This ministry is hard, because you have to witness some people fall and there is nothing that you can do to stop them. We cannot control anyone, because Jesus doesn't "control" us. He has given us free will to live our lives our way, and He wants us to love Him enough that we choose to live a holy life. Our jobs in this ministry is to just encourage their walk with the Lord, telling them the good news that Christ is waiting on them to turn to Him, that He is our provider, our deliverer, and our healer.

Blake was one of those gifts God gave us to keep us going. Every once in awhile, we see one sincerely humble themselves and pray and seek His face. God is faithful and then restores, which gives us hope to keep going.

We were at Miracle Lake one day watching a baptism of one of our homeless guys. Miracle Lake is a great Christian training center in Etowah, Tn. While we were there, the owner, Jack, came out and told us that a mom from Kingston just called and was inquiring about the program for her son. She told Jack she believed he was in downtown Knoxville and on crack. She was very concerned about him and had not seen him in almost two years. He asked us if we knew him, his name is Blake Henry.

We said no, but we agreed to pray right then so we asked God to send him to us if he is there, to give us the words to say to encourage him, and to give peace to his mom. The very next day was our Sunday service. One young man asked if he could sing a song for us that he just wrote. He introduced himself as Blake, and sang with a powerful voice! While he was singing, Kevin asked me if that could be the Blake we prayed for at Miracle Lake. I said no, I assumed he was with the church that came to serve that day. After all, I thought, God is good, but He isn't that good! He amazes me everyday! After Blake finished singing, I asked him what his last name was and he said Henry. Still not convinced, I asked him if he was from Kingston, and he said yes! I just started crying! I asked if it was his first time coming, and he said yes, he had never heard of us before, and 3 people came up to him and asked if he was coming today. The last one said that we had great pastries, and that is what convinced him to come! The Holy Spirit knows just how to lead us to where we need to be!

After the service, he called his mom and was able to talk to her for awhile. I talked to Blake about entering into Miracle Lake and he was in denial about his addiction. He thought if he just got a job, he'd be ok. Shortly after that he got two jobs. That normally is the worst thing for an addict. Once you get a job & get the first check in your hands, Satan comes to tempt him back to the addiction & that first check is the last.

We immediately put him on our prayer list & began praying seriously for Blake. Within a few weeks though, he lost both jobs, and decided he was going to move to Ohio. I couldn't figure out why God would bring him into our lives as He did for him to just move. He mentioned one Sunday that he was going to move that following Friday. We again put him on the prayer list again that God's will be done.

Two days later, Julie, the leader of our prayer team, came downtown to give me this sealed letter for Blake. She said that God woke her up in the middle of the night to write this. I told her that I would make sure he got this before he left. I searched everywhere, and left messages to call me. Friday came and went, and no word from Blake. I saw Julie on Saturday and mentioned that I guess I missed Blake. I never heard from him and failed to give him the letter. She replied to me so confidently, that she knew it was God, she knew it was His words and not her own, and she knew that I was supposed to give him the letter. She said, "don't worry, he's just not ready to hear the words yet. He'll call you when he's ready." What faith!

The next morning at 5 AM, the phone rang. I answered it and it was Blake in tears wanting to commit suicide. He said he was so tired of failing, and he was ready to give up. I tried to encourage him, but then I remembered the letter! I ran downstairs and opened it up and it read "Stop, and stop now! This is not the life I chose for you." It went on for pages, compared him to Jonah, and encouraged him to quit running from his mission. When I finished, we both were in tears, and all I could get out was "what do you think of that?" He replied, "Tell me about Miracle Lake."

Blake went to Miracle Lake & graduated. God moved in his heart & renewed his mind. The blinders really came off, and he had so many revelations about himself that God brought to his mind that he was ready to turn over to God. Because of this, God moved in a mighty way, like I have never seen before. By the time he graduated, God had provided an apartment ready for him to move in with all the furniture donated, a used donated car, and a job! It's amazing what He restores when you turn back to Him!

It's been 5 years since that day, and Blake & his mom are still much a part of my life. There hasn't been a Thanksgiving where we haven't had Blake over, and he still comes down to the Water Angels to sing periodically & share his testimony. He's been 5 years clean, married now(to KC-both pictured above), and has an adorable little boy, Benji.

God is not finished with him yet, he's still a work in progress, but we all are!! But through God's grace and mercy, he sure has come a long way, and has a great future in front of him. Please keep him in your prayers that he continues to die to self daily, and allow God to guide his footsteps.