After the Lord gave me the privilege and joy of writing Gentle Whispers from Eternity and it was published in March 2013, I began praying that God would bless this book to change lives and glorify His name around the world. This prayer is being answered in amazing ways.
Gentle Whispers from Eternity has now been published in Urdu, the language spoken by millions in Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The book is currently being translated into Telugu, the primary language spoken in India’s second largest province; publication is scheduled for later this year. Jesudas David, missionary translating the book into Telugu, said he believes the book “will create a spiritual atmosphere in the Christian world in India and also around the globe.” Olga Tsifrynets, who teaches in a seminary in Kiev, has expressed her desire and intention to translate the book into Ukrainian and Russian. Veronika Lihov, who ministers to the homeless in Crimea, has offered to translate the book into Russian. I praise God for working in the hearts of these people to get His Word out to the world through this book.
It is exciting to know that Jamil Thomas, translator of Gentle Whispers from Eternity into Urdu, is distributing the book to individuals, pastors, priests, teachers, churches, and institutes. Pastor Thomas has given several lectures on the introduction and purpose of the book to people of various religions. Readers are sharing that they have been encouraged by the book. A bishop in Faislabad said he uses the book to prepare his sermons. A priest in Toba Tek Singh said he “found the book very, very beneficial.” A reader in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, wrote “I have done proof reading of many Christian books, but I found this very much different. The first time in my life I truly felt that Jesus is the only God and Lord. Every day I use it in my morning prayer; it seems to be the second Bible.” These stories excite me and encourage me to keep sharing the book every way I can. It is clear that my prayer that the book have worldwide impact is being answered.
For a couple of months, I had no contact with Jamil, and wondered why—perhaps he was heavily involved in other ministry projects (you can see how comprehensive his work is by checking his website www.Aim4Faith.org. Then last week I received an email, sending pictures of people who had received copies of Gentle Whispers from Eternity, in which he said “we had very bad days after 11th January. I wanted to write email, but I was not able to write you.” When I asked, “Do you mean bad weather?” he responded: “No, my wife and I were coming back from villages where we had distributed Bibles and Gentle Whispers from Eternity to 30 people, when a group of militants attacked us, beat us badly, and took my laptop, camera, books, Bibles and motorbike. I was in hospital for 3 days and my wife remained there more than a week, so depressed and worried that she had a heart attack and stayed there 15 more days in ICU. We were out of the home and they broke into our home and took my desktop computer and printer from my office. Then they sent me a letter to stop preaching and stop distributing Bibles, Gentle Whispers from Eternity, and other Christian material. Thank God we are okay now and God has given us our lives back to proclaim His Word among the nation like Pakistan.”
When I asked Jamil for permission to share his story, he replied, “Yes, brother Johnny. You can share it with many more people, we need your prayers. What a wonderful thing if people from another continent pray for us in Pakistan.”
I have been thanking God for His marvelous answer to my prayer that He would bless, with a global influence, the book He inspired me to write. Now I’m earnestly praying for Jamil Thomas and his wife, faithful servants of Jesus Christ—that God will protect them as the apple of His eye and hide them in the shadow of His wings. Will you join me in prayer for their spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being? Please also join me in prayer for Jesudas David in India, Olga Tsifrynets in Ukraine, and Veronika Lihov in Crimea—that God will give them grace to persevere in their translation goals of Gentle Whispers from Eternity—for His glory alone.
“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11 NLT)
Johnny R. Almond
Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity
Interim Pastor, Nomini Baptist Church; Montross, Virginia
Blog & book info http://GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com/
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