"This is the way, walk in it."
September 2021
Hello Friend,
John here. My turn. Yesterday at a men’s bible study I got paid in full. Paid? Yes. Jesse, our pastor’s son, came up to me to tell me how my ministry has made a difference for Drew, one of his friends. I wasn’t sure who it was at first. Then I remembered! It was one of the guys on our House Build trip to Mexico a few years ago. Drew was quiet, so I wasn’t sure how much he got out of the teaching times and the ministry building a house for a poor family. Because of that trip, Drew is on fire for Jesus today.
Then, a few hours later I got a message from Wikus, a YWAM friend in South Africa. He asked if I remember Matt who did the DTS after we did a university conference together. Maybe I’m getting old, or there are just too many people to remember. I said I can’t recall Matt. Wikus said Matt is now staffing with YWAM. He wants me to connect with him again. Sure, I said. Then the payoff came again. Wikus said, “His ministry is the fruit of your generosity to us and fruit of your ministry.” I felt like God wanted to send a special message to me yesterday.
How do we measure the gentle impartation of God’s Spirit to another human being? You can’t. These are stories of people who will celebrate with us for eternity. You know, when we can really remember all the people God allowed us to know and touch somehow.
This season has been challenging
Over the past several months, Mary and I have been praying fervently for clear instructions from the Lord about our next move. Sometimes we took small steps to see if God might be waiting for us to move in faith. If you’ve known us for any length of time, you know that we would often step out with courage and boldness to start a new thing. Like what the prophet Isaiah talks about, we would get a confirmation, like a voice behind us saying, “This is the way, walk in it” (Isa. 30:21). A couple times this past year we started moving forward with plans for a move, and God stopped us. I personally felt confused.
As we mentioned last month, it feels a little scary. We’ve experienced some of the painful but loving pruning; it’s like being benched from the game you love to play. We’ve searched our hearts, prayed more, read books aloud together, all to see if we’re out of step with God’s Spirit, or in willful sin in any way. Then we received some clarity.
“So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.” Isaiah 30:18
God is waiting for us to wait
A few verses before Isa. 30:21, in vs.18 it says: “So the Lord must wait for you.” This has become our verse for 2021. No more striving or wondering if we are out of step. Now, we have come to rest with the faith that God will guide us. He’ll show us where to go and when to go there. In the meantime, we stay faithful and wait.
We mentioned that we are speaking in different churches. So far, we had a very nice visit with our friend Joy and her husband in Lakewood, NJ area. We visited their church and spoke at their home fellowship. Then, this past Saturday night we led youth seminar about Love, Sex, and Relationships at the Korean Church were Becca has been serving as youth leader. This Sunday we’re speaking at the First Presbyterian Church in Ocean City. And there are other meetings with some travel that are coming soon.
Rather than share some big next step, we are reporting on how God is speaking to us, even if we are not sure of a move yet. We are ministering with the hope that lives will be touched and changed, just like Drew and Matt.
Pray for us as we wait on the Lord. We are no longer anxious about waiting. So, it’s not about the need to know our next steps. We may or may not move from New Jersey. But we will move as God leads us, when He leads us. Thank you for praying.
Waiting,
John
For our donors, please see the new website and giving page at stucentre.com/give. Choose John & Mary Henry on the drop down list. All our staff and their donors are beginning to use the new donation process.
Prayer for Universities
You may remember that I posted a video prayer for 30 different college campuses during the month of May this year, beginning with this youtube post at Stockton University. Well, prayer continues.
On September 9, 2021, YWAM international's monthly prayer day, will be focused on the universities. I wrote The Invitation that has been sent to every YWAM location. Here's the link for The Invitation to join YWAM in prayer for universities.
Also, check out my short series of blog posts about the importance of university ministries.
Our team in Santiago, Chile just completed a month of prayer for university students. Check out the series of posts in three languages on our Instagram page.
Prayer Requests
John & I pray together nearly every morning. Join us.
For Becca as she seeks a full time job and makes important life decisions. She says she's good at rejection. (On my!) That can be a strength for her right now.
For God's relentless pursuit of Justin, Nathan, and Becca, and our extended family.
For the adoption of the YWAM Events App & Converge 2.0
For the Christ in the Spheres Conference and multiple outreach teams planned for CHILE in the summer of 2022. Would you like to go with us?
For new ministry partners to adopt us as their missionaries as we venture into the next thing God is leading us to do. If you trust God to lead us, please join our team.
We are so grateful to you for your prayers and partnership in the gospel!
My Student Centre story
I was asked by the International Director, John Hwang, how I founded the Student Centre. Here's my story in less than 4 minutes.
Watch on Youtube
Free Book
I am giving away my recently released book, Making A Difference: How to Extend Your Influence and Transform Your World. I'm not selling the book. Instead, I accept donations to buy more to give away. I've given away the first two cases already. And I'm ready to order more.
Sorry. We can't send them outside the USA right now. But if you're in the States, ask us to send you one. If you insist on buying it, then send a donation to help us buy more to give away. Oh, and you may order the book at Amazon. (Kindle $5 and paperback $20USD).