“Hello. My name is Avene from Australia. I’m writing to testify to the goodness of God in my life. Since the beginning of this year after relocating to a different state to be with my wife, I struggled to find employment. Even though I was applying within a field I was qualified for and had a lot of experience in, I just couldn’t find a job. In February, my son was born. There were some complications with his birth. After almost 18 hours in labour, he came into the world not breathing and with no heartbeat. I felt so sad at the time because I thought I had lost my son. I began to meditate on the words, ‘Oh Holy Spirit, take more of me; give me more of You.’ The Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance Job and what he went through – ‘The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ I was still sad but felt a peace within me that no matter the outcome, God is in control. I called family and friends to pray for us while the doctors operated on my son, and by the grace of God, my son lives today and is completely healthy! This gave me and my wife hope that even though we were going through tough times with finding a job, God still sees us.
“For many more months, I couldn’t find a job in the area I was looking. Even for jobs that were saying ‘start immediately’, I would not hear back from them. Of the hundreds of jobs I applied for, only three got back to me and nothing was forthcoming. This really affected my life. With the job I was working at previously, rarely did I look at prices at the grocery store. I was getting paid well and now – nothing. I felt ashamed that I couldn’t provide for my family. But through it all, God miraculously continued to provide, through family and friends. We didn’t have abundance but God certainly gave us all our basic necessities. I felt the strain though on my relationship with my other family members who didn’t believe I was applying myself diligently in looking for a job. Throughout this time, my relationship with God was up and down. I was reading the Word and seeing how God was providing but I couldn’t work out why I wasn’t getting these jobs. I would at times despair but then remember God’s goodness, most recently in the life of my son, and take courage. Despite all the opposition, I continued to remember that God is faithful and that the war is not against flesh and blood. Even for the area I work in, I needed to renew and apply for certain licenses but there were so many delays.
“In May, I continued to press in to God so much. I watched so many videos of Brother Chris on YouTube, both his sermons and his videos of encouragement as well as Interactive Prayer Services. After watching Brother Chris and T.B. Joshua, I finally came to the realisation that these challenges were for my benefit and that God was doing something in the midst of these trials. Reading Deuteronomy 8:2-7 confirmed this for me. It just gave me a sense of hope for the future and a desire to surrender completely to God. I felt ready to leave it all up to God! Even when issues within my extended family were at a boiling point, I remembered that God had seen me through before and would do it again. I continued to trust God. Following that decision to surrender to God, after so many months of not hearing back from any jobs, the floodgates were literally opened and so many job offers came my way! I couldn’t keep up with all the interviews. I even had to decline some offers of employment! My two licenses that I had applied for, which at that point had taken close to ten months, were approved just as the offers were coming through. To the glory of God, I have now started working! Even with my family, we are on good terms now by the grace of God.
“After participating in the Interactive Prayer Service in June, it just added to my faith. My mindset and heart have now changed – my prayers are for God to do His will in my life. I no longer desire for high-paying jobs and things like that but my heart is to develop my spiritual life and to seek God’s heart, so I can see life clearly. My wife also participated in the service and we just have such a desire now to seek God! We watched so many videos. We participated in so many Interactive Prayers but truly, it was when we surrendered our will to God that the eyes of our faith were opened. Then we realised that no matter the situation we were going through, God is aware! Thank you to Brother Chris and the God’s Heart TV Team for allowing yourselves to be used by God to further His kingdom. To God be the glory!”