I want to share a story with you that comes from a ministry that is very close to my heart. Some of you who have read my blog before might know what I am talking about. La Roca homeless ministry. This is a story about a man that I have had the priveledge of walking with in his journey with Christ. This man's name is Josue.
I met Josue nearly one year ago. He has been living in Tijuana, Mexico for many years. He approached me one night while I was at the shelter and told me that I needed to pray for him. I told him I would love to pray with him and asked him if there was anything specific. "I have diabetes" he said. "But what I really need you to pray for is my dreams, I have been having dream that I am going kill my wife, I need you to pray, I don't want to kill my wife..." I was a bit in shock by this but of course desperately wanted to pray with and for him. I prayed that God would set him free from these dreams and that he would be able to sleep in peace at night, along with other things. I asked him if he had a bible and he did. I told him that every night before he went to bed to read some scripture and suggested that maybe he start with Psalms. The next week when I went to the shelter I saw my friend again. He quickly walked up to me and told me that everything was changing. He said that he wasn’t having bad dreams anymore. " I have been reading the bible every night like you told me to and it is amazing!" To see the light in his eyes was so sweet. It was like watching a small child experience something incredible for the first time. He asked me to pray for him again and so of course I did, Every week since then I have met and prayed with Josue and have come to know his story. As a result of his depression, being deported and seperated from his family Josue had gave into a life addicted alcohol. He was a slave to this for many years. But as he continued to discover who God was and the freedom that living in Christ brings his life has completely changed. And I can say with complete confidence that the man I know now is not the same man that I met a year ago. Here is what he told me the last time I saw him. " My life is different. I have never had another dream of killing my wife again. I am so happy. I have some problems with my finances and with work, but it doesn’t bother me because I am just so happy. Jesus has changed my life" He was also telling me that he met a man in the shelter that was on heavy drugs. He said he gave him one of his bible and told him to read it. And now this man is starting his journey of knowing God and leaving the drugs behind. THAT IS MULTIPLICATION. This gets me so excited! This is why I do what I do. This is what we are created to do. To walk alongside people. To share the word of God and what it can do in your life. To stand with our brothers and sisters when they are struggling and to share the hope that comes with knowing God. Once we begin this process we will start to see multiplication happen and the process will continue on and on. The people we were once walking with and discipling will do the same. How amazing is that! This is how we are going to see great leader rise up in our world. It's up to each one of us. Who is in you're life right now that you can walk with, pray with and encourage? We don't have tomorrow. Tomorrow could be too late for you and it could be too late for them. Don’t wait for tomorrow. START NOW. |
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