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Molly's August 2006 newsletter
"Guess what! I’m a Christian now!" I looked at Jennifer (not her real name) with, to be honest, slight skepticism. I had never seen her express any real interest in Christianity—quite the opposite, in fact. So I sat looking at this woman who has practiced Wicca for the past 15 years, made a living reading Tarot cards, and entered training to become a high priestess, wondering what to think. I studied her carefully as she began to tell me how she had picked up a Bible, realized she was far from God, and prayed the prayers that the Bible said would turn her life over to Him. I noticed that her eyes were different; they were full of light. I began to think that this was for real.
Over the past three weeks, Jennifer has turned into a different person before my very eyes. She has quit a number of habits that she realizes do not belong in her life because, she says, she wants to be a "model Christian." She has moved out of her boyfriend’s apartment. She has applied for the discipleship school this fall, trusting God to provide the funds. And she has acquired a burning passion for the people on the West Bank.
See, Jennifer is someone I have known from the Jesus Kitchen for over a year, and it would be hard to be on the West Bank without encountering her. She knows and is known by just about everyone. The change in her life is so apparent she has even lost friends there because of it. But God has given her His eyes for the West Bank, and she has a myriad of ideas for how to reach the people there, many of which draw on the connections she has within that community.
For some time, I have been praying that God would begin to change the lives of key, influential people on the West Bank. I believe Jennifer is the first wave of God’s answer to that prayer, and I cannot begin to explain how exciting it is. I have seen considerable changes in other people I know and care about on the West Bank as well. I feel like there is something significant going on—a momentum that I have not experienced before. In addition, it is further proof of my theme from last month—that God’s word does not return void. See, Jennifer attended the Hardcore Bible Study when it began… 15 years ago! And last year, I met and spoke with the man with whom she was living when she gave her life to Jesus; in fact, I wrote a newsletter about meeting and praying for him. It was his question, “Don’t you want to get closer to God” that prompted her to pick up a Bible and begin seeking Jesus.
All this time, God has been working in ways we have not seen. The seeds that have been planted over the years (even long before I was following Jesus) are beginning to be harvested. I am overwhelmed and excited. Please pray that this movement on the West Bank would continue and increase!
The discipleship school begins September 5, so when you receive this letter, I will no doubt be frantically preparing lesson plans. We are excited about what God is going to do during the three months of the school, and I look forward to sharing more about that with you in upcoming letters. In the meantime, I continue to look for ways to make up for the income I will lose by working only 20 hours/week during the school. At this point, I see no way of avoiding going into debt, which means that I will almost certainly have to begin working full-time again at a "normal" job after the school is over. I am still praying that something will change, since I had hoped to continue working part-time in order to have the opportunity for other ministry opportunities—mentoring, writing, evangelism, and all the other things I have written about. God is moving powerfully, and I want to be able to invest in what is going on, both at the Salvage Yard and on the West Bank. So, as always, I need to request that you would pray that God would provide the financial support I need to do everything I believe he has called me to undertake. Also, as always, I want to thank you for your prayers. I have had a very stressful few months, and I know that your support has sustained me. There are further prayer requests on the reverse. God bless you all!
Take hold of the life that is truly life!
Molly S. Waggoner
Please pray for Jennifer. Her new faith is costing her a lot, and she needs the strength to keep standing strong in what she believes. Please also pray for the other people on the West Bank who are moving closer to God or making commitments to him. We want these seeds to grow strong and become fruitful.
Unfortunately, as God moves, so does the enemy. We have seen evidence of his attacks in our community, so please pray that God’s will would prevail and that those with weaker faith would be protected.
Please pray that the discipleship school will run smoothly and provide students with the opportunities for learning and growth that we hope. Please also pray that I will find time to prepare lesson plans and that I will be able to communicate in a manner than is both effective and engaging.
I have been rather taxed (both emotionally and financially) by a few situations that require me to really invest (both emotionally and financially) in some friends. I do not want to share too many details, but I need the emotional strength to continue giving when I feel like I have nothing left to give. And, of course, I need God to provide money to get me through the next few months. I wish I did not have to keep talking about finances, and I entirely trust in God’s provision, but it is a very practical need, so I appreciate your prayers.
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