We celebrated our 20th anniversary on the roadside September 12th! Our 21st year had a unique start to it! Tuesday, as we entered the parking lot of the shopping center where we set up, a guy in a pick up truck literally drove over a rock median and through some bushes and cut us off! It was a little freaky but it turned out he wanted to talk! After about 10 minutes, he waved and drove off!
Fall is in the Air!
It was 90 degrees Tuesday when we set up on the roadside, and yesterday it was 60 degrees and we wore heavy flannel shirts over our T-shirts! It is fall! And we are grateful for the cooler temps! People stop no matter the temperature. We’ve had 3 people stop this week so far and we look forward to talking to and praying with whomever stops today in response to the Lord’s drawing!
Favor from the News
We made the front page, and we are so grateful for a very favorable article! We were interviewed almost 2 months ago, but we have just recently been hearing about people who are unsure about us, about what we do, about whether we are legit! As the weeks went by, we kept praising God for His perfect timing, and this must be it!!!
Roadside Busy
We have been busy this week on the roadside. Our site in Spencer continues to attract people to stop. Yesterday, for the first time in a long time, the weather was so nice we sat outside the trailer for 4 hours ministering to those who stopped. Today it was back to hot and humid! But we still had people stop. God wants to speak to people and we’re thrilled to be used by Him!
The Costly Love of Jesus
Jesus demonstrated His costly love by standing in the gap for us, trading places with us so that we can walk free! Not just in death, but many times throughout the New Testament Jesus gave living demonstrations of what He would be doing upon the cross: standing in the gap for the accused, re-directing punishment away from them and toward Himself time after time. Costly love is Jesus standing in the gap between us and our accusers, between us and danger, between us and obstacles to our pursuit of Him. Every time Jesus loved someone, it cost Him something.
The woman caught in adultery is a perfect example (John 8:2-11). The law said this woman was to be stoned. But Jesus shifted the Pharisees’ hostility, disgrace, and humiliation OFF the woman and redirected it towards Himself, shielding her from punishment and death. Jesus stood between her and the law and religion and stood His ground, armed ONLY with unconditional love. Jesus willingly bore her judgment to save her and give her life.
The enemy stands before the throne of God accusing US night and day. BUT Jesus holds a piece of paper in His hand. He has taken OUR penalty, OUR punishment, OUR Sin and borne it Himself. As they nailed His hands to the cross, He held onto that paper–in His hand–for us. Are we willing to exhibit costly love back to Him? To love Him in a world that doesn’t? To give costly love to another as Jesus did?
Happy Birthday USA and Happy Anniversary to Us!
We got married 27 years ago today! As Emil likes to tell everyone, “July 4th, 1996 was the happiest day of Karen’s life!!!” Little did we know, it was just the beginning of our great and continuing adventure with the Lord! We are so happy that this ministry was His plan for us!
He Sees Us
The Commons site continues to be popular as more people are stopping for ministry, and some return with more people. We are honored to pray for those who are hungry for a touch from God and to give a word to those hungry to hear His voice. These are desparate times for many and especially so for those who don’t know Jesus, Prince of Peace. Whenever you feel a nudge from the Lord to speak or to pray for someone, or even to smile at someone in the store, do it! He has gone before you and it will minister more than you can imagine. People respond to being seen in a world that works to keep us disconnected. God sees us, each one of us, and He wants us to know that. In the Free Prayer trailer, when He has us say to someone, “I see you,” that truth never fails to bring tears and more often than not, surrender to His previously-unknown love.
Great Day on the Roadside
As soon as we were set up at The Commons in Spencer today at noon, a man and woman appeared and asked if we pray for people! We had an intense session with the woman who asked a lot of questions and with whom we shared all Jesus was telling us in response. It was good and we know she will return for deliverance and freedom! We loved her and her boyfriend. We did a couple of errands after the Lord told us to pack up and the third stop was a grocery store. While Karen went in to shop, Emil stayed in the Jeep with the trailer. The Lord showed him where and how to park, very visible from the busy street. Almost immediately two women pulled in and asked if Emil was ministering right then and he said, “Always!” and within a half an hour the Lord had set them both free from things the enemy had plagued them with for years! God is GOOD! They were saying good-bye to Emil as Karen walked out of the store! God’s timing is perfect!
Day of Pentecost Made Real
Emil shared little-taught facts about the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) last night at our home group and made it come alive! The sound of the violent wind that filled and shook the house was like the roar of Niagara Falls, like massive amounts of water being released! The Passion Translation says the sound was “so overpowering, it was all anyone could bear!” People came running from all over Jerusalem to find out where the sound was coming from! The Greek word “puros” is translated, not “fire”, but “lightning!” Can you imagine, rather than the little flames of fire usually pictured over each head, a divided flash of lightning going back and forth between the flames like electricity! Jewish families gathered from all over the Roman world in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost witnessed this scene that day–120 people in the streets with flames and lightning flashing over each of their heads and the thundering roar and shaking going on! Not to mention hearing their own languages spoken by “mere” Galileans! Can you see it? Can you hear it? God’s presence is no small thing. When He chooses to reveal Himself in all His power, it cannot and will not be ignored!
Commons is Good Ground!
We set up Free Prayer 2 days last week at our new site, The Commons in Spencer, Iowa, and had good ministry time with several people who stopped! We are very excited to be out. Our home group Friday night was great and afterwards, the rain came hard and we woke up to green grass, a green grove of trees, an influx of summertime birds (orioles, grosbeaks, goldfinches, barn swallows, Harris’ sparrows for you bird lovers). The new and fresh season has begun! The rains will continue through tomorrow (Monday), but we will be back out with the trailer Tuesday!