He's turning a crack house into a lighthouse

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There we were, Brian Fahey and I, packed and ready to depart from Ontario,
California to Oklahoma City to go investigate this building that seemed to
be headed in the wrong direction. As we arrived at the building we began to
see the people around it needing help. It was as if there was this group of
people that the city just wished would disappear. And as we began talking
with the people and hearing their hearts and needs, we would simply begin to
ask if we could pray for them. As we did it seemed like not only did they
want us to pray for them, but they were very much in agreement that the LORD
could help them. It was there that the LORD began to stir in our hearts a
need to set up a place where we could help. It was during that time that the
LORD began to make it clear that He was calling us to go minister the gospel
of peace and hope to them. During this stretch of God opening doors, we
began to see the LORD direct us to people who wanted to be a part of it.
Door after door would begin to open. We met people in the community from
city leaders, pastors, developers, executives, handy men, college students,
musicians, and many other servants who just wanted to see the LORD make an
impact down in the city.
Each day the LORD would begin to increase our love for the people. Our love
grew to pray with prostitutes and to show them the love of Christ rather
than what this world has offered them up to this point. Our love grew for
the gang bangers who were scared and frightened as the night before they saw
a friend of theirs get gunned down. We began to love the guys who were
strung out on crack and prayed for them and saw their desire to come out of
the drugs. Our love began to increase for a father who we got to pray with
who was with his 5 year old daughter. We found out that they had been
homeless for a week and were in the beginnings of a difficult life. It
appeared that they knew no one who could help them.
It was there that we began to feel the conviction of the LORD to leave our
comforts in California and come to Oklahoma City to a people so desperate
for the grace of Christ Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. It was there
that verses became so real; verses such as Zachariah 7 and Matthew 28. It
was there that we saw the book of Acts come to life and began to see what
the LORD had instructed His disciples to go do.
As the months have passed it seems like an army of warriors have been
stirred up and many have come forward to say that they would like to help
financially through their financial resources or donations, physically
through their gifts and talents that God has given them, and spiritually
through prayer. I would pray that God would not necessarily impress on your
heart to give to our ministry, but to ask Him what is your part in the
picture of loving the LORD your God will all of your heart, mind, soul, and
strength, and to love others as yourself. If that involves being a part of
this ministry, awesome. If that means that you actively seek your part in
the kingdom right where He has you, even better.
 
 
 
Many Blessings,
 
Ben Wardlaw
Chief FUN Officer
ALMOST PARADISE
Hilton Head Island, SC USA
Psalm 150:6
1-843-341-5066
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