No work of G.o.d goes unchallenged, and we were about to experience a series of major attacks as we continued to settle down in California. Having filled out and filed all the necessary paperwork to the immigration and naturalization department through the Minnesota church, we were patiently awaiting their response and the completion of our permanent immigration status. After almost a year of repeated phone calls to the Minnesota ministry that yielded no updates on the status of our application, we took matters into our own hands. Sometime during the year 1996, we ftnally decided to call the INS directly to inquire about our pending application. What we found out next was bad news, the ftrst major disappointment since our arrival.The INS proceeded to inform us that they had requested some additional information from our sponsors quite a while back, and had sent the church some necessary forms for us to ftll out and return. The forms had to be completed and returned to the INS by the given deadline stated in their accompanying letter to the church. In an attempt to hinder G.o.d"s work, the spirit of "cold feet" had apparently struck again. The church conftrmed receipt of the INS request but, for reasons best known only to them, had changed their minds about completing the process. They ignored the official request and had abandoned our application without ever notifying us. Had they simply informed us of their change of heart in a timely manner, we could have promptly replaced them with new sponsors from our Southern California contacts.
This was a very signiftcant blow that would take over a decade of our lives to resolve and rectify.
Because the fault on this occasion was not with the INS, and they had not received a response to their request by the deadline, our application was denied. Shocked to suddenly discover that our status and future had been placed in great jeopardy by this irresponsible act, we turned to the only true friend we knew we had, Jesus.
Unable to take up any employment position due to the incomplete paperwork, any hope of secular work to support our ministry efforts were now temporarily impossible. This we would soon discover was only the beginning of "woes" during 1996. Only a year after giving up our "all" to go after G.o.d"s will and purpose, it appeared we were losing far more than we had antic.i.p.ated. However G.o.d"s word reminded us of His promises and what our faith response should be.
"Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation." (Psalm 91:14–16 NASB)
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NIV)
"For our struggle is not against ßesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of G.o.d, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." (Ephesians 6:12 NASB)
We made the decision to forgive the senior pastors and other persons involved in this debacle, based on an act of our will, choosing not to dwell on the great difficulty their actions had now placed us and our young children in. This did not come easily, but we knew that for us to receive G.o.d"s best, we had to let go of all of our anger.
"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions." (Mark 11:24–25 NASB)
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7 NASB)
I did not know at that point how important these scriptures would later be to me. I would need these words again in a few months during that same year to forgive a far greater crime. The principle of faith known as forgiveness would be my road map out of an extremely deep pit that lay just ahead.
W hi l e wo nde ri ng what to do to re solve o ur immigration dilemma, many people advised us to just return back to England. Some of our family members in England also strongly desired our return. We, however, could not go back on G.o.d"s clear word to us and deny all we knew He had done to get us thus far. All doors for now appeared to be closed on our ability to obtain the correct paperwork.
Being British citizens, the obvious, natural, and easiest solution would be to return to England, but this was not even close to being an option. We knew from all the principles of faith that G.o.d had taught us that going back on His clearly revealed and conftrmed word to us would be out of His will.
"You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:14 ESV)
Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt o$erings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king." (1 Samuel 15:22—23 NASB)
""For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt o$erings and sacrifices. "But this is what I commanded them, saying, "Obey My voice, and I will be your G.o.d, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you."" (Jeremiah 7:22—23 NASB)
Laboring in prayer as we pondered over what to do next, we waited on the Lord, and His answer came, ftrst through two complete strangers, and then a third witness, a pastor we knew and trusted.
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We had received an invitation from the Christ Temple Church in Pomona to attend what I recall to be a celebration of their church"s anniversary. During this special event in 1996, something similar to what had initiated our move to the United States from England occurred. Their special guest speaker, a man we had never heard of or met before, a Pastor David Ireland from New Jersey, begin to prophesy from the pulpit right after ftnishing his sermon. He suddenly singled my husband and me out from the three hundred or so people in the congregation. Asking us to stand up, he spoke words over us. I share some of the words as they flowed out from him that are most relevant to this memoir.
I see boxes packed, I see boxes packed, and you are in transition. The Lord says unpack your boxes. I am going to move regarding every governmental issue in your lives and plant you right where you are. . . . There is a call on you and an apostolic grace on your lives. . . . (He then turned to me and said) My daughter you are one who says not me, not me, not me, but the Lord has called you! Don"t you remember the many visions I have given you? The many dreams I have shown you? G.o.d has given you a heart for children. Children who are cast aside by society. . . . You are called to be a prophetess and preacher in G.o.d"s house.
Wow! Everyone who knew about our immigration story and the prophetic nature of my ministry were all amazed at his accuracy. That was quite the supernatural answer.
Someone else had made a last minute invitation to me during this same period to meet and visit with a bishop from Uganda who was flying back home on that same day. We met him in the lobby of the inn where he had stayed, had just checked out, and was getting ready to leave. He had never seen me before or since the day he spoke the following words: "I was praying this morning before you came, and the Lord clearly spoke to me about someone coming to see me. He said this person (me) had not at all desired to move to America. Many want to move here but not you. But G.o.d wants you here; He wants you to continue here with His work." I was again astounded!
Finally a trusted and experienced pastor and mentor of ours became the third witness. He conftrmed what the other two strangers had spoken in more or less the same words. Then he shared a scripture the Lord had laid on his heart for us.
"For G.o.d is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do." (Hebrews 6:10 ESV)
Well, all these witnesses fulfilled yet another scripture: "This will be my third visit to you. Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses" (2 Corinthians 13:1 NIV). Case closed! We would never look back again. There was, however, a much more vicious attack from the enemy ahead—another effort to completely stop our family"s momentum in G.o.d. Right in the midst of all the unsettling immigration and other challenges, the worst news came.