As we have been traveling, we have been praying for three specific things: provision, protection, and open doors to the nations. Time and time again, God has been faithful to open doors that only He can. When we set out 5 months ago, we never dreamed of some of the doors He would open. Scotland was a surprise for sure, but it was in the UK which was a place we knew we would be going. However, God opened an unexpected door for us to be in Kosovo for a short time. This was not a place we ever thought that we would be coming. God knew that He needed us here, so He opened the door wide.

One of my friends contacted me and said that she had been following our adventures on our blog and knew that God was telling her to invite us to come to Kosovo. I had never gotten to know her very well, and in fact did not even know she was in Kosovo. Even though we had not been in contact for 2 years, she invited us. We had a difficult time making the decision to come because of our money situation, but we knew that God had opened the door and that we must be obedient to walk through it.

Knowing we were coming here, my wife decided to do some research about the recent wars that had taken place. As she researched, and we prayed about this country, even before we traveled here, God began to speak to me. He began to speak about how the nation was wounded and needed to be healed. As with any serious wound, you do not put a Band-aid on it and walk away. Any serious wound needs to be stitched up. I know this from many injuries in my younger days. The larger and more serious the wound, the more stitches are needed. God began to speak about how every prayer and every act of love was a stitch that was binding up an open wound. This wound that may be healed on the outside must be healed in the soul of the nation as well. If the wound of the soul is not healed, it will often be reopened as a self-inflicted one.

I believe that the long-term prayers and actions of the church and ministries here is to bind love to the spiritual wound of the people. There has been so much suffering and hurt in the people that it seems like their very lives evidence a wounded spirit. This spirit is hurt deeply and ready for conflict. However, as the family of God binds love to the people, this will bring healing stitch by stitch, act by act, prayer by prayer… I found this verse as a confirmation of the work that needs to be done here in Kosovo, but also anywhere the people of God are.

Colossians 3:12-14 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

We are called to live as God’s chosen people. Even as we live in this manner, we know two things. We have wounds in our hearts and souls inflicted by people around us, and people around us also have these wounds. It seems that so many people are walking around with open wounds. We are commanded in these verses to live rightly, forgive completely, and love totally. We must bind love to ourselves and to the people around us that we may walk in perfect unity.

Ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you any wounds that you may have on your soul. Do these wounds come from others? Are these wounds remaining open because of unforgiveness or an unwillingness to love? Are there people around you that might be spiritually wounded?

With the help of Holy Spirit, begin to bind up these wounds and start the healing process in yourself, as well as the people around you, by forgiving and binding love to these wounds. Part of the ministry of Jesus, and our ministry, is to bind up the broken hearted (Luke 4:18). Let us walk in the ministry that God has called us to that we may live in perfect unity!!!

Jeremiah, Man on Fire!!!