One of the Greatest Days of My Lif

I know I just sent out a newsletter, but today was such an amazing day that I felt it would be an encouragement to you who have been supporting and praying for me.
Today I began teaching the book of Matthew on the Bible School here and right as we were to begin I felt led to speak on the need to not give up, but to keep studying & persevering because God is using this school to train the students for what He has for them. It was totally random for me to say that and I didn’t know why I was saying it, but during the break, one of the students came up to me and thanked me, telling me that that very morning they woke at 2am to begin studying Matthew and as they began to study, they cried out to God saying, “I can’t do this any more, it is too much work, I’m not coming back to study after Christmas.” The whole morning they had been telling God that it was just too difficult and they were going to quit. They had made up their mind that this was the last week they would study and came to class feeling overwhelmed, but right as they walked into the classroom a few minutes late, God gave me those words to share. They were amazed how quickly God had responded to them and I am still in awe that I had the privilege of being the messenger. I immediately thanked God, knowing that I had nothing to do with it and was grateful that people are praying for me as I teach this week.

Well, I felt it was a good day of teaching and towards the end I again felt led to move into application, teaching from the Beatitudes, specifically looking at the original Greek meaning of the words “blessed” and “poor in spirit.” I don’t have time to share the whole message here, but God has hammered me with the beatitudes this past week. As I shared on what the word “blessed” meant (makários: a complete satisfaction/bliss that stems from the favor of God, not circumstances) and then “poor in spirit: (to recognize we are completely & utterly helpless & destitute without God; that He is our source, life, & foundation) I could tell that the Spirit was moving. Yet time ran out, the lunch bell called, and so I left them with a challenge to go to God and apply this message. As I was packing up my things, one of the students came to me and shared with me that last night they had been weeping before God begging God to explain to them what He meant when He said He would bless them. Their life has been extremely difficult with a great deal of suffering and they needed an answer. They said God gave them the direct answer to their prayer through me. I couldn’t believe God did it twice in one day!

A few hours later after lunch, two of the students came to my room together. I assumed they had some questions, but they sat down and one began to tell me how God had spoken directly to him during class and he hasn’t been able to do anything since then & he felt he had to come share with me what God has been doing in his heart. So he walked down to see me. On the road walking over, he met up with the other student who also just happened to be coming to see me as well at the exact same time. The second student told me he had been in the prayer garden all afternoon weeping as God was convicting him and showing him his need for more of God. They both went on to say that they just happened to be coming over at the same time and when they met up, they decided to come together so we could all share and pray together. They even said that yet another student had shared with them the same thing from class and that they have never experienced God touching them like this from the beginning of the Bible School until now. They went on to tell me how excited they are to take what God has been showing and teaching them back to the churches they pastor and and eventually back into Sudan when they are able to return. We spent the rest of the afternoon sharing and then had a great time of prayer afterwards.

Honestly, as I look back on today, it has been one of the greatest days of my life and I have been in tears as I consider how unworthy I am to be here ministering to these men and women of God who have more to teach me than I can ever teach them. Yet for some crazy reason beyond my realm of understanding, I get to be here and I get to do this. You know, I have probably had other more “newsletter worthy” things happen in the past, but something about what God did today brought me to my knees in awe and gratitude.

Well, some of you might think this letter should just be a personal journal entry, but I felt I should send it out to those who support and pray for me as a thank you letter to each of you.

I honestly can’t express how grateful I am to you for your support and prayers. It might sound cliché, but it is the truth, none of this is possible without you. You’re role in this ministry is just as essential as my own. I know beyond any doubt that what happened today was due in large part to those who were praying and I look forward to what God has in store for the rest of this week and the weeks to come.

THANK YOU!!!

Sincerely,
James