We are a power generation. - Rhema

Restoring One Lifeat a TimeMichelle was born to a prostitute. She never knew herfather and grew up rejected, angry, and confused. Bythe time she was 15, she had tried drugs, alcohol,and suicide and had given up a child for adoption.Shawn (‘85) andBy age 18, she was addicted to cocaine, crack, and crank and wasPaul CollierClayton, Alabamaheartbroken and empty.“I lived a life of devastation and was destroying everyone in my path,” Michelle said. “Thefinal straw was a horrific car accident. I was running from the police in a high-speed chase andthe car crashed going over 110 miles per hour. The driver was killed but my life was spared.”Today Michelle is a 32-year-old wife, mother, and minister. She has been married for 13years, has four children, and has been in full-time ministry for nine years. What changed herlife so dramatically? She went to Harvest Time Ministries in Clayton, Alabama, where ShawnSimmons-Collier took her under her wing.Rev. Shawn, a 1985 RHEMA Bible Training Center graduate, understood where Michellewas coming from. She herself was addicted to drugs and alcohol until she accepted Jesus as herSavior at the age of 26. “Rev. Shawn mentored me and showed me that no matter where I camefrom or how I entered this world, I was created for a purpose,” said Michelle, one of the firstgraduates from Harvest Time. “I wouldn’t be here today—or who I am today—had it not beenfor her faithfulness and her love for God and hurting girls.”Rev. Shawn opened Harvest Time, a Christian boarding school, in January 1996 and sincethen has helped more than 400 hurting girls. With students ranging in age from 11 to 22, theprogram lasts for 18 months, but some have stayed as long as six years.“We are a ministry dedicated to helping hurting young women who face life-controlling issues,”Rev. Shawn said. “Our purpose is to bring hope and healing to families where it seemsthat all hope has been lost. Once a girl comes into our ministry, she quickly learns that we aremore like a family than a facility. We provide our studentswith an opportunity to receive restoration and healingfrom a lifetime of hurts.”Emily grew up hating herself. When she was sevenyears old, her younger sister died, and the anger Emilyfelt fueled that hatred even more. With other family issuesfeeding that anger, Emily developed an eating disorder andwas cutting herself by the age of 16. “I became entrenchedin a vicious lifestyle of cutting and purging,” she said. “Mycuts were so deep I was admitted into the hospital five times for medical care. Between the agesof 16 and 20, I was admitted into 25 psychiatric hospitals. When I was 18, I tried to commitsuicide.”As Emily went through the Harvest Time program, her outlook on life changed completely.“I was so tired of the pain,” she said. “I learned that God was loving and that Jesus lovesme! A joy and peace filled my heart that I had never known. I learned who I wasin Christ and that I had a purpose and a destiny. I am so excited about myfuture. It’s so good to be free!”Rev. Shawn is thankful for the training she received at RHEMA.“I often wonder what would have happened if I had never gone toRHEMA, because I would have had no clue what to do,” she said. “Goingthere caused me to have the courage to rise up and do what Godcalled me to do.”Prayer Requests for Harvest Time Ministries• That the ministry’s needs are met• That the girls are released from the pain and shame of the past• That their families experience healing, provision, and restorationFor more information about Harvest Time Ministries, visitwww.HarvestTimeMinistriesInc.org.Once a girl comesinto our ministry, shequickly learns that weare more like a familythan a facility.MISSIONS‘They’re not going tolet this fire die!’Young people in this generation arehungry. Some are seeking to fill a voidin their lives by chasing after thingsof this world, such as drugs, sex, alcohol,and money. But there isa voice in this generationthat is crying out for God.Not religion. Not tradition. Not churchas it has been. They are crying out formore of Him.During Winter Bible Seminar 2010,the youth of this generation were wellrepresented and showed their hungerfor more of God. During one service,more than 100 young people simultaneouslystarted running across thefront of the RHEMA Bible Church Auditorium,praising God as they went.“We’ve got a lot of young peoplearound here who are not interested inchurch as usual,” Kenneth W. Haginsaid. “Somebody might ask, ‘Whyare they running?’ They’re runningbecause they’re happy. They’re runningbecause they’ve been set free.They’re running to stir themselves upbecause they know they have an enemyto face out there.“Some places are trying to quietthem down,” Rev. Haginadded. “I’ve been asked, ‘Doyou encourage it?’ Yeah!I’m trying to rev them up!They’re not goingto let this firedie!”rhema.org 17