If you remember from my past blogs, God has allowed me to be moved with deep empathy and compassion for Muslims and he hasn’t stopped. After Jordan, we went to Turkey which is also predominantly Muslim. Turkey is a “closed country” which means it is illegal to share your faith and they tend to enforce these rules. You have to be semi strategic in order to keep your team and hosts safe while keeping the commission Jesus gave us with weight and honor. We got to partner with a host and their church for a month, praying that the Lord would continue to make a way for his name to be glorified. He never has failed us. He was faithful. No surprise at all.

During one of our many nights doing ministry, we were on a ferry boat back to our house. We have already had an incredible day. We got to do some deliverance and healing within our own team, had challenging conversations about specific scriptures, went and worshipped in a stranger’s home and prayed over a man’s sight. We have been filled all day with the Holy Spirit leading us and he wasn’t finished. As we were conversing with our host about his message on the ferry, in the corner of my eye a beautiful dark-haired woman with a red suitcase was crying and shaking. I let my team know I was going over to her. I sat down next to her and held her hand while she cried. She gripped my hand so tightly and the Lord gripped my heart. I had no idea what was happening, but I knew I wanted to help her in anyway I could. She didn’t speak a lot of English, but I asked if I could pray over her in Jesus name and she said yes. I held her and she wept and wept while I prayed for the Lord to comfort her and for Jesus to be made known in her life. We sat there for a while and then I got her contact information. The ferry boat had stopped, and we had to go our separate ways but the Lord wasn’t done! It was an open door. The next morning, she texted me saying, “Your prayer had a great impact on me, I am very happy, and I would like to know what your prayer was.” For the first time, I got to evangelize over WhatsApp to a complete stranger.

I was blown away with gratitude and thankfulness for this open door. I replied “Yeah so this is what I prayed. I thanked God that he cares so deeply for you. That he sees you and he weeps with you. That he was right next to you, saw you and was heartbroken alongside you. I prayed that you would be comforted by him. I prayed over how much he loves because he sent his one and only son to die for you so that would have an eternal relationship with him. That Jesus has weeped with you. I prayed for joy to overflow in you because of the Holy Spirit. I thanked Jesus that he is the prince of peace and has covered you fully in his love. I prayed for healing over you in Jesus name.

She received it so well! We continued to talk more, and we are still talking! I continue to pray she would declare Jesus is Lord of her life and I’m thankful the Lord allowed me to represent Jesus and point back to him. He is good! 

Many more sweet encounters happened in the month. We held an English club, lead youth events, discipled the members, refreshed them with prayer, encouraged them in their faith and what their doing, led worship and made connections with the locals and invited them to church in which we pray they continue to go to and encounter Jesus. Please join us to pray for Turkey, their government, and the church we were with.