Greetings all who wrestle for the Kingdom,

WWT

Sounds like a new organization for a TV wrestling series.  It is not.  However, it is a part of our prayer community.  I call it the Wider Wrestling Team.  By that I mean those people who participate with us from other communities of faith via this newsletter and email contact.  We are indeed one church in Christ.

I bring this up because of a meeting I had with a WWT member, Tim Vink.  (This raises a question as to what Tim's stage name for WWT would be ...  since he is the Director of Church Multiplication for the RCA perhaps we could call him "Multiplier Man"? <smile>)  Any way, Tim was sharing a story about a Reformed pastor whose two-year-old son was a hemophiliac.  He was having bleeding incidents every three to five days with many of these requiring trips to the hospital.  One Sunday morning he held his son up in front of the congregation and spoke the words of healing over him according to the scripture.  Tim saw him a couple of weeks ago and he had not had a bleeding event in 72 days and he wanted to know more about this 'healing thing'.  Indeed.  This 'healing thing' is for all who believe in Jesus and we are seeing it rise up all over the world in what seems to be an accelerated fashion.  I bless God for the WWT members who continually encourage us in our walk and hope we are a small encouragement to them as well.

Another WWT member is Harry Wilson.  Harry is a close friend and those who come to the "W" have heard him speak a few times.  Harry has built over twelve hundred homes for widows in the mountains of Guatemala over the past twenty years and he just got back from another trip two weeks ago.  Many people were healed over the course of the trip but one story Harry shared with me has to be passed on.

The only way to reach these remote mountain villages is to hike in.  The teams carry food and water and the building supplies are sent in ahead of the team via donkeys.  As Harry and the team made their way between villages late one day they found that they were caught by the darkness.  They were on a trail about three feet wide with a three thousand foot drop off on the left and a rock face straight up on the right and it had become pitch black.  Harry had a huge blazing bright flashlight and took the lead and told everyone to stay close and in line and it would be fine.  When they got to the village one of the team members was not with them any more.  He was bringing up the rear and he did not arrive with the team.  Harry prepared a search team and turned around t o go and find him hoping he had not fallen off the mountain.

Here is the rest of the story.  The man who was lost had a 'nature call' as they walked along and decided to answer the call.  He finished his business and realized that the team was gone and it was so dark that he could not see his hand in front of his face.  He was very alone.  He prayed a prayer and said "Father, help me".  Just then a small Guatemalan girl about seven years old showed up and took his finger.  She then proceeded to lead him along the path.  As they rounded the last bend he saw Harry and the team coming up from the village and he let go of the child's hand to wave to Harry and the team.  As he turned to say thank you to the little girl she had vanished.

We believe that God answered this man's prayer for help by sending and angel to assist. 

Wow.

What an encouragement that when it gets dark at any point in our life that God is waiting for us to call on Him.  He is also waiting to answer and sometimes He sends an angel to assist.

More feedback from the Pastor's Conference at Mars Hill last month.  We had ministered in prayer to a Pastor from Sturgis Michigan who wanted to be free from Unforgiveness toward a person.  We prayed.  He showed up at an evening service two weeks ago to say thanks.  He was able to completely forgive the person and has been amazed by the lightness it has produced in his heart.  Thank you Father for lightening the load for one of your workmen.

     I had experienced a particularly down time this past month and asked God what He had to say about it.  He directed me to the Psalms.  I opened up to Psalm 105 and it was a deep blessing for me.  Not only did He remind me that His promise extends to 1,000 generations but also that His word spoken is true forever regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.  Rob, that Sunday, talked about Lent being a time of 'coming out of Egypt' for the Mars Hill community and Ps 105 is an account of that journey.  He is here and He is not silent.  

Are you working in a hard place?  Are you in a dark situation and feel like there are 'very few in number' helping with the task God has called you to?  Remember the circumstance does not determine the outcome and His word and promise remain forever and his covenant extends for 1,000 generations, He is faithful and indeed redeems. We can trust Him.

A few more examples of our God at work  .......

REPORTS:

* A woman came to the "W" with a tumor on her Ovary.  We just heard back that she went back to the doctor and the tumor is completely gone.  Amazing.

* A woman came for prayer regarding back pain.  As we prayed for her the pain receded and by the end of the night was gone.  Thank you Father. 

* We heard from a woman with severe shooting pain down her right side that shortly after receiving prayer the pain was gone. Praise God indeed.

* We prayed for a young woman who had been told by the Holy Spirit on Tuesday night before Ash Wed. that she needed to give up smoking for Lent.  She was smoking a pack and a half a day at that point.  She asked for prayer for the withdrawal symptoms on Wed. night and after she was prayed for the symptoms went away.  It ahs been a week and a half and they have not returned.  He is faithful.

* A woman was caught in the blizzard and could not see to drive.  She heard the Spirit say 'I parted the Red Sea  ...  talk to the storm'.  She spoke to the storm and was able to see clearly for the balance of her journey.  We serve a God who leads us and guides us in the way that we should go and in the way that we need to pray.

* A young man with pain in his back and side who thought he had MS was prayed for and the pain went away immediately.  Father, you are bigger than pain and fear, thank you.

*  A couple who have been experiencing severe marital strife went forward to receive the ashes on Ash Wed.  The woman who ministered to them (a member of the WT) was prompted by the Holy Spirit to speak a blessing over them.  The mother of the wife told us later that they were amazed at the "powerful presence of God" that they sensed through this woman and they had four days of peace and love in their marriage from that point.  The best days they had had in years.  God, your power works with few words when You are present.

*  We heard from a woman we have been praying for for years who was healed from emphysema that the cancer she has been battling is diminishing and we are standing with her for the completion.

*  We heard from Ron that he is up and down with the return of the cancer he was freed from.  We continue to stand with Ron and Maureen as they trust you Father and look for the word to be fulfilled in Ron.

Here are some additional things to be aware of as WT members;

OPPORTUNITIES:

·         We had a great "Wrestling Team Meeting" February 18^th.  Carrissa Woodwyk from Pastoral Care shared about the Care Team ministry, we talked about 'faith' and the Q&A time was a great help in giving some direction to the Pastoral Care team regarding some changes that might help.  More info to follow as we look at changes that make sense and will be implemented.

·         Please pray for the staff, leaders and volunteers at Mars Hill as they begin to explore what the XYZ's should look like on a practical basis.  Pray also and ask God where you fit in this picture.

·         There are resources available now at www.hearinggod.org.  We have some of the Updates loaded there as well as the healing verses, a reading list and some of the prayers that we have found effective will be loaded soon.  There will be a new site, www.thewrestlingteam.com, up next month that will be a location for tools and resources; eventually a blog for ongoing Q&A.  These are not Mars Hill sites and are only there for the purpose of easily dispersing information and resources.

·         Roger Sapp will be teaching and ministering in the area on healing again on March 23-25 @ New Life Christian Fellowship in GR.  For info or to register go to www.newlifegrandrapids.org.

You are appreciated and prayed for often.  

Ted and Claudia Kallman

Wrestling Coaches

"If the affections of the soul are not supremely fixed on God, and if our dominant desire and primary goal is not to possess God's favor and to promote His glory, then we are traitors in revolt against our lawful Sovereign. . . Whether we are the slaves of avarice, sensuality, amusement, sloth, or the devotees of ambition, taste, or fashion, we alike estrange ourselves from the dominion of our rightful Sovereign."  William Wilberforce, subject of a great movie just out called 'Amazing Grace' as quoted in Breakpoint by Chuck Colson.