Ahava Love Letter
Ahava Love Letter #13 Date: Feb. 2, in the year of our Lord 2011 Part III in the “Dreams Do Come True” series
“Dreams Do Come True”
(Part III of Series)
“…but I press on, that I may lay hold of that
for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” Philippians 3:12 (NKJV)
Dear family of friends,
In the previous parts of this series ( I & II) I shared the beginning of “dreams do come true.” Through one dream the Lord gave to me in 1991, a major move, resulting with exciting changes, came about in my life and others, in 1994. It was the start of a new challenge, in a new area, with old and new friends. I continue on this ahava journey (love in Hebrew), with this edition of Ahava Love Letters.
“The landing in the promised land” had come. It surely was an eventful trip to Charlotte, NC from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The two packed semi-trucks, followed by the three family vehicles, hit the road in the dead heat of summer, on July 3, 1994. It took the full 14 hours of “road time”, as the Lord had given to me in the dream. That was back in April 1991, a full three years earlier.
The secretary and her shedding red-haired Irish Setter left the office team before we even got to the new ministry and church location. (Long story. No time now to write about it. If you e-mail me I will share pertinent information, without names. Because you too probably had “expected commitments” become “uncommitted.” Hint – her yellow sticky note on my hotel door, placed there the morning after we arrived in Charlotte on July 4, didn’t have enough space to tell the full story. I have never seen her since.)
So now, with a small staff reduced from only three to now two, that of Jerome Lukas and I, Mahesh and Bonnie Chavda did what other good leaders do. They kept moving forward in His purposes. And so did we.
It was a beautiful and expansive location! Right here in the Carolinas. God’s country!
Unpacking and setting up the homes, apartments and offices took a good bit of time. I am most grateful that Jodie Lukas came on board, to help “fill the gap.” Her secretarial skills were most needed. I had all I could do to get Mahesh and Bonnie’s situations set up, while at the same time preparing the “work never stops” daily ANC/MCM full office. That being along with my own administrator’s office, which occupied the former bedroom of good friends of ours. (Their faithfulness was rewarded with the big project of restoring the Heritage USA/PTL Grand Hotel, not too far from this place, many years later!)
The Lord’s grace surely always abounds, just as we need it for that He has called and equipped us to do. Thank you Jesus!
In addition, I am also most grateful to my good wife Laurie, who managed the home front, with the four kids (Christen in grade school, Hannah in middle school, Josh and Ben in high school) getting settled in too. There were major adjustments for all, after the seven years in Florida. As in the case of several, who are also ministry wives that I know, she did a great deal of work “in the background shadows,” as I labored at the other end. I am eternally grateful for my lifelong helpmate, and worship leading partner. We all need each other, right?!
The neatest thing we received (OK, “cool” for all the rest of you) were the new friends who came to help. Especially in those early non-stop days, we so appreciated our “old friends” Art and Ruth Maki, Mike and Leslie Adams, Michael and Mary Anne Blade, and Jerome and Jodie Lukas. “Then along came John…,” along with Willie and Linda Hardee, Bobby and Ginger Hussey, Rick and Laurie Hardee, Timmy Bryant (who later joined us on staff), Rainbow Coan, Ham Fitcher and others who joined us in the new work of the Lord.
My parents, Louis and Lila Martin, made the long move from my hometown of Cedar Falls, Iowa, and joined us in the effort. Dad had just retired at age 65, after 33 years with Viking Pump Company, and wanted to help me with the ministry. (We had both told each other in 1985 that we would both work together at Heritage USA/PTL someday.) Mom and Dad were such a vital part in the “next phase” of those glorious days, in 1995, when we needed a church meeting place. That story will be told in the next “chapter.”
Within the year, the “Watch of the Lord” began, the weekly Friday nights of praise and prayer, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. For the next six years my family was involved, enjoying the hours with the Lord and His growing body of believers in this “tribe.”
Bobby Hussey would play his keyboard for eight straight hours. (OK, he did take two short breaks for the necessities.) That was even after a weeklong job of laying bricks all day. Many used shakers of all sorts to “make some joyful noise.” I enjoyed beating on my tambourine. Over the years, I went through at least six. Several are hanging on our “former garage” history room wall. Dated of course.
Mahesh and Bonnie always brought a timely, prophetic word from the Lord, as we basked in the Holy Spirit’s presence (Ruach Ha Kodesh in Hebrew).
When we outgrew “the chapel” (the previously transformed double vehicle storage room of the parsonage), we sought the Lord for His next provision. Squeezing 70 plus people in that space got just a bit too cozy. Bottom line: we needed a bigger tent.
The Lord quickly answered in a vision. It was given directly to Bonnie, as she especially sought the Lord, if I remember correctly.
As you may recall in my previous Ahava Love Letters, there was a horse barn in the dream. (A “working” barn, as I described it in a letter accompanying the dream drawing when I shared it with others later, back in 1991.) There was the one on the property. But there were horses in it.
So what next? The story continues…so stay tuned! (And have a good week in the Lord.)
Ahava to my family of friends,
Steve Martin
Founder, Love For His People Inc.
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. We are next to our good friends at Morningstar fellowship. Laurie and I, along with the Messianic music worship team, enjoy giving praise to Adonai.
Please plan on joining us when you are in the Charlotte area! Senior Pastor Peter Wyns also loves sharing on his Jewish roots. We are Jews and Gentiles, coming together as one, for His end-time purposes to be fulfilled. We will walk together in unity.
You can donate now on-line by clicking here http://www.loveforhispeople.com/ for our website’s “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
Facebook pages: Steve Martin and Love For His People Twitter: martinlighthous and LovingHisPeople
Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858. Tax deductible contributions sent by mail or given on-line will receive an e-receipt for each donation, for you to print out. (Saves the ministry on postage?
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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