Look What God is Doing!

Rather than use our own words, we decided to share words written by the students.  The full testimonies are quite long, so we have placed a key sentence or two from each one first, and then followed with the whole testimony.  Continue reading if you want to hear the long version.  We shine the spotlight on God today - It's HIS program, and these are HIS students.  He deserves all the PRAISE!

1. “The life was so hard for me because once my father died I decided to work hard in every opportunity that I get, with the aim to succeed in life.”


2. “... I thank God for bringing Mr & Mrs Duran in my life to teach me the word of God. Now I know that friends can sometimes be enemies. I thank the Lord for saving my life.”

3. “Now I have a brother in Christ. His name is David. When I’m tempted I call him and we pray together.”


4. “This course that I’m taking is really showing and teaching me that we are serving a living God. I learned how to pray with faith. God has touched my heart and change my life.”

5. “Mr. and Mrs. Duran helped me to come to Christ, and I accepted Christ in the classroom. I felt so calm and relaxed, God touched me very strong and deeply. I can really see the changes in my life.”

6. “Oh Lord, thank you for all the joy, love, and wonders that you bring to my life. Thank you Lord for teaching us how to pray.”


7. “… when I started this Y.D.M program I started to know Christ and I felt that I am someone. He cares for me and he is always with me. I thank Mr. & Mrs. Duran … What they showed me, no one in this country can show me.”

8. “ I have learned at the YDM program many things and it even has changed my life. From now on my life belongs to God and I am very grateful for every day, to have such a wonderful God.”

9. “Today I freely know how to read the Bible and understand it, even how to pray and giving thanks to him. I made it, so can everyone out there.”

10. “ I became part of the YDM program and my life as a Christian began to change. As a new believer in Christ, I am a new person.

11. “... I started attending the YDM program. I met new people in Christ and suddenly my whole life turned and I pick up all my broken pieces. I took Gods road.”


FULL VERSION:

1. The life was so hard for me because once my father died I decided to work hard in every opportunity that I get, with the aim to succeed in life. It was not easy to leave behind my family members and go to the town that I never knew before. Praise God! I give glory to God that He brought me to a special place with Mr and Mrs Duran and I regard them as my spiritual parents. I believe that there is a good life after suffering through Christ.

2. I was so afraid to loose these friends of mine. But I didn`t understand what was going on with them. I expected them to lead me to Church but they did not. The most I gained from them was that they always took me out for drinking alcohol. Now I thank God for bringing Mr & Mrs Duran in my life to teach me the word of God. Now I know that friend can sometimes be enemies. I thank the Lord for saving my life. He took me from the worst sin and now I know that He is always there for me.

3. I grew up in a family that are believers, but I did not know God personally.Before I learned to know God, my life was not good at all. I was going out every weekend, and was staying with bad friends. My life was like hell. After I learned to know God, everything started to change. Now I’m always at home with my family, reading a bible or praying together as a family. Now I have a brother in Christ. His name is David. When I’m tempted I call him and we pray together.

4. First of all I will like to thank the almighty God for sending Mrs. and Mr. Duran to Okahandja. They were the people who showed me the way of truth. This course that I’m taking is really showing and teaching me that we are serving a living God. I learned how to pray with faith. God has touched my heart and change my life. He always answered my prayers. I hope and pray to God to give me the strength to always follow him for the rest of my life, and to teach others and my children the way to eternal life. I am so glad that I know God and feel joy in my life.

5. I am a church going person but not every Sunday or Wednesday. The habit that I had was drinking every weekend and even weekdays if possible. When I started with the YDM program I accepted God. I really saw what God can do in my life and the changes he can make. Mr. and Mrs. Duran helped me to come to Christ, and I accepted Christ in the classroom. I felt so calm and relaxed, God touched me very strong and deeply. I can really see the changes in my life. I am even more responsible now. If I am having a problem or difficulty I pray and he answers my prayers. I can even control my anger now.

6. Oh Lord, thank you for all the joy, love, and wonders that you bring to my life. Oh lord you never leave us alone. Every day you give us hope and strength, father of Israel. Thank you Lord for teaching us how to pray, amen.

7. I always search for love but no one was there for me. My heart was so empty, I felt like I was not having a dad and no one cared for me. I always cried for someone to love. I looked for love but did not look in the right way. This year 2012 when I started this Y.D.M program I started to know Christ and I felt that I am someone. He cares for me and he is always with me. I thank Mr. & Mrs. Duran for all what they have taught me. What they showed me, no one in this country can show me.

8. One day I was thinking, why am I so alone in this world? There is no one who loves me and appreciates me for the things I do for them. I was struggling since my father left me, and my mom has to raise me by herself. There was no man to take care of us, and it was so difficult for us. Than after the struggling, we survived. I just want to say, if it was not for God’s help, I don’t know what would have happened to us. I have learned at the YDM program many things and it even has changed my life. From now on my life belongs to God and I am very grateful for every day, to have such a wonderful God.

9. I have met bad friends in my life, who always called me to ask what the plans for the night were. These are the kind of friends who called whenever I had money or whenever I had anything that caught their interest. They were never there when I felt alone. I met this good guy who introduced himself to me and invited me to his church and he encouraged me to talk to God to change my life. He told me that there is someone who loves me more than I know and it is God. My tears started shedding down my face. At the beginning of this year my friend was so much happy for me, knowing that I am getting discipleship lessons. Thank you God, the YDM program will always be an eye opener. Today I freely know how to read the Bible and understand it, even how to pray and giving thanks to him. I made it, so can everyone out there.

10. I am 22 years old, live with my mother, sister and two brothers. I became part of the YDM program and my life as a Christian began to change. As a new believer in Christ, I am a new person. I have learned how to follow God. Christ has been the center of my life always. I submit to God moment to moment, letting God control all areas of my life. I pray throughout the day every day. Prayer is talking to God. One day I sat down thinking about my loving God who will not lose my salvation. He has provided the way for me to escape from temptation.

11. I’m 25years of age and I’m having a baby boy. I know that God lives but I just was not ready to accept Christ. Several times I wanted but I was afraid of people. Later on I made my last decision. After giving birth to my baby, life changed. The father of my kid decided not to support my baby. My heart broke into pieces that I couldn’t put together again. Later in the year I started attending the YDM program. I met new people in Christ and suddenly my whole life turned and I pick up all my broken pieces. I took Gods road. Now my big sister is supporting my baby and the path I choose to follow God is wide open. God changed me!!!

Courageous

Courageous.  The theme for the men’s meeting I attended on Saturday. We had the privilege of having Jack King visit from the States. He challenged us to be courageous Godly men. Jack’s focus was on discipling the next generation of men. It was a powerful message and it challenged and convicted every man who was in attendance.

If you do not know who Jack King is I encourage you to Google him. His testimony and ministry are incredible. God is using him to impact men around the world. He definitely impacted the men here who were gathered to hear him speak.

During a break I got a chance to talk with Jack for a few minutes. I just had to get some one-on-one time with him to soak up as much as I could. As we talked I shared how much the father was missing in so many of the families in Namibia. He had shared earlier about a father’s blessing and I commented that I do not believe any had ever received one. Jack then shared with me that he felt God moving him to offer the men in attendance a "father’s blessing."

After the break Jack said he had a message he had prepared to share with us but God had just given him a new message.  I smiled because I knew what was coming. Jack laid a great foundation on what it means to be a man and the significance of being told we are men. He shared the importance of receiving a father’s blessing and what a father’s blessing is.

Jack invited all the pastors to come forward. Jack then gave each of the eleven pastor a father's blessing. It was powerful and amazing to see. You could see the pride each man felt. It was as if they were being empowered  - from the inside and in a sense they were. They were receiving the Father’s blessing and they stood taller and full of confidence.

Then Jack turned to the men sitting and offered each of us the opportunity to receive a father's blessing. Any man wanting to receive a fathers blessing could come down and go to one of the pastors or to Jack.

I sat in the front row and watched as every man came down to receive a fathers blessing. I wept at the sight. I prayed over the men as they came forward and watched as grown men broke down sobbing. The presence of God was so powerful and the love that flowed was overwhelming.

There is a hunger and desire to be loved by our fathers that is so strong that when we do not get it we seek it from the world. Watching grown men coming to receive a fathers blessing just showed me that the father wound extends to every generation.

As a man I have the opportunity to share the love of the Father with each man that God brings across my path. I pray that I have the courage to show and share the Father's love. There is nothing more humbling than to hear someone tell you that you are their spiritual father and that you have shown them what love is.