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.

Waging war, resting in His promises....

It’s my first afternoon back since I hit my head and got quite a severe concussion. Still feeling pretty rough and slightly imbalanced, I sit down and wait for my fellow missionary, and brother Willie, to start talking for the devotion in the gym. 

Every weekday afternoon we open our basketball gym for two hours and invite anyone over 13 to come play. We get on average, about 20 guys come to play in a safe environment, off the streets, with safe rules. There are times these rules get pushed at, but mostly it is a time of fun, where they not only get to play basketball, but they also get to hear about our amazing Lord and saviour.

These men don’t live easy lives. You could ask any one of them and they would tell you that it is no joke out there. Out on the streets in one of the most violent cities. In a place where good education isn’t an option so you will most likely take over your ‘family business’. ‘Pure love’ isn’t something that is shown and they would tell you that they don’t expect to live a long life. In a place that has had 29 homicides this year, the need to live in survival mode is way too common. If I knew the true reality of what these guys live daily, I don’t think I would cope. These men are my brothers and I dearly love every one of them.

Waiting for Willie to start the devotional time, I look to him and he looks to me and says – ‘You got anything miss Ruth?’ I smile at my brother who has just put me in it - yet I know exactly what to share.

These last two weeks have been a wrestling match for me, and I know that if we, here at We Will Go, are not vulnerable with our walk with God with these men, then who will be?

Before I hit my head, I was struggling with finding God in those deep places. He would give me my ‘daily bread’ for sure, but I wasn’t overflowing, which, is what I desired. I want to be so full of Him that I learn new revelations every day! In this season though, God was revealing some painful things in my heart and I went to Him with questions, lists and ways to deal with this stuff. I wanted more than anything for this ‘stuff’ to be over and done with and it became a priority in my time with God.

This then meant that my times with God became painful and not fruitful. This left me frustrated and grumpy – just being honest. A dry Christian is way more dangerous than a tired one – and I knew this wasn’t good. I just didn’t know how to move on from it.

He did give me little bits of revelations out the kindness of His heart and I held on to these tightly. One thing He showed me, was in ‘Song of Songs’. It shows, that out of His promises, we will wage war together. 

He showed me a place that we can be together, resting in His promises.

I then walked into a fig tree. – It’s ok, you can laugh.

My recovery from this was very up and down. I would get better and then suddenly much worse. During my bad days, it was decided that I should be slightly isolated so that I can rest my brain. My friend mentioned to me that even my times with God might need to look different. So I searched out what this should look like.

I discovered very quickly that God just wants to ‘Be’ with me. He wants to sit with me and show me who He is and who I am. He wants to have fun with me, teaching me in the everyday things. He wants to hold my hand and take me through each part of my journey. He showed my His kind nature to a new level. He showed His love time and time again, showing me parts of my heart that he placed there. He showed me how to surrender to Him once again.

This might sound very simple, yet we can overcomplicate things way too much!

He took me through the promises in my life and waged war with me.

As writing and using a pen was a struggle, and concentrating with messages longer than 50 words was unreadable, due to lack of ability to concentrate. He waged war with me against fear, through His promises.

So, sitting in this gym, I shared my heart. I sat in front of about 20 guys and talked about His promises, through my journey. I talked about the promises that God has for each one of them. I talked about their potential if they were to truly walk out what God has for them. Because I know that if God can save me – He will save them too. I know that if I didn’t know God, I would be just as lost and just as bound up.

We have seen so much change in that gym over the last year, that I know God’s promises are coming forth! 

One thing God has shown Amy and David, is that He is going to place 1000 lights on 1000 corners. 1000 people in Jackson, shinning God’s light. I see this not happening from 1000 missionaries coming into Jackson, but 1000 people who already live in Jackson, shinning God’s light in their neighbourhood. I see it as these men, who are so hungry for God, running after all God has for them! Being the change in this neighbourhood. This is exactly what I told them, as I truly believe in them.  

Pray for our guys. Come and visit and pray over them. Keep in touch and get updates. Believe me…there is going to be so many promises come forth!

Saying 'Yes' to Him can look like this...

I am beyond excited with all that God is doing here, in and through me! Here is a video update, instead of me writing anything for you. I hope this helps you more visually, with what I get to do here! Plus with what God is going to do! If you would like to purchase any We Will Go items to help towards missions trips, please don't forget to place that you are purchasing them through me in the notes. This then allows 50% of the profit to go towards my trip! -

https://wewillgo.org/shop/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/wewillgoarts

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

One year ago...

 (One year ago, sitting up all night talking about missions)

 One year ago I came to Jackson with a friend to learn. I had intensions to learn about local missions in your community and take that back to England. I was trying to make a living as a maternity nurse, while working four other jobs. In my head, I was done with missions overseas and I planned to settle in England, I was having fun and I didn’t plan on leaving.

While visiting We Will Go, I ate up everything that was in front of me. I loved every part of the ministry and enjoyed my time with the missionaries, observing everything they did, learning about how to be a healthy missionary. They would sometime joke with me about applying to be a missionary in Jackson, even being specific with what role. I shut them down every time, not appreciating the jokes that had a serious side to them – Just being honest with my   attitude! :)                                                                                                                                 

I came to Jackson with lots fear of being a missionary again, trying to protect myself from anything that might lead me back to exhaustion and survival mode. I learnt lots from Pemba, mainly how much we need God and we actually can’t do anything by ourselves! As I have said many times, I love Pemba and I love the people there so much! I just did some things wrong, which, I have learnt from.

So, as I had just had a little over a year back in England to reflect and process, my thoughts were that it would be stupid to put myself in that place again. I have an education and I want to use it in England, focusing on local missions.

 

This time last year, little did I know that God was going to change my life all over again. Healing me from fear and taking me so much deeper in Him. Things I had put up as a self-protection was only done out of fear. The reasons not to be a missionary again were really excuses.

Jesus took my hand and showed me gently.

He showed me how to get ‘out of the boat’ and walk on water with Him. He took me to Matthew 14 and talked to me so deeply with it. 

It was beautiful what He did in and through me.

One year later and my name is down to help lead a bible study. I shouldn’t have been surprised at the fact that the chapter I had to teach on was Matthew 14.

It has been a beautiful year of facing fears, going deeper with Jesus, allowing Him to go to those deep places that I couldn’t go on my own. 

Those parts of my heart that I had shut off, now became His.

This year has been me selling everything, still leaning on Him in faith that I was going to make it financially. Moving to another country, meeting new people in a new community. Learning new skills, like becoming a barista and learning how to shoot a 3 pointer in basketball. Got my wisdom teeth out, facing the fear of surgery and overcoming it with Jesus. Learning more and more about how to do my role in Hospitality. Most of all I have learnt more of how to Love.

As I got out the boat, with storms all around me, I learnt to keep my eyes on Him. As I see those eyes of fire I can’t help but see His love for me. As I learn more about how He loves me, as He stretches me and my capacity. This then can overflow on to others, therefore none of it is me, in my strength, but all through Him.

These last 9 months of being in Jackson, I have lived in Love house, which has been so fitting. But a new year and a new season is upon me. This week I have moved across the road (literally) to Faith house. Faith house is our intern house, which is about to be full!

I will be serving there as part of my everyday life as a house mum to all the new interns! In this I am thankful for this last year of God getting rid of fears, showing me more and more of how much He loves me.

What a great year!!