He is a good Father....

My last few weeks, God has been teaching me about His goodness, particularly with how much of a good Father He is!

Some sweet visitors serving with us! 

He told me to start reading Exodus, looking at Moses. I looked deeper than I had ever looked before and in that I had so many questions. I asked why He gave Aaron, and not just told Moses to get over it, and preach. I asked why Pharaoh had to have a hard heart, and with that, why all the plagues. Why was that needed. Why was Aaron the person doing the miracles in the beginning?

He answered so many questions, and heart queries, relating to so much in my life. 

He is good like that. There is so much fruit from going through the word with Him.

He made me realise that He did all that He did, as He was nurturing His people. He had mercy on Moses and so gave him Aaron, to be his helping hand. But in that, you see how it went from Aaron talking and Aaron doing the miracles at God's command, to Moses doing it. He didn't fully know who he was, but as time went on, he got to see who His God is. Therefore, he found out who he is.

He showed me the same heart for His people when it came to the plagues. His people where in a slave mentality. They had been slaves for 430 years! However, the way that God set His people apart from the Egyptians each time He sent a plague was beautiful.

The first thing that they did when they left and got into the desert was complain. If they hadn't of had that foundation of - look what God just did for us! I am not sure what state they would have got into. Even for the sake of having Moses set up as a good leader.

        I saw this father's heart melt one of our ten year olds this last week. 

     We were helping with homework and had this one boy doing division on the whiteboard. This one boy, who I had to send out the room for punching his cousin in the face the week before, was calm and having fun. He then starts to join in with singing a worship song that was playing, and getting everyone to join in. Convicting those who weren't, saying 'Don't be shy, Jesus would want you to sing'! He then asks us to put on 'Good Good Father' with Chris Thomlin singing it. He has it on repeat, as he takes in every moment. He goes quiet as we start the song for a second time. So, I encourage him to sing along, but he can't. He expresses that he can't sing it because he is about to cry.

This ten year old that has had to grow up way too fast, that has seen things he shouldn't, and has way too much anger that he knows what to do with. He was suddenly wrapped up in worship. Declaring the truth that our God, is a good good Father.

He stated that the song has stolen his heart. I think however, that he experienced God stealing his heart in that moment. That the Holy Spirit was embracing him with such truth.

He has been embracing me too. 

He has been placing this truth in my heart, every time I forget. Each time I stop walking in the knowledge that I am His daughter, he pulls me back in. Each time I get worried about the future, or I let disappointment overtake, he sets my eyes back on His. 

God has had me on the floor in tears, praying for the fatherless nations in the world. Those who just don't know. Those in and out the church. Those who are not walking in truth and love. Those who have never had an earthy father, so they just don't know what a good father looks like. 

Some of our children leading us in worship

If you look at Luke 4 when Jesus was in the desert place, you see Him be a beautiful example of how to walk in such truth of who He is. I heard a teaching once on how Jesus' time in the desert was restoration for what happened in the garden of Eden. In this time of temptation, you can see how Jesus stood so firm on the truth of who His Father is. Because of this, He left the desert still full of the Holy Spirit. He was still full of the beauty and splendor of who He is. 

I have found that if there is ever space between me and God, it is because I put it there.

My prayer for the last few months is, Lord, show me everything that is between us. This He has done. It is usually fear, yet the way He removes that fear out of the way, is to show me more of who He is, drawing me closer. He shows me that reality that He is a 'Good Good Father', that is so for me and not against me. That he is an almighty God, that loves me more than I could know. 

Lord, I never want to forget who you are, and forget who I am in you. Thank you for the gift of worship that brings us back to truth every time. As we stare into your eyes of beauty, fire and love for us. Thank you that you are a 'Good Good Father'. 

Please keep praying for Jackson with me! That all know the truth of who God is, and therefore can walk in the truth of who they are. For hurting hearts to be healed, as God pours the truth of who He is into them. 

Please continue praying for me! Attached is the video I made two months ago, the prayer requests are the same! 

• Visa
• Finances
• Missions trip to Mozambique in November for two weeks
• For Jackson!  

       Please do come and visit and see all place behind the stories, meet the people that walk out the testimonies and experience all that God is doing here!

Ruth Alexander's update for May from ruth Alexander on Vimeo.

Changing this city - Changing hearts....

My one year mark has been and gone. On the 26h July I celebrated one year of living and serving here at We Will Go! I don’t know if I could sum up this year if I tried to. It has been the most beautiful, God awing, challenging, joyful, surprising year.

God has changed my heart in so many ways, through surprising alleyways that I wouldn’t have been able to predict. He sends me encouragement and correction, showing me His beauty in everything. This has been a year of witnessing His redemption power, through mercy and love.

Once a week I wake up early to open the coffee shop. I am outside my house about to drive off and I get stopped by Paul. Paul is a very childlike man, who will always come at you with a big smile and can talk to you for three hours without stopping. I love him a lot. He tells me that it is his 31^st birthday. We celebrate together in that moment as he makes the true statement that ‘he has made it’. He made it when others around him haven’t done so. He has turned 31, and the exceeds his life expectancy. That day was a true celebration of life.

My prayer for this city is ‘Lord, bring your breath of life into this place’. His breath of life looks like freedom, joy, truth, identity, beauty and so many other things that my saviour is. My prayer is that He shines in this place.

I have seen a huge difference from when I first arrived, in this city and in people that I know. I have seen teenagers go from acting out of anger to having the softest heart. I have also seen those who are living on the street and in abandoned houses, come and act crazy almost every day. Then one day they just ‘get it’, and weep in their knowing that they need Jesus. They are tired, and they can’t keep going.

Jesus has said the same to me many times. – He tells me I am tired with trying to keep going, without Him in certain areas. I have learnt that even when it comes to making breakfast, I can’t do that without Him. He must be my center to everything.

This year God has spoken to me through circumstances more times than I could count. When we have someone yelling outside our building, threatening to kill us, as he is on drugs and full of darkness, God reminds that I would be like that man if I didn’t have Him in my life. If I was without God, my shining light, I would be so dark. God shows me how to pray and how to love time and time again. That man, a few months later walks past the coffee shop as I am opening and has a pleasant conversation with me. He isn’t high on anything and I get to see a glimpse of who this man was made to be.

Pray for this city with me. Pray for none of us to be fooled into thinking that we can do anything without Him. May we walk deeper into that fiery heart of His, not taking anything of our flesh with us.

This year I have been serving in Hospitality, mostly helping with the organising and communication. I also host our amazing visitors while they are here. I also joined the Hosea team at the start of this last year. This part of the ministry is more focused on those who work in the local clubs. I am also a house mum in the ‘Intern house’

As a daughter of the high king, God has placed me in those positions not to ‘Do’ things for Him, like a slave. But to serve Him gladly, while He shows me His heart. I feel like He does way more in me, than in other around me. I then get to choose to step into that daily.

This last year has been beautiful, and I am excited for another. I am excited to see what else God has planned.

Please keep praying for me in my time here. I appreciate your prayers, and I know they move mountains! Take a look at my video from a couple of months ago, talking more about my time here, plus my exciting trip to Mozambique in November!

If you would like to purchase any We Will Go art products to help with this trip, please simply state that in the notes when purchasing online. https://wewillgo.org/shop/

Ruth Alexander's update for May from ruth Alexander on Vimeo.