Special Forces: Nathan Dodge 3rd Year Intern "A Life Update"
Dear Family and Friends,
Our God is Love! I pray that you know and see this Love in your life, in a deeper way today than ever before. You are made like Him, you are made in the likeness of Love!
At the moment I am loving the wonderful aroma coming from five gallons of the best spaghetti sauce I have ever made, which is sitting on my kitchen table. Even better than the fact that my bunk is going to smell great for the next week, not to mention the eating, is the testimony behind this huge pot of goodness. Today we raised more than $1,000 towards our SF deployments to Costa Rica and Nicaragua with the "Jail and Bail,' which is now the must successful fund-raising event of the year! Basically we served a full spaghetti lunch to anyone who was willing to be "arrested" and call their friends to post bail, all of this going to our deployments. The team was awesome! I thank God for each of them and for His faithfulness in providing!
Now for the rest of the story. I have my ticket to Costa Rica, leaving on May 28, but still need another $700 for ground expenses. All I ask is that you would ask the Lord if He would have you sow into this trip. If you are stretched financially I challenge you to ask the Lord where to sow, whether it's into my trip or some where else. If you don't have enough enough, give what you do have. I have been living on faith for three years now. When I have work I work, when I don't I serve, I always trust God and am never lacking what I need. Often He even surprises me with something extra, like the desk given to me that my computer is sitting on right now as I'm writing! If you do feel led to give the info is at the bottom.
Now for the rest of the rest of the story... or at least up to today. Last weekend I had the opportunity to go with a team to Pratt City, AL to respond the devastation left by the tornado outbreak a few week ago. This was my first time responding to anything like this. Haiti was terrible and overall much worse but I had never seen such complete destruction, particularly in the sense of how selective tornadoes are. In many cases there would be a home nearly untouched while next door would be nothing but a foundation with the pieces of the house scattered even miles away. We where working with a local church removing trees, starting with the one on the church, and door to door ministry throughout the community. Near the church I was walking, looking around at some of the damage when I met a couple as they where digging through the rubble of their home looking for any clothes and valuables that might be left. As we where talking I learned that they had been in the house when the tornado hit and miraculously survived. They had been pulled out by firefighter who where among the first to respond. Pictured below is what's left of their home and that's their SUV with the board stuck through the windshield.
Later we where going door to door praying with people and scouting cleanup sites when we met Kent. We could see that there where several trees down in his back yard but before we even got his story we began prophesying and praying over him. He was touched as we and the Holy Spirit ministered to him and he rededicated his life to Jesus before we left. That afternoon we got to come back to his place to remove most of the trees which had fallen on some cars he restoring. In the end his family was powerfully impacted. There was far more work than our team could do in a month, let alone 4 days, but what the team accomplished was amazing. As bad as it was everywhere I went people where thanking God for their lives and working together to overcome. There are some much harder hit areas but as you can see in the pictures below the area was still devastated.
Now for a previous part of the story. It has been a good month but there have been plenty of battles. Faith is not easy but faith in Jesus will get us through. The following, in blue, my favorite color, is what I wrote a few days ago as I was trying to write this update. First paragraph is a raw look at some of life, which I hope helps others through their own walk, and the second is note about the SF which has changed my life.
Once again I am at the place of trying to share life while not liking how life feels. I am also again amazed at how in the midst of trial I am still loved, at the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit to touch and refresh me when I need it the most. In general I have been feeling busy but don't seem to be getting anything done. I go to sleep at night but rest never seems to come. I have been fighting fear, shame, pride, those things seam to sneak in while I'm not looking. Recently I was telling some students, as they where facing a challenge, that the best thing that can happen to a child of God is to come to the end of themselves. That is when they would really come to the beginning of who they are in Christ. Where I am it seems that attack comes from every direction with little hope of rest, but then the Lord reminds me that He is bringing me to my end and to myself in Him. The process is hard but I can honestly say that I am having amazing encounters with the Lord. The enemy's attacks just tell me that there are great things just around the corner.
Two weeks ago I spent a four day weekend on the coast of NC for my 15th and last training trip, as a MSU student, with Special Forces Missions. I have one more deployment before graduation to Costa Rica. Since I began the training, three years ago, I have grown radically in a way that will continue for the rest of my life. I will always thank God for the leaders and teammates who helped me get to where I am.
Now for the info on how to donate towards my deployment to Costa Rica.
- Cash and check should be made out to "MorningStar Ministries" with "Nathan SF" in the memo.
- My address is at the bottom.For Debit and Credit call Anna Parrott in the Missions Office @ 803-802-5544 ext. 392
I love you all and pray that you are blessed till next time,
Nathan Dodge
381 Starlight Dr.
Fort Mill, SC 29715
Fort Mill, SC 29715
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials."
James 1:2
2 Timothy 1:7
"The joy of the Lord is my strength."
Nehemiah 8:10
