STORIES OF IMPACT
To my friends and supporters of Strong Disciple
I wanted to share several stories with you that I trust will bless and encourage your heart. Your generous support and eternal investment in God’s kingdom work through Strong Disciple is having a wonderful impact.
I am extremely grateful for your love and support. What a joy and privilege it is to serve each of you through this vital ministry.
All for Christ. All I’ve got! Till the very end!
Pastor Mark @Strong Disciple
Father Strong – Love Strong – Be The Man God Wants You To Be
I met Pastor Mark at the 1990 GC Christmas conference in Indianapolis. I was actually in Indianapolis for another Christmas conference. But I wandered over the street and, through a friend I knew, was granted an ID badge and attended their Christmas conference instead.
When I looked at the list of available talks, I was amazed to find Pastor Mark’s topic “Feeling Good About You”. Finally, something relevant that I deeply cared about, something I really needed to hear! In a long list of very Christian-sounding seminars, this one stuck out to me. Like Jesus, who healed the sick and fed the poor, Pastor Mark was offering something that really made a difference to me!
Although I’d never heard of Pastor Mark Darling, I attended all his seminars and then purchased the cassette tapes. Those tapes accompanied me over the next years, through many trials, encouraging me to know that I was completely loved and forgiven by God, that God is always for me, and that there is always a second chance.
Much time passed and I was not in touch with Pastor Mark at all. It was just that one conference, that one year. But he was on my mind, how his simple messages had touched me, and what an impact they’d had on my life.
Fast forward to the year 2022. I found the Strong Disciple website and reached out to Pastor Mark to thank him for how much these truths had meant to me. That was my sole purpose (so I thought), but since that time Pastor Mark has engaged me with his servant heart, his love for Christ, and his desire to help me with a relationship issue I have.
Since that time, we have exchanged many, many emails, and I’ve begun listening to the hundreds of talks that I’d missed over the last 30 years. Almost 450 hours worth so far! In addition, I have also read many of his profound Thoughts Provoking articles.
The relationship issue is still not solved, but Pastor Mark has helped me to see it from many different perspectives and ensure that any decision we make is based on wisdom and honors God.
But the most important aspect of this new connection with Pastor Mark is a much closer walk with Jesus Christ! There are so many things which I desperately needed in my life and didn’t even realize. I’ve begun to pray much more often, tapping into this incredible resource which is God. I’ve begun to read the Bible much more effectively, and am amazed at how relevant, how encouraging, and how practical His Word is. Pastor Mark also prays for me daily, is always available with personal advice, always ready to serve his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
Pastor Mark, thank you that through the many trials, you never quit.
Every day I thank the Lord for the treasure of your life’s work, and what it means to me.
I’ll close with my deepest gratitude, and admiration for your life, your life’s work, and what it has meant for the world and me. YOU made a difference! YOU chose for Christ! YOU stayed the course! YOU chose to love God over all else!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
D – from the North
GOD ANSWERS PRAYER
In 2012 a young man walked through the doors of my church service. I met him afterwards and he shared with me it was his first service, that he was in a rehab program, a few blocks away. The judge in another state had sent him to this program. He was eager to learn, grow in faith, and soon got baptized. It was a joy to watch him blossom in his faith.
Suddenly everything changed, when for no apparent reason he was taken from the program, and sentenced to 10 years in prison, with no possibility of parole! This was stunning and heartbreaking, for if you knew the details as I do, you would realize how incredibly unjust this federal sentence was. I stayed in touch with this young man through letters for the next 10 years. Praying regularly for him. In Sept. of 2021 he was finally released and able to move back to his home.
He and I speak every Saturday morning. However, the Parole officer assigned to him has been horrible. There is no doubt whatsoever she has an evil agenda, based on all the conversations I have had with this young man, and what has occurred. She wouldn’t let him find a job, she wouldn’t let him find a church, and she was incredibly harsh and disrespectful to his parents and their appeals. She threatened him and his parents that if they got any legal advice regarding her restrictions she would have him moved away from his family. As you can imagine this has been incredibly discouraging for this young man and very difficult to persevere through.
Every day for 11 months, I have been praying for him that God would remove this woman and give him a new parole officer who wanted to help him succeed. Just last week, he called to tell me “Pastor Mark, last week I came home to find a business card on my front door. It was from a brand new parole officer telling me she was new on my case, and to call her. Within 24 hours, she texted me to let me know she was approving my attendance to the new church I’ve longed to go to.” The turnaround of events was astounding.
Friends, God answers prayers. Never, ever, ever stop praying and asking. Never.
I am praising God for his goodness to my good friend.
I hope these stories were a blessing and encouragement to you today. Daily prayer is a vital part of my ministry work as I pray for so many of you. I never, ever take a vacation from prayer.
May God continue to bless and strengthen each and every one of you.
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling
