Stories of Freedom
Fall tour offically launched this week! The teams came off the road from the summer for one week to switch up teams and start the new tour. We embraced them with hugs and they filled us with incredible stories of the things God had done on the road. The following is an amazing story one of our team members told us about a girl she met in an Iowa Church. Enjoy and be encouraged that God moves even in the toughest situation!
A girl who didn't want prayer.
At age fourteen Kate was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend, two months later she found out she was pregnant. Kate kept her baby and had to mother a child before she even knew how to drive. Now, at age 18 she is about to graduate highschool and has been in a legal battle for her daughter for over a year.
When I met Kate she kept to herself and didn't speak to us. If her mother wasn't there we never would have been able to connect with her. Kate and her mother shared their life stories, their hearts and their pain. When she was done she told us that she didn't want God, and didn't need him. She told us she could take care of herself and God only gets in the way. Throwing out our invitation to come to our service the next day, she said "I'm working" "I'm busy" "I don't think so". Not surprising, she also told us not to pray for her saying, "I don't need prayer, don't ask me, don't do it, don't even think about doing it."
If you looked at her you would've seen that God was pulling at her heart strings. The next day we spent a lot of time preparing for service. God had showed each and every one of us that this service was going to be life changing. When service began Kate was there and she was listening. She watched the whole time, she saw every tear jerking skit and listened to every word the speaker said, God was working on her heart and speaking to her the whole time. We had one girl share her testimony, and at the end of it she said "Open your hearts and minds to what God has for you and once you do that you will recieve healing." We did a few more skits and ended with a heavy one that talks about child abuse.
Our team leader invited the audience to come up for the altar call. At first no one moved. Then one person stood up. It was Kate. As she walked to the altar the whole church errupted in applause. She wasn't just doing it for attention, she came forth crying and asking for prayer. I prayed over her for what could have been half an hour. God had so much he wanted to say to her but she hadn't taken the time to listen until now. I prayed over her relationships, healing, family, child, her court case, her future and everything that was laid on my heart. After service, we talked for a little and she said she knew she was going to be healed. She knew that God was going to work it all for good and that he loved her.
So many times we see only the evil done to us but forget that God can use anything for his glory. God doesn't make evil things happen to us but instead offers comfort and release from that pain. God is good and he wanted to heal her a long time ago but she had the idea that she needed to save herself. We can't save ourselves and we can't just expect God to swoop in and take everything away from us. In the end if we want healing and comfort we must accept God into our hearts and give him our problems.
God Bless.
New Life Reporter