Louisiana May
Blessings to you and yours!!
We began our time in Louisiana by making our 50 mile voyage in the new camper. ...and she drives great! Thank you all for keeping us in your prayers after our last camper died.
We arrived at CrossLife Fellowship on May 10th, and stayed there for the rest of the month. While there, we were able to minister to the community during the church's "adopt a block" by going door-to-door, praying for people. We were blessed by the church's cafe ministry which serves free lunch to the community. And Tobiah shared at CrossLife's Men's breakfast and Sunday's main service. What a very active church, something going on almost every day of the week!
CrossLife is right across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, so at night, Tobiah would go out for ministry. Some nights he would go out with the cross and some nights he would go out with handfuls of Bibles, but every night he went with Jesus and had Holy Ghost encounters! Interestingly, every night he had people tell him that he was wasting his time and it didn't make a difference... and every night he had others tell him that they were so thankful that he was there to be a light in such a dark place. Tobiah also enjoyed working alongside RAVEN Ministries who witness on Bourbon Street every week.
One encounter was really special. Tobiah had been meditating on John
6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,"
and that day when he went out with the cross, a woman literally ran 3 blocks to catch up to him! Her name is Nancy
and she lives in New Orleans. She told him that she was a member of the
United Pentecostal Church for years and knows much of the Bible. Then,
as tears began to roll from her eyes, she explained how after a couple
divorces and hard roads, she had found herself alone, without purpose,
and feeling far from God. Tobiah encouraged her that we are NEVER far
from God, but that we must only turn around and rest in His embrace.
Also, that the reason we feel we're without purpose is because we're not
pursuing His purpose for us, His calling on us, and His value over us!
We allow man to dictate those things instead of our Creator! He began to
speak blessing, healing, and restoration over her and prayed that God
would reveal His calling on her life. Praise God, what a cool
encounter! Thank You Lord for drawing her to the cross!
Another cool encounter came closer to home...from our daughter, Yvonne. As we visited the city, we noticed MANY homeless people. Well apparently, Yvonne noticed the same
thing. She pointed out a man lying on the sidewalk and asked if
he was dead. That's kind of
laughable, but no, we told her that he wasn't and then explained
what it meant to be homeless; that the man probably had no home, or
food, or water. And without hesitation, she began to say that we needed
to give him those things... a home, food, and water.
I think our hearts might've swelled a little bit after hearing this, that she would be so kind and thoughtful to consider someone else's needs like that. We set out to get a wagon and the next week we handed out water bottles, and apples around New Orleans' French Quarter.
I think our hearts might've swelled a little bit after hearing this, that she would be so kind and thoughtful to consider someone else's needs like that. We set out to get a wagon and the next week we handed out water bottles, and apples around New Orleans' French Quarter.
One night Tobiah carried the cross down Bourbon street, praying for the lost and rebuking the enemy. He invited others to pray as well by making a live video on facebook, and urged anyone watching that wasn't saved to repent and ask Jesus into their heart. The next morning someone called Tobiah from Belgium who had watched the video and couldn't stop thinking about God. Praise the Lord, after an hour long conversation, they ended up repenting of their sins and received Jesus in their heart!!
We were also blessed to share a message at Saint's Fellowship. That was our last commitment so the next day we pulled anchor and drove up to Lafayette. I think it rained every day we were there and we noticed a few leaky spots on the roof of the RV. But we didn't let bad weather keep us indoors! Tobiah carried the cross from our campground to the LSU campus about 5 miles away. While he was ministering around campus he prayed with three young men who were anxiously awaiting their finals. Other students had already graduated but asked for prayer for their next season, for jobs, and for favor as they pursue a graduate degree. Following our time in Lafayette, we drove to the capitol city, Baton Rouge for a prayer walk around the capitol building.
Praising God that we were able to buy a car dolly to tow our van behind the RV. Also thankful that Yvonne's home-school curriculum has arrived and Yvelisse has assumed the demanding (and rewarding) role of teacher.
Please be in prayer with us for souls to be won and that the Holy Spirit continues to draw people to the cross. This week we're off the road because the camper is in the shop for the leaky roof, faulty AC, and other maintenance. Please pray with us for God's provision and protection, in Jesus' name!
Rev. Tobiah P. Steinmetz
995 West High Street
Pottstown, PA 19464
Deny yourself and take up your cross! (Mark 8:34)
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