The Jesus Blanket Project

The Jesus Blanket Project started in December of 2005 as the result of God's calling into the lives of Paul and Sheila Johnson from Simi Valley, California.  Since this project began and through partnership with many wonderful dedicated individuals, churches, ministries, and public service organizations, the JBP has distributed over 4,500 Jesus Blankets throughout Southern California.   Below please find descriptions on How the JBP Started, JBP's Growing Purpose, and JBP's Scriptural Foundation.

How the JBP Started

The calling to service for JBP came from a series of rather interesting events.  In the winter of 2005, as Paul was leaving a local sporting goods store, he glanced upon an attractive display of beautifully patterned and rather expensive throw-blankets.  He knew that Sheila loves to wrap herself in a cuddly warm blanket as she works at her home computer or reads, so on impulse, he bought her one of these blankets.  She was very surprised and grateful for the beautiful gift.  

Within the next day or so the new blanket somehow ended up in Sheila's car.  Later on that cold day, at about dusk, Sheila was driving in the alley behind the stores of a local retail mall when she saw a woman standing alone with her dog and looking very cold and lost.  As she passed the woman, she sensed that she should stop, back up and give the women the new blanket.   She backed up to the woman and as she was lowering the window realized that this was not a woman at all but rather a raggedy looking man appearing very cold and apparently homeless.  She asked if he would like a blanket.  He walked up to the window and said "yes."  Sheila reached into the back seat, grabbed the new blanket and gave it to him along with a blessing in the name of Jesus.   The man appeared very surprised and thankful.

Back home later that night Paul asked Sheila how she was enjoying the new blanket.  As Sheila told Paul the story she hesitantly admitted that she had given away the new blanket.  Without much thought Paul blurted out "maybe that was a Jesus Blanket and we are supposed to give more away."  As he walked out of the room, Paul begin to think about the curious thing he had just said seemingly without thinking.  Up to that point, Paul and Sheila had lead various outreach oriented ministries (i.e. Alpha and Servant Evangelism) at Sonrise Christian Fellowship in Simi Valley, however, they had not sensed any particular call to serve the poor, suffering, or homeless street people.  With this experience, that started to change.  The words Jesus Blanket Project appeared over and over in Paul's mind to a time when in late 2005 he could not ignore it any longer and so he ordered 300 warm utility blankets from a wool mill and began to distribute them in December of that year. 

From the start, Paul sensed God would eventually bring him a message containing God's word that was supposed to be put on the blankets.  Without trying to force the issue with any personal creativity, Paul continued to look for that special message to be revealed to him.  He thought this would perhaps come through someone else, maybe an artist or a pastor, but late one night in 2006 at about 3 am in the morning Paul was passionately inspired to just grab a pencil and paper and quickly draw the seeker's words, Jesus' love letter response and the image now seen on the corner of every Jesus Blanket.  Praise be to God!

The JBP's Growing Purpose

Originally it was thought that the JBP was purposed to serve and distribute Jesus Blankets to local individuals in need and to the local churches (some 40) and ministries in Simi Valley, CA.  Paul then began putting bales of Jesus Blankets in his car each time he went out into communities all over Southern California he served with his real estate construction financing and trust deed investment business, PDJ's Private Lenders Network.   As Paul continues to do this, he is led (sometimes in amazing and unplanned ways) to individuals, churches, and other ministries and public service organizations who are in desperate need of blankets for the needy.   As Paul stops to deliver the Jesus Blankets, he gathers those people at each site to pray for those who will be giving out the blankets and for those who will be receiving the blankets.  These prayer sessions have expanded the JBP from a service ministry into also a much needed prayer ministry.  We look forward with excitement to discover how God will continue to expand the JBP's service and purpose.   Praise be to God.

JBP's Scriptural Foundation