The book that hit home //

Have you ever had a book really impact you? Two years ago when I first read "No Longer a Slumdog" it had quite an effect on me. I never do things like this, but I decided I had to share the effect the book had had on me with it's author. This is the email I sent...

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Sent: Friday, July 08, 2011 5:14 PM
To: K.P. Yohannan
Subject: "No Longer A Slumdog"

Mr Yohannan,

Whether or not you ever get a chance to read this I had to take the time
to give glory to God and share how He has used the book "No Longer a
Slumdog" for me personally. Its a bit of a long story but the context
makes the conclusion all the better so bear with me. :)

In the fall of 2010 the Lord began to sort of "corner" me with India --
everywhere I looked India was there. I took the hint eventually and
brought it before the Lord. He really burdened me for that country and I
was crying out on behalf of it to Him regularly. I was literally crying
for the people living there that I had never met before. I felt the
weight of the Lord's anguish for them so heavy on me. At the same time I
felt the great strength and release of joy in the hope the Lord is
bringing and desires to bring more fully to them. I began to learn a bit
about the culture and I looked into taking a trip there with the
ministry called Visiting Orphans. The Lord kept the burden heavy on me
until He had taken me through a refining season of bringing me to a
place of obedience and submission to whatever His plan could turn out to
be for me in regard to India. He caused me to come face-to-face with
some of my fears and things I needed to surrender in order to follow
wherever He may lead me and He had me really count the cost of being a
willing vessel for Him to use there. After He had brought me through
that the weight of the burden lifted. It was strange not to be overcome
with anguish and be on my face crying and praying for the country
anymore but it was still on my heart, it had become dear to me. Months
went by and I was still praying about whether I was to go to India or
not and eventually the Lord answered me saying simply, "Wait." I thought
at the time that He meant I was to wait for a few weeks or something for
Him to tell me that I was to go but He made it clear that He meant I was
to wait indefinitely and not plan on going this year. As much as I
desired to go it was exciting to know that I wasn't supposed to yet and
that He must have something else in mind. All those months of praying
and waiting I had also been reading and researching, trying to expand my
understanding of circumstances around the world and broaden my personal
awareness. That led to many different things: opened doors,
opportunities to share and learn and be involved in things I wouldn't
have been before, relationships with like-minded individuals, etc. In my
study the Lord directed me to GFA and that was one more way He
"cornered" me with India. I ordered a free copy of your book "Revolution
in World Missions" and it was fantastic. Among other sermons that I have
on my iPod by David Wilkerson, Paris Reidhead, and Major Ian Thomas, I
have sermons by you that I have listened to both on my own and with my
family members. Your passionate care for souls (which is from the Lord)
is always convicting and used to bring me back to the Lord on my knees
saying, "I don't have that burden, but I must. Lord, give me your heart
for the souls being lost daily."
Fast forward to last week. I was looking through all of my books,
wondering which one to start reading and really wishing that I had a
book on the circumstances children find themselves in especially in
Asia. Shortly thereafter a friend told me about "No Longer a Slumdog"
and I ordered my free copy. I got it a few days later and couldn't put
it down. Not only was it exactly the kind of book I was wishing for that
day when I was wondering what I should start reading, but the Lord used
it to confirm a lot of things to me that He has been leading up to and
preparing me for until this point, and -- though its a minor detail I
think it is worth mentioning -- the cover of the book consists of all my
favorite colors. My God is so personal and just plain sweet to me. I
know His chastisement and refining, yes, but even in that He is sweet to
me -- He is good. I won't go into the things that the Lord has confirmed
to me but one thing that I have decided is that, although there are TONS
of organizations and ministries to give to that are good, I believe my
finances for giving are intended to be directed to GFA from now on. I
came to this conclusion through many different factors but mostly
because of two things: Because your life is marked by love and that is
attested to by those who know you, and because your ministry operates on
the motivation to bring the Gospel to the dying souls in Asia -- not
just relieve and meet their physical and earthly needs. Through a
variety of ways whether it be sponsoring and supporting missionaries or
children in the communities, purchasing needs to be distributed to those
who will most need and best use them, or the Bridge of Hope schools, I
believe the Lord wants to use my giving to help -- and that was
concluded by reading "No Longer a Slumdog". I'll be honest and say that
I was not expecting that to happen from reading it. I have had a high
respect for GFA and the work that you do and your goals but I have never
really expected to be moved to really get behind a ministry in the way I
feel led to support yours. I am not an individual with excess cash
available. I am living on faith and the Lord is faithfully meeting my
needs, but now when I feel I am to give I will also know exactly where I
am to give. Praise God! 

Thank you for serving the Lord. Thank you for taking the time to write
and for giving books away for free. Thank you for what you and all the
workers that keep the many areas of GFA working do every day. God bless
you.

For the King and His Kingdom,

Chelsea Mills

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You can order a free copy today from my sidebar! Who knows how the Lord might use it in your life!

You can also read about my recent trip to India and the work the Lord did in and through my team and I there by clicking here.