November 2025 MAP Update

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Joe's Burden for His Family (Part 4)

Meet Ivy! - SonLight Club Staff

In the past two Ministry Updates, Joe shared his passion to see his parents come to saving faith and his request to have his father bestow a blessing on his family. His father waited two full years to reply to this request.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

In the past three issues, Joe has taken us on the journey of desperately wanting his family to come to a saving knowledge of Christ, yet realizing that in the Amish way of life, the gospel, culture, and traditions are so closely woven together that they bleed into one another like tangled threads in a rope. He continues...

But that being said, I want to assure everyone of us:

There are dividing lines.

Unless the Spirit of God opens our eyes and helps us to see those lines, unless we come to the place where we completely remove Amish culture and tradition from faith in Christ alone, we cannot be saved. To be almost saved is the same as being totally lost.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

I am very thankful that God revealed those dividing lines to me on July 28, 1985. On that day, I forsook my own righteousness, saw only the righteousness of God, and believed with all my heart. On that day, according to the scriptures, I was transferred from death to life… from a state of lost to a state of saved… from the grip and power of being a son of Satan to the grip and the power of being a son of God.

On that day, God saved me (II Tim 1:9); He translated me from one kingdom to another.

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:1314).

So, the question remains: Are my parents truly saved? Only God knows that answer.

Where does my mom stand? I honestly don’t know, but I do know this: My parents have both been witnessed to many, many times. Truthfully, they probably know more about salvation than most Amish people ever will.

In conclusion, I wanted to share this part of my testimony for one main reason: to encourage those who are witnessing to their Amish neighbors and friends.

Sometimes, after a good conversation, you may walk away thinking, “They’re probably saved.”

But I urge you, think twice before you’re too sure.

A great question to ask is this: “When did you go from death to life?”

That question demands a clear and personal response. If you receive a generic or cloudy response, you have every reason to question whether that Amish person truly understands salvation.

Philippians 3:4–9

“Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

• Circumcised the eighth day,

• of the stock of Israel,

• of the tribe of Benjamin,

• an Hebrew of the Hebrews;

• as touching the law, a Pharisee;

• Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith”

Hi, I’m Ivy! I’ve been married to my husband, Pablo, for 37 years, and we have nine children ranging from ages 10-35.

We fell in love with MAP when we met Brother Joe Keim at Beyond Measure Market and read his book, My People the Amish, in 2020, shortly before moving to Ohio from Texas to heed the Lord’s call to minister in this state.

I was not raised in a Christian home, nor had I ever attended church before my salvation. After high school, I served as a legal clerk in the U.S. Army for seven years.

I first heard the term “Christian” used to describe a lady who could watch my two small children. I had no idea what a Christian was.

I attended an Amway convention where every person who spoke gave credit to God. I could not understand this concept, but I believe God was making Himself known to me little by little. On the final day, I went to the conference church service. I had never been to anything like it before. The preacher presented what I later learned was the gospel. When an invitation was given, I practically jumped out of my seat.

I was a blank slate as for Bible knowledge, but I knew I was changed in that moment. I felt something come alive inside of me, and was filled with an unmistakable peace. My fear of the future and death was gone.

Everything was new to me (Noah and the Ark, Jonah and the whale, etc.). I have learned a lot by attending Bible conferences and camp meetings, including the Step Out of the Boat Conference.

Presently, I am excited about serving at MAP in the Bible Club! I thoroughly enjoy responding to the students, experiencing the joy of their salvations, and fulfilling their “orders” when they wish to spend their hardearned SonLight dollars. It is a joy to help them grow in their faith and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.