As 4-year-old Lisa lay in bed, waiting for nighttime hugs and kisses, her father entered her bedroom, carrying a large box in his arms. Two little white lambs poked their heads over the side.

“These are bummer lambs,” her father explained. “They are orphans and you will be their mother.” Lisa gently touched their little pink noses, then cuddled her face next to their soft ears. “I’ll call you Peony and you Rosie,” she whispered.

The next morning Lisa and her mother carried two bottles of warm milk to the lambs in the barn. Within hours, Peony and Rosie were following Lisa wherever she went.

For 22 years, Lisa raised sheep and loved to nurture the lambs on her parents’ small farm in Silverton, Oregon. She found how important it is to give the lambs pure, warm milk. She learned how to make the stubborn ewes follow her. She knew the all-possessing focus in rescuing one lost lamb. While filling the feeder with hay, her mother would often say, “Lisa, someday you won’t be feeding these sheep any more. You will be feeding God’s ‘real’ lambs." As Lisa grew, these unique experiences gave her many insights into the Master Shepherd’s way of working with children. A deep passion welled up in her heart for leading children to Jesus.

Feeding His Lambs Ministries sprung from Lisa’s commitment to fulfill our Savior’s commission, “feed my lambs.” Certainly our Savior knew that “children are the most susceptible to the teachings of the gospel.” [1]

Scientific research now confirms that children ages 5 to 13 have a 32 percent probability of accepting Jesus as compared to 4 percent for teens and 6 percent for adults. [2] Joy filled Lisa’s heart as she dedicated Feeding His Lambs Ministries to bringing “hundreds and thousands of children to Christ.” [3]

Feeding His Lambs focuses on: 1) Giving programs that captivate children with the Word of God and transform their lives, 2) Providing child evangelism training that inspires and equips parents, teachers and leaders to successfully reach children’s hearts for Christ, and 3) Developing evangelistic and Vacation Bible School programs that provide field-tested and refined tools.

Since 1999, Lisa has traveled extensively across North America and the world, giving more than 25 children’s evangelistic programs and holding over 20 training workshops. “Here in the Upper Columbia Conference,” says Jana Van Horne, children’s ministries secretary, “Lisa is the ‘most requested’ child evangelism trainer. She teaches at our Sabbath School workshops and holds our VBS training.” A pastor’s wife in Kansas commented, “That was the best, most inspiring seminar I have ever attended! It has really given us a vision of what we can do for our children."

Feeding His Lambs Ministries is a member of ASI and involved in leading a children’s division at ASI’s national conventions. We teach at Amazing Facts College of Evangelism and often coordinate the children’s programs for large Amazing Facts meetings. “Each night,” says Alan Parker, Amazing Facts vice president for evangelism, “Lisa teaches the children the very same prophecies that Pastor Doug presents to the adults.”

After one evangelistic program, 9-year-old Mike hurried out with a eager look. Soon, he was talking to his father, describing in vivid detail what he had heard about the millennium.

In another instance, two youngsters Matthew and Carolyn were attending the NET 2005 meetings. Their father’s scowl and cold words clearly said, I don’t want to be here. Lisa soon found that she did not want the children there either. Matthew would jump up and turn off the projector in the middle of the program. Carolyn couldn’t obey.

Lisa prayed, “Dear God, help me to see these children for what they can become, transformed by Your power.” Everyday Lisa prayed for Matthew and Carolyn, and everyday God gave her the love and wisdom she needed.

Several nights later the children’s mother pulled Lisa aside. “My children are changing at home! They are more calm and helpful, looking for ways to apply what they are learning from the Bible.”

The children did not miss a program and they did not let their Catholic father miss one meeting either.

“Daddy is getting baptized!” the children announced as they arrived early one evening. “If Jesus can change you, I decided that I wanted to follow Him too," said their father.

According to Isaiah, God delights in taking the most unpromising children and making them jewels for His Kingdom. He plans that “parents who can be approached in no other way are frequently reached through their children.” [4]

As the demands of travel and responsibilities of ministry increased, Lisa and her parents prayed earnestly for help. While teaching at Amazing Facts, Lisa became acquainted with John Quade, an evangelist and lay pastor who also felt called to the broader and more delicate work of feeding the lambs. They were married Oct. 14, 2005. While John still works for Amazing Facts, both John and Lisa work together in Feeding His Lambs Ministries. Lisa’s parents, Eugene and Junelle Panasuk, are also involved in the ministry full-time. We believe that “in these last days children’s voices will be raised to give the last message of warning to a perishing world.... The lips of children will be opened to proclaim the mysteries [from the books of Daniel and Revelation], that have been hidden from the minds of men.” [5]

God has called us to the work of feeding His lambs, and “faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it” (Thessalonians 5:24). Today we still hear His plea: “Lovest thou Me?... Feed My lambs” (John 21:15).

You can learn more about the ministry at www.FeedingHisLambs.com.

1 Ellen G. White, Desire of Ages, p. 515.

2 Barna Research Report, Nov. 15, 1999.

3 Ellen G. White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students, p. 172.

4 Ellen G. White, Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 114.

5 Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 116.