A missionary's experience of being transformed by the love of the Father and seeing the same happen in juvenile offenders in America and African orphans and street children.
Engage yourself in social work or
missionary work and you're sure to come into close contact with a
myriad of some of life's most traumatic problems and the brokenness
left in their wake. Since the time I became a Christian, in 1992,
the Lord called me to work with people battered by life's storms.
One reason He chose me for this work, I
believe, is because from an early age I was personally subject to
abuse in many forms, by various people, that left me broken. This
led me to either question the existence of God and/or become very
angry with Him by my early 20's. But, as He does so well, He
relentlessly sought after me to reveal His Fatherly love and let me
know who was really behind the abuses I'd suffered. He did this in
many of His wonderful ways, such as miraculously preserving my life
in a car accident and often sending His people into my life to tell
me about Him and His love. Once I realized that we live in a
sin-cursed earth and have very real enemies, that being the devil and
other fallen angels, I realized who was responsible for the abuses
I'd suffered. The Father actually loved me so much that He sent His
only Son to die for my sins so that I could be with Him forever. He
was, in fact, very concerned about the abuses that had happened to me
and has been healing me ever since through the power of what His son,
Jesus, accomplished on the cross. In so many ways He has restored me
and turned what the devil meant for harm into good, to help other
broken people receive healing through the power of His love and
Truth.
Since 1994 I've worked with juvenile
offenders in America and orphans/street children in Africa. While I
was working with Iris Ministries in South Africa I had a wonderful,
supernatural experience of the love of the Father. As a teacher at
our Harvest Bible College, I was participating in one of our
graduation ceremonies after a 2-week class session. These were
always times of powerful Spirit-filled prayer after handing out
certificates to the students. During one of those times, in 2010, I
received prayer from our school director who had encountered the
Father's love in a remarkable way in Canada some years prior. About
20 minutes after his prayer, I found myself suddenly immersed in the
Father's love in a tangible, beautiful, life-changing way. The love
& security I felt was unlike anything I'd ever known before as
He told me that I belong to Him. I was undone for several minutes
until I needed to speak with students again, and I've never been the
same. His love is ever-present, everlasting and unconditional. It
transcends all earthly pleasures and problems.
Both before and after that experience
I've seen the power of His love transform troubled lives. From lives
such as incarcerated juvenile offenders who were in a downward spiral
to children in Africa who had literally lived on the streets for
years. Once these juveniles and street children learned that there
is a heaveny Father who loves them immensely, and they experience
that love, they start to live free from drug use, addictions, crime,
self-destruction and start to walk in the truth of who they are
created to be.
It is available to everyone. There is
a heavenly Father whose love is real and powerful enough to overcome
every bit of darkness that creeps into our lives in this fallen
world. It is our true home and where we'll find what we're looking
for – the love we need to give us the peace and fulfillment we
need. “Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!”
Psalm 90:1 NLT
Follow my blog for speific stories of
what Father God is doing in Kenya to change the lives of once
abandoned children.
To contribute to the work in Kenya
tax-deductible donations may be sent to:
Sheltering Wings
P.O. Box 29565
St. Louis, MO 63126
