HALELUJAH

 

Today marks one year ago that I stepped off that plane into Ghana, an experience that has forever changed my life.  During my nine months God revealed to me what it is that I really want from this life.  God opens doors and He has opened the door to full time ministry, something I cherish. I have thought that I need a part time job to be able to meet basic needs and continue to serve.  I have been running on empty for two months.  I have been down to .52 in my bank account.  It is not easy for my flesh to be comfortable with how I am living.  But, and I mean but, God has stepped in and miraculously provided for me every step of the way.  What I know right now is that my God owns the universe and everything in it.  He can speak what I need and it is mine.  Sometimes I remind myself of the children of Israel, complaining and forgetting to look and remember what God had done for me.   As I look back  have shouts of hallelujah during my prayer time, driving in my car and just different times as the reality of what He has and is doing settles in. These are just some of the reasons for my shout: 

I was let go from a job in the middle of a sell out and given the money I needed in the form of severance to pay off every debt and purchase airline tickets to go to Ghana.

I saw children delivered from scabies.  I could not get the people at the home to understand that it was necessary for us to wash everything and treat the home.  They refused.  I asked for prayer and cried out to my God that I could not stand the itching anymore and needed Him to do a miracle.  By the end of the week the runners on my arms caused by the crawling bugs were gone and so was the scabies without treatment.

 

I saw children healed of ring worm, fungus, and other horrible skin conditions (especially on their feet caused by red ant bites that had become infected).

            I was afflicted with ring worm, fungus, infected fungus and malaria at the same time.  I cried out in anger to God not understanding why.  He spoke to my heart that I had asked for compassion for these children and now I fully understood how they were feeling.  It was a moment of falling on my face, asking for forgiveness and then getting busy making sure they were treated aggressively to see an end to these attacks on their little bodies.

I saw children who were thin, had extended bellies and looked through emptied eyes begin to gain weight, begin to  laugh,  to share and shine.

I prayed for one boy to get an education sponsor and the very next day… he had a sponsor.

I prayed for God to provide a little boy with surgery for his eyes.  God made the provision.  Unfortunately the family that controls this little boy’s future would not cooperate fully so that this could be accomplished.  I am still praying that God will make a way.

 

I saw a little boy rescued from slavery.  Thin, sunken face, huge questioning eyes not understanding what was happening to him and speaking a language that no one understood he was taken from his master and ended up at his new home.  Once there, he saw another little boy from his village.  He ran and fell into his arms wrapping his arms around this little boy.  As they began to talk a smile emerged that was so touching.  Tears began to fall as you knew this little boy was being told about how wonderful his life was going to be.  He would have a mom and dad, a home, 3 meals a day and school and most of all he would be shown what the love of God is all about. 14 more were brought home shortly after I left Ghana.

I was able to share Jesus with a man who was drunk and following us.  He would not leave so I told him I knew he was drunk and that he could only follow us if he would stop his behavior.  He first denied he was drunk and as I told him that I knew he was drunk and was drinking everyday of his life he began to cry, he opened up and began to confess the truth about his life.  He had a wife and 3 little girls who were suffering because of his drinking. We prayed and he invited me to his home to meet his family.  They were precious and I talked with his wife and then we all prayed. 

In the middle of the night feeling so alone and lonely, totally miserable I in a whisper said God I need you.  Do you hear me, I need you so bad.  For the next several minutes (I don’t really know how long) Jesus sat next to me on my bed and we talked.  It wish I had the words to describe what it was like.  All I know is that I felt peace and all of my suffering subsided.  I was refreshed and looked at things in a different light the next morning.

I became friends with about 40 or 50 little children in the village of Chorkor that would follow me as soon as I arrived and walk with me the entire way to the house we were delivering food.  I would tell them about Jesus and give them candy and only wish I had more food so that they could all eat.  I know some people get frustrated at how rude they can seem grabbing things from your hand and sometimes even taking a portion that was meant for another child and because they crammed it into their mouth that child went without but it just speaks to how hungry they are. 

 I  had a small girl write notes to God about how much she wanted a mom and dad.  God told me that she would have a mom and dad before I left.  I spoke this to her and from that day she wrote letters to God and to her new mom and dad.  One week before I left the orphanage the family that was adopting her allowed the privilege of telling her.  I wasn’t able to tell her best friend that she was also being adopted but they found out soon after.  Answered prayer.

I could go on and on and on but the point is I want to remember, we all need to remember what God has done for us.  We need to remember the goodness of our Lord and Savior.  Remember! No matter how different we all have God Moments that are worthy of remembering.

 I am so excited about returning to Ghana under the umbrella of the most High God.  I am excited to have opportunities to share the gospel with believers and experience God’s grace and anointing on our time together, changing us, making us more like Him.  I am excited to hug some beautiful little children, pray over them, speak life into their lives and just be there for them.  I am excited to see friends left behind and hear about the amazing things God has been doing through them.

We say , “All I need is You Lord”. We proclaim Him to be so many things in our life but nothing causes our words to stand like being in the middle of something terrible. Someone asked me if I would be willing to lay my life down in a certain situation. I quickly responded yes because no would have meant that the task before me wasn’t worthy of that. The truth is that it is not my life to lay down, it is not my choice to make, it is His. He is the maker of Heaven and Earth. the giver of life and the one who decides the appointed time.

Only He can satisfy. It is imperative that I crucify my flesh every single day and seek Him. I need to be living this life from my spirit which bears witness with His spirit and gives me the right to cry out Abba in the midst of the storm (Romans 8) and to rest in His loving arms when He is leading me beside still waters. He knows what I need and when I need it better than I do.

 Since I have been home God has met my needs faithfully.  I have tried to get a job but it just hasn’t happened yet.  But what has happened is God has used you to meet my needs.  I want everyone to know that I am sold out to Jesus.  I am happy to live from God moment to God moment.  All I need to do is worship my God by living each day for Him.  I need your support and I promise you that I will continue to live each day walking in obedience to what He calls me to do.  It is very humbling to have people pour into your life the way  you have poured into mine the past year.  I promise you I will pour back out in the ways that I am able as God leads.