Josh and Mike were convicted to start church three weeks ago through prayer and encouragement from another pastor. God blessed this opportunity and brought about 40 people from nearby farms and towns.
We are thrilled to share some of the fruit of two Sundays ago... A lady named Luisa, who works in politics in a nearby town of 70K came to church just out of "curiosity", she said. She was invited by her house maid who was witnessed to on the side of the road by a local pastor and got saved! Luisa was sitting in church (which is actually our living room) and hadn't been here very long when there was an announcement made that we needed a place to have bible study in her town. She offered her house right away. We weren't sure at this point what her motives were, but accepted the invitation. Louis Fernando (Our Colombian pastor/missionary friend who lives here with us) led this bible study Wednesday the 15th, when he read through the Sermon on the Mount. He said he didn't hardly preach at all before Luisa stood up and started talking to the people there. She said "I'm not who you all think I am, I am not the happy person you think I am, I like to drink a lot of liquor, I'm alone, I don't have a husband, my life is garbage. Today I have decided to have Christ enter my life, I will live for Him. My life doesn't have a purpose without God." The other people were surprised at this truth about her, but she used this opportunity to invite them all to give their lives to Christ too, and they did, all 12 or so of them. Louis Fernando said by the time it was over they were all in tears and he was just watching in amazement as the Spirit of God was very strong and was doing all the work.
Luisa is hungry to learn and is asking to be taught! Mike and I (Josh was studying for Sunday and Stacy was taking care of her kiddos :) went to visit her during the week along with Louis Fernando and a couple of the kids. She was encouraged by the love and support and the sense of family she now has. She shared with us that she is an orphan and she is longing for a family. She has children, but both of her parents, one of her uncles and one of her brothers were all murdered, so she is quite lonely. She has lived in fear since she was a child, and has been unable to have restful sleep because of tormenting dreams, voices that talked to her, and noises in her house, along with physical torment, feeling choked or awaken in the night. She has since shared that she is sleeping well, the best in years! Oh the comfort that God brings! What a mighty God we serve, who convicts, convinces, and saves! Glory to God alone!
..."for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Phil 2:13
Julie
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