My Birthday Wishes: Salvation & Love

John David Ware and Rebecca Ann Ware Martin

I have already received the greatest gift I could have asked for.  Take heart all of you who pray for loved ones.  God's arm is not too short.

We have prayed for so long for my sister, Rebecca to be healed, that is reborn.  A couple of months ago, a bad car wreck left her in horrible physical pain.  Eventually, she was led to the end of herself and to the feet of Jesus.

There is no greater feeling than having hoped and prayed for something like this and then against all odds, the Lord does an amazing miracle.  I can't wait to go home to Ohio this 

Christmas to meet my "new baby sister."  

God is good all the time.

At my party this Dec. 8th, I ask for no gifts for me, but only for my friends to help with the work of the Lord.  I pray you would volunteer your time, talents and love for the harvest that is coming. 

I pray that many would come and help shoulder my burden, which is 168.  

God has been breaking my heart for the broken people in our midst.  That is why I have started "Mission 168," to try and give back some dignity to the world of hurting people out there and to validate the armies (sometimes of 1) who struggle to bring about a good work in the lives of others.  We will save some through this wondrous tool the Lord has given us, the media.

Together I pray we will make something lasting, something great and even something they will talk about in the future.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV). 

B-DAY DREAMS: I have a dream that all my friends would come to my party.  Everyone would get saved if they're not and we would pray not talk about small stuff, but about things that really matter.  

Of course, we would be at a swanky venue where we could leave a mess and nobody would have to clean up.  There would be silliness and a steady parade of folks all day long bringing their spiritual gifts and collectively offering the keys they hold to my and each others lives.  There would be love and laughter and no problems that couldn't be solved.

We would speak volumes to each other and tell our testimonies as to the reason we have for the hope we are given.  My special friends would come or at least make a good excuse why not.

At the end of the night no one would walk away feeling unappreciated or weird or troll-ish, but they would say to themselves, "Yeah, L.A. ain't so lonely after all.  I LIKE THIS GROWING FAMILY that doesn't TALK, so much as they DO.

THE LATENESS OF THE HOUR AND FEAR:

Even nearer are we to our destiny than just a moment ago.  Is there an excitement, an urgency?

Sometimes we can see so clearly the speck in our sister's eye and wish with all our heart we could reach in and remove the cancer, which is fear, before its too late.  Before time renders dreams and visions incapable of walking on their own.

What do you need to give up today?  I submit to you my dearest friend, it's your fear.  

Trusting the Lord (the only one to be feared), we magnify Him to the point where he is much larger than all of our fears.  Yea, we are blinded to our fears when we worship Him, rather than fear. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (NIV).

We all need each other's courage to prosper.  

Let us open our eyes as Elisha did for his fearful servant:

2 Kings 6:

¹⁵ And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”

16So he answered,   “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with 

them.”  

¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 

¹⁸ So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.