Our first few months as Fervent Fire Ministries
Guys, it's been one heck of a year so far! Thinking back on the last few months, because yes it has been a few months since I have written a blog, it seems like so long ago that we left for the United States and the future for us in ministry was still undefined and many unknowns. Don’t get me wrong, we still have some unknowns and I think it will always be that way; i’m not really sure that we’re ever really supposed to have it all figured out. Believe me we do not have it all figured out! But the Lord did see fit to clarify some things for us along the way and if you are reading this blog right now you already are aware of some of them I am sure! If you would like to be caught up on what the Lord revealed to us as far as His plans for the ministry were concerned, there is a video posted back in February on the ABOUT page of the website in which I discuss how the new ministry name came about and what our core vision and desires as are established as Fervent Fire Ministries.
So basically since coming back from the U.S. Jessica and I had anticipated a time of adaptation to the new day to day that we were entering into. Before this year, January and February were filled with back to school duties and preparations for our 30-40 kids and staff after the end of the year break. This year we came back from the U.S. not having to think on those things as we are no longer providing tutoring in the ministry and therefore we had more time to focus on the birthing of Fervent Fire Ministries and asking the Lord to lead us into whatever He would have us do on a daily basis and choosing to focus on loving well the person in front of us and not feel rushed into filling our time with things just so that we would feel like we were doing something productive. And to be honest with you I felt a little anxious at times as I waited for the new website to be finalized to let people in on what the Lord had been doing in our lives; and once the website was done March rolled around and I still felt that we were kind of in a holding pattern waiting on the Lord to give us a bit more direction as to the way He would use us ministerially.
If you go to the TESTIMONIES page of the website you will see that during this “preparation and waiting” time for us a ministry the Lord was still blessing us with many opportunities to love on people with the love of Jesus and see many healed, set free, baptized and born again. This never stops in our lives and never will as we keep our eyes on Him. Being a light in a dark and corrupt world is not an option for us, rather our privilege and honor as sons and daughters commissioned to work the harvest alongside our King. But even as we continued to see fruit in our lives on a day to day basis we still wondered what lay ahead for us as a ministry on a grander scale. Well, when March rolled around we saw things begin to fall into place with new opportunities arising to speak to more people at once about the Gospel and what Jesus has done in our lives and longs to do in the lives of ALL! Here are a few things that happened over the last month or so that have really began to bring form and definition to what we are doing here in Nicaragua on a scale larger than one on one discipling:
We made our 2nd and 3rd visits to an alcohol rehab center to provide food provisions for the center and to share our testimonies and pray for the guys there. One of the guys there had severe back pain and was healed, the director received two very clear words from the Lord that left him dizzy and we are going to be going back there every few weeks to visit and to continue to minister to them.
Our SEWING CLASS began and has been bearing spiritual fruit. Jessica has been pouring into those women and last week we got to see one of them physically healed of severe back pain and she later prayed to give her life to Jesus and will was baptized a short while ago.
Our weekly Bible study has officially become FERVENT FIRE CHURCH and our meetings have grown larger by the week and more are getting healed, saved, and set free from demonic issues.
The Lord has been bringing like-minded brothers and sisters in the faith into our lives and we are believing that in June we will be co-coordinating and hosting an evangelistic outreach night which we hope will be attended by hundreds of people to hear the Gospel, get healed, delivered, and saved.
A week or so back we were invited to the most dangerous market in Managua at night and minister to the glue-sniffing addicts and homeless there. It was a beautiful and powerful time and we are hoping to be able to go back at least once a month.
This past week we went to a local hospital to minister to the sick and had a divine encounter with the director of the hospital who was very open to us coming back on a routine basis to minister to his staff and whoever would want to attend.
So these are just a few opportunities that we have come across over the past month to month and a half along with all the many encounters we have with folks on a day to day basis as we live this life in Jesus led by the Holy Spirit. If you watched the video I mentioned earlier you will have heard me talk about a desire to open up a feeding center to the general public where we can have more opportunities to reach the broken, addicted, homeless, and forgotten. We have yet to secure a building or property in which to build or rent something that will sufficiently suit our needs so we are still on the lookout and prayerful that God will provide something for us and make it clear when and where we are to begin that specific endeavor.
Just a few quick words about this COVID-19 virus. Here in Nicaragua our lives haven’t changed too much on a day to day basis other than Josiah not going to class; and as all of you know who are going through the same thing in your homes, this does make it a bit difficult to get things done around the home or be as mobile as we like to be when the kids are occupied. However, we love getting to spend more time with him and watch him grow up into the little man that he is. I tell people that he is still one of my greater challenges and the Lord uses our relationship to show me certain things about myself that still need to die or allow Him to transform. Being a father is one of my greatest joys in life, but it is also where I see my greatest need to learn from the Master Father so that my boys will desire what their daddy has and see Jesus in me no matter where and what situation we find ourselves in.
The economy here has taken a big hit, just like much of the rest of the world and we continue to try to be a light and encouragement to all those around us as many are under stress and worrying about what their future holds on a day to day basis. Since we never received any government orders to be quarantined in our homes we still have liberty to move to and fro and shine our light in a way that many of you aren’t allowed to where you live. It is the knowledge of this that encourages me and us to shine all the more; knowing that there are so many lights that are being restricted and covered up at the moment by fear and human wisdom.
Once again, please stop by our TESTIMONIES page on the site if you’d like to read about how the Lord is moving through us on a more day to day basis as I do update that page more often than the blog page with short testimonies that happen as we go about our day to day lives.
Bless you all and let's stay positive, encouraged, and always burning with the fire of God in our lives no matter the situation or circumstances! A humungous thank you and digital hug from us to all of you who pray for us and support us financially or any other way! We are indebted to you and there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think of you and how blessed we are by your faithfulness!
Michael
