I miss my home church when I am on the rez.  I miss the worship and the teaching.  I miss the people.  I miss the joy I have from being in the presence of the Holy Spirit during the service.  But God has used this position I hold with AIM as Ministry Coordinator of American Indian Discipleship to show me that "His church" is much bigger than my home church.  He has shown me that I can have worship and teaching from the churches I attend on the rez.  He has given me relationships with people at the rez churches I attend that are so fulfilling to me as a Christ Follower.  He has given me joy and filled me with the Holy Spirit through the church services I attend on the rez.  I now see "His Church" as the church of the New Testament....people....the Body of Christ.  So much bigger to me now.  I can't even begin to tell you the feelings and emotions that come with being the only Anglo in a worship service of over 200 Apaches and being so accepted and loved by the Holy Spirit through them that I think I will burst from the joy of it all.  

 

A Revival was happening all week during my last project of the summer at the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Whiteriver, Arizona.  Wow, can these Apaches worship!  These Christ Followers have been delivered from so much evil in their lives through their personal relationship with Jesus that they are consumed with the Holy Spirit's presence.  They are so thankful for their deliverance that they crave worship and give everything they have to praising their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I have never in my life been a part of worship like this.  Joy abounds!  Praise flows freely!  Jesus is truly their Lord!

 

Since I was leading a Youth Group trip this week, our group attended the High School Sunday School class.  One of the men of the church gave his testimony to the high schoolers.  If you've never heard an American Indian's Testimony you are really missing out.  It is powerful.  I have heard many and this one was, once again, amazing. 

 

This Apache man could have received a life sentence for his crime but God had brought his sentence down to 3 years.   While he was in prison he had a vision from God.  In his vision he saw a group of Asian people partnering with his home church, East Fork Riverside in Whiteriver, Arizona.  In the vision the Asian people were at a Lake fellowshiping with the people from East Fork Riverside.......he literally saw their specific faces. 

 

On Saturday, my Indonesian group from San Francisco went to Holly Lake with the youth group and several adults from East Fork Riverside Church in Whiteriver.  The youth of the church escorted us to the lake while the adults of the church met us at the lake.  This Apache man who had been in prison was standing by the lake when my group arrived.  As he stood by the lake he turned around and was astounded as he saw a group of Asian people walking towards him.  As they approached he began to see faces..........the exact faces he had seen in his vision from God three years earlier in prison. 

 

God had pre-ordained this short-term mission trip for this group of people from Indonesia and for me before time began.  He revealed it to this Apache man in prison and now it was coming to pass.  God had literally delivered this Apache man from prison and was now showing him that He had a plan for his life with East Fork Riverside Church.  God was also revealing to my group from San Francisco that they were they were not in Whiteriver, Arizona by accident.  They were there to fulfill God's purposes in their lives and in the lives of those at East Fork Riverside Church.  God was also revealing to me that He goes before me setting up my projects before I even knew I would be leading projects.  He was showing us all what a Big God He Is!!!!!!!!  To God Be The Glory!