[mks_dropcap style=”letter” size=”52″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#1e73be”]W[/mks_dropcap]hen doing a life review for the past five years, I was pleased with what I saw. Besides working full time, I went through a personal crisis in our family. The personal ministry of members of the North Dakota Area Board carried me through where the local church structure failed to do so. God’s hand was in it all carrying me through and bringing me out the other side with more strength and growth. Don’t get me wrong, opposition came from all directions. No ministry appears to be exempt from critics and well meaning people who speak failure into everything. Thank the Lord, He listens with ears of Love. When Sande Loftberg installed me on the Area Team, hands were laid on me producing tears and a stirring in my heart. I quote Sande saying, “You are here for such a season such as this”.
What exactly did that season bring? I saw many changes on the board since before 2008. Women of God perusing a new thing while others releasing the old. Many sacrificial hours of praying together as a team was accumulated over these past years along with many hours of traveling to gather in one place. I pulled my notes over the years and this is what I found. In December of 2008, members of the board drove to Minot to visit with women interested in a Lighthouse. We found hurting women wanting more, but weary of more labor.
In January 2009, the website took on some changes from effort of the team followed by a meeting in April at a church in Bismarck, speaker Barb Becker. Awesome ministry for the attending women including a young gal suffering through some self-esteem trials. Excitement filled the room of busy lives hoping someone (other then them) would start a Lighthouse. After many meetings of the team, a caravan of speakers were arranged for North Dakota. Shortly after this, I felt lead to travel across North Dakota praying for the people, towns and government. Members of the Area Team visited individuals in prison . They gave of their own personal funds to buy clothes for an unwed mother’s children just because someone told them of a need. I saw grace in a new fashion that I had never seen before.
July of 2009 the caravan ushered the Lois and Kaye ministry team and Linda Kizima from Fargo, Jamestown, Devils Lake one night after another ministering to residence of North Dakota. September of 2009 was not to far away with a retreat meeting in Jamestown. This was a more progressive ministry offering several speakers in different rooms. The main focus was “Kingdom Minded”, “Worship”, and “Native American Culture.” The ministry continued after the retreat ended. During clean up afterwards, the custodian asked for prayer. The team prayed receiving unknown insight that blessed the her. Since time was used for her personal ministry, the team help with as much clean up as the custodian would allow before leaving. The night did not end there.
Tired and hungry, the Team with Sande Loftberg and the worship leader thought they would end their day with a Chinese dinner. While ordering their meal, God used the team to minister to the owner of the restaurant. Prayer continued for the owners and their family until the cook was placed in the hot seat. Unable to speak English, the owner acted as the interpreter. The cook had been seeking God about something and he wanted prayer. The area team sought God and received a vision of God’s hand reaching down to a trap door of what looks like a dirt ground opening it up. God then reaches down with his hand and he pulls the cook up the ladder from underneath the ground floor. When it was interpreted to the cook, he eyes fill with tears. His reply through his spokes person had informed us that he has been seeking God about going back to China and working with the underground church. How awesome it that? A customer stops in to pickup an order to go also ends up in a chair at our table for prayer because of a broken life. Yes, we eventually got to eat.
December of 2009, members of the Aglow Team joined in intercession for recovery of Barbara’s 24 hours prayer vigil filling several hours of intense prayer. Planning for the spring retreat was starting.
April of 2010, started out with trips to Minot ministering to the women. The desire for a Lighthouse had not died. The Team ministered to the needs of the area. This month also brought the Spring Retreat in Jamestown. The Area Team spoke on the Gifts of the Spirit with ministry.
Coffee with the Area Team meeting in Steele happen in June 2010. God has something plan for Steele, ND.
In may of 2010, ND prayer network sent out a prayer request about Ft. Buford re-dedication of the Masonic temple corner stones after the repurchased the land. Under prayer coverage of other members of the Area Team, a team member and partner attended the meeting that weekend taking the authority of the office in ND with them. Awesome things happened to report back. I know there were a couple of ladies in the gift shop that thanked God for their presence that day.
In July of 2010, The Area Team when following up with Minot contacts made another trip to Minot to meet with them at a restaurant. Upon departure, the representatives of the Area board prayed with the ladies in the parking lot. This drew more people from the parking lot over for prayer. The Perkins parking lot turned into Holy Ghost prayer room. Words were being given. Eyes tearing because of the Joy of the Lord as he touches primed hearts. This event was followed by more conference calls arranging the trips to Newtown and Trenton.
Not to long afterwards, A lady from Minot asked to have prayer over their city and the surrounding area. So in August of 2010, Area Team member went to Minot and the two of them prayed over her city and the surrounding area.
In the fall of 2010, the North Dakota Aglow Area Team accepted the assignment to deliver trees to the reservations in Newtown and Trenton. These trees were given by the ministerial board of Jamestown for the Native Americans. North Dakota Aglow presented the trees for planting to the council and Chiefs of ND tribes. The presentation include the reading of the “H.R. 2226 111th Congress of the United States ; sec 8113 Apology to the Native People of the United States”. We experienced God ministering to the Native Americans. Tears filled their eyes as they embraced us expressing love.
November of 2010 hosted a Fall retreat in Jamestown. Sandy Loftberg came blowing her Shofar. This was followed up with another visit with Steel for coffee and a Christmas video created and sent out by the Aglow Area Team wishing a Merry Christmas to all in December with more ongoing changes to the website.
The year 2011 opened with a Minot meeting with Lois and Kaye ministry team. Across the hall from the rented space in the hotel was a bar with a live ban. The traffic for this bar was heavy that night. When ministry time came toward the end, one of the women attending the conference that night walked the halls visiting with the young people attending the live concert next door. They would ask her what was happening in that room. She invited them to come and get prayer. The first couple that came up front for prayer. God engulfed them with his Spirit. They recommitted their lives to Christ. The second man that came for prayer was directed so my the first couple. He thought we had it going on!! Then another one came in. Once again, God did ministry after office hours.
Minot was followed by meeting in Williston, Watford City, and Dickenson. God did ministry with all of them. I remember Dickinson the most. It was the smallest meeting we had; yet, Lois and Kaye prayed over a lady for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Jesus, she speaks in tongues.
North Dakota Prayer network requested Aglow assistance in prayer coverage of the state. The agenda resembled what the Team has been doing in their spare time now for a couple of years. God uses the whole body confirming his plans.
It seemed that God sent the Area Team out many times by twos due to their working schedules. At all times, the Team was available to anyone or Lighthouse in North Dakota. They were just one phone call away. That was the case again in June 2011. Minot devastating flood opened doors for Aglow to step in and help. Team members handed out water at stations across the town and they helped with clean up as well as organizing donated foods and clothing items.
A member of the Team had an open door for the Teen Challenge ministry on several occasions after February of 2012. One individual residing there expressed how much that meant to her. She had attended Aglow meetings in the past and she appreciated the ministry. This gave her a place of connection and familiarity which helped her open up to ministry in a time of need.
Spring of 2012, opened in Bismarck with Pat Kemp and Ron Parker. The Area Team offered scholarships to those who could not attend otherwise. Many application came in. This wonderful meeting ended the first night with last minute clean up. Once again, God was working after office hours. A worker of the front desk came peeking around. Invited by one of the Ladies attending, she came for prayer. That night we lead her to the Lord and followed up with months of cards, letters and phone access to us. She stated that her life change drastically after that night.
Coffee with the Team was hosted by Harvey. Ed Klein was brought in to speak in April 2012. In July, Jody Fitz was the speaker for Coffee with Team in Devils Lake and then Steele.
Harvey Aglow started the paperwork for a new Lighthouse in October of 2012. Even in 2013, Minot is asking for special meeting for their area. Doesn’t that show you the hunger of his people in North Dakota?
God has been rooting up things in North Dakota. I feel the season of “Rooting” is about to change. Some maybe would say, “I didn’t see anything happening.” Rooting is felt more than seen. Look at all the hurting people ministered to over the years. A lot of pain and hurt. If I was in this season for even just one of the lives saved after office hours, then so be it! Or what about the rooting of pain of our Native people through the presentation of the official apology of our government. The apology had no effect until someone told them about it. They learn for the first time when we came there bearing more than a trees to plant. If this season only consisted of these things, I would do it again!
Later I noticed a church from Devils Lake online, driving around ND driving stakes in the ground proclaiming the souls and the territory back for the Lord. Once again a repeat of what Aglow was doing prior and also ND prayer network. Confirmation, Confirmation!
This season was filled with Holy Ghost parking lots, individual ministry in restaurants, and healing of wounds. Just recently here in 2013, I received a call from another Aglow from a different state requesting ministry for a family member who moved to ND. I pointed them in the direction of Godly women of our state. We have on going changes to our website. Our traffic has increase immensely. Matter of fact, I checked the visitor count 5 days ago and today shows that in those five days 543 visitors on the site. We have regular visitors from all around North Dakota and the USA. It is the international draw that takes the lead. With the new spam ware on the site, the site spam is minimum. Thanks to Ken Splane.
The traffic does not always leave comments. We had one comment from a Pen in Hand article that demonstrates the season of rooting. Reads as follows:
“DaughterofZion says:
February 12, 2013 at 11:18 am
(Response to “Fill in the Circle” article of Feb. 2013) Greetings in Him!. I was truly blessed this am as I read this article filled with confirming words of this image thing that the Spirit has been speaking to me in my spirit. first I need to say that, Aglow in times past had been my lighthouse when I couldn’t quit see my way clearly thru life’s situations, although God’s word had been my portion daily, and His faithfulness was clearly shown to me thru this ministry. Today is one of the first few days of my new beginning in life. I left a sorely abusive husband and all his family and friends to follow harder after God, interesting enough when I left with less than ten dollars, only the clothes on my back, leaving behind all memories of my children’s pictures, the word that God by His Spirit has impressed in my spirit is this thing “image”. This is my first season of being successful of logging into an online session of any sort for a very long time, so I’m feeling really blessed and favored especially knowing that the God and Father of our Lord and savior Jesus the Christ is still speaking to me, His voice thru this letter of “Pen in Hand” has resounded for me today so much more powerful than all of the shame and even guilt that I’ve been dragging around for a long time now; and to have Him confirm thru your heart being the “pen of a ready writer” there is no way I could even entertain having another “pity party” for myself. The assignment that He gave me is to meditate on the Holy scriptures beginning with Romans 8:29 …”to the image of His Son… forgive me for not listing my source of reference as I did not write down the translation from which I read this, it was on last evening and I was overwhelmed when I saw that there were over 100 verses that deal with this subject “image”. I am excited to know that God is about to blow my mind as I sit and meditate of His Word, Again “Thank You” for allowing the Father of Light to use you, I needed to see this Light today, I had been in a very dark place for a very long time. Grace, Peace and Mercy be multiplied to you, from God the Father! In Jesus name. AMEN.”
I am sorry to be losing the vision of Jan Wright; God knew what he was doing when he planted her here. It would be ashamed if no one else does. I welcome the upcoming visions for the new season while appreciating the grace and time of the last one. One cannot happen without the other. I encourage you to reflect back and see how many after hours souls you brought into the Kingdom of God or if you visited him in prison, or if you clothed him when he was naked. What territory you prayed over proclaiming a release of the Spirit of God. Then set even higher goals for the new season. If we call him Lord, we need to do what he says; we cannot obey if we have criticism, unforgiveness or pride taking up residence in us. Search with the Lord’s guidance for anything that needs rooting up and prepare the ground of your heart for the new season. After all, we may be entering a planting season. May God fertilize the ground before you! God Bless!
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