These are encounters with three different ladies. The first one– Anita -I  came across in a town shopping centre.  She was working at a promotional stand which meant she had to stand – all day.  When I asked her how she was doing, Anita explained that her legs were really sore from being on her feet so much. Her level of discomfort was high – 4 / 5.   I offered to pray for this leg discomfort to go and she readily accepted!  She said she did have faith but was struggling.  We didn’t have long, as Anita was working alongside another colleague who was also her manager.  Pointing at her legs, I commanded all the pain and discomfort to leave and for freshness and strength to come in their place.  The prayer probably lasted twenty seconds.  Anita checked out her legs, shifting weight from one to the other, and told me the discomfort had all gone!  “All of it!?”  I asked – “Yes! they feel fine now”!  Hallelujah! 

I had a sense that there was something more that Father wanted to do for Anita, so offered to pray briefly for her.  She happily accepedt.. I found myself praying for joy to return as a special hallmark of her life, just as it had been when she was a child.  That she was the daughter who brought particular joy to her mother, the one who most made her mother smile.  Just as she has been a special joy-gift to her mother, she will go on to bring that same joy to others in her own family in the future. 

Anita then told me with tears running down her face that this was all too true, she had been that special daughter to her mother -  who had passed away just the week before, due to Covid complications.  Anita was unable to have any time off work to grieve this recent loss, as she was the sole bread winner in the family.  So here she was, in a job that required her to stand all day, needing to smile and engage passers-by.  How her uncomplaining courage and quiet strength impacted me. And how tender and timely was God’s kindness, as He showed Anita that He knows her every struggle.  He cares about her special closeness to her Mum, how significantly her joy had blessed her Mum’s life and how that joy would be restored to bless her own family.  His concern is such that He would even send a stranger to assure her of this, so she would be comforted in her current loss. 

I left Anita with a smile on her dear face and the knowledge that her Heavenly Father really does know and care for her – past, present and future. 

The next two special daughters I encountered in Croatia, during a recent trip there.  

One was at a sort of market stall in a small seaside town.  I was intrigued by the artwork around this stall, which seemed to feature scripture verses and Christian symbols, though the stall was selling beauty products.  The stall holder was a lovely young lady “Eva”.  When I asked her if she was a believer in Jesus, she told me about encountering Jesus and being forgiven and set free by Him at a time of intense spiritual darkness in her life, including witchcraft and abuse. She is now a radical follower and lover of Jesus, who uses her beauty stall to talk to others about Him.  

Eva wanted to know about my own encountering of others in the market-place and I told her of my passion to encourage people prophetically or to pray for healing from pain and sickness.  She exclaimed “Oh, is there a message God might give you for me”?!  Pausing a few seconds, I told her what I felt I “saw” for her – a heart locket on a gold chain, the kind that could hold a photo inside.  The chain had become broken, however, and the locket unwearable.  Then I saw the hand of Jesus holding a flame to the chain, like a soldering flame that was pure and holy and healing, to mend the chain so the locket could be worn again.

I sensed this was about a specific relationship that had broken Eva’s heart in some way, someone she had once carried close to her heart.  Father was mending the chain and bringing healing and purity from that past affection so that Eva could go on to carry and enjoy a whole-hearted relationship in the future.  

When I spoke this out, Eva started crying and told me she knew exactly who this was about and explained a little of how her heart had been badly broken in a relationship some years ago.  She was bowled over at the love and grace of the Father to give her this promise of His heart-healing, even through a passing stranger.  Hope was rising now, fresh confidence that, in due time, she could trust her heart in relationship again -  in a pure, whole way.  

What an honour to release Father’s message of hope and healing to this beautiful Croatian daughter.

The final “heart appointment”” was a few days later, still in Croatia, this time on a river boat!  As we made our way down a beautiful river in the heart of the countryside, my eye was drawn to another passenger sitting on her own further down the boat.   As I watched her, I felt I could see the word “Worship” literally written all over her, moving around her from top to toe and in every direction!  This was something written over her life.  I felt I had to go and tell her!  

Wandering over casually (!) I commented to her on the beauty of the riverside scene and asked her if she was on holiday.  She had just come from France where her family live, though she had also lived and worked in the UK.  Her father was unwell, and she had been visiting him.  Her name was Claire.

 I asked Claire if she was a woman of faith and her reply was “Well, I used to be”.  I had a sense that she had come from a family of faith in Jesus.  I explained that I was a Christian and how `I felt Jesus had shown me that worship was “written” all over her.  The Heavenly Father had put that gift inside her to lead others in worship, and when she did, they would come into the very Presence of God Himself. This worship gifting wasn’t just about singing but something way bigger, way more significant.  Claire was tearing up and kept saying “Is this true?  This is amazing.  I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much”.  

We had a further chat and I promised Claire I would keep praying for her poorly Papa who has a degenerative condition and for whom her heart has been breaking.   The whole encounter only lasted minutes, but the sense of Eternity invading the now was very tangible, the rest of the boat seemed to fade away as if we were the only two people on it.  Then the encounter was over and we all disembarked.  

How wonderfully Heaven invades Earth, right in the middle of ordinary towns, streets – or rivers!   

If any of these testimonies connect with you and your situation in some way – take them for yourself!  Own them as His love message just to you - to do for you what He did for those in the testimonies you’ve just read:  Comforting you on the loss of a loved one and showing you your special significance in their life; healing pain especially in sore, tired legs,; mending a broken heart through the pure, Holy fire of His love so you can love and be loved again, or awakening a gift of worship – even of faith - that may have lain dormant in you, .  I would love to hear YOUR testimony in the days to come!  

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.  What He has done for another – He can do it for you!  Ask and receive!