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HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD
August 2018
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JEHOVAH-RAPHA
One of the names for God is Jehovah-Rapha - God our healer. Many times in this modern age I've noticed when people become sick they tend to try everything: diets, yoga, holistic medicine, classic medicine; and when all else fails, they turn to God as if he was a last resort!
To be honest, Bonnie's experience was really no different. She had a bad fall about 6 to 8 months ago in our kitchen. She figured her back would be out for a couple of days and things would resume as normal, however, as time moved on, her back progressively worsened to the point that she'd have to sit and rest three times while washing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen. She had MRI's done and visited a physical therapist and had some other tests done. The results showed that a deformity in her neck had the spine pressing on some nerves. They also showed nerve damage and a rotation of her pelvis to the left. The doctors told her that physical therapy could help some to improve her condition and stop further deformity but the condition was irreversible. Bonnie had a very difficult time dealing with this condition, and struggled with believing that God would heal her. Her father felt that God would in time give him a special prayer of faith by which she would be healed, and she went regularly forward in church for prayer, but Bonnie had a hard time believing (not that God COULD but) that God WOULD heal her. Last Saturday she was in such pain that she spent the majority of her days from Saturday evening until Tuesday evening in bed. On Tuesday morning she contacted her worship team to pray for her not only because of the pain, but emotionally she was in a bad place. In the evening one of the church leaders posted I John 5:14 on one of the church's social media sites: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." Bonnie read this verse 3 times and each time it was as if it went deeper into her heart and grew her faith. By the evening she was feeling much better and the next morning the thought crossed her mind, "I'll bet my dad will call me today with that prayer of faith." And he did! Bonnie's father called, had the kids lay hands on her and Luka anointed her with oil. He prayed and nothing special happened until after their conversation was over. All of a sudden it seemed as if someone had taken hold of both ends of Bonnie's neck and began to pull and straighten it out. She felt a tingling in the base of her skull and in her throat that lasted for about 5 minutes. It didn't hurt, rather as a result, the pain in her neck left. That evening she tried sitting and lying in positions in which she hadn't been able to sit or lie without extreme pain for the past 6 months. She had no pain and thanked God for his healing. The next day she just so happened to have an appointment with her physical therapist. Bonnie told the physical therapist that she felt something had changed that she felt different. The physical therapist decided to do a complete check up and compare the measurements she'd taken on her back with the ones from Bonnie's first appointment and did various other tests. The difference was astounding! Bonnie then shared her testimony with the therapist and she was very moved by the answer to prayer and confirmed that there is no other reason she could give for the change she'd seen in her back and spine. Bonnie has an appointment with a neurosurgeon on Monday. Please, be in prayer that God gives her wisdom and the proper words and timing to share her testimony of healing with him, as well.
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JEHOVAH-JIREH
There is no doubt in our minds that Jehovah-jireh (God our provider) is alive and well. Our church building alone is a testimony to that fact and you all have been active participants!
This summer our church has been working on finishing up the final phases of our renovations. We have repainted the children's classrooms and finally installed flooring. Our next step is to order furniture for the children's classrooms and install other various smaller details that will help us in our children's ministries. It is very important to us to make our children a priority, and that our ministry to them is of top quality.
We also need to install extra air conditioning and heating units as there are none in our café-bar, prayer room and office and complete the café-bar area with proper tables and chairs. We are praying that God provide us with $10,500 to complete these final renovations. Would you continue to pray with us?
Our plan is to be able to use our church facilities not only on Sundays and Wednesdays, but all week long for various ministry purposes, meetings, evangelism, ect. We believe that God has provided us with this beautiful building for it to be more than just a church that meets twice a week. Our desire is to see it being used and filled every day of the week!
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Jehovah-Rohi means God is our shepherd... many times we think of a shepherd as the one that cares for the sheep... and he is, but we forget that he does much more than just feed, water and protect... he makes plans for them, thinks about where they are to go next and leads them there. God has been leading Mario this entire summer as he travels thought the U.S.
He has provided for his needs, put him in contact with new people, and helped him reconnect with former acquaintances and friends. He has had a wonderful time encouraging the American church, preaching, and meeting with pastors and hearing their hearts, sharing his vision for our ministry in Croatia, and fellowshipping with brothers and sisters in Christ. Overall it has been a very positive trip. A big thank you to each of you who have met with him, opened your homes to him, and taken him out for coffee or a meal. May you be richly blessed for your hospitality!
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THANK YOU
Thank you all for your amazing love and support. We pray that you all have a blessed August!
Blessings,
Mario & Bonnie!
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