- You help provide an unforgettable Christmas to the children of Bikeke Village
and - A prophetic stirring - my personal reflections on hearing from God in the coming year
You help provide an unforgettable Christmas
Although many village children go hungry even on Christmas day, the children, guardians, and teachers at Liberty School received special gifts this year providing them with an unforgettable Christmas."Let them live long," were the words out of Mike's mouth when he received the gifts for his family.
Another grandmother openly wept with appreciation.
One child said, "I just hope that one day I might be able to do the same for others!"
The school staff went shopping to provide staples and treats. Chapati is a special Christmas bread loved by Kenyans but normally too expensive to make. By providing wheat flour and oil, these families will be enjoying this delight.
In addition, meat is a premium and, most of the time, not affordable. Chickens were purchased and distributed to the most vulnerable families making this Christmas season a special one for many families/guardians and children.
As chickens and foods were distributed it is hard to describe the joy from the children and guardian-families as they received such an incredible gift.
One of these young girls said, "We truly thank God for bringing you at our hour of need."
Teachers received a Christmas cash bonus to make their own holidays brighter! These teachers give tirelessly, for little pay, to provide an education for these vulnerable children.
One teacher wrote: "Amazing!! Thank you so much for providing such a blessing to us. Jehovah God who rides on the heavens, may He hold you with His everlasting arms and may all your Source of Springs be provided by the blood of Jesus. May all of God's promises lead your life forever."
Thank you for joining with us in providing real hope and a future for the children of Bikeke Village!
A prophetic stirring
As we enter the new year I find God saying to me that it’s time to stir up the prophetic and really listen to what He is saying and how He is leading. That it’s time to open our ears and believe for the kind of ‘more’ that only He can do.Now, in writing about the ‘prophetic,’ allow me to put this into context.
I am cautious about how the prophetic is sometimes used because I have seen and lived through many extremes related to it:
- I have had lies spoken over me, i.e., ‘you will die unless you do so such-and-so.’ (I didn’t do it and, yet, here I am.)
- I have seen the prophetic used to control others—very common in Africa.
- I have seen plenty of pure nonsense spoken in the name of prophecy.
SO, God has reminded me that the work that Brooks and I are doing today with Appleseed had a prophetic word as a genesis. 10 years before we began this work, a well-trusted friend spoke a clear word over us:
“Your feet are going to walk on many nations … and all the continents. You will plant churches and father them and nurture them and water them … like a Johnny Appleseed dropping seeds and watering them … and many will help the vision come to pass.”What a wonderful reminder of how faithful God is to bring His word to pass. This, in turn, gives us even greater faith that God will continue to speak, lead, and do awesome things in the future. I believe that this is a great year to not just accept life and ministry as it has been, but to be open to the new stirrings that God might have.
As you read this, God might be challenging you in the same way: to open your ears to hear what the Spirit is saying for 2017. Life with God is never life as usual. He always has more, and life that comes from listening and cooperating with His voice and leading is always exciting and fulfilling.
What a great journey to be on together!
One more note: if hearing God for yourself has been a challenge, I recommend this book that has been a highlight of my 2016 readings: Hearing God, by Dallas Willard.
Much Love and Appreciations,
Roger and Brooks
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar