Thursday, July 13, 2006

We all made it back safely to the United States. Thanks for the prayers.

I have been really encouraged recently - something I have always wanted is beginning to happen on a more visible basis -the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Just having come off the field I've been pretty busy trying to get things together and meetings set up. I think because of that, my preaching has been kind of "raggedy," rough and not well polished.

Several times after I finished preaching I actually thought, "Wow, I really bombed." But in the kindness and the grace of God, He has made up for my frail homilies by touching and speaking to people's hearts during my rantings. People come up to me in tears after the sermon and say, "Oh missionary, God just soooo spoke to my heart during your message. Thank you so much for coming here today. There was such a powerful anointing on that message."

I know that there is no excuse for a poorly prepared sermon, but I also know what it's like to have a VERY well polished sermon and deliver it passionately and still see people sitting about as moved as Ohio roadkill. How deeply I long for the company of the Spirit in ministry - that people would be genuinely moved in their spirits, and not just in their emotions.

Preaching, which used to be so difficult for me, so horrible because of how sickly nervous I would get has become a joy because at times when the Holy Spirit is ministering with me, it feels like I'm just soaring with Him. Altar ministry is so wonderful because in those times of prayer He shows up and speaks. The primary reason we are moving from Angola to Namibia next year is for the love of the Holy Spirit. I am nowhere near being being able to compare myself with anyone so great as Kathyrn Kuhlman, but I am beginning to understand why she had this great fear of going before a crowd and not having the person of the Holy Spirit come in the way He used to manifest Himself. Once you've got that; it's everything.

We'll be in Missouri at School of Missions for a couple more weeks, and then the first week of August we'll be in Michigan as the Camp Missionaries for the Elijah Kids' Camp. After that, we've got a couple weeks that are open where we will be looking for churches to book services, and then I'll head back to Western New York and Pennsylvania while Kim and Breanna head back down to Georgia.

Thanks for keeping us in prayer during our travels. My prayer is that this precious anointing God has given as a gift would be cherished and protected - it is so valuable.

Thanks be to Jesus who purchased us with His blood, and through His blood gives us access to His kingdom and all the wonders therein!

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