Dear Heartcry family,
Gordon and I have been upside down in the world ministering in Malaysia and Australia this month. We are away from the UK for 8 weeks while we travel in Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It is a combination of both work and play! These first 3 weeks have been mainly Heartcry related: connecting with ministry friends, speaking in churches, sharing with leadership teams and preaching at various Ladies and Men’s days too. Everywhere we go we sense the same hunger for the presence of God and desire to pray and relate together. We are also aware of the uncertainty felt in many institutions due to either leadership transition or failing. So many of our church and ministry structures are insecure and shaking and people want guidance and strategic leadership. Life is busy!
In the midst of all the demands and wonderful friendship times of connection I have been so aware that without Jesus we have nothing! I have observed that all people really need is a fresh, genuine Jesus encounter – a place where they know they have met with God and God has spoken to them. Just one exchange with God in these moments is more than enough to change everything. It gives fresh vision and perspective. You can endure hardship and stand through the storm if you know what it is for and where you are going! I was reading John 6 and was reminded once again that we live a supernatural life in a natural world and sometimes our message and our mandate does not seem to make sense. This was true for Jesus while on earth. As he began to speak about the deeper truths of our faith, many of the followers were confused and even offended. We read in John 6:61 “Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you….. 66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him”. They were happy when Jesus was a place of provision and protection but not when He began to challenge them about sacrifice and trust. The followers began to leave and then Jesus turned to His inner circle, His closest disciples, and asked them the same thing. We continue to read in John 6:67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” This should be the response of our heart too. God, the path is more complex, we do not understand everything BUT we have had an encounter with you and we KNOW that you have marked us, hooked our hearts, and we have nowhere else to go. God – where would we go!? We are living in a season when it is easy to get offended with God or just confused….but stir your memories and reawaken your God encounters….remember that you have nowhere else to go. Jesus is the answer and HOPE for our lives and our nations!
We are constantly reminded that Jesus is the answer in these days and were so encouraged to receive an email after our ministry time in the USA last fall. The testimony reads as follows: I just wanted to email and say Hi – but also update you on the confirmation and continuation of God’s amazing blessings when you both prayed for the releasing of finances. Well…. we just bought a house!! And my husband has had three pay rises since!! Glory to God!! So…. again thank you! And may His favour and blessing return to you both in triple measure! Xx T&R It is stories like this that make life exciting and encourage us to keep carrying the message of Jesus.
So Gordon and I have been in DUMC, a Methodist church in Malaysia, for 3 revival meetings and a time of refreshment and impartation for the people. We watched as many wept before the altar and asked God for a fresh encounter. On Saturday we spent time as intercessors and leaders praying and asking God for strategy and wisdom in these complex days. It was also the Chinese New Year and the start of the year of the dragon…or the Year of the Lord’s favour! Everywhere was red. In Kuala Lumpur we had time to connect with Miles Toulmin and the HTBB hub there and see the effect of Alpha in the SE Asia setting. Their creative hub is incredible and will be the production hub of many of the contextualised Alpha courses being produced. From there we flew to Perth to be with Oasis Church, an ACC church in Western Australia. We had a fabulous few days with Christie and Ewen Blaikie, sharing and talking far and wide, everything from raising teenagers to leading in the nation! We had personal time with the leaders and were able to share on Sunday with the church. Gordon and I left Perth feeling we had discovered another family we did not know we had. It was a fabulous time.
Now it was to Sydney. Here we connected with friends, especially supporting those going through hard times either in the church scene or with their health. It was a privilege to be able to be an encouragement in these stormy times. From Sydney we drove up the coast to Gosford and central coast. We had a few days with Grace and Peter Howard and ministered at a Mens and Ladies day on the Saturday – it was a privilege to stir their hunger and passion for Jesus. Finally after a stop in the Hunter Valley region I drove to Newcastle area to connect with Bev Murrill and Sue Irvin at Grainery Church, while Gordon met up with Harford Smith and flew to Melbourne to drive the Great Ocean Road. I will work and Gordon will play!! We will then meet up in Launceston, Tasmania, and that will be 5 days holiday together! God has been good!
Helen writes: While Rachel and Gordon have been in the heat of summer down under, I have traveled to the frozen north and snow! It was such a joy to be back in Norway with great friends in Kristiansand where I did a week’s teaching on the YWAM base and spoke at a regional women’s network meeting and an open meeting for the region. In all of the settings there was a tangible hunger for the encounters Rachel’s describes above as well as a very raw honesty about how life can sometimes be extremely challenging to navigate. At the women’s evening so many of the women came forward for prayer and, through tears and vulnerability, asked Jesus to give them grace and encounter them afresh. It was incredible to see the transformation of faces from overwhelmed and confused to hope-filled and radiant with the presence of Jesus. One woman sought me out to share how, at the last conference Rachel and I had done just after Covid in October 2021, we had prayed for her to break off depression and hopelessness. She recalled how I had put my hand on her wedding band and prayed for the bond of marriage to be restored, not knowing that her husband had just left her. Here she was today to testify that Jesus had done a miracle and brought her husband back to faith through an encounter and then back to her asking for a second chance! It is so wonderful to have the privilege to hear the redemptive outcomes from times of prayer! Just before leaving for Norway it was also a joy to speak at the New Wine London regional Reset day and explore the theme of “Pilgrimage”. The venue was packed and charged with expectation and the worship times were deep and powerful. It will be exciting to hear stories of what happened as a result of that day as so many of the women were expectant for miracles. I have such a sense that we are on the threshold of miracles, signs and wonders in increasing measure. Although we have known the confusion of disappointment in the area of healing especially, I believe that, like the disciples in John 6, we need to make that bold commitment not to be offended but to continue to press in for our promised land of the miraculous. This weekend I will be training prayer ministry teams and I want to make it a priority to stir faith and expectation for God’s supernatural intervention in our lives.
So thank you once again for all your prayer and support. Thank you to those who give regularly to support our ministry. We are so grateful for the ongoing and continuing support for our work in Moldova too. I know we have just received an update from Charlotte and Johannes and you can read their report on our Moldova Project page here. Your giving and investment make a huge difference to lives. THANK YOU!
March will see Gordon and Rachel finally get to fulfil a dream of visiting New Zealand. This had been planned in 2020 for their 40th wedding anniversary but was put on hold because of Covid. Please pray they have a time of refreshment and LOTS of fun! Towards the end of the month they will be in Montreal for a weekend of ministry before returning to the UK just before Easter. While they are away, I will be ministering in the UK. Here is an overview of this coming month.
Ministry Dates March 2024
1-19 March Rachel & Gordon on leave, Tasmania & New Zealand
3 March 10am Kingdom Advance Network, Burton, UK (Helen)
3 March 6pm Chadsmoor Methodist Church, Cannock, UK (Helen)
3 March Fresh Bread Message, Heartcry online platforms (Helen)
6 March Elim Limitless staff team day, Malvern, UK (Helen)
12-14 March Helen on retreat
21-25 March Generation Unite, Montreal, Canada (Rachel & Gordon)
23 March Prayer Ministry Training Day Part 2, Flame Community Church, Blackheath, UK (Helen)
Every blessing as we step into Spring here in the UK and the Easter season. Let us celebrate Jesus who conquered death and carries life!
Every blessing,
Rachel & Gordon and Helen and the Heartcry team.