Beginning the Journey: THE BEGINNING OF PROPHECY

And He said to me, You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
-Isaiah 49:3

(Charley & Karen speaking)
For over 7 months before the letter was written to our partners on September 13, the Lord had been speaking into our hearts the prophetic words of the beginning of His ministry. The words came through Godly people who knew of our ministry through the Non-Denominational Church that we attended but also through those who had known us in the helps ministry. These words of prophecy began to come true as we sought the Lord and began listening for His voice and heeding His words. We spent much time in prayer and in the Word searching out the scriptures that He led us to seek and also lying prostrate on the floor, yielding to Him in every way possible. He took us through deliverance of fears and anxieties that had permeated our life because of the daily struggles of finances and family.

Previous Ministry

People would speak to us of our calling to encourage others. For many years Karen had a Barnabas ministry to Senior Adults as well as dear friends. We had walked through the illness and death of a beloved pastor and the daily encouragement of his wife and family. We had walked through some illness in our own families including the death of Charley’s parents and the family situations that come from these daily struggles.

Father’s Plan and Purpose

Our lives were not our own and we realized that Father had a plan and purpose far beyond what we could see and understand. We decided to choose to follow Jesus and to walk out the prophecy being spoken over us and to see what the Lord would do through our obedience. We rejoice in the fulfillment of the prophetic words and the praise, honor and glory belongs to Jesus.

chasnkt@worldnet.att.net

Beginning the Journey: THE COURSE IS SET

Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

- 2 Timothy 4:2

(Charley & Karen speaking)
On September 13, 1999, we wrote a letter to our prayer partners sharing the direction Father was taking us in this ministry which He had begun. Part of that letter said:
“Dear Friends, what an awesome journey we are on with our Lord! We have experienced His love, grace and mercy in our lives every step of the way. Now we want to share the next mile we are to travel. Beginning September 15 our life will be traveling all over the country encouraging and loving on pastors. We will be teaching and preaching as Father gives opportunity but much time will be spent sharing and planting our lives into the lives of pastors, wives and families. Since the first of this year the Lord has been getting us ready to go.”

Thank you!

“You, our wonderful friends and supporters, are a part of all we do for our Lord. You have loved and encouraged us at every turn as Father has taken us to Mexico and El Salvador personally and then all over the world through our involvement with other ministries in Kenya, South Africa, Scotland, Russia and the United States. Thank you for your love and prayers.”

Ready to Go!

“We will be sending a newsletter from the road as Father provides all the provision He has promised for our journey. Right now there are 32 ministry people, pastors and servants, with whom we will be spending time. They are all over the U.S. and overseas. That is just the beginning. Praise the Lord! Our house is in order and we are ready to go.”

chasnkt@worldnet.att.net

Beginning the Journey: PREPARING THE WAY

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
– Galatians 2:20

It is my desire to share with you a thumbnail sketch of the journey my husband, Charles, and I have been traveling for over six years. I do not believe the Lord has yet called me to write the complete story but if in the future He does, then I will have much more to tell you. I will share that we began to see the hand of the Lord in this portion of our journey in 1992 when He took Charles into full-time ministry and away from a job where he had worked for 26 years.

First, A Helps Ministry

Charles and I became a team working side-by-side 13-15 hours a day in a helps ministry in which we organized and ran a warehouse full of donated items. These items were then given to those in need through agencies, ministries and churches. For 5 years we worked in this ministry, seeing the hand of the Lord at every turn and watching lives changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord taught us love, compassion, patience, perseverence and joy. He began to birth in us the ministry that we now are fulfilling with His help all over the world. We spent many hours visiting with pastors and church leadership as we helped them love and encourage people with great physical and spiritual needs.

Second, a Missions Ministry

Then the Lord placed us in a church setting using Charles as Missions Pastor. Father sent him to Mexico and El Salvador to preach, teach and encourage pastors.

Third, Christ's Kingdom Ministries

In the spring of 1999 Christ’s Kingdom Ministries began to become a reality in our life. Father spoke to us about this call and how He wanted us to fulfill it. We began to seek His wisdom and direction. When Father gave direction, I began to create the business cards, the letterhead, the brochure and the newsletter format. What a joy to be totally in His hands and to know that He was answering our prayers for wisdom! He gave the format, and He gave the purposes for this ministry to be in existence.

Travel, Love, and Encourage

He told us that He wanted us to travel extensively, loving and encouraging His pastors. He told us that His pastors are discouraged and leaving the ministry because satan has so deceived them and that they are being lied to and abused by Christian people. He told us over and over: "Tell them to read 2 Chronicles 7:14 and to preach this to their congregation. My people must come back to Me. They must seek My face. They must get serious about their walk with Me. The Christian life is more than a Sunday service. It is a life and an abundant life at that."

"Send Me"

So we said to our Lord just as Isaiah said: "Here I am, Lord, send me." Yes, Lord, Yes, to Your will and to Your way. Praise the Lord for His goodness, mercy and grace in our lives. We rejoice in all that He is doing through this ministry for, you see, this is not our ministry, this is His ministry. We are His messengers and He is our strength, our wisdom, and our Director. Here is our story of His conversations with us as we have traveled this road together — Jesus, Charles and me.

**Names have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved. kt

chasnkt@worldnet.att.net