My sister, Summer, attends Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport. She has always had a difficult time with specific courses throughout her education. And for those of you who don't know, she has also battled depression throughout her entire life. I didn't have the greatest relationship with her growing up but now that we are older things have taken a turn for the good. She has been more open about what she is going through and has asked me about RTNKC and what the Lord has been doing in my life. Over the past few weeks, she has been asking me about my calling and what I have seen the Lord do (bring healing, deliverance, miracles, etc.). Currently she is taking a philosophy class and they were learning about Bible epics and concepts. Even though I didn't agree with most of the definitions her instructor gave (i.e. prophecy, prophet, word of God) I was able to help her take hold of them and really know them. I had been praying for Summer for quite some time and have asked the Lord to help me communicate with her in a way that my words would stick to her and not fall to the ground.

She was not doing well in her Philosophy course and needed at least a D on her next exam to pass. This was important as she is supposed to graduate this year. I received a text message from her this morning. It was an image of an exam with her grade of a 94 at the top! So just not did she pass the course but she also may be getting a B /A- overall! I thank God for answered prayer and for using me to bring my sister the help she needed.

On October 9th of 2014, I was promoted and received an increase to my salary. At the beginning of this fiscal year, I was contacted by HR about filling out a performance evaluation. This is unusual as the last time anyone at Xerox had to complete an evaluation was over five years ago. My manager told me that she was not certain of the reason why HR wanted us to complete this and informed me to not expect much out of it. As I opened up my Outlook this morning, I saw that I had a meeting scheduled with my manager with the subject titled: "Salary Increase." When I stepped into her office, she handed me an employee compensation statement which said my salary had been increased by 3.64%, which is an additional $2,000! So over the past six months, my salary has increased by $5,000! I have never heard of anyone at the company receiving two increases in their wages in that amount of time.

I have been consistently asking the Lord for a continual increase in finances so I can invest into His Kingdom. The Lord has shown me such favor at my job and has really blessed me through the Kingdom investments we have been doing at class. I exhort everyone who is reading this to give God your best in everything, especially with your finances. He is more than able to just not take care of you but bring increase and favor to every area of your life!

A week prior to Sunday service on March 23rd, our pastor informed us that our gathering would be focused on worship and prayer. He said that the Lord told him He would come in power to meet our needs and answer the petitions we have placed before Him. That following Sunday I was privileged to serve on the Prayer Team. Because I was aware that the Spirit was going to move mightily at service, I took some time beforehand to pray and fast. God graciously gave me two dreams for sisters from Crossroads in regards to struggles they are having in relationships. What was interesting about these dreams were that they were the same. After some time in worship, Pastor Joy exhorted us to pray for one another. I passed by one of the sisters and told her that the Lord wanted to speak with her. I did speak to both of them but there was one in particular I knew God wanted to give direction to as her situation was more complicated than the other. I want to make it clear that I knew absolutely nothing about what she had been going through and don't know anything else about her besides her name. As I began to tell her what I saw going on (gift of knowledge), she began to weep and nod that I had it correct. I gave her prophetic instruction to follow and then prayed for her alongside one of our elders. She began to cry even more and began to shake. At the end of the prayer, she embraced her sister and they praised God together. I am honored that the Lord spoke through me and that their ears were open to hear His Voice. Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord! This past Sunday I was serving on the prayer team. I had prayed for some time before service began and had asked the Lord to come in power. I also began to stir the gifts within me and specifically the gifts of healing. After ten minutes or so, a woman came to the back (with the assistance of another woman) for prayer in regards to the pain she was experiencing. The team prayed for a strengthening to take place in her physical body. After a couple of minutes, my right arm began to burn. It had felt like a sleeve of fire was over me from my shoulder to my hand. As I felt the power come upon me, I laid my hand upon her. She began to lightly shake and tears rolled down her face. I asked her how she was feeling and she replied in a loud voice, "I feel good! God is good! May He bless you always!" For about ten minutes or so after, we all felt fire / heat around us (Brother Matt was part of the team and said his hands were burning). All the praise and glory be to You, Lord Jesus! Our Wonderful Healer!

Praise the Lord! About three months ago, it was prophesied that promotions and increase would come. I found out on Tuesday this week that I would no longer be working for my current manager and that the company would be changing my position. I knew that a change was coming in regards to my work because a co-worker has switched from full-time to part-time. At first glance, it didn't seem like a promotion and I wasn't expecting any increase in my salary (since Xerox has been trying to cut cost for some time now). Glory to God, just not was I promoted but my salary was increased by $3,000! Thank You for this opportunity, promotion, and for increase, Lord!

Praise the Lord! Our pastor's brother (Vinny) had went on the missions trip to Kenya this past February and felt the Lord was calling him to evangelize in that nation. When he returned, he came to me and send he felt led to speak to me about this idea and asked if I would pray for him. As he was speaking to me, I heard the Lord say to pray for an opening to the nation and for the way to be prepared. I had felt power and laid hands on him and prayed alongside a few other people.
He came to service yesterday and told me that he needed to speak with me. He told me that he knew he was called to the ministry and had been serving as an associate pastor and a biblical counselor for over thirty years but knew that he was called to be an evangelist. He said after I had prayed over him and prophesied about an opportunity that the Lord was going to open up, many had confirmed his calling as an evangelist. He also told me that God had brought together connections with several people in Kenya and he was asked to come for the purpose to evangelize. He will be in Kenya from October 14th - October 24th, preaching in several prisons, churches, and even the largest college in Nairobi called Kenyatta University (in total about 7 to 9 different places within his 10 day stay). He said the best part was that the week he was going, the university was inviting Christians throughout Kenya to come for their annual convention they hold and have asked him to be the guest speaker.
How wonderful is our God! I thank the Lord for opening this up for our brother and pray that He continues to prepare Him and make the way straight.

On January 27th of this year, I posted to the Prayer Room requesting prayer for Nick Palko (a family friend). Surprisingly today, his wife came to Crossroads and I went over and greeted her. I told her how we have been praying for him and for the entire family and asked how things went. She said the surgery went smoothly and that he had an "uncanny" fast recovery! She said his health is at an all-time high and he is doing better than ever. Glory be to God! Thank you all for praying. She was blessed to hear that there was a group of people praying for her and her family.

She did tell me that her mother is now having surgery tomorrow and asked if we could keep her in prayer. Also, her brother-in-law is fighting prostate cancer (stage 4). Let us lift them up to the Lord.

Before service started yesterday, I had a conversation with Sister Tineka. I have been training with her over the past couple of months and she has been fairly healthy since. She told me that after a workout last Wednesday that she had been experiencing some neck and upper back pains whenever she moves her head. I was deeply troubled to hear of this and found myself praying in silence. I continued to pray throughout the beginning of the service and the Lord told me that He wanted to give a healing touch to Tineka. I was compelled to share what the Lord had spoken to me with Pastor Joy's brother, Vinny, who is an evangelist. I told him "The Lord would like to lay His hands to bring healing to Tineka's body and He wants to use yours." Vinny told me to come with him and that we would minister to her together. We laid our hands on Sister Tineka's neck and began to praise the Lord and call for the healing to manifest. After a minute or so, I felt the power of God come upon her and she told me later that she was healed. Glory to God!

Last night I was working out (weight training) with Sister Tineka at the Edge in Trumbull. After completing a few exercises, we were moving onto the last one and I noticed my left foot started to cramp. It didn't make any sense to me since we were not really using our legs for support. After doing the first set, the pain became almost unbearable. I had never experienced such excruciating pain in my foot like that ever before. As the pain got worse in my left, I noticed my right foot begin to cramp as well. I wasn't going to let this pain get to me as I understand the power of God to heal our physical bodies (I have been healed several times before). I had no doubt in my mind that I could be healed so I commanded the cramp to flee and my feet to be healed in Jesus' Name. After I spoke these words, it was as if they (the words) sank to the floor and penetrated my feet. Within a matter of seconds, I felt the pain start to ease and then it was completely gone! Allelujah! Glory be to the Lord our Healer!

Early this morning I received a message from a childhood friend who wanted to catch up. He started to tell me that he's been through some difficult times with his father and has been through a lot of disappointments lately. We started talking about some life lessons we learned and I shared a testimony with him on how the Lord has been there for me and pulled me through some things. He does not come from a religious background and said he has felt drawn to start going to church (this is something I would have never expected him to say in his lifetime). I invited him to come to Crossroads this Sunday and he replied, "Absolutely." Allelujah! I told him that he will receive something eternal and that he will be blessed. Please pray with me for the Lord to reveal Himself to Zach.