A Journey Inspired By Heaven
Ruth Johnson

Our Walk by Faith Part Six

Shortly before we left Africa in June 2008, Pastor Stephen of Mt. Elgon in Uganda spoke these words to us…

“The miracles of this time you have been on the mountain have restored the joy we had when salvation first came to us in 1992.

That is why everyone has been crying during the meetings. This joy is what we lost when the jealousies and divisions destroyed the churches.

Now word of what has taken place will travel to distant lands and to tribes far beyond this mountain. The Karamajong and Iteso who came this week will take the truths they encountered back to their people. Many will come from far away to this mountain to learn of this love and unity that has consumed us. But when you are in America, this message will go where you will never be able to go. It now will be carried as a holy fire by the people who have been so changed by it.”

When we heard these powerful words, we had no idea that when we came home from Africa my health would totally collapse. The years in Uganda had taken their toll on me. The severe physical hardships from living deep in the bush of the outermost tribes and regions had destroyed my immune system.

Then one night I realized…

“Father, if I go back to the Mountain I will die. But I’m willing to go.”

I went to bed that night with this unflinching resolve in my heart. Yet early the next morning the Lord revealed a different plan…

“Yes, Ruth if you go back you will die and I don’t want that for you. I have much for you and Barry to do here in your own nation. So you can’t return to Uganda."

This was a shock to come to grips with. It was an agonizing change for Barry and me to accept. The grief we felt at the thought of not seeing Pastor Stephen and the people of the Mountain ever again was devastating. Day and night we mourned. At times, all we could do is weep because all of our days to our last breath, we knew we would miss the people there.  For they were our intimate family whom we cared about as much as a mother and father love their own sons and daughters.

While we grieved and died to our dream to return to Africa, the Father asked us to now devote our lives fully to becoming seriously needed “missionaries” to our own nation. For everywhere we went we encountered unreached people who were in the deepest of distress.

Many of them are God’s own children.

Our devoted passion now became bringing a desperately needed message of hope and love to the lost, hurting and devastated in our own country that for years we carried to distant and troubled lands in East Africa. As we did, we felt the Father’s earnest longing that we help people in America enter into the same encounter with a Visitation of His Holy Presence that caused revival to explode on a horrifically dark mountain in Uganda and move like wildfire among the most desperate tribes. Therefore we passionately turned our eyes to where the Father was taking us and gave ourselves to strengthen and encourage people in our own nation. While we made this significant change in direction, many began asking…

“What is happening in your ministry?
Are you slowing down now after the years in Africa?”

In response to these frequent inquiries, what we’re experiencing week after week during the meetings that are taking place in the different regions of Washington is beyond anything Barry and I have ever seen, except in Africa. We are actually witnessing the same astounding miracles and breathtaking encounters with the Glory of the Lord that exploded upon countless places in that distant land far across the ocean. For men and women, young adults, teenagers and children as young as six years old are being dramatically touched by the Visitation of the Lord and the unconditional love the family of God are learning to give to one another.

At times the amazing testimonies and the noticeably changed lives overcome all of us who are there with a holy awe. Over and over, we find ourselves broken and humbled in the presence of the Lord. Here are some of our favorite accounts from the Lighthouse of Hope Gatherings that occurred in different locations across the state of Washington in 2009…

“When we gathered yesterday, it felt like what it must have been in the early church with God's people of all ages gathered together in beautiful unity of heart and loving one another as deeply as real family do. Then with faces turned toward heaven, we worshipped with all our soul and all our strength while the children's faces were shining bright with the Glory of the Lord. During those amazing moments it was as if time stood still.”

There was a descent from heaven last night. We all sensed something sacred and holy was taking place. Then over and over, men and women expressed how precious it was to be there. This rare unity of heart and spirit caused the fire of God to sweep through the room. Instantly lives were visibly impacted. An awareness of the manifest presence of God completely enveloped us.”

“We were shaken to our foundation that afternoon. The passion of those who were present was clearly evident as each one shared. One woman came in spite of extreme physical pain only the night before. She would not be kept away. As her tears flowed unrestrained, she lifted her voice in the new song, as pure as I've ever heard. It was as if an angel were singing. The beauty of the moment was breathtaking. There was such an overwhelming presence of God that all those who could, bowed low or were prostrate.  All I could whisper for quite some time, over and over, was Holy, Holy, Holy. Then the harp broke forth with such sustained power, overwhelming beauty, and such a cascade of heavens sound that there is simply no way two human hands could have produced it. The floor was literally vibrating. I am always touched deeply by the harp. But this was different. It defies description. Then the door quietly opened and a young man entered. He immediately went to his knees and entered into worship with us.  When he later shared his heart, his passion for the Lord was clearly evident. His countenance was like what the multitudes must have seen on the Apostle Stephen's face.”

When we laid down returning to Africa, the Father promised us…

“The same move of God you saw there will now happen in America.”

This is now dramatically taking place. It actually reminds me of what ignited like a Holy Fire whenever the Tribal Leaders from across the nation of Uganda gathered in our compound and worshipped.

There is a hushed awe in my spirit about all this. I find myself bursting with gratefulness because what is occurring will affect each of us who are there for the rest of our lives.

Barry and I are touched to the core of our souls by this grand and astonishing adventure we are on together. For during all the gatherings we are watching the restoration of genuine unity and love to God’s children and a remarkable return to intimate worship that is causing heaven to touch earth. Now our earnest prayer is that what the Lamb of God so wondrously did among us in 2009 will penetrate even deeper into the souls of young and old in 2010. For the desperate need in this hour in our nation is the Lord’s Holy Visitation and an Awakening to Lost Truths that in the early church “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6 NLT).

Then Christmas Eve 2009 Barry called Pastor Stephen. Our hearts were shattered as we heard him speak. His words were broken by his tears. The heartrending wail in his voice pierced us as he cried out…

“Mama Ruth and Papa Barry, the people of the Mountain long for you.
When are you coming back to us?”

The second that conversation ended, we both knew that somehow we had to return to the Mountain.

By the following afternoon the Father showed us that some day we would go back to Mt. Elgon and encourage the people for short periods of time, just as Paul the Apostle did when he went back to the places he had given his life to bring the Gospel. We were stunned and overcome with gratefulness. Never did we imagine our dream of Africa would be given back to us.

So we are passionately embracing the increased calling to our own country, even as we longingly wait to return to our beloved Africa.

We’ve also continued on in our radical walk by faith.

It’s a life of extreme trust in the Father that has cost us everything since we began it in 2000. But it still makes it possible for us to completely devote our lives to serving the Father as a husband and wife team wherever He wants to send us.

For it’s a journey that was inspired by heaven many years ago and it continues to touch lives on two continents in the profoundest of ways.

Ruth and Barry