Ministry Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Mordecai Project:

It’s difficult to grasp how quickly life changed when the coronavirus crisis hit the world in mid-March. I’m sure your world is reeling, just like mine is. In early March I was traveling and preaching like normal. Then suddenly everything shut down, and my schedule was canceled. We aren’t sure how we will manage things, but Deborah and I are praying for you. Please let us know how you are doing!

One thing is for certain: Jesus is on the throne. That isn’t changing! He is the same today, yesterday and forever. Proverbs 18:10 says: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into is and is safe.” Everyone today is worried about contagion and social distancing. Even churches are closed. But the Lord’s shelter remains. I am so grateful for His protection and comfort during this time of anxiety.

It’s hard to believe that just a month ago I was meeting in Florida with a lively group of men who attended our Bold Venture discipleship retreat. Below you can see the guys who came for three days of intense fellowship, teaching and worship. These gatherings just get better every time. (I sensed an unusual amount of warfare before it started—now that we are facing a global pandemic I understand why!)

One very special thing about this event was the number of men who came from overseas. Below you can see me with Stephen from Sweden, Moses from Uganda and Kelechi from Nigeria. All these men worked very hard to raise the funds for their tickets and visas. If this event had happened just a few weeks later they would not have been able to come!

The ministry times during Bold Venture were very special. Below you can see my trusted ministry assistant, Paul Muzichuk, praying for a young man at the altar. Our teaching sessions dealt with marriage, sexual purity, and emotional healing, and we also challenged the men to step out of timidity into God’s boldness so they can be decisive and courageous leaders. God did so much at those altars. I know lives were changed permanently.

Being back in Florida was especially meaningful for me because I got to reconnect with some of the young men I have discipled there over the years. Below is a group of guys I lovingly refer to as “the A Team” because their names all have As in them. They are Felipe Amorim, David Abraham, Antione Ashley and Arthur Nascimiento. I am so proud of these men. Seeing them grow spiritually makes everything else worth it!

After Bold Venture I traveled to northern Michigan to speak at New Life Christian Fellowship in Alpena. They had four inches of snow on the ground, but that didn’t stop the locals from coming to the special events planned for the weekend. Below you can see pastors Gary and Michelle Smith, who warmly welcomed me into their church (and their home) and quickly became lifelong friends. I am so blessed by the relationships God gives me during these trips.

We had a powerful all-day women’s conference in Alpena. The women packed the church, and they were so hungry for affirmation and healing. I think we could have gone for three days! I got so encouraged seeing how God is moving there. We had women from many different denominational backgrounds including Catholics, Baptists and everything in between. Many women were filled with the Holy Spirit, too.

While at the Michigan church I also did a special men’s event. Below you can see me with some of the guys I connected with there including Luke, Cliff and Daniel. I am staying in touch with these guys and I believe I will be back at this church one day—after we get past this crazy virus scare!

Below you can see me with one of my best friends in the world, Chris Maxwell. He is the campus pastor at Emmanuel College, where I did a series of chapels in early March. Chris actually served as campus pastor when two of my daughters attended Emmanuel more than 10 years ago. It was wonderful to get to invest in so many young leaders.

I spoke in four different chapels and classes, but my favorite event was a worship and ministry night held in the campus coffee shop. At campus chapels, not everyone wants to be there because the event is mandatory. But as this Wednesday night event, only those who are hungry for God attend. There is a remnant of students at Emmanuel who are very hungry for God! I spoke on allowing the gifts of the Holy Spirit to flow through you—and they wanted that! I prophesied over many students and God was encouraging them so much. (They had no idea that when they went home for Spring break the next week they would not be coming back to the campus because of the coronavirus.)

The next week I went to Pennsylvania, where I have been traveling for 10 years to teach at Randy Clark’s Global School of Supernatural Ministry. I taught for three days on Biblical Foundations for Women in Ministry, Character and Anointing, and Relational Discipleship. It was one of the best groups of students ever! Below you can see a group of these students who went with me the following weekend when I did a Holy Spirit conference at a nearby church, Freedom Community Church in Shrewsbury.

I love when I can take a younger disciple with me on these ministry trips. Below I am with Adam Morris, who went with me to Pennsylvania. Adam and his wife have been missionaries to Russia, and today they continue their work in the Slavic world from a base in Florida. Adam was a great support to me as we ministered to people at the school and the church conference.

Finally I wanted to show you this photo below of me with my mentor of 45 years, Barry St. Clair. Barry started mentoring me when I was only 15 years old. He taught me how to have time alone with God and to invest my life in others. He has been an incredible role model throughout my life. I was able to drive over to Atlanta last weekend and visit him and his wife, Lawanna, for several hours. I owe this man so much!

While we were together I told Barry that because I am essentially grounded for the next month (or more?), I am going to write my next book during April. It is a book about relational discipleship. Barry prayed for this book, and he is going to write the foreword to it. I am asking you to pray with me as well. I didn’t know when I would find the time to write it, but God has provided the time (in a way I never expected!)

Finally, please be in pray for all of our international ministry partners. We are covering all of them in prayer during this pandemic. Cases of the coronavirus have been rising in Pakistan, where we have recently launched a project. Peru is on total lockdown. All church meetings have been canceled in Kenya and Uganda. Please pray that God will protect our directors in all of the affected countries—and watch over the girls in our home in India.

Below you can see two of the girls we are helping with school fees in Moi’s Bridge, Kenya. They are Mary (left) and Beatrice. We are also building a girls’ dorm at the school where our project is based. Our work continues even when the world has stopped!

Here are our most urgent prayer requests:

** Obviously with all travel halted, my income is greatly affected. I get the bulk of my salary from speaking engagements, so that means my biggest income stream has stopped for now. We know that everyone’s finances are affected by the virus crisis. But if you are able to send a love gift during this time, we would greatly appreciate it.

** I am very concerned about my mother. Last week her nursing home went on total lockdown, so I am not able to visit her like I have in the past. This has been very difficult for me. I know she is being cared for, but I normally have lunch with her every day and I have not talked to her for more than a week. Since she has dementia, I am sure she is confused about why I am not there.

** Please also pray for the remaining funds needed for our projects in India, Guatemala and Peru. And pray for my friend James who is busy working on grant proposals.

** We would also like to pray for you during this pandemic. Please reply and let us know if you have special needs.

Thank you again for believing in this ministry. We are so grateful for your love and support, and we really need your prayers. We appreciate your commitment to us. We are going to survive this crisis!

Lee and Deborah Grady

The Mordecai Project
P.O. Box 2781
LaGrange, GA 30241