roots of your tree

There are so many smalls symptoms that we as the American people and the American church are trying to fix, but we have forgotten about the root problems. Many people come up for prayer for small issues that are a result of a main/much larger issue. They live their life seeking quick fixes instead of complete restoration and release of old things such as habits, sins or pain. Many young adults barely eat, forget to shower, are plagued by panic attacks and live life in fear because anxiety has such a deep root in their life. What could happen to our churches if we started to look at the root problems instead of trying to fix the symptoms that will come back?

Here are two stories that relate to this topic of different prayers answered when we got to the core issues.

Jane Doe

First service of the week.

After service Jane came up to our merchandise table. Last time the team came to Katy just a few months before Jane had a brace on her left leg and was walking with crutches. Just 3 months before the service doctors had told her that recovery was going to take around a year and she wouldn’t be able to do any sports during that time. Now to some a chance not to run is a blessing, but not to Jane. Jane was a runner, she said she’d done track ever since she was a child and running was her favorite thing to do. She said the time she most felt God was when she was running for him. Two girls had prayed over Jane the last time we were there, they prayed over her body, mind, and emotional state. They prayed in confidence knowing that God is a God who heals the whole not just one part. They prayed knowing that God will give an emotional release and a great miracle to her physical problems. One of the girls on our team was one of the two that prayed and remembered her. She was in shock to see how well Jane was doing. Jane is now walking around without the crutches and brace. But even more she was smiling now, her heart was joyous and she was spreading that joy to others. Sh encouraged us to keep doing what we’re doing because she needed the encouragement when she was down so she could now be the encourager. 

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John Doe

Second service.

After our second service a youth leader pulled a male team member into a room with a young man who was dealing with some personal struggles. 

We are going to let him tell you what happened.

“I asked the young man if we could speak on what he was dealing with and he agreed. We started speaking about his life and all he was currently going through. He shared that his parents divorced and many more family problems were ruining his life in a ways he never thought. He got involved in drugs and alcohol at a young age, was facing intense addiction to pornography and to top it all; he told me he had been struggling with suicide for the past 4 months. I listened for a while then began to ask him some questions. I finally told him that these weren’t his problems, he was in complete shock. I explained that even if he gave up drinking, drugs, porn and anything else that plagued him, it still wouldn’t fix the pain in his heart. Now we all need to get rid of those problems, but they aren’t the core issue. 

I looked him in the eyes then asked if he wanted to be delivered. Not counseled, not encouraged but delivered from all that was holding his life.

He said yes.

We prayed together, I asked him to verbalize his problems, he prayed.

“Lord please take away my addictions, my drug addictions and my porn addiction.”

He prayed for a while speaking out all the death in his life until he finally got to the main issue.

“Lord, I want to give you my un-forgiveness towards my parents.”

As soon as he said that last sentence, the root of all his problems his chains finally fell off.

He was crying and he was aware of the change God had brought into his life.

He reached into his pocket, looked me in the eye and said

“I really need to give you something, and if I don’t give this to you it will have control over me.”

He handed me a vape full of drugs and smiled. He had been set free.

God had delivered him from this addiction and had showed him how loved he was!

He had walked out of that room a changed man, he was ready and willing to seek out Gods plan for his life. I’m still in contact with him and his youth leader and I’m beyond impressed at the strides he is making for Christ in his day to day life.”

Isaiah 41:13

“For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you ‘Fear not, I will help you.’”

Traveling is a blessing. We understand that we are gifted with so many things in this ministry. We get to see the world, serve God and see lives changed. God is so good to us and we love that he called us to spread his word through drama. NLDC has been around for 35 years and we intend to be around at least another 35, doing the Lords work. But we truly can’t do it on our own. We travel a whole year. We are not payed, we are not promised comfortable living conditions and we really never know what tomorrow holds. We get from place to place through love offerings. We have one time gifts or monthly partners, both provide for us so we can continue the Lords work. 

If God lays it on your heart, please give so there can be more stories of redemption and healing like these through this ministry.