Shores of Grace. We are worshippers who have been broken for individuals in the sex trade. Our purpose is to rescue children in prostitution, abusive situations and from homelessness. That they may not simply survive, but truly overcome, knowing their worth and being restored to the joy for which they were born. This started through simple ministry on the streets at night and progressed to include a safe house for children in Recife, which we are opening this fall (August 2012). There are an estimated 700,000 child prostitutes in Brazil and Recife has become known as one of the worst cities in the world for sexual tourism. We believe a generation will rise up here in Brazil that no longer brushes aside the brokenness. And it’s already begun. One of our most treasured testimonies from 2011 involves the wedding of a beautiful woman we met on the streets. Victoria was 8 when her mother died of AIDS; a 3rd generation prostitute. Four years later her first baby was born at age 12. She worked the streets to raise her, and the two more that followed. Victor was a pastor at an Assemblies of God Church for 8 years. His wife had an affair and came back only to be murdered by the other man in their living room. That’s when Victor left the church behind. He still had a daughter to care for, and long story short, ended up on streets as well. There Victor met Victoria. He pimped for her. Kind of. Watched from the other block. Made sure she was paid and brought back. They fell in love. Made plans for the future, until he was taken to jail. For two years they kept in touch, and when he was released, they got engaged. And now, as her fiancé, he took up pimping for her again. They live in a little house, with all their kids. Victoria is the children’s pastor at the church, so all their kids include many who aren’t biological. They were now only working in prostitution until the wedding.

On May 14th 2011, Victor and Victoria were married. We had met them two months prior. It was about 1am. First we met Victoria. Then saw Victor watching us from around the corner. We told them that they weren’t alone. That God wasn’t disappointed. He hadn’t abandoned them. And just like that, with those words in their hearts, they began the process of leaving the streets altogether. The wedding was beautiful. We visited a few weeks later. Victoria had papers in her hands for a cleaning agency. Victor got a job with a federal business in Brazil. They asked us with this humbling victory in their eyes to tell their story. In our line of work the rescue process isn’t over once someone gets off the street.

Victor and Victoria are now learning to trust more deeply, as we all are. To bear in love and stability as opposed to the chaos of their past years. But God’s hand is strong in their lives and we are so honored to be a part of their journey.

Kate Saurman

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Living in the age of instant information can create a false sense of knowing and pseudo-understanding. We would all love to have the full download on life in an instant to give us the edge in our version of the amazing race. Fortunately for us, the Lord, in His boundless mercy, has ordained something far greater for His people—called the joy of discovery. The point of life is not just to accomplish something, but to discover the deep-rooted joy of trusting in His forever faithfulness.

Proverbs 25:2 declares, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” Our destiny is in the glory of the search and pursuit, not just in the accumulation of knowledge or facts. His delight is to reveal Himself to the “diligent seeker,” or better yet, to “reward” the one searching.

One way we can enhance our journey of pursuit is to understand the blessing of “Selah.” Let me explain. The word Selah is found in two books of the Bible, most prevalently in the book of Psalms where it is used 71 times. It can also be found in the minor prophet Habakkuk’s writings. Well meaning scholars disagree on its exact Hebrew origins, but what we come to know is a word that can mean several things including; to lift up or praise, to weigh in the balance, or to pause or rest as in a musical connotation.

To the life of a diligent seeker, this is a gift. The Amplified Bible adds “to pause and calmly think about that” to each verse where Selah appears. The joy of discovery is that moment when your grid for understanding is enlarged to consider the “the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God” (Romans 11:33). This revelation then erupts into further moments of delightful praise and reflection.

The true value of discovery is captured in every Selah moment. The course is set for the seeker and the table made ready for the feast that awaits every hungry heart. Selah is a daily rhythm of life that connects the human heart to what truly satisfies, the revelation of “Love” come down.

As a worshipping intercessory ministry we have been asking for greater encounter with Yeshua even in our sleep, so it was no surprise when one of our staff shared a dream she had concerning our family of communities. In the dream, we had gathered together to worship and adore the Lord, but we were so overwhelmed by His waves of love washing over us that all we could sing or say was “Selah.” The only thing fitting in that moment was to weigh the value of and to pause and consider this ocean of love that was washing over us.

Selah is the “redeeming of time,” a full course meal of revelation at the table He prepares for those willing to journey with Him. At the end of the day, it’s the friendship and fellowship we have cultivated in those moments that we will value the most as He looks into our eyes and says, “Well done.” The greatest discovery of all will be the arms of love that embrace us on that day.

Norm Frederick
GBI Herrnhut

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Abortion opponents, particularly in the Christian community, have sought to convince women not to use their legal prerogative to terminate a pregnancy for nearly four decades. They have been advocating alternatives to the procedure such as carrying the child to term and putting it up for adoption.

Dozens of organizations have been established since the 1970s on behalf of orphans and children in foster-care systems worldwide. One of those organizations is Streams of Mercy. Wick and Janice Nease founded the organization in 2002 to help orphanages with operating expenses and advocate for the orphaned. Wick Nease said he first became passionate about helping parentless children in the late ’70s.

“I was traveling through South America and saw street kids in Bogota, Colombia, who were ruffling through trash; I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” he said. “Later, I told my wife what I saw. That episode was a big motivator for us to start doing something to help children who have no homes.”

One of the first things the Neases did was adopt a son, Michael, in 1980, in the United States. Since then, the couple has been involved with a number of organizations whose aim is to make sure that children receive good homes. Janice Nease worked closely with Living Alternatives, an organization near Lindale, Texas, that assists women with unplanned pregnancies, for example.

But, Streams of Mercy, headquartered in McKinney, Texas, has given the Neases their biggest platform to champion the cause of orphans. The organization supports 27 orphanages in 13 nations around the world. Wick Nease said among the countries where Streams of Mercy is most active, Ethiopia is a place where orphans face some of the most dire circumstances.

“If a girl in Ethiopia has an unwanted pregnancy, it’s not uncommon for her to give birth to the child and leave her baby in the jungle,” Nease said. “When that happens, the child doesn’t stand much of a chance against the wild animals.

“Now that quality orphan care is available there, women are more likely to drop their unwanted children off at a hospital or police station, knowing the child will be taken to a facility,” Nease said.

Streams of Mercy supports Widows and Orphans of Ethiopia, which Nease said placed 40 children with homes in the U.S. last year. The orphanage currently is caring for 30 orphans.

Nease said he is firmly anti-abortion and believes it is a travesty that the practice is legal in the U.S. But, he said, Christians need to spend more time championing the solutions to the problem, such as adoption. He said that if a fraction of Christians adopted one of the estimated 140 million orphans worldwide, the problem would be eradicated. As for his own efforts, Nease said he is proud of the adoption organizations he and Janice have supported.

“They don’t have great resources, but they have a heart for children,” he said. “They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”

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For two years now we’ve had the privilege of serving the youth on the island of Cyprus by hosting a gathering we refer to as “encounter”. It’s about 10 days set apart to encounter the Lord. Our whole aim during this time is to create an atmosphere in which these kids will encounter the presence of the living God! This past year was a time full of the presence of the Lord and we are so grateful. There is lasting fruit in the lives of these young people because the presence and power of God that they’ve encountered during these times. One story of fruit that remains is a young man named Panayiotis who is attending our discipleship training school this year because of what the Lord did in his heart during ‘encounter’. He tasted and saw that the Lord was good and is coming back for more!

-Thaddaeus

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A great article by John Mullen that will challenge and encourage you.

SELF FOCUS ………….to ………….Christ Focus

greed, gratitude, wholeness, generosity

pride, humility, integrity, courage

foolishness, faithfulness, perseverance,wisdom

“Christ-focused” is a way of thinking. It evolves into a way of living. Our thinking and behavior influence our attitudes and perspective. These become our unconscious reality, and make the difference between living in hell-on-earth or heaven-on-earth.

As a church family, our transformation from “self-focus” to “Christ-focus” will begin with our confession of greed and our commitment to gratefulness. We are exhorted over and over in the Bible to “give thanks.” Healing leads to wholeness and the Lord promises that he will fill our hearts and minds with peace as we give thanks (Phil. 4:6-7). Wholeness can be demonstrated by giving more than you are taking. It is the fruit of gratitude and it produces generosity. God loves a joyful giver because God is a joyful giver. Trials and adversity are considered “joy” (James 1:2) because when we suffer and do without we appreciate “normal everyday” things (appreciation is a form of gratitude). It changes our perspective, and a proper perspective is the key to joy. You cannot change your circumstances but you can change your perspective.

Our transformation will also begin with our confession of pride. God resists the proud and often we find ourselves working against God because of our attitude. If we want to be a community of GRACE we need to take on the form of a servant and be humble. I believe humility leads to integrity and eventually courage. Jesus is our model. As a young man he had many reasons to be proud. His humility separated Him from the leaders of His day who lacked integrity. It was His understanding of who he was (integrity) that gave Him the strength to be courageous. It is the courageous who change the world for Christ (Acts 4:31).

Finally, the gospel is foolishness to the world but not to those who are “being saved.” From an eternal perspective, living for earthly riches, pleasures and power are foolishness. Becoming Christ-centered means moving away from foolish passions and pursuits and moving toward being faithful with little things. If we are faithful with the small things, we will have learned to persevere. It is those who become persevering people who can walk in wisdom (James 1:3-6). Intellect is an accumulation of knowledge. Wisdom is an accumulation of experience. Biblical wisdom is a gift from God and comes from a preserving life of honoring God through good and bad.

When we find ourselves walking generously, courageously and wisely, our behavior will have matured to be “like-Christ.” Similarly, our attitudes and perspective will be reshaped as we move away from “me” focus to “Him” focus.

Blessings.
John

Jason Heilman shares about ministering to Joplin, Mo in the aftermath of a devastating tornado.

First of all, thanks to Dan, Tom and Welser for going with this crazy, traveling minstrel on this journey to Joplin. We arrived to some great hospitality… an entire dorm with a complete kitchen, stocked fridge and everything we needed for the weekend… Thanks to Daryl B and all those involved in hosting us.

When I entered the damage path area of the city, I was really overwhelmed by the extent of the damage, even a month and a half after the incident. There really is no way to capture through words, photos or video what it feels like to stand in the middle of 360 degrees of destruction. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Although it’s a tough thing to see, I almost feel it’s a good thing for anyone to travel to a place that is experiencing or living through a trying experience. It helps you to appreciate what God has done and is doing in your own life. It brings perspective back to you to realize the blessings you live with everyday that you take for granted.

Friday night we packed out a tent that was set up in a park adjacent to the hospital that was completely destroyed by the tornado. We led worship and then testimonies were shared, some that I will share with you shortly… AMAZING stories. We then spent the last hour interceding & prophesying through music and declaration over the people and the city. It was incredible actually. Here we were worshipping outdoors through a blaring sound system, the sound going forth to all those who drove by, to all those in the city. We were releasing a kingdom sound in the very place where the sound of devastation had been just weeks before. We released a sound of peace, of hope and of healing. It was an incredible feeling, experience and honor for me.

The next morning Tom and Welser led a worship and prayer set at the JOPHOP for an hour and we were joined by a team from IHOP-KC. After a break, we had the opportunity to split into two teams and go canvassing in some neighborhoods. Dan and I had the chance to talk to and pray with a young man who was still living in a home that had been badly damaged in the storm. His home still stood, yet all around him were homes totally destroyed. I can still remember the cool wind of his AC pouring out of his front doorless doorway as we encouraged him and prayed with him. He had a smile on his face as we left. I was amazed at this young man’s ability to have any sense of joy in the midst of the situation he was in. I made me so thankful for my little townhouse back in TX.
Dan and I had the opportunity to drive a Baptist pastor around to all of these homes. This Pastor had been in the community for over a decade and I was so blessed by all he was doing for the people. The Baptist church was actually contacting each and every homeowner that had left their homes without giving the city a right of entry, thus potentially saving each of these former homeowners upwards of $4000 each. I was so blessed by what they were doing in the community. Dan and I were able to pray and prophesy over this Baptist pastor in our car before dropping him off at his church. It’s amazing how the denominational walls fall away in the midst of a situation like what is taking place in Joplin.

After a break for dinner, we held our second night of ministry in the tent. It was equally powerful and the tent was packed out again. We had a man from Houston actually share a little that night and he brought a cross that he had made from the very rubble of the tornado. He himself had been in Joplin for over a month just praying and ministering to whomever he came into contact with. Let me tell you that I really experienced another realm of community kingdom culture here in Joplin. It was as if “church as usual” was off… Anyone could share on the mic at these meetings. There was such a sense of family, of spontaneity. The spirit of professionalism was so far away. I looked down at my dusty, sandaled feet and thought of how Jesus and the disciples had stood and ministered the same way on dusty, dirty hills to the people… Man, it was just awesome.

I want you to know that the people in Joplin, especially some key leaders in the house of prayer movement in the city were VERY blessed by us being there. I want to thank all of you that prayed and that supported us to go to bring hope, joy and love from Dallas to the Church of Joplin. Another south Missouri tour is in the works for September 2011 and we hope to stop by Joplin again very soon.

Some of the stories I heard were too incredibly detailed for me to write it all here, so I will list them in short summary. These are stories I heard directly from people who spoke to me on Friday night after the meeting. (I have not confirmed these stories in any way, I share them as I heard them from others)
One story I heard had to do with a 4-year-old boy who was found in a field behind what was formerly the Home Depot. When they asked him where he lived, he was too young to tell them his address, all he knew was his name and his parents names. This boys parents were in touch with the police in order to find the boy. Once they were reunited, they realized that the boy had been found FIVE MILES from his home. When they asked the boy how he got to the field, he told them, “The angels carried me through the tornado.” Are you getting the same chills that I did when I heard this?
Another story is one that I actually found & confirmed online. A girl was with her grandma in a car when the tornado was picking them up off of the ground. The grandma told her to start praying and she did. The girl said she could see her guardian angel during the incident. A metal bar actually came through the roof of their care and pierced this little girl into her shoulder and through her abdomen, totally MISSING EVERY VITAL ORGAN. The doctors simply removed the rod from her body and she survived and fully recovered…

I talked directly to a woman who was actually in the Wal-Mart that was completely destroyed by the storm. She showed me a picture of the Wal-Mart right after she got up from the floor… there were no roof or wall that remained. She told me that when she got up and looked around, she saw more that one “large black men” walking around the Wal-Mart dressed in white picking up large chunks of rubble off of the people in the store. When she looked for these “men” later, they were nowhere to be found.

One story had to do with a man who was praying in his basement and felt the Lord tell him over and over to “go outside.” At first he was like, “Are you crazy, why should I go outside during a tornado?” But after being prompted continually, he obeyed to find a group of ten people outside of his home, people who had no basements, people whom also later said that they also felt “something” telling them to go outside. This man called them all into his home and into his basement. All of these people survived, only to later find that the basement-less homes that they had vacated had all been completely destroyed. The still, small voice…
One older woman was in her third story apartment. After the tornado hit, she tried to go down the solitary stairway out of her place only to find that the stairs were gone. From nowhere a giant man came up to her, picked her up and set her down on the stairs. He then thoughtfully grabbed her walker and handed it to her. She never saw this “man” again.

One man, we will call him Andrew, was in his basement with his family. After the tornado ravaged their home, he went to the bottom of his basement stairs to look up at the top to see a black man dressed in a bright white t-shirt. The man asked, “Andrew are you and your family okay?” Andrew first wondered how this man, whom he’d never seen before, knew his name. Secondly, he wondered how his shirt looked so clean. After Andrew answered yes, the man walked away from the stairs. Later, when Andrew went up the stairs, he realized that his home had completely caved in with no clear way of coming in or out. They had to dig their way out, afterwards realizing that no man could have gotten into their home to the top of their stairs and kept their clothing completely clean!
Once again, these are all stories that christian men and women told me after the Friday meeting. I just stood there in awe at their stories and testimonies. I left Joplin with a renewed sense of the reality of the supernatural realm. The craziest part is that I know that these are just a few of the many, many supernatural stories surrounding the Joplin Tornado.

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What do Christians in the new millennium do when they are sick? We go to the doctor. We go, not because the doctors are always 100% accurate or 100% effective, but rather because we have faith in medical science. When did we lose faith in God to heal us?

The church lost a lot of things in the first few hundred years of its existence. The transition from a simple to a complex organizational structure, from the Spirit to the flesh, left little room for dependence on the Lord. Divine healing was one of the casualties.

But I would prefer to write about how we can get divine healing back into the church rather than how we lost it. (If you’re wondering if we lost it, compare your local church’s ministry to that of the 1st century church.) Some groups within various Christian traditions have succeeded in restoring the ministry of divine healing to the local church. What do they have in common?

Ken Blue (Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Vancouver, Canada) did some research. He discovered three common elements among a broad diversity of Christian traditions.

#1: One assumption shared by all Christians who participate in vital healing ministries is that God wills to heal the sick, that He desires wholeness rather than sickness for His people. Those who are consistently effective in praying for the sick anticipate healing.
#2: The second cardinal element present among healing communities is a sincere compassion for those in pain.
#3: A third essential element mutually held by Christian groups which effectively pray for the sick is the personal investment and risk-taking of those who pray. Human compassion and a belief that God wills to heal are fused with a readiness to be vulnerable in the attempt to heal.

It sounds so simple, yet I have been teaching on the first point and finding some opposition. Do you believe God wants to heal the sick? “When we say that God sends sickness or asks us to endure it, we are creating for many people an image of God they must eventually reject. What human mother or father would choose cancer for their daughter in order to tame her pride?… Those preachers and chaplains who try to comfort the sick by telling them to accept their illness as a blessing sent from God are giving an immediate consolation, but at what an ultimate cost!… In a sense, we unwittingly treat God as something like a pagan deity, placated by human sacrifice.”

With Jesus came the Kingdom of God. With Jesus came healing, deliverance and salvation. With Jesus the forces of darkness were pushed back. Then with His disciples the offensive continued (Mat. 10:1,8, Luke 9:1, 10:9). The sick were healed, the oppressed delivered and the lost saved. The early church looked for the spiritual benefits in suffering but gave instructions to “pray for the sick” (James 1:2, 5:14).

Jesus desires that His people have life and life more abundantly (John 10:10). He is the author of life and not sickness or death (Heb. 2:10). He desires to bring healing to the spirit, to the soul (mind, will and emotions), and to the body .

In conclusion, we must believe God is for us and not against us. We must pray for God to give us compassion for others and their struggles. And finally, we must be obedient and step out and pray for the sick!

John & Kelsie Mullen are serving as long-term missionaries in the Czech Republic.

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For more information on Kate’s heart for the arts and photo essays from Brazil visit: www.thedistortionprocess.com

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