I have such an incredible joy inside of me today because of this testimony of healing which I would like to share with you here.

We recently needed some help because we bought a sleeper sofa that needed to be transported to the upper floor. Since some construction workers were working on our garage we asked two of the men, both Christians, if they could help us. Both were willing to help, one of them however was very sick. He had awful stomach ache. The doctors had recently discovered some ulcirs. You could see the strain and pain in his face, but he still helped us move this sleeper sofa upstairs.

Whilst they were putting the sofa in the right place, I was prompted to ask him if we could pray for him. I found this question a little bit sensitive for me to ask, because I just could feel and see his agony. Anyway I did it  and he allowed us to pray for him. We boldly prayed, stepped out in faith, overcame our doubts in that moment, because we just wanted to help him being relieved of his pain.

This morning I went upstairs and sat down and I began to read my Bible. Now let me first say that I'm not a big proponent of the "Open your Bible and God will show you what He wants you to read" approach to Bible study. But this morning I did open my Bible and the Lord just began to speak to me through this passage in 1 Kings 17 where we are first introduced to Elijah. As I read this Scripture, I was reminded of how we were introduced to Jabez. As we begin to read in chapter 1 of 1 Chronicles, we embark on this seemingly endless lineage. It continues uninterrupted until we come to 4:9 where we suddenly meet Jabez. It's like this abrupt shift that happens. I was noticing that the same thing happened here in 1 Kings 17 with Elijah. Suddenly, out of nowhere we are introduced to Elijah. And so as I read this chapter I really began to see this amazing picture of the power of God's Word, provision for God's anointed, and the blessing that comes from sacrificial, faith based giving.

Next to our regular Wednesday meetings we will now also meet every Sunday at 10 AM at our home at 201 North Davis Street in Ottumwa.

On Tuesday May 12, New Heart Ministries International joined the forces of Follow Him International located in Geneva Switzerland. This transition places Mark & Suzanne and NHMI under the spiritual covering and leadership of Claude and Daniela Widmer. We are very excited about this union and look forward to their direction, Godly influence, and the effective expansion of the Kingdom of God together.

As Mark and I ministered at the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility last Saturday, May 9th 2009 the LORD showed me something so powerful.

Behind these prison walls He is indeed building His church. These former convicts that have been made saints live church every day. They have a brotherhood that is truly unique and much different than in the world. Normally Christians get together perhaps once a week on a Sunday, if they are organised they might even meet during the week. But these believers meet every day! The other thing I observed was that they were truly hungry for the LORD. You didn't have to tell these 60 men to worship the LORD, they did it automatically. And you should hear their voices when godly men sing. Oh, that is such an awesome sound! The presence of God is instantly there.