One of the biggest treasures the Lord revealed to me in Africa is ABUNDANCE. You may think I have lost my mind.....why would I find abundance in a developing country where children die before they know their own identity, where women die to bring forth life to prove they have worth, and where people think there is more power in death than life? I recall a time just about a year ago when Ian was out of town at a conference and someone gave a prophetic word to him about me. I called Ian shortly after that moment crying as I was struggling with the work I was doing as it had grown more and more difficult to walk in a place where I was no longer called to. Ian remained calm, and I could literally feel the Spirit flowing through the phone as the Peace over Ian was so abundant. (Ok, I must admit I was a bit annoyed at his calm as I was not so calm :) ) I remember him praying over me and saying, "we are not to worry about what we will eat tomorrow." A huge Peace engulfed me and a Freedom I cannot explain saturated my spirit and broke off years of expectation I had placed on myself and allowed others to burden me with. Since losing both my parents to cancer the Lord has taken me on a journey and revealed His sovereignty, His right hand. I was able to go to Africa and not carry the burden of the oppression or darkness there and try to "fix it", but I was permeated with the truth that there can be abundance in the midst of so much suffering because wherever Jesus is, there is abundance. Wherever His love shines, there is abundance. Wherever a Missionary sacrifices his or her life to be the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus with little or no support, there is abundance. This does not always mean years of life will be added to a child dying of AIDS but it does mean the life that child has left on Earth will be abundant because of the love of the one true Father. As I was reflecting on this today, I opened my Bible and came across Luke 12:22-23:
Then Jesus said to His disciples: "Therefore I tell you, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For LIFE IS MORE than food, and the body more than clothes."
Some if you reading this may struggle with this truth and see it simply as a dream filled idea or think I am just one of those "Jesus Freaks". You may look at a place like Mozambique and say, "There is no God, how could there be with all that death, darkness and suffering?" I want to bring you Hope that God has EVEN MORE for His people including those in Africa. He loves us, He loves "them". His love is abundant but it is difficult in this country to grasp as abundance for us is a bigger car, a bigger salary, a bigger home, and a long life here on Earth.....after all we deserve it all, right? Actually, we do not deserve it all, He gives us His all because of one reason. LOVE.....
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with POWER through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in LOVE, may have POWER, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the LOVE of Christ, and to know this LOVE that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably MORE than all we ask or imagine, according to His POWER that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21
My prayer is that you will join us in prayer and support as we prepare to move and share life with those in need, that we will stand on their right hand as the Holy Spirit dwells in us and the love of Jesus will consume the darkness by not just power but also by His authority. For when one is saved through the blood sacrifice of Jesus, they are permitted to enter the throne room and sit at the right hand of their Abba! Our love and witness moves them from the left hand of the wicked to the sovereign right hand of the Lord.
We have set our "move to Africa" date to the first part of February and are setting things in motion to do so. The Lord has called us to walk a narrow road. He calls us all to walk a narrow road as not to lose sight of our true purpose.....to know Him and to let Him be known.
You are our God, the One we live for!
ABUNDANCE to you all my precious family and friends...we love you and cherish you!
In His Right Hand,
Carla (representing Ian, Tobiah, Jaidan and Gideon)
