We have just finished four days of meetings, really like a semi conference every night preaching and seeing God moving powerfully in their lives and then last night another meeting with the leaders. What to say, we are looking forward to a few days of rest but we are so thankful. God gives seed to the sower! We have been so blessed as the Lord has given us what has been needed for the people and to see such freedom and joy come into their lives we are so blessed. People powerfully delivered of demons, people healed of pain and sickness and issues of the heart. People set free by the power of the Holy Spirit in joy and freedom. For the Pastor, he felt so refreshed and strengthened and knew it was Gods timing in bringing us. People were so full of the Holy Spirit they couldn't stand up to speak, it was just wonderful seeing them filled with joy leaning on the podium in order to stand up :) They were just so blessed and spending four days with people have put them in our hearts and this morning as we said goodbye it was like our hearts were being torn out but we believe we will be back at some time the Lord willing.
In all the places we have been in Botswana there is an open door for us to come back and to bring teams with us so that is very encouraging and look forward to what the Lord may do in the future.
We have just booked into a place by the river for a few days to just spend time with the Lord alone and see what the next steps are. We are both well, Jim recovering from his cold. Although I am getting a little homesick for my girl and as we look that we still have another 2 and a half months think, "Lord what have you got ahead?" We have only been away from New Zealand for 2 and a half weeks and yet already so much has happened it seems like a lifetime! I know we will certainly be different when we come back and already am seeing Jim stepping up into so much more authority it is amazing. And seeing things bow to the name of Jesus here is just amazing. One of the most precious things yesterday that we will remember forever is a girl who the Lord set free in such a powerful way and then to see her come back to the leaders meeting hungry for more even though it was her first time in the church. It broke our heart as she was told she could not stay as she was just so hungry for more of God.
We have had such a variety of stuff happen in two weeks, the contrasts are amazing. From the comforts of South Africa, to the bus crash, to washing in a basin, to God opening doors for ministry and homes for us to stay in, it is just amazing! God keeps reminding us that he will do what he promised!
A revelation I have had is about what it is to be "child like in faith", an understanding is the innocence of a child, innocent of sin, unhindered by hurt or pain. I have had the revelation of child like in trusting the Lord for his provision of food and shelter before but this is bringing a whole new level of understanding of the innocence that we need to come back into in the Lord. These past few days we have seen so much pain, so much hurt in peoples lives, so much sickness, HIV, abuse and I had a dream that showed me of murder and in processing this the Lord is teaching me about His forgiveness that brings people back to that child like innocence before pain, before hurt. And is murder any different of any other sin and to love and forgive.
Powerful questions that tests your heart so we are going to enjoy just processing some of everything that has happened over these past couple of weeks and see what the Lord is revealing to us.
So bye for now but know that God is doing powerful things and will continue to do so as He has promised.
With love & thanks, Jim & Sarah
In all the places we have been in Botswana there is an open door for us to come back and to bring teams with us so that is very encouraging and look forward to what the Lord may do in the future.
We have just booked into a place by the river for a few days to just spend time with the Lord alone and see what the next steps are. We are both well, Jim recovering from his cold. Although I am getting a little homesick for my girl and as we look that we still have another 2 and a half months think, "Lord what have you got ahead?" We have only been away from New Zealand for 2 and a half weeks and yet already so much has happened it seems like a lifetime! I know we will certainly be different when we come back and already am seeing Jim stepping up into so much more authority it is amazing. And seeing things bow to the name of Jesus here is just amazing. One of the most precious things yesterday that we will remember forever is a girl who the Lord set free in such a powerful way and then to see her come back to the leaders meeting hungry for more even though it was her first time in the church. It broke our heart as she was told she could not stay as she was just so hungry for more of God.
We have had such a variety of stuff happen in two weeks, the contrasts are amazing. From the comforts of South Africa, to the bus crash, to washing in a basin, to God opening doors for ministry and homes for us to stay in, it is just amazing! God keeps reminding us that he will do what he promised!
A revelation I have had is about what it is to be "child like in faith", an understanding is the innocence of a child, innocent of sin, unhindered by hurt or pain. I have had the revelation of child like in trusting the Lord for his provision of food and shelter before but this is bringing a whole new level of understanding of the innocence that we need to come back into in the Lord. These past few days we have seen so much pain, so much hurt in peoples lives, so much sickness, HIV, abuse and I had a dream that showed me of murder and in processing this the Lord is teaching me about His forgiveness that brings people back to that child like innocence before pain, before hurt. And is murder any different of any other sin and to love and forgive.
Powerful questions that tests your heart so we are going to enjoy just processing some of everything that has happened over these past couple of weeks and see what the Lord is revealing to us.
So bye for now but know that God is doing powerful things and will continue to do so as He has promised.
With love & thanks, Jim & Sarah