Brooke was finally able to post a blog update. Please visit the following link to see the amazing vision God gave a friend for her:
www.livingwater17.blogspot.com
Monday, December 17, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
The Dump
My daughter who has lived in suburbia her whole life...who has a soft bed with pretty pillows...who never has to wonder where her next meal will come from...my daughter just spent the night in a garbage dump.
She is interning with Pioneer61, a ministry dedicated to rescuing homeless boys in Tete, Mozambique, giving them a new identity as dearly loved sons of Abba Father, co-heirs with Christ, and dwelling places of the Holy Spirit. These boys have been tossed aside by society and run off from place to place to place, until they ended up at their current living quarters - the city dump.
We are raising funds for their Shekinah Healing Home to be built and the boys themselves are helping to build it, but until it is built, this is their home. Brooke and the team from Harvest School 17 felt led to experience life as the boys do by sleeping at the dump. They took nothing with them. Pioneer61 founders, Nick and Marlene dropped them off last night, choosing not to stay with them, so they got a true feel for what it's like to live among them with no interpreter.
Brooke texted to let me know what was happening and to ask me to pray...um...helloooo...my baby is about to sleep in a DUMP!! Of course, I'm going to pray!!! She said not to worry, because they had three big Alabama boys on the team plus a guy who looks like Jesus. I told her I wasn't worried, but I was going to call on some angels...not the pretty ones who sing in the choir...the big, muscle-bound bodyguard ones!!
Nick posted a picture to Facebook of the team standing in a circle holding hands with the boys, surrounded by garbage. Several people had commented on the picture and I felt led to write the following:
I had sent an email to our church family asking them to pray for Brooke and team as they slept at the dump. We have services Friday evenings for adults and Sunday mornings for families, but Eddy and I didn't attend last night, because of a birthday party for our son. This morning I got the following email from a friend who was there (who had NOT seen my facebook comment, since she doesn't have a facebook!):
Brooke (not knowing about ANY of this correspondence) sent the following update:
Oh Emmanuel, was this what it was like for you? You left the comforts of Your Home - Heaven to be born in a stinky stable. You did it because of Your love for Your people. You did it for the least of these. You did it for the poor and the poor in spirit. You came to show us what The Father is like. You came to make a way for us to be like You. Brooke was like You last night. She reflected The Father's glory in a very dark place. She went to love the least of these. But the amazing thing is that she was the one who was loved.
Honestly, I can't imagine a more beautiful expression of loving The One and loving the one...
She is interning with Pioneer61, a ministry dedicated to rescuing homeless boys in Tete, Mozambique, giving them a new identity as dearly loved sons of Abba Father, co-heirs with Christ, and dwelling places of the Holy Spirit. These boys have been tossed aside by society and run off from place to place to place, until they ended up at their current living quarters - the city dump.
We are raising funds for their Shekinah Healing Home to be built and the boys themselves are helping to build it, but until it is built, this is their home. Brooke and the team from Harvest School 17 felt led to experience life as the boys do by sleeping at the dump. They took nothing with them. Pioneer61 founders, Nick and Marlene dropped them off last night, choosing not to stay with them, so they got a true feel for what it's like to live among them with no interpreter.
Brooke texted to let me know what was happening and to ask me to pray...um...helloooo...my baby is about to sleep in a DUMP!! Of course, I'm going to pray!!! She said not to worry, because they had three big Alabama boys on the team plus a guy who looks like Jesus. I told her I wasn't worried, but I was going to call on some angels...not the pretty ones who sing in the choir...the big, muscle-bound bodyguard ones!!
Nick posted a picture to Facebook of the team standing in a circle holding hands with the boys, surrounded by garbage. Several people had commented on the picture and I felt led to write the following:
Praying the radiance of His glory is seen for miles around...and no one will be able to fathom that it's coming from, of all places, a dump! Kinda like the first Christmas, huh?
I had sent an email to our church family asking them to pray for Brooke and team as they slept at the dump. We have services Friday evenings for adults and Sunday mornings for families, but Eddy and I didn't attend last night, because of a birthday party for our son. This morning I got the following email from a friend who was there (who had NOT seen my facebook comment, since she doesn't have a facebook!):
We all prayed last night at The Nest for Brooke. I had a picture and was praying through it in my own heart as others were praying out loud…..and then [someone else] prayed exactly what I was seeing! Not feeling especially nostalgic or Christmas focused, I saw Brooke and the team and the boys out there in that smelly ole dump just like the shepherds to whom the angels came and announced the birth of Jesus. So I prayed the glory of God would fill that place where they were last night. And I thought of how that is just what Jesus came to do…..reach everyone with His love and good news…..from those living in the dump, to those of us living in Williamson County, TN! And I also thought of Brooke being much like Jesus himself in her going. She has left her own comforts and privileged life to love on the lowly and destitute and those without hope, unless she is willing to come to them and bring them the good news. Anyway, it was a beautiful and powerful thing I was experiencing and I pray she had a taste of it.
Brooke (not knowing about ANY of this correspondence) sent the following update:
My life is changed!...[She then directed me to read her facebook status, which said, "We had the honor of spending the night with our boys in the dump where they are living right now in the city. They made beds for us out of giant rocks, gave us their only sheets and served us dinner. God has done a huge work in them and begun to transform them. They kept saying we are their family. It was such an amazing experience getting to see how they live every single night. Now I know how to pray for and relate to them and raise awareness to get their home built soon! We are so wrecked today. Jesus blessed us so much through our boys"]...these boys have begun to be transformed and it's incredible. They were moving giant rocks and stuff, making us beds and serving us their dinner. They said we were family and they would protect us from the bad guys. We all slept in a pile together in the same area....The oldest, who's their leader had a sheet keeping him warm an he looked over to me and asked if I was cold, 'cause I didn't have one. I told him I was fine, but he asked like three times, then he said, "No. You are cold", then he put his sheet on me. So sweet taking care of his sister. I almost started crying right there. None of them speak English, but somehow I was like the translator. I don't know how I did it, but I did! We literally felt the Presence while we were out there last night. It was so peaceful where we were and just across the street was partying and fighting.
Oh Emmanuel, was this what it was like for you? You left the comforts of Your Home - Heaven to be born in a stinky stable. You did it because of Your love for Your people. You did it for the least of these. You did it for the poor and the poor in spirit. You came to show us what The Father is like. You came to make a way for us to be like You. Brooke was like You last night. She reflected The Father's glory in a very dark place. She went to love the least of these. But the amazing thing is that she was the one who was loved.
Honestly, I can't imagine a more beautiful expression of loving The One and loving the one...
Sunday, December 9, 2012
All Means All
Refer to post titled "Multiplication Anointing" for the back story to this post.
Jehovah Jireh is at it again! Brooke called last night to share another story of God's miraculous provision. Yesterday God took me to two scriptures I felt led to send to Brooke. It was more in light of knowing she was upset about having to say goodbye to her brothers and sisters in Pemba. The first was Colossians 2:2, which says, "I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God's mysterious plan which is Christ Himself." The other was Philippians 4:19, which says, "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." This second one is one I usually read in light of God providing for my material needs, but I sent it to Brooke with the revelation that "all" means ALL! He will supply ALL our needs! Brooke was sad and needed comfort. He supplies comfort!
She had spent more money while in Pemba than she'd originally budgeted, because God told her to buy certain things for certain people and she obeyed. As she packed up to go to Tete, she grew concerned that she might nor have enough money for the trip and her stay there. She doesn't want Nick and Marlene to be out any money on her account, and wants to contribute to their living expenses. She asked God to provide what she needed. She was going through the pouch where she keeps her passport and important documents, making sure all was in order, and discovered 4 metical bills (Mozambican currency) worth 1,000 mets each, which translates to about $200 US dollars! She KNOWS she didn't put it there, because she didn't even know there was such a thing as a thousand met bill!!
She checked in at the Pemba airport, and ended up having to pay a bag fee. The amount? 1,000 mets! All means ALL!!!
He supplies ALL our needs!! How? His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. His supply of whatever we need never runs out. Need love? He lavishes it. Need joy? He gives it for our strength. Need peace? He's the Prince of it. Need healing? His stripes paid for it. Need provision? He's Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider! Not only does He SUPPLY all we need, He IS all we need! He is our Abba Father, Who generously blesses His kids with good gifts. He is our All in All.
Jehovah Jireh is at it again! Brooke called last night to share another story of God's miraculous provision. Yesterday God took me to two scriptures I felt led to send to Brooke. It was more in light of knowing she was upset about having to say goodbye to her brothers and sisters in Pemba. The first was Colossians 2:2, which says, "I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God's mysterious plan which is Christ Himself." The other was Philippians 4:19, which says, "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." This second one is one I usually read in light of God providing for my material needs, but I sent it to Brooke with the revelation that "all" means ALL! He will supply ALL our needs! Brooke was sad and needed comfort. He supplies comfort!
She had spent more money while in Pemba than she'd originally budgeted, because God told her to buy certain things for certain people and she obeyed. As she packed up to go to Tete, she grew concerned that she might nor have enough money for the trip and her stay there. She doesn't want Nick and Marlene to be out any money on her account, and wants to contribute to their living expenses. She asked God to provide what she needed. She was going through the pouch where she keeps her passport and important documents, making sure all was in order, and discovered 4 metical bills (Mozambican currency) worth 1,000 mets each, which translates to about $200 US dollars! She KNOWS she didn't put it there, because she didn't even know there was such a thing as a thousand met bill!!
She checked in at the Pemba airport, and ended up having to pay a bag fee. The amount? 1,000 mets! All means ALL!!!
He supplies ALL our needs!! How? His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. His supply of whatever we need never runs out. Need love? He lavishes it. Need joy? He gives it for our strength. Need peace? He's the Prince of it. Need healing? His stripes paid for it. Need provision? He's Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider! Not only does He SUPPLY all we need, He IS all we need! He is our Abba Father, Who generously blesses His kids with good gifts. He is our All in All.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Multiplication Anointing
Our kids and teens at church are collecting money to help Pioneer61 build the Shekinah Healing Home in Tete, Mozambique. My son, Blake was cleaning his room one day last week, and every time he found money on the floor, he'd put it in his bottle, then he'd turn around and there would be more money on the floor. He'd pick it up and put it in the bottle, then he'd look again, and again there'd be more money on the floor!
Blake shared his story at church last Sunday, then after church as I was walking to my car, I saw $11 cash in the middle of the parking lot, so I picked it up and asked around to see if it belonged to anyone, but no one claimed it, so I thanked God for it and put it in the Shekinah bottle. Later God reminded me of the scripture He gave Nick and Marlene for Shekinah...Jeremiah 29...guess which verse...11!
This week we had some missionaries staying with us from We Will Go in Jackson, MS (See previous post). Laura has a multiplication anointing. The whole time they were here, she shared story after story after story of God's miraculous provision in her life.
Wednesday evening, I attended a conference here in town put on by Larry Randolph with guest speaker Bill Johnson. I rarely carry cash, but when the offering bucket was passed, God told me to check my jacket pocket, so I did. I was surprised to feel some bills in there! He said not to look at the amount, just to give it all, so I did.
Thursday evening I went back to the conference. This time when the bucket was passed, I started to check my pocket again, then remembered the jacket I'd worn that night didn't have any pockets. God said to check my billfold, so I did, and again there was cash in it! Again, He said not to check the amount, just to put it all in, so I did. My missionary friends had gone to the conference with me and we'd stayed late to receive prayer from Bill Johnson's team. Afterward, as we made our way toward the exit, Laura looked down and saw a $20 bill on the floor! She picked it up and asked God what to do with it. He said to put it in the offering bucket, so she did.
Friday morning my friends left, but first they blessed our family and home, including a prayer for the multiplication anointing to be upon us. That evening Eddy went with me to the conference and checked his wallet to see if there was any cash in it to put in the offering bucket, but there was NO CASH in it, so he wrote a check instead.
Saturday morning, I went to the conference and sat by two friends. One asked if either of us had $1, so she could buy some bottled water. I checked, but this time found no cash. My other friend said she'd just spent 10 minutes searching every nook and cranny in her purse trying to find some money to buy herself a Diet Coke. After scrounging around, she finally found enough, but only left about 8 pennies in her purse, but she said she'd look one more time. She pulled out a pile of change, which added up to just enough to buy the bottled water!
Saturday morning, Eddy wrote our tithe check to the church and put it in his wallet. When he opened his wallet, there was NO CASH in it. At church this morning, he opened his wallet to take out the tithe check and there, in his wallet, where he'd checked both Friday night and Saturday morning, there was a $5 bill!! He shared what had just happened with our church family, holding up the bill for all to see. He felt like it was to go to Shekinah, so he folded it up and set it on the corner of the sound table, where he sits every Sunday. The table is near the front of the room, so there is no way anyone could have sneaked any money into that folded up $5 without being seen.
We continued with the service, including a lesson on Isaiah 61, so we spent some time talking about and praying for Pioneer61 and the Shekinah boys. After worship, my son Brent came over to put Eddy's $5 into the Shekinah bottle. When he picked it up and unfolded it, a $20 bill was tucked inside the fold!!!
WOW!!! Talk about MULTIPLICATION!!!
Jesus multiplied bread and fish in the Bible, so why wouldn't He multiply $5 bills???
How have you experienced the multiplication anointing? I'd love to hear your story!
Blake shared his story at church last Sunday, then after church as I was walking to my car, I saw $11 cash in the middle of the parking lot, so I picked it up and asked around to see if it belonged to anyone, but no one claimed it, so I thanked God for it and put it in the Shekinah bottle. Later God reminded me of the scripture He gave Nick and Marlene for Shekinah...Jeremiah 29...guess which verse...11!
This week we had some missionaries staying with us from We Will Go in Jackson, MS (See previous post). Laura has a multiplication anointing. The whole time they were here, she shared story after story after story of God's miraculous provision in her life.
Wednesday evening, I attended a conference here in town put on by Larry Randolph with guest speaker Bill Johnson. I rarely carry cash, but when the offering bucket was passed, God told me to check my jacket pocket, so I did. I was surprised to feel some bills in there! He said not to look at the amount, just to give it all, so I did.
Thursday evening I went back to the conference. This time when the bucket was passed, I started to check my pocket again, then remembered the jacket I'd worn that night didn't have any pockets. God said to check my billfold, so I did, and again there was cash in it! Again, He said not to check the amount, just to put it all in, so I did. My missionary friends had gone to the conference with me and we'd stayed late to receive prayer from Bill Johnson's team. Afterward, as we made our way toward the exit, Laura looked down and saw a $20 bill on the floor! She picked it up and asked God what to do with it. He said to put it in the offering bucket, so she did.
Friday morning my friends left, but first they blessed our family and home, including a prayer for the multiplication anointing to be upon us. That evening Eddy went with me to the conference and checked his wallet to see if there was any cash in it to put in the offering bucket, but there was NO CASH in it, so he wrote a check instead.
Saturday morning, I went to the conference and sat by two friends. One asked if either of us had $1, so she could buy some bottled water. I checked, but this time found no cash. My other friend said she'd just spent 10 minutes searching every nook and cranny in her purse trying to find some money to buy herself a Diet Coke. After scrounging around, she finally found enough, but only left about 8 pennies in her purse, but she said she'd look one more time. She pulled out a pile of change, which added up to just enough to buy the bottled water!
Saturday morning, Eddy wrote our tithe check to the church and put it in his wallet. When he opened his wallet, there was NO CASH in it. At church this morning, he opened his wallet to take out the tithe check and there, in his wallet, where he'd checked both Friday night and Saturday morning, there was a $5 bill!! He shared what had just happened with our church family, holding up the bill for all to see. He felt like it was to go to Shekinah, so he folded it up and set it on the corner of the sound table, where he sits every Sunday. The table is near the front of the room, so there is no way anyone could have sneaked any money into that folded up $5 without being seen.
We continued with the service, including a lesson on Isaiah 61, so we spent some time talking about and praying for Pioneer61 and the Shekinah boys. After worship, my son Brent came over to put Eddy's $5 into the Shekinah bottle. When he picked it up and unfolded it, a $20 bill was tucked inside the fold!!!
WOW!!! Talk about MULTIPLICATION!!!
Jesus multiplied bread and fish in the Bible, so why wouldn't He multiply $5 bills???
How have you experienced the multiplication anointing? I'd love to hear your story!
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