...
GINA: I Remember being a child watching
family, is it church in the home?
JOE: Yeah, church in the home, family Christmases with all of
us, all seven kids, and mom and dad, and dad telling the
Christmas story about baby Jesus and, how baby Jesus grew up and
died on the cross. We could all be saved. And He wanted us all
to be saved and he wanted to save skid row. And that's what
we have coming up, Thanksgiving and it's going to be an awesome
event. And we need help too, don't we? Not just financial,
which we do. We need your financial help because it takes
so much to keep so many people fed that are hungry and cold and
literally naked on the streets. And without our partners, we
wouldn't be able to put clothes on the naked. We wouldn't be
able to feed them and give them water and blankets and shoes and
socks and toothbrushes. But how can people get involved and
actually come and be the hands and feet of Jesus and do it
in a way that it's a blessing to them and
it's not just a big scary place, LA?
CRISTY: Yeah. Yes. I mean, I think volunteering leads to a
double blessing. You bless and you get blessed in return, and
it's something so beautiful that we just encourage everyone to
do, but it's so simple. If they want to come down, all they have
to do is go on our website and just click volunteer for an
event, click on Thanksgiving and register. It's so simple. We
just want a heads up that you're coming, and you can serve. We do
everything. We serve the meals, we talk to them, pray with them,
whatever is needed. Give hugs. Hugs is always needed, and it's
just such a blessing to be able to bless others not only on
Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.
JOE: Yeah, because there's a lot of people that say, Joe, I'm not
one of those CEO people. I'm like, huh, well, I'm not a CEO.
And I'm like, okay, well, I mean some of us are. Some of us
aren't. No, I'm not a Christmas and Easter only type person or
Thanksgiving. I'm like, oh, a CEO. Yeah, you go visit God at
church on Christmas and Easter only. We give thanks only on
Thanksgiving. They want to be a part all the time. So can't
literally people come any day that we're open year round, 365
days a year, whatever days we're open? They can come and they can
serve here because some people don't want to be in the
limelight. I remember when some movie stars, some real high
profile would come here, and I would always see 'em not on the
street handing out the food with us and everything else. My
parents wanted us to be in the middle of everything serving so
everybody could see that the Jordans all are a part of this,
and I get that. But boy, when you see some really A-list movie
stars, and they're in the back of the kitchen and they're in
the pot washing station, washing dishes and stuff on Thanksgiving
and stuff coming to serve, but they don't want the limelight.
They don't want their name out there. They just want to serve
and be a part. Anything people do, whether it's in the kitchen,
serving, on the street, or handing out the food, whether
you're on the platform or singing or just hugging and
greeting or praying for somebody, it all makes a
difference. And we just want people to
come and volunteer anytime they want be a part.
CRISTY: They can get their church group together, they
could get a group of friends together. Some of my friends
have just gone a group together and been like, let's go down to
the Fred Jordan Mission. And it's so impacting to them, and
it's so impacting to the people of the street as well.
GINA: That is, it's true. And just the importance of giving. I
mean, just where you are today. You don't have to give monetary
things, jackets out, or socks and things that we give out here
on Skid Row. You can give a word of encouragement. I mean, heck,
just a smile to someone is going to change someone's day and just
to say, Hey, have a nice day. Your words can mean as much as
anything else. A word of encouragement,
JOE: Yeah, absolutely.
GINA: There's many ways we can give.
JOE: And some of the words that we share with our guest, and
with you, I want you to know that as Christians, we should
give things all the time when things are good, but also when
things aren't good. Because we should just always give thanks
because of who God is. He's great. He's loving, He's kind,
He's patient. He's long suffering with us. There's so
much grace and mercy that He gives us. And so as Christians,
we need to just encourage one another and ourselves to be
thankful all year round. And we do that with our friends on Skid
Row, and it's amazing. They'll come in and they'll eat and have
a great meal, and we share the love of Jesus with 'em, and
they'll worship with us and they'll sing with us. And
everybody's not just checked out. People are hungry. They're
hungry for truth. And we know the Bible says the truth is what
sets us free. So we take the truth to them. Different ways
that you as our viewers can thank God every day. And it's
just, thank you, God, that you sent Jesus to die for me and you
sent the Savior of the world to give me life, that we get a
fresh start every day. Every day that you wake up is a new day to
start your life with Jesus. Whether you blown it the day
before, the night before, you went to bed all messed up, you
get to wake up the next day and start all over again. And then
just know that every day brings a new chance for new purpose in
your life, that God's got a plan, He's not done with us yet.
And if we'll just worship him, read His words, seek His face,
he will give us peace. It passes all understanding. He'll give us
vision, and if we trust in Him, He'll take us through it. And as
we're going to share on Thanksgiving this year, we'll
continue to share every year is, you know what? We love you. You
are our guest. We don't care where you are, where you came
from, what situation you're in. We are going to let you know
that we are here because Jesus sent us here to love you because
His love is here for you every single day at Fred Jordan
Mission. He wants to rescue you. He wants to save you. And it
doesn't matter what your situation is, Jesus is able. So
let's give them thanks. And I'll tell you, the crowds clap. They
cheer, and they know that even in their worst day and worst
hour, that there is a God in heaven that loves them. So you,
as our viewers, will you just pray with us this year and this
Thanksgiving and this time of the season, just pray that God
would penetrate the hearts and the souls of those men, women,
children, those who live on the streets, that God would
penetrate their hearts and set them free
from whatever is binding them up, so that they can
walk in the truth and freedom of Jesus.
GINA: Amen.
JOE: That's our hope.
GINA: Amen. We'll be right back with more Thanksgiving.
ANNOUNCER: Turkey stuffy gravy, green beans, and pumpkin pie
too. That's what will be served at the Fred Jordan Mission once
again this year. Will you join the Jordan family and thousands
of special guests as we give thanks? At the corner of 5th and
Town in Los Angeles. Since 1944, this has been a tradition every
Thanksgiving for over 80 years. We set up banquet tables and
chairs and serve a hot Thanksgiving dinner to our
friends on the streets who are alone or have nothing to eat. If
your life has been blessed, then we invite you to give thanks
with us. How you ask? A donation is a great start. We invite you
to give and help us make this Thanksgiving memorable. For
those who will sit at our Thanksgiving table. Please be as
generous as possible and do it now while it's on your heart.
You can give securely online at fjm.org. That's fjm.org.
Want to mail a gift? Then send your check to
FJM Box 12345, Covina, California 91722.
GINA: Well, welcome back, and it's just been wonderful. So
encouraging on the importance of giving thanks and gratitude and
how it can just change our whole situation and the importance of
giving how wonderful it is. It's more important than receiving,
and we experienced that here as we reach out to
those here on Skid Row. And what a blessing.
JOE: We get to do it in just a few days. That's right. I mean,
it's coming. Thanksgiving's coming, and you know what? There
are going to be literally hundreds and hundreds and
hundreds that are going to come for a Thanksgiving meal, because
we are the only family they have. Those who come to our
doors, those who come to Thanksgiving at Fred Jordan
Mission this year and every year, don't have family because
they're on the streets. They're just lost, or they're lonely, or
they're hurting, or they're abandoned. Maybe by their
family, maybe by society, maybe by everybody, but we embrace
'em. And so will you help us embrace with the love of Jesus
everybody that comes to Thanksgiving by giving your best
gift. We can't do it without you. That's just the truth. This
isn't about fundraising. This is about telling you our partners
and those who care about the poor, the needy, the homeless,
the helpless and the hurting here in our great Los Angeles
and on Skid Row. The way we can make a difference in their lives
is declaring and demonstrating God's love this Thanksgiving,
and it's with your help that we'll do it. Thank you so much
for being the hands and feet of Jesus this Thanksgiving.
MUSIC: (SINGING) We will overcome the sorrow. We will see
the dawn tomorrow. We will solider on, down this road, as
we reach for home. Reach for home.
ANNOUNCER: Please will you join us in feeding hungry children
and their families by phoning today, (844) FJM-FOOD or
donating online fjm.org. That's fjm.org or mail your
check to Fred Jordan Mission, PO Box 12345,
Covina, California 91722. Please, will you help?
MUSIC: (SINGING) Reach for home.
ANNOUNCER: The proceeding program was sponsored by
generous Friends and partners of Fred Jordan Missions.