prison ministry
Servant
Heavenly Father thank you for the good you have done and are doing and are going to do in our lives.
Thank you for this testimony which I will be giving in my church in your good timing.
As it is written, no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has planned for those who love him. (1 Cor 2:7) I love this verse as it captures some of the unexpected ways in which God provides and glorifies himself in our lives.
I have been through a number of dark times in my life, and two in particular stand out as evidence of God’s active movement and redemption. The first is when my wife abandoned me after having an affair – a bit like the Prophet Hosea!. This was obviously heart-breaking, but I decided that I would stick with God through the dark times, and the community of this church and the love of God eventually brought a wonderful woman into my life. We have been happily married for a number of years and have two beautiful children. I sincerely believe that this blessing is only due to God’s active involvement in my life. My own strength was inadequate for this.
The second difficult time was recently, when I was treated shamefully by the management of the company I worked for and decided to resign after refusing to participate in corrupt activities sanctioned by the management. This was in possibly the worst economic environment in decades. Needless to say, over the next two years, that company was completely obliterated, and the pieces sold for scrap. The individuals in question lost their jobs and are now unemployable, their reputations are ruined. A corrupt, ungodly way will never bear good fruit. I hope the management have learned their lesson! God bless them!
Psalm 55:23
But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days, But I will trust in You.
After holding an upper management position with all the perks this brought, I found myself in a difficult situation – no income, and a family to support. The pressure on my wife increased and she began manifesting physical symptoms due to the stress she was under. This was a very trying time. Up until this point I had been an active tither, and now found it difficult to give generously. The church was also under massive financial pressure at the same time and it was a big disappointment to me to not be able to tithe. We couldn’t meet our financial commitments over this period. I started a small business, and continued to pray, believing we should pray until something happens (PUSH). I remained close to the church community and got involved in more church activities. I trusted that God’s way was better than anything I could do for myself.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
In the long periods of waiting for the business to take off, I also closed out my Bachelor of Theology studies and managed to take some of my learning, as well as experiences I had had in prison ministry and other areas to write a book, which had been a lifelong goal. The book is published! Glory to God. My theology is still immature, but I learned a lot in writing the book and hope it is a blessing to others.
I went for job interviews, but these proved fruitless. In the meanwhile, I continued exploring every lead possible and sought to expand the business. Eventually, through friends and colleagues which God brought into my path, after about eighteen months of work and almost thirty opportunities which had not yet worked out, I managed to get three active projects going. This period had been a massive drain on savings, a very stressful period and had tested patience for a long period. But finally, green shoots were starting to show. All the while I felt that my faith was increasing, and I developed an in-built certainty that God had my back! I remember a particular evening when I was preparing to go to bed and I felt a sense of calm that God would work out all things together for our good.
Isaiah 54:17
…no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.
Now God has brought me through this dark time and revealed his wonderful plan. I have a secure position and good income – more than before and much more than I could have expected. I can now tithe more than before into the church. The pressure is now off my wife to provide for our family. I just want to give all the Glory to God for this. God has provided more than we expected and the months of patient waiting, hard work, rejection, failure, disappointment, bouncing credit cards and stress have proved that he is still on the throne and is guiding the outcome of our lives in accordance with his plan.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
We as a family are now able to bless others more in their need, due to our improved position. I personally have the time and resources now to bless others including through my writing, in prison ministry and in the worship ministry. We are also able to pursue a dream of mine to create a Christian Camp and Refuge in a beautiful area. God has brought our marriage out stronger and more blessed; God has brought our health out stronger and more blessed; God has brought my children out more blessed; God has brought our financial situation stronger and more blessed, God has blessed and increased our faith. We are now able to tithe more than before and we are enjoying an abundance mentality, which recognises that there is enough for everyone. Thank you that my relationship with SWML is closer and deeper than before.
This aligns with God’s promise:
From Deuteronomy 28
LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God:
3You will be blessed in the city
and blessed in the country.
4The fruit of your womb will be blessed,
as well as the produce of your land
and the offspring of your livestock—
the calves of your herds
and the lambs of your flocks.
5Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.
6You will be blessed when you come in
and blessed when you go out.
7The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you in one direction but flee from you in seven.
10Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will stand in awe of you.
11The LORD will make you prosper abundantly—in the fruit of your womb, the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your land—in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.
12The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain to your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but borrow from none.
God is a God who wants to bless us and do good to us.
Thank you Lord. In Jesus name.
Thank you for this testimony which I will be giving in my church in your good timing.
As it is written, no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has planned for those who love him. (1 Cor 2:7) I love this verse as it captures some of the unexpected ways in which God provides and glorifies himself in our lives.
I have been through a number of dark times in my life, and two in particular stand out as evidence of God’s active movement and redemption. The first is when my wife abandoned me after having an affair – a bit like the Prophet Hosea!. This was obviously heart-breaking, but I decided that I would stick with God through the dark times, and the community of this church and the love of God eventually brought a wonderful woman into my life. We have been happily married for a number of years and have two beautiful children. I sincerely believe that this blessing is only due to God’s active involvement in my life. My own strength was inadequate for this.
The second difficult time was recently, when I was treated shamefully by the management of the company I worked for and decided to resign after refusing to participate in corrupt activities sanctioned by the management. This was in possibly the worst economic environment in decades. Needless to say, over the next two years, that company was completely obliterated, and the pieces sold for scrap. The individuals in question lost their jobs and are now unemployable, their reputations are ruined. A corrupt, ungodly way will never bear good fruit. I hope the management have learned their lesson! God bless them!
Psalm 55:23
But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days, But I will trust in You.
After holding an upper management position with all the perks this brought, I found myself in a difficult situation – no income, and a family to support. The pressure on my wife increased and she began manifesting physical symptoms due to the stress she was under. This was a very trying time. Up until this point I had been an active tither, and now found it difficult to give generously. The church was also under massive financial pressure at the same time and it was a big disappointment to me to not be able to tithe. We couldn’t meet our financial commitments over this period. I started a small business, and continued to pray, believing we should pray until something happens (PUSH). I remained close to the church community and got involved in more church activities. I trusted that God’s way was better than anything I could do for myself.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
In the long periods of waiting for the business to take off, I also closed out my Bachelor of Theology studies and managed to take some of my learning, as well as experiences I had had in prison ministry and other areas to write a book, which had been a lifelong goal. The book is published! Glory to God. My theology is still immature, but I learned a lot in writing the book and hope it is a blessing to others.
I went for job interviews, but these proved fruitless. In the meanwhile, I continued exploring every lead possible and sought to expand the business. Eventually, through friends and colleagues which God brought into my path, after about eighteen months of work and almost thirty opportunities which had not yet worked out, I managed to get three active projects going. This period had been a massive drain on savings, a very stressful period and had tested patience for a long period. But finally, green shoots were starting to show. All the while I felt that my faith was increasing, and I developed an in-built certainty that God had my back! I remember a particular evening when I was preparing to go to bed and I felt a sense of calm that God would work out all things together for our good.
Isaiah 54:17
…no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.
Now God has brought me through this dark time and revealed his wonderful plan. I have a secure position and good income – more than before and much more than I could have expected. I can now tithe more than before into the church. The pressure is now off my wife to provide for our family. I just want to give all the Glory to God for this. God has provided more than we expected and the months of patient waiting, hard work, rejection, failure, disappointment, bouncing credit cards and stress have proved that he is still on the throne and is guiding the outcome of our lives in accordance with his plan.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
We as a family are now able to bless others more in their need, due to our improved position. I personally have the time and resources now to bless others including through my writing, in prison ministry and in the worship ministry. We are also able to pursue a dream of mine to create a Christian Camp and Refuge in a beautiful area. God has brought our marriage out stronger and more blessed; God has brought our health out stronger and more blessed; God has brought my children out more blessed; God has brought our financial situation stronger and more blessed, God has blessed and increased our faith. We are now able to tithe more than before and we are enjoying an abundance mentality, which recognises that there is enough for everyone. Thank you that my relationship with SWML is closer and deeper than before.
This aligns with God’s promise:
From Deuteronomy 28
LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God:
3You will be blessed in the city
and blessed in the country.
4The fruit of your womb will be blessed,
as well as the produce of your land
and the offspring of your livestock—
the calves of your herds
and the lambs of your flocks.
5Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.
6You will be blessed when you come in
and blessed when you go out.
7The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you in one direction but flee from you in seven.
10Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will stand in awe of you.
11The LORD will make you prosper abundantly—in the fruit of your womb, the offspring of your livestock, and the produce of your land—in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.
12The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain to your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but borrow from none.
God is a God who wants to bless us and do good to us.
Thank you Lord. In Jesus name.
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