BIOGRAPHY - ABOUT JONI AMES
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Joni Ames is an itinerant prophetic minister, writer, teacher, encourager, mentor, mother and
grandma. Joni was born Joni Faith Fasekas in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 3, 1954, and raised in Los Angeles, California until her family moved in time for her to start Junior High School in Erie, Pennsylvania, where she attended Gridley Jr. High, Strong Vincent Sr. High (10th & 11th grade) and graduated in 1972 from Mc Dowel Sr. High. Joni recently moved to the Charleston, WV area, with her two puppies, Simba and Toby, to live near her daughter Jennifer & daughter's husband Maynard and grandchildren Zachary, Megan, & Brooke. Joni lived in Charlotte NC for over 20 years, and was a long time member of MorningStar Ministries, Rick Joyner, pastor. She has been involved with and a part of MorningStar since she was one of their first five employees (she was Rick & Steve's secretary) in 1990. Joni has also been ordained under Jim & Michal Ann Goll's ministry out of Franklin, TN, and Christian International (Bishop Bill Hamon) in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. Joni has a son C.J. (30) who lives in Florida, and a daughter Jennifer (31) who is a nurse, married to Maynard Tanner, living near Charleston, WV, with their three children, Zachary (8 1/2 ) and Megan (6 1/2) and Brooke (1 1/2) - Joni's three VERY special grandchildren! Joni moved to the Carolinas in 1985 to 'start over' and raise her two children, Jennifer and C.J., "in the Bible Belt," and lived there until the spring of 2008. (Except for one year in Kansas City for the first year of IHOP - International House of Prayer - and eight months in the Florida panhandle). Over the years, Joni served in many capacities in whatever local fellowship she belonged to, including teaching children, youth, women's and adult Sunday school classes. She also headed up Women's' Ministry, Prayer Teams, Singles Ministry, Single Parents' Ministry and did church newsletters and other administrative work. Sheadditionally became active in Women's Aglow and served on her local Aglow's Executive Board. - She believes her life has been her main school of ministry. - And that others' lives also are for them.
Joni has worked at several internationally known ministries, as well as waitressing and working as a graphics designer in a print shop. Her work resume includes: PTL-TV Network/Heritage USA; a radio station owned by the Jimmy Swaggart Evangelistic Association; a radio station owned by Pat Robertson's Broadcast Equities; as secretary at MorningStar Publications; a Graphics Designer at a print shop; as SinglesAdministrator for several hundred singles and single parents at Central Church of God in Charlotte, NC; Executive Assistant to U.S. Director of Derek Prince Publications & Ministries; as a pastor's secretary; waitress in a restaurant; and in several different secretarial "temp" services. While Joni received her main prophetic training at both MorningStar and Christian International, she has also "dipped in the prophetic streams" at Kansas City (she was there from May of 1999 to Aug. of 2000 for the first year of Shiloh and IHOP - International House Of Prayer - (http://www.shilohkc.com/ and http://www.fotb.com ), and whenever possible in the Franklin & Nashville, TN area at Jim & Michal Ann Goll's Ministry To The Nations ( http://www.ministrytothenations.org ).
Some of Joni's writing has been featured in the MorningStar Journal and she is often a featured writer on Steve Shultz' prophetic e-mail newsletter, Elijah List (www.elijahlist.com ) and several other prophetic internet newsletters. Joni believes in cross pollination and unity among the streams and is also therefore in several ministry fellowships across denominational lines.
Joni has taught in churches of many varied denominations; at conferences; government offices; to staff and employees at various Christian businesses that request her to minister to them; Women's Aglow groups; Full Gospel Businessmen groups; Marketplace Ministry groups, teens, singles & women's groups; house groups; prisons;and wherever the Lord leads. (See calendar at: http://members.aol.com/joniames/itinerary.htm - you are welcome to contact those listed for references.) - Joni travels extensively. Joni believes that those in ministry are called to mentor and train others. She says, "We are to be mentors, not tormentors! - Operating in the anointing, not the 'annoying!' - Launching others into ministry, not misery! - Being prophetic, not pathetic!"
Joni believes that the job of the five fold ministry is "for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry," (Eph. 4:11) and that "...the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." (Eph. 4:16)
Joni's teachings vary according to what she feels the Lord gives to her for a particular group or area, after which she often flows in personal prophetic words for many of the individuals who attend her meetings. (Note: Although it sometimes happens, she does not promise to prophesy over "everyone," but only over those the Lord points out.)
Joni believes that the Lord wants to encourage and activate the Laborers as we continue to move into the harvest, and does share specific types of teachings (i.e., teaching and activating others in personal prophetic ministry, intercession, etc.) when requested to do so. However, she believes that "fresh bread" is vital and much needed in the Body today and loves it when those who contact her allow her to bring in "whatever the Lord is saying at present."
Joni's ministry is not limited to women, but she does hold one large (attendance at times up to about 1200 ladies) Elijah List sponsored Womens' Prophetic Destiny conference every year, with a large team of women of all backgrounds, denominations, nationalities and colors working with her to accomplish this. She has also held retreats for women who are in or desiring to be in ministry.
Joni feels that a major part of her call is that she is to teach and raise up others in ministry and they often travel with her to share their ministry giftings and begin stepping out in what they are called to do.
Joni's life is a full time, faith based and offering supported ministry. When not "on the road," she depends on financial love gifts others send so she can spend some time studying, praying, planning and strategizing future meetings, as well as writing and keeping up her two websites. - Even the administration part takes a lot of work, especially since she doesn't have a full time secretary! Her lifestyle is kept simple (rents a small one bedroom apartment, drives 9+ year old car, etc.) and her "office" is in her home, so she can avoid the "asking" as much as possible, but there are "times" when a particular request needs to be sent out. What come in helps her survive another day, pay bills, put gas in the car, do the everyday life things and help keep her doing what she is called to do. |
