Matthew 7:7-8 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”
This verse describes what God was teaching me this summer. The ability to desire…how it is the very message of Christianity not a list of morals but rather Jesus inviting us to the ecstasy; the bliss. This summer God brought so much to me that I can not begin to describe it all. The best way I can explain is that I saw miracles, people saved, people healed, people experiencing God, me experiencing God…
A few stories that intrigue and warm the heart-
This summer one of my campers, an abused, drug and alcohol addict who was a recent rape victim realized the depth of God’s love for her. She was weeping in my arms after we had a time of praying over our campers and campers praying over campers by God’s leading. Her first words will forever be ingrained in my heart… “He loves me, He really LOVES me! No matter what I have done or what has been done to me… He LOVES me!” She has been clean of drugs and alcohol since leaving camp and has started praying for her lost friends. Her best friend and old party buddy has recently ended an extreme drug addiction and has been clean for 2 weeks. Prayer is working!
One Saturday evening a group of us counselors went to a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for a local youth group that was going to Ocean City, Maryland to street witness. On the way home I was driving and since I’m from Ohio I do not know the area very well so i rely on the others in the car for directions. We took an exit turning to the right which was proceeded by a disagreement about if we had gone the right way or not. It was a fairly rural road and as we proceeded we passed a man around the age of 50. He looked aged beyond years carrying heavy burdens. He had a coat slung over his shoulder and was walking alone and sullenly with a worn pack in his arm. My heart instantly started praying and weeping for the man. It ended up being the wrong way so we turned around passing the man again. I simply said a “I feel like we should tell that man about Jesus.” The other counselors prayed about it and agreed. So doing another 3 point turn we pulled up next to the man stopping on the road. “By coincidence” aka Jesus, Paul had asked to see a bible before we left so I had handed him two versions from my trunk that would not have been available otherwise. We ended up giving the man a bible and telling him that Jesus loved him no matter what He was going through, that Jesus was there for him. Instantly when the words of truth were spoken you could see some of the burden just lift off his shoulders. He really was one of the least of these. We had to turn around again because we were once again going the wrong way. When we passed the man a smile brightened his face and we smiled and waved back.
Another example of asking and receiving was so evident in my Haven (the camp for mentally disabled adults) camper Barbara’s prayers! She had accepted Christ personally on Monday of the week. She had been a God fearer and knew of God but never had the personal relationship. A camper favorite is the pontoon boat ride around the lake. That is not a normal activity for many who only know state homes with no love, who work in factories and are placed in front of a TV at night. They LOVE it when we even let them drive around in the lake. This particular time we sat with lifejackets on as the driver turned over the motor and all we heard were sputtering sounds. I was thinking we should pray and started to say that we should but Barbara was already head bowed praying out loud and before the boat even started she was thanking God and guess what – before she was finished the boat started! I find it amazing that God knew that the desire of Barbara’s heart was simply a boat ride for pleasure yet He was ever faithful in answering the simplest prayer.
Over and over there were examples – from campers, staff, people we met at Wal-Mart, waitresses in restaurants, even the man on the side of the road – that proved the power of prayer. The work of God was being done in Rome, NY this summer. Glory and honor to Him who deserves all praise.
Now I am in a desperate need of PRAYER! God knows all I need as in one month from today I will be stepping off a plane onto that beautiful red African ground. Life will be so radically different. I have been informed that there will be an opportunity to go to Kenya earlier than expected. This will cost another $800 round trip to Johannesburg. Since I now feel this is what God is leading me to do I will try to raise this amount as well. Thank you to all who have been so faithful in giving and praying! PLEASE continue to pray.
Pray-
- For strength in goodbyes to family, friends, boyfriend, home and the states
- That somehow I will get all I need into the 60 pounds I have of packing room
- That the last $3,000 would come in by September 1st
- That my medicine will all be cleared and that it won’t cause any problems in airports or customs
- That my parents and I will have a safe drive to Georgia for training camp
- For comfortable beds and good food 😉
- Mostly that my heart will be open to be used completely by God
- That HUNDREDS will come to know Christ in all the areas our teams will be in the next 9 months
THANK YOU… you all have blessed me more than words can express.
with
love
~dD~
