Ahava Love Letter
“Dreams Do Come True – Part II”
“The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened,
and just as I have planned so it will stand…” Isaiah 14:24
Dear family of friends,
In Part I, I began this story of how “dreams do come true.” Through one dream the Lord gave to me in 1991, it helped confirm some guidance needed, for a ministry I was involved with, in a major directional move. I continue on, with this week’s edition, Part II.
That small rural, former horse farmhouse, with its gray siding and the typical Southern porch, was located just a hundred feet or so from the “big house.” It was used as a place for visitors and volunteers to stay in. In March, 1994, when Bonnie Chavda and I came to “check out Charlotte”, a missionary couple was staying there for a few months. They were from Brazil, if I remember correctly, on a “sabbatical” (rest) time.
Harry and Louise Bizell, founders of Lamb’s Chapel, had Bonnie and I stay with them in the retreat center’s main home “big house”), which was their very roomy home. Nine bedrooms. Nine baths. Huge by my Iowan standards. (It had been built many years earlier as a “country home”, south of uptown Charlotte, NC.)
Their big, yellow Labrador dog was the main door keeper. He also had double duty as the guest greeter.
Another smaller home, which was called the “cottage”, had been built across the grassy, pecan tree laden lawn. It was then occupied by a couple from another state, other than North Carolina. Going down the property’s gravel lane from that lodging was a very small shed, maybe 10” x 12”. Rick Joyner (MorningStar founder) later called it his “international office,” when he spoke to us later in the weekend schedule.
Continuing down the narrow, one car lane drive was the Lamb’s Chapel retreat center’s horse barn, complete with three or four beautiful creatures. One of the Bizell daughters cared for the riding horses. (And you will find out more about that barn, just another wooden structure at the time, on the property, in later Ahava Love Letters! What a story that turned out to be. I can’t wait to tell you.)
Bonnie and my stay would last just a few days. During that time we enjoyed the bountiful breakfasts that Louise would make, laughed at the elaborate funny stories Harry would tell, and prayed about where the Lord was leading the ministry. It would become clearer real soon.
One of those mornings Bonnie had been out on her daily jog. This time it was down the road off Lancaster Highway, four miles south of Pineville, NC, on the former Dexter Yaeger property (of Amway fame) that MorningStar was leasing. Paul Cain lived in part of the grandeur-type pillared, two story brick home on the front of this acreage, near the small lake that was along the two lane highway. A one story warehouse building and a ranch style brick home were also near the lake. This body of water was fully encircled by a white wooden fence. (All are still there to this day, despite all the development that has gone on south of Charlotte’s uptown.)
Rick and Julie Joyner’s family lived down the gravel road, on the backside of that large, wooded property, in a very nice three-story log cabin home. Attached to it was a meeting space which held at least 100 chairs.
The MorningStar Fellowship’s Friday night School of the Spirit was being held in that room. Leonard Jones, Matthew Donavan and other worship leaders led the worship that Friday night Bonnie and I were there. It was a glorious worship time, to simply describe it. No exaggeration. And many prophetic words were shared among those in attendance. Rick gave a good word as usual, but I can’t find my spiraled notes just now to tell you what he talked about. (Sidebar: Probably buried in a tub underneath all the other select treasured items in one of my closets. “Probably”, as I hate throwing useful archives out.)
Bonnie later told me of the encounter she had had with the Lord earlier that day’s morning, when she ran up the back steps of the large cabin during her jog time. At the top, she looked out over the deck rail at the area in front of her. A passenger jet plane, right at that moment, was going into its “landing pattern” (catch the prophetic meaning by this simple event), over the southern pine forest. At that exact moment she recalled the vision the Lord had earlier given her in Wilton Manors, Florida, their home at the time, which bordered on Fort Lauderdale.
Even though I persistently asked afterwards, she wouldn’t tell me what she felt at that moment in time. I wanted to know what it had meant to her. After she did tell me part of it, I further sensed in my spirit that the Lord was confirming to her hesitant heart something about this land, and a bit of what the Lord may have in plan for all of us here. Time would tell, as they say.
I think we both had hoped that Mahesh would readily agree as to what we were feeling. I determined that we both were now quite sure of what would soon take place. A move for several families, the ministry and the new church, which we had earlier that year founded as All Nations Church, to this part of the country.
We flew back to Fort Lauderdale, shared as best we could of that “confirming time” as we knew it to be, and awaited the final decision of the move. It didn’t take long.
On July 3, 1994, two full size semi-moving trucks left Fort Lauderdale on I95, heading straight north. (For Laurie and I, we were leaving our “Egypt.”) The movers were loaded down with the household goods of the Chavdas (six of them), the Martins (six of them), Jerome and Jodie Lukas’ family (Ben, Ariel and Gabe’s stuff too!) and the red-headed Claudia Lawrence (the “German Gentile Jew,” as she called herself. She was employed as the assistant secretary.) She also insisted on bringing along with her red-shedding haired large Irish Setter.
Following behind in our cars, the entourage travel would take approximately 14 hours to get to this North Carolina/South Carolina area (if you drive the speed limit.) Another adventure had begun.
In Part III, I will share on “the landing” in the land. Life isn’t always the “fun and adventure” you want and hope for. But the Lord has all His plans for us ready to be revealed, as we seek His face daily. Be seeking!
Ahava to my family of friends,
Steve Martin
P.S. Beit Tikvah meetings, held as part of Antioch International Church’s desire to bless Israel and instruct believers in our Jewish roots, is held every Friday night at 7 pm in Fort Mill, SC on the former Heritage USA property. Laurie and I, along with the Messianic music worship team, enjoy giving praise to Adonai. Plan on joining us when you are in the Charlotte area!
You can donate now on-line by clicking here http://www.loveforhispeople.com/ for our website “Giving Opportunities” tab, or by sending checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)
©2011 Steve Martin Love For His People, Inc. P.O. Box 470035 Charlotte, NC 28247-0035 E-mail: ahavaloveletters@gmail.com
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Thanks for sharing. Blessings on your head from the Lord Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach.
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People
Charlotte, NC USA