Ministry: Diamonds Being Formed

Hello Friends & Family!!!

A part of our ministry times is doing house visits to all the families that are currently coming to church. We go, bring food, encouragement, and have this wonderful opportunity to speak the life and endless hope found in Jesus.

Since we have one car which is the Pastor’s car, only 3 girls can come at a time. I had the honor to come to this particular house visit of a grandma & her granddaughter Iker. I was told by Kristian (our Pastor) that Iker’s mother, Esmeralda, had been in a terrible fire accident so a lot of her face had been burned off. Because of this, she felt so much shame to come to church and hadn’t been attending lately. Albanian women struggle with insecurities just like anywhere else, but the comparison culture that’s embedded in this country really does have an effect on their day-to-day lives.

Women judging women is so common here and I have personally experienced it to a degree when walking around the city. But oh the Lord is good! He is so patient and kind in loving us tenderly and showing us how special we are in His eyes. We had the honor of empowering Esmeralda in her God-given purpose and identity found in Jesus. She shared in tears that she struggles with depression from the burns that have marked her face and how it’s awakened a new humility in her to not be so quick to invest her beauty in outward appearance.

After she poured her heart out, Kristian started prophesying over her without realizing that it was prophesying. Halfway through he asked “what is it called when you see the future that the Jesus is showing you for the others?” — and we had the opportunity to champion him and reaffirm to him that pouring out encouragement and drawing out the original design in others truly is a gift from God for that person at that moment. When we told him this, he kept ongoing.  He told Esmeralda that he sees God lifting her up to heights that she didn’t think was possible and that she truly is a diamond in God’s sight. We explained that diamonds form under severe pressure and come miraculously from the rubble and that this is so precious because Jesus calls her His heavenly treasure. She wept. Kristian wept. We all wept in their living room that day. The Holy Spirit moved so profoundly and we were all enveloped in His presence!

From the core of my heart to yours,