From Marlise, With Love

“D-Day”

Okay, I’ll say it--I did have a day of doubt, discouragement and disappointment.  It comes with the territory of forging ahead into faith and obedience. The apostle Paul openly and honestly shared his trials, obstacles and triumphs and I’m sure this was part of God’s plan for us as well, because it preceded one of the most powerful moments of my week.  When I was at my absolute weakest, God did the biggest things! (See Joana’s story in With Love, from Karen)

The enemy stands against the very thing that will set people free of the bondages and oppression they’ve lived under for centuries.  BUT GOD is so faithful!  On the morning of my discouragement, Kathy turned to the devotion of the day from Linda Hostetter’s prayer booklet for the month of September and read:

“ What if God calls upon you to be the voice of one crying in the wilderness?...He might whisper “Speak”, “Preach”, “Defend”…Lord, I am willing to speak your Word with great boldness. I need your courage to be a mouthpiece for the Gospel.  I am placing my trust in You alone for Your help to tell others that there is a life for them in the Holy Spirit. (!) Thank You that You are my enabler…” 

Time after time in our preparations, prayers and encouragement from our prayer team, it was confirmed that we were called to crack open the door to life and ministry in the Holy Spirit, and that we did.  Hungry, open hearts were filled to overflowing .

Throughout the week, through the many prayer requests from the ladies, I learned a little of what it is like to live as an Albanian.

v It is Albanian tradition that typically the first-born son brings his wife into the family home.  Some of the women were living under the oppressive resentment, anger and abuse of their mothers-in-law.  They felt trapped. There were many tears over this.  

v Women hold their children close to their hearts wanted the Lord’s guard over them. we agreed with them in prayer as they cried over their children.

v There were also many prayers for jobs.  In Albania, every job is obtained by paying a bribe.  Qualifications don’t matter.  University degrees are obtained in the same way.  For instance a medical student can bribe his way through classes and graduate knowing very little about the practice of medicine--scary!  This is the everyday life that blocks and binds them from simple freedoms to learn and prosper and provide.

My heart is stirred for the people of Albania.  I am praying for a move of God to sweep through the country. I am also praying for the Lord to generously bless and strengthen the ministry of Doni and Gail Lilo, our hosts.

Thank you all who shared in our adventure.  I literally felt lifted and supported and even carried by you all.  The Lord provided in extravagant ways for this trip and we were able to give into many needs including providing doors for Joana’s house and wood for the winter for the widows. ALL of the women who attended, were not required to pay the full price for the conference, because of the overflow of those who sent us.

I started out the first night sharing about a dream that my sister’s daughter Amy recently had.  About 20 years ago, my sister lost her 16-year-old daughter, Spicer in a car accident.  In the dream, Amy was sitting at a table when a young woman came over and sat with her.  Amy asked, “who are you?” The young woman said, “I’m your sister, Spicer”.  After discussing a few wonderful things, Amy asked her about Heaven…are the streets really gold? …are there gates of pearl? Spicer hesitated a moment and said, “there is NOTHING LIKE JESUS”, as if to say not even heaven itself compares to Him.  This was in my heart to give a picture of Jesus and His love for them individually that is real and tangible and even surprising--that would stay with them forever. I believe in the future - in God’s grace, one day, they (and we!) will say with a greater revelation from their own hearts “…there is NOTHING LIKE JESUS”!