Bruce Marchiano’s Journal

Today while praying, I just became overwhelmed with thankfulness – overwhelmed to the point of tears.  The line that hit me in the middle of it was, “I could cry for thankfulness for God.”

 I’ve been moving through an incredibly challenging period in terms of demands on my time, family responsibility, huge decisions to make in fresh direction re JOHN, and the pressures of planning a South Africa Crusade and meeting those resource needs while not “seeing it happening” in front of my eyes.  There’s much more I can say, but you get the idea.

 While I was in Africa in May the Lord really spoke to me about “ordering” things in the ministry and also personally.  Not being a confrontational person, being one who doesn’t like to disappoint people or hurt feelings, it is easy for things to slip into “out of order,” and the Lord clearly showed me what needed to be done. 

 It was going to take a step of strong leadership and risk, and more than anything, the Lord going before me.  But it had to be.  And on top of that, staying on top of deadlines and commitments, keeping the train going, being the encourager, the visionary, the leader of the charge, the man responsible for sustaining all that has been built and moving toward what is before us…  I can promise you, “it ain’t so easy” all the time.

 But I gritted my teeth, got on my knees, and forced myself to step out.  Part of that was relinquishing the intercessory leadership to Johnnie Goolsby, and other areas of delegation (after pretty much doing it all myself for more than a decade).  And now here we are, only 3 1/2 months later, and all things are in order, all cylinders are cooking, I’m significantly less overwhelmed, people around me are stepping to a strong and parallel beat… I am so humbled and so thankful I don’t know what to say.  

 But on top of that, just to look back and see the Lord’s extraordinary faithfulness in bringing all things together, in making things happen that are beyond human control, of taking what little offering was in my hands and turning it into something wonderful. 

This new JOHN promo video shoot that I just completed is a prime example.  It was scheduled for Saturday but on Thursday I only had one “actor” confirmed, no location, and the script was little more than an outline.  Yes, it took several nights of working into the morning, and it took the help of many others… but on Saturday morning there we were shooting with 10 actors, a crew, and the co-operation of the local merchants in front of whose businesses we were shooting.  And there’s loads more – the Lord not only sent me great actors but they were wonderful, exciting Christians whose on-screen presence and passion took the whole thing into “exceedingly and abundantly” territory, well beyond my expectations.

 And that is just not all.  Most of you know that my mother’s care is my responsibility and so going to Africa for 3 weeks can be quite the hair-puller.  But here I sit a week before I fly, and she is perfectly ordered, secured and all set – not only secured but she’s going to have a ball.  And then the spiritual battle to see the full crusade budget come in – you people have been so wonderfully faithful – and the Lord through you.  I have zero doubt the budget will be met.

And so today I sat down to pray – after getting to bed before 1 AM for the first time in many days – and all of the above just overwhelmed me.  All I could think to pray was thanks, thanks, and more thanks.  And I got so emotional with thanks that there were no words, oh glory to the name of Jesus!  God has brought all things in perfect order, fulfilled all needs, exceeded expectations, done the impossible… and I am just entirely overwhelmed.  Glory to His name!

 May this be an encouragement to you, my friends, for “God is not a respecter of persons.” Whatever you may be facing, may your face be turned to Jesus.  May the veil be lifted that your eyes may fully see the fullness of his hand as you cry out and cry out even more.  And may a spirit of thankfulness overcome us all – may it bring us all to tears, for this is how we must always be before God – overwhelmed, blown away, amazed and astounded… by his living care and graciousness, by his perfection of faithfulness and abounding bounty unto us… in all things, in all ways, glory to the name of Jesus!

 God bless you, precious one.  Eyes on Jesus, all of us together.  What challenges you face – hey, there’s nothing you can do to tackle them yourself – we simply don’t have the goods – and so there is only to cry out to Jesus and keep crying out to Jesus; crying out while declaring your inadequacy joyously… and then watch him do as only he can do.  Glory to the name of Jesus!

 Standing together in his glorious name!!   

Glory to the name of Jesus!

Bruce Marchiano

As most of you know, there isn’t one piece of mail that doesn’t come across my desk that I don’t see.  A long time ago, when my public life was just beginning here in America, I sat with a well known worship leader and I will never forget his words – words that are one of my cornerstones in terms of my professional life to this day.  He said, “Bruce, whatever you do, don’t let anyone come between you and the people.  Don’t ever forget, it’s all about those people – about the Lord and about his people.” 
 
It was a comment that came on the heels of a discussion about how often that which carries the appearance of ministry is more business in actuality and practice, with the involvement of business managers, publicists, agents, etc.  (Show me where all that is in the Scriptures – yikes!).
 
All to say, I read everything.  Yes, some things are a little “out there,” and occasionally I receive something that is much too long to read every word (just last week I received a letter that was 49 pages – hand written!).  One has to discern and be a good steward of his time – especially when time has become such a rare thing for me.  But for all practical purposes, nothing gets by me.  Amen!
 
Over the years I have received SO many deeply touching letters, cards, emails… most of them testimonies to the workings of God in people’s lives.  I have said it many times, it is those testimonies that keep me going in this pursuit that so often boils down to one sacrifice after the other, glory to Jesus!
 
People also send me their stories, and also encouragement – which I so appreciate.  And then every once in a while I receive something that carries such a precious spirit of humility, grace, simple obedience, quiet and private pursuit of the heart of God…  You know, there are a lot of people who receive all sorts of accolades for their Christianity – and then there are the “real” people, who just go about the business of living daily life in Christ.  “The sparrow,” as Jesus phrased it – “[The Father's] eye is on the sparrow.”  To read a letter from such a heart always touches me very deeply.
 
Well, I came across a letter today that I actually received a week or two weeks ago and only now got around to looking at it.  It’s written on yellow legal pad paper, and it included a plastic bag full of change (for John) – $1.30 to be exact. 
 
I assumed it was from a child because I often receive little envelopes with change or a couple dollars from kids – and that is so very beautiful.  But the letter and the change wasn’t from a kiddie.  And as I began to read, it was everything in me to restrain tears as I was taken back to “what it’s all about,” by the humble preciousness of a humble saint – who represents so many of you who so humbly and graciously support and pray. 
 
With the hope of returning all of us to that heart place where we all need to be – with the hope of taking us all back to that “what it’s all about”… 
 
Dear Bruce,
 
I must admit this seems odd for me to send a baggie of change – but there’s a story behind these coins.  A year or so ago, I heard Dr. Jack Hayford preach a sermon he called, “The Parable of the Pennies.”  Basically, he said he began to find pennies in the strangest places – some were in the open but overlooked and ignored.  Others were found in the shadows, hidden and forgotten.  Some came from dirty places and were covered with dirt; others had been run over and were bent, scratched, faded…
 
Through his message he shared that the Lord showed him that those pennies are like souls.  Each lost, useless and worthless in people’s eyes, not “living” the purpose for which they were designed and created.  Each had value, etc., and yet the whole world just passed them by, stepping on them, looking at them and deciding not to bother with them, even throwing them out…
 
I’ve never forgotten that message, and since hearing it I seem to find change everywhere.  In the past I would always walk by it, but since that message, whenever I see a penny on the ground or wherever, I pick it up and pray for the soul that it represents. (Perhaps my prayers carry more weight when it’s a dime or a nickel!).
 
So this bag is a collection of all found coins.  You will see that many are in bad shape.  Some you even can’t recognize that it was a penny.  But each coin has caused me to stop and pray for the lost.  Since this is what John is all about, I’m sending them to you.  It’s a small offering, I know, but I plant it in “good soil”…
 
What can I say, except a penny on the ground, no matter how soiled, how defaced, how seemingly worthless… will never look the same to me.  I hope that I will never walk by one ever again, without such precious, precious, God-birthed understanding.  And I would hope further that you would share that hope with me.  
 
Glory to Jesus…