A dear friend of my wife and I was going through a very difficult time with her father’s health and the step mother going off the rails with spending for her son TO ENABLE his drug use to put the story mildly. The father was heart broken over this situation. However, upon my arrival to visit this family my focus was to share Christ with the Father since he openly said he did not have a relationship with Christ. He said he wasn’t quite ready yet to receive Christ. BUT…. His daughter spoke up and said, “I’M READY. I WANT TO RECEIVE CHRIST”. This was a beautiful encounter with the daughter weeping as she cried out to receive Christ as her SAVIOR!!!
FRUIT SOMETIMES HAPPENS SIMPLY BY HOSTING HIM WELL
This testimony below came from a good friend of mine Andy Hendrickson’s wife Monica. She was just passing this along to me to let me know of a young lady who was impacted. That I didn’t even remember coming in contact with.
From MONICA HENDRICKSON “I stopped by the salon in Walmart to visit my friend the stylist. I was explaining to her that Facebook changed policy to one name only. The person getting her hair done (a stranger) just got out of Rayville women’s prison, LAST NIGHT!
She didn’t understand what I was explaining, so I thought that you would not mind me showing your profile to explain. She immediately stopped me and started to weep. She said she met you last week. She was scared and didn’t know what was next for her. Seeing your face just reinforced she is going to be ok. Thanks for doing the work you do! God Bless You!
Kenya Africa Testimony
Update of the great mission held in Meru from 23rd-26th August 2018.
9/9/2018
There was this youth who going home after work. He, was not aware of the meetings but as he was taking a motorbike home, he heard Hannah Bass sing....(I forgot the song about how great the name of Jesus is) and decided to go and listen. he said that as Hannah was singing that song he saw as if Jesus was standing on the right side of Hannah nodding His head and the young man just found himself crying. He came to the church on Sunday and committed himself to become a member of this church. May the Lord bless Hannah. She is young but she is serious with what she is doing. Very humble and divinely connected.
FREE INDEED - BY KENNETH MCCORMICK
Monday, December 17, 2018:
I recently received word from Kenneth McCormick of his testimony of how our time in prayer together seemed to really help him. I had no idea the impact it made on him since I was only able to spend a few brief moments with Kenneth rather than a typical 4-hour prayer session. I asked Kenneth for permission to share his recent testimony and he agreed to allow me to share it with you to share with others. Whit Bass
Here is Kenneth's Testimony.
After my session with you, brief though it was, I realized that I had the same ability to speak to these strongholds and pull them down. Not just strongholds but any handhold I have given the enemy in the past. As I went about my life, God was faithful to reveal further strongholds and foot holds of the enemy. Using the same technique described in the Bible and what I saw in you, I went about a good deal of spiritual warfare. Everything from inappropriate language, pornography as I was being sent sexting nude pictures on my cell phone from people I didn’t know or had ever meet, from wanting to argue with God, from taking His Grace for granted at times, to showing love instead of anger. Every one of these things were brought low before Christ in me being made a footstool beneath His feet. Every time I did this, the desire, the temptation, the ungratefulness, it all left me and I have yet to be attacked in these areas since to include the sexting that began out of nowhere and ended the day, I spoke freedom by the Blood of Jesus to it. It may sound crazy but the results were liberating in me both physically and spiritually. I had no idea I could live this free.
STORIES AND TESTIMONIES
Man comes forward for prayer who had hung himself but did not succeed in taking his life at HOPE CHAPEL SERVICES 2-27-18 in Jonesboro Hodge
Hope Chapel in Jonesboro Hodge is a ministry led by Michael Brakefield. Michael graduated from Teen Challenge himself and would later accept the call to minister to others who would need help transitioning back into society.
Last night at Hope Chapel in Jonesboro Hodge - Hannah Bass and Ryan Evans led worship through the night while a young man named Zack from the Lafayette area who serves as an intern for Teen Challenge spoke to the audience. There was a great atmosphere of expectation. At the end of Zack's message I stood up to call the Teen Challenge participants and other attendees in the crowd to come out of Darkness and into HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT. I made a really strong yet brief appeal that the broken was to become the solution. (Isaiah 61)
Soon after this I called for prayer. The altars streamed with response for prayer. In particular, I had one young man named Kevin who came to me for prayer with his head down and said, "I know I'm not worthy for prayer but I need prayer for healing... I'm having pain in my body. I'm not worthy for help because I hung myself but did not succeed in the suicide attempt.... "
I told him that he was worthy. I said you are a son of God right? He said yes. I asked him - have you ever repented for trying to take your life.... He wasn't sure if he ever had... So I led him in a prayer of repentance. I then cancelled all death curses and generational curses off of his life along with prayers of consecration and healing over his emotions and soul. I then prayed that he receive healing and enduement by the Resurrection Power. The Power of God hit me as I laid hands on him. The spirit of God flowed over the two of us while I prayed. After we prayed I forgot to ask him about his health or pain issue, but this man had a powerful encounter with love, power and the Holy Spirit in that moment. I was simply the CONDUIT that Father God used. It was very fulfilling.
As Kevin was leaving along with other Teen Challenge young men, I noticed his face was totally different. He wasn't holding his head down in shame any longer. His face was beaming with hope and joy. He had encountered a Holy God. I said, "Kevin, this is a new day. You are a new man..." He said, "yes"... with a great smile on his face....
Kingdom work is EXHILARATING!!!
Whit Bass
1 ADDICTED TO METH GOES TO DETOX ON SAME NIGHT 3 DECIDE TO BE BAPTIZED August 24, 2017
Last Thursday evening on August 17 while ministering to a mom and dad who had reached out to me bc of a wayward 20 something year old - I received a text from my wife at about 830 PM. I was still with the parents visiting when Michelle sent me a txt asking me if I could go and visit a young lady who has been living in a storage building unit in West Monroe. My wife had not planned on attending the celebrate recovery services in Rayville last Thursday evening - yet when she did attend the Lord would arrange for her to be able to pray with the mom of the young lady who has suffered with Meth and drug addiction. I agreed to drive on over to pray with this young lady. Surprisingly the young lady was receptive to me and our visit. We visited for at least 45 minutes and she joined me in prayer before I left. There was also one other part of the story. This young lady had an ex girl friend who brought crazy bread and pizza to her as I was leaving. Its a great reminder that the church should always be generous and not be out loved by the world. Its also a picture of how the enemy seeks to keep each person in bondge.
While speaking and ministering in Jonesboro Hodge last night at Hope Capel, I received a txt from a family member that the young lady who I visited last Thur night with a Meth addiction relented and went to a detox location. Pls pray with me that she will follow thru with attending a spiritually based rehab and that she will have such an encounter with her ABBA that she will be forever changed.
In Jonesboro last night I felt such pleasure and fulfillment preaching on the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit moved exceptionally. 3 teen boys were moved to receive prayer then wanted to be baptized right that moment. Thru out the church after the msg the people turned and began praying with and for one another. It was so rejuvenating to see this. Many stood to receive prayer for more boldness. We then drove to a neighborhood home at night time to perform a baptism in a swimming pool. This is what we began calling the New Normal last night. Car headlights shining on the 3 young men as they each were baptized. Hannah also ministered in song beautifully and God gave her a newsong while leading worhip during invitation time. Beautiful Night of Celebration.
Michael Brakefields ministry is called Hope Chapel. He seeks to reach those who have been broken so that they may be restored. He was recently given a former church building. Below are the pics taken of the baptismal candidates.
PRAYER SESSIONS FOR MANY IN ONE FAMILY January 31, 2017
Just recently we’ve ministered to individuals dealing with past abuse, gender and identity confusion issues, marital difficulties, and drug abuse to name a few. One testimony involves a single individual that asked me to minister prayer to her brother. So I prayed with her brother in regard to drug abuse and a number of other issues. He was addicted to Crystal Meth. He started using marijuana at the age of 17 and started using the harder stuff when he was about 27 or 28 and has been battling drug addiction of some form for the last 15 years. He has been free of the desire to do these drugs since we prayed 3 to 4 months ago. Here are HER words to describe how our prayer session has helped.
“The prayers for me stopped my lifelong cycle of depression, it cycled around every 3 to 4 weeks. I would spend a week in heavy depression and then be okay for 3 to 4 weeks and then cycle again. I have had the cycle for most of my life, but I have been keenly aware of the cycle the last 7 to 8 years, but could not stop it. I have kept a journal and everything trying to ‘ward it off’ when it was time to come. Praying the freemason prayer broke this off of me. I can’t tell you how good God is when we get before in repentance for restoration.”
I also prayed for her son, her niece, herself, and now a sister is scheduled to drive down from Arkansas on a Saturday within the next few weeks. This is how the Lord works. We simply walk through doors that HE opens for us to walk through to bring Isaiah 61 / Luke 4 ministry to the family.
HE STILL RESCUES MINISTRY UPDATE JULY 2016
Brief Mission trip Report
Honduras Trip:
This trip to Honduras was the first time I was able to go out of country on mission with my 16 year old daughter Hannah. I had been to Honuras two other times while one of those trips was led by Ashton McIntyre as an XMA trip. This trip with Hannah will be a memory I shall never forget. This testimony below was written while I was still in Honduras so that I would not forget the details of what we were seeing.
There was an Elderly man that received sight after 10 years of sight loss after praying tonite at the end of our worship service at Pastor Dario's church in Olanchito, Honduras - Bill Feazel and I prayed for him. Helen my interpreter also was able to pray for someone and she witnessed a healing of pain removal from Dario's church.
Oranun Village:
There was an elderly lady that was healed of her hearing loss. After she received healing I then asked her to pray for the teen mute and deaf girl to be healed since the elderly lady with hearing loss received her healing. The Mute and Deaf girl was healed but some locals brought the deaf and mute girl back to us for more prayer after she had a bizarre attack and lost her sight temporarily. We believed it was of a witchcraft nature. We then prayed for her eye sight to come back. She went out for a bit. When she came back she had her sight back. There was also a young teen girl who had a tumor on her ankle that came for prayer. She said she had pain from the tumor. We prayed for the pain in the ankle to leave and it did. The tumor also shrank at that very moment of prayer. The GLORY of God was witnessed by all these past few days.
#REVIVALISHERE.
Whit Bass
HE STILL RESCUES MINISTRY UPDATE MAY 2016
Hello Friends from Whit!!!!!
The Rains Came …
Our family was highly encouraged by the Sheriff’s office to relocate out of our home due to rising waters from Big Creek where we live near Mangham when all of the flooding took place in March. Many of you helped us relocate and move our items out of our home as well as our in-laws in a singleday. A special thanks to Dix and Jan Johnston for hosting my in-laws AND Mike and Amy Clark for helping my family with the provision of a home that was available and unoccupied during our time of need. We will never be able to fully show our gratitude to so many of you who came to OUR RESCUE in the most literal term!! We are now back in our home and thankfully no harm was done to our home or properties due to the rains!!!
Seminary Complete!!!
I took my first seminary class at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in the spring of 1998. I attended a 2-hour Discipleship Strategy Class led by Clyde Hall and Michelle was able to go with me. I was serving at FBC Calhoun during this time and was encouraged to attend classes regularly by Pastor Neil Everett, but I didn’t take him up on his offer. I later attended one class while serving as Student Pastor at First Baptist Church West Monroe which put me at 5 hours total. IT was only after I was STRONGLY advised by a dear friend, Dr. Mike Walker, to complete seminary that I began the journey to finish the degree. About 7 years and 93 hours later I completed my degree with a 3.59 GPA. #GRATEFUL #RELIEVED #HAPPYHAPPYHAPPY J
Ministry Happenings
Baskin Baptist Church
Hannah and I have been afforded the opportunity to minister at Baskin Baptist Church numerous times while the church has been searching for a Pastor to take the place of Pastor Marion Spence. Hannah has had the opportunity to lead in worship there, while I have been privileged to fill the pulpit. Since we’ve been serving at Baskin there are a few “take-aways” that we’ve been able to witness. The newly elected pastor, Brian Rodgers, has been very bold by encouraging his congregation to step out in faith to put into practice what I’ve been sharing and preaching. One recent testimony involved one of their church members obeying the voice of God and praying for someone in public that they did not know. When the Baskin church member prayed for the person in public, they blessed the person in the exact way that they needed encouragement. The people of Baskin have been hungry for the word and they have exemplified such a sweet spirit!! We are very grateful for the opportunity to have served them in their time of need.
Project 41 Ministry to ladies who have been sex trafficked
I am wrapping up my class on Spiritual Warfare with the young ladies that I teach and will be moving in to a semester of teaching straight out of the Gospels. Walking these women out of all they’ve ever known isn’t easy. There have been so many unhealthy patterns in their life that truly introducing a new way of life can be daunting. Please continue to pray for my class participants to grow in their faith in the Lord. I’ve seen the Lord touch them. I’ve seen the Lord bring freedom to them. When there have been slips and falls spiritually we just keep moving forward. NO TURNING BACK!!! So please pray for these ladies to have a RESOLVE not to give up or back up. You are invited to attend any of our Worship Night Services that currently take place each 2nd Tuesday night of the MONTH.
Discipleship Continues…
We recently ministered in the Bawcomville area right outside the Dollar General located near Latin Foods Restaurant. Many were open to receive prayer and ministry while others were completely not interested or confused about why we wanted to pray for them. The Gospel is CONFRONTATIONAL… even when we seek to share it in love.
NEW ORLEANS… After graduation, our family went to celebrate graduation and Aaron-Sophia’s 8th birthday at Café Du Monde!! Afterwards, we decided as a family to go minister down on Bourbon Street. I wasn’t sure about Bourbon Street, but after Hannah and Michael Sartin ministered in the Jackson Square area, we moved on towards Bourbon Street. We also met a former youth that was actively involved with our ministry at FBC Calhoun and boy did we have a blast catching up with her!! Aimee Jackson was right there with us on Bourbon Street. We tried to leave Bourbon Street and once people figured out what we were doing, we had a hard time leaving because of folks wanting to receive prayer and ministry. Some were also confrontational. THE CROSS IS CONFRONTATIONAL. THE GOSPEL WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE DOMESTICATED.
Yesterday was a full day! We had the opportunity to minister to a group of young men that are part of a ministry associated with a local church in West Monroe. Hannah sang a few songs, I shared a bit and then our family prayed for the guys and adults there. What a great time being there and such an honor!!! Please pray for the young men that these leaders minister to each week. Those guys need a touch from the Lord! Last night after leaving Neil and Mei Power’s home, we decided to get a hot fudge sunday at the McDonald’s located near First West. After the inside closed at 11 p.m., I told Hannah I thought the Lord wanted her to sing to the employee and she agreed! So she went to get her guitar and binder and we went unplugged-- seated right in front of the counter at McDonald’s-- singing to the employees for about 45 minutes. We prayed with the employees and she gave specific words of encouragement to three different employees. One young man stood with his hands lifted high as Hannah prayed for him and tears streamed down his face. He said, “I was touched by God tonight.”
Please continue to pray for us as we minister as a family!!! We welcome all prayers and support. Many of you are monthly partners. Some may just be finding out about our ministry. Please visit our webpage www.hestillrescues.com. If you would like to give in any capacity all checks can be made to “Covenant Life Fellowship” in care of Whit Bass / Checks can be mailed to:
Whit Bass
548 Bobby Woods Rd.
Baskin, LA71219
With Much Gratitude,
Whit, Michelle, Hannah and Aaron Sophia Bass
MARCH 2016
Hello Friends,
I wanted to let you all know to please visit our webpage at www.hestillrescues.com for updates in our ministry. You are invited to check out recent blog posts by Michelle and other stories of rescue on the webpage.
"He Still Rescues" Hannah and I have had two opportunities the past 2 Sundays to minister in churches and we have six more opportunities to minister on Sunday mornings in the weeks to come at Baskin Baptist Church. We are seeing breakthrough and hunger in the eyes of those we have ministered.
I have ministered in recent days to some severe situations involving those who have received ministry that have had Sexual abuse, drug addictions, witchcraft involvement, and homosexuality bondages; one whose father was a grand wizard for KKK. As you can imagine, some of these cases were very severe. I am choosing to keep details vague for confidentiality purposes. Each session has ended with a "SMILE" on the face of those receiving ministry. In the beginning of the session those same persons anticipating ministry experienced stomach pains and severe anxiety.
Project 41 ministry(Trafficking Ministry) is now in phase 2 of the next biblical foundations study and the ladies I've continued to minister to are moving forward and receiving greatly from the Lord. We are seeing breakthrough and victory. Any are welcome to join us on the Second Tuesday evening at 6 pm of this month at the Project 41 building on March 8 for our worship night. I will be leading the night with a word from the Lord along with someone designated to lead us in worship. We've been blessed to have Bradley Bridges and Naomi Holder in the past two worship nights. All are welcome to join us!! We covet your continued prayers and are grateful for the Lord's protection and provision.
Recent salvations: I was asked by a friend to go visit her fiancé’s daughter Erica in Franklin Parish Detention Center. Erica had never trusted Christ as her Savior. I was able to take her a book titled “Soul Decree” by Katie Souza. She read the book and in a matter of about 3 days she found Christ in the midst of reading the book. When I arrived to visit her we simply basked in all the Lord was doing in her life. Her plans are now to apply for Teen Challenge Recovery Program. Please lift Erica up in prayer as she moves forward with her new journey with Christ!!
In closing I’d like to share that Hannah led a class mate to Christ at Co-op School this past week. She said the student told her that he wasn't able to sleep at night. In the course of the conversation the student told her he was learning how to cast spells and actually do it. Hannah confronted the young guy about the dangers and seriousness of dabbling with witchcraft and then led him to Christ at school Thursday. Please pray for him.
Discipleship:
One form of Discipleship is to take your child to Walmart and spend an extra hour combing the floor and search for people to pray with. This is what my daughter Hannah and I did last night in West Monroe. We were praying with a young couple while checking out and the wife began to have tears stream down her face as she said she could feel the tangible presence of the Lord while we were praying. The young man, her husband was a former student in my youth group at First Baptist Church in West Monroe. He said just 3 days ago that the Lord had brought my name to him. How amazing is God’s perfect timing and ordering of our steps!!!
Please continue to pray for us as we minister as a family!!!
With Much Gratitude
Whit, Michelle, Hannah and Aaron Sophia Bass
Healing Prayer in Dillard's Department Store...
Below is a testimony of a recent healing that I would like to share on behalf of Brandon Thomas.
WHIT: My wife Michelle and I were walking through Dillard's Department Store in the Pecanland Mall after Thanksgiving Day on November 24. I went to college with Brandon Thomas at ULM formerly known as NLU during the years of 1996-97 together. Brandon and I bumped into one another and began visiting briefly as often folks do walking through the mall. We visited for maybe about 3 minutes. As Brandon was walking away I felt prompted to ask Brandon if he had any prayer needs. Brandon turned to me and paused and thought for a moment... He then responded... "Yes, I may have to have a procedure done on my ear." I have to be honest. I didn't feel very spiritual at this particular moment and I really didn't have a ton of faith to see Brandon's Ear healed. However, I told my wife Michelle to join with me in prayer for a miracle for Brandon. We did not pray for a good procedure, but we prayed for Brandon's ear to be healed... Then Brandon walked away as we walked away not knowing what would take place. Within a week of our encounter I received a msg from Brandon with this response one week later on November 30, 2018.
BRANDON: Whit and Michelle. I went back to ent today for my checkup. My ear had started heel the hole in my eardrum is almost closed up. Thanks so much for praying with me in Dillard's. Continue to pray that it will completely heal. My hearing is much better than it was when I saw y'all last week. In his grip Brandon
The below message came from Brandon during the time I was in Honduras on Mission Trip January 10-17. Brandon reported that his hear has been completely HEALED!!! Please read on...
BRANDON: I went to the Dr today for my final check on my ear... Guess what? It's completely healed. Thanks again for praying with me in Dillard's
Tell Whit hello... Brandon Thomas
More From Brandon -- Back Story on his Ear...
BRANDON: It all started around age 3-4 the first time my ear drum ruptured. And ever since then it has been a struggle to keep it from rupturing. By age 3-4 until about my mid 20's it ruptured 7-8 times or more but always seemed to heal up. The rupturing wasn't due to water skiing or other water sports; I just knew if I got an ear infection most likely it was going to rupture. I guess around age 24-26 it ruptured again and it never healed. I lived about 8-10 years with a hole in it. Hearing was ok but not great. Not long after my oldest daughter was born I got a terrible ear infection and my hearing got really bad. I finally went to the Dr to find out that my infection had eaten more ear drum away than in pervious times. The reason for the bad hearing. The Dr I was seeing at the time had announced his retirement so I saw him one last time. He had always wanted to do major surgery that didn't have a good success rate so that's why I lived so long with a hole in it. He then referred me over to a Dr in west Monroe. He took one look at me and said you don't need surgery. I can put a patch in it in the office. The success rate isn't great on those either but it was better than major surgery. I had that done 7 years ago. It lasted until this past November when it finally blew out due to ear infection. But it healed on it's on for the first time in about 20 years. I am sure it's bc of prayer and the good Lord watching over us.
Acorns Becoming Mighty Oak Trees - Ditching meth use & living in a storage unit building to leaving OCC and becoming REFORMED in HIS IMAGE!!!
October and November have been fruitful months for our Ministry. In addition to ministering to church services the Lord has also opened doors for personal ministry prayer sessions. Some sessions dealing with spiritual paranormal manifestations, sexual abuse and heavy drug use took place - sessions for FREEDOM and HEALING - Another session involved ministering to a Pastor and his Spouse to help through this difficult season they are currently in.
I've been asked many times recently - where do you serve? Usually these questions come from church members at churches where I get the opportunity to preach. I respond this way. "I don't pastor a church or have a facility where I work. I just go where the Lord leads. Sometimes this is ministering to a single person, while others times it may involve speaking at churches, prisons, and recovery programs as well as funerals and weddings. "We - Michelle, Hannah and I - are each getting opportunities to serve and advance HIS KINGDOM, while our youngest Aaron Sophia is observing all that is taking place and her FAITH is beginning to grow as well. Recently she had an ache in her arm and she asked for prayer for the Lord to bring healing from the pain. She and I prayed while walking through Super One Foods and the Pain left immediately. These little moments are what I call FAITH BUILDING MOMENTS.
"ACORNS BECOMING MIGHTY OAK TREES."
I would like to share about 2 other young ladies whose lives have intersected recently. They are currently in the process of becoming new oak trees. These young ladies names are Ashley and Jada. Each one have been RESCUED from the arena of drug use. Let's begin with JADA.
I received a text by a local lawyer David Doughty asking if I would reach out to a family whose daughter was in need of RESCUE. I contacted the family and spoke with the mother. The mother asked if I could attend a prayer meeting lifting up her daughter for prayer to come out of her lifestyle of drug use. I met the family in Monroe at a New Church Plant to lift up JADA with other family members for the Lord to RESCUE her from the life she was leading. We spent about 2 hours praying and worshipping the Lord.
Immediately following the prayer and worship time we went to eat at a Restaurant. While eating dinner with JADA'S family I received a text from my wife. But before I share about that text msg let me just say that my wife Michelle and I had gotten into a little TIFF earlier that day and Michelle wasn't feeling spiritual enough to attend the Thursday night celebrate recovery service. As the Lord would have it Michelle decided to walk into the church building with Hannah to drop Hannah off to attend and assist the worship team for the CR Service. Others asked Michelle to stay so she decided to stay. While sitting through the service a volunteer by the name of Clarence saw my wife and waved her up to come and give counsel to ladies during the Altar call at the end of the service. So here's the reason for all of this backstory. Ashely Evans was living in a Storage Unit Building while being addicted to Meth. Ashely's mother Kim was attending the Celebrate Recovery service and approached my wife Michelle to pray with her about Ashely. She then asked Michelle if I would be willing to go and visit Ashley that very night to see if she would allow me to pray with her. So picking back up with the dinner I'm having with Jada's parents. I received a Text Message from Michelle asking if I would go by and visit Ashley at the Storage Unit. The family had already asked me to go back at a previous time and Ashley wasn't on site; I encountered a drunk man living in a small RV for my FIRST ATTEMPT. That man came out of his trailer storming at me as if I were there to rob him. Thankfully Hannah and I were able to pray with him and he told Ashely the next day that we had came by to see her and that he had experienced the best night of sleep that he could ever remember. So I decided to go and visit Ashley that Thursday night at around 9:00 P.M immediately leaving from visiting with JADA'S PARENTS. I don't usually go visit women alone but in this moment I just went with it. I'm thinking to myself... Time truly is of the essence and I may not get another chance.
So, I went to see Ashley and I saw her walking around outside of the Storage Unit Building where she was living. These UNITS are located near cypress street in WM near Silmons. Surprisingly, Ashley was very receptive. She had already heard good feedback from her RV neighbor about Hannah and I and I really think that helped out. Ashley knew I had already made multiple attempts to connect with her. VISIT W/ ASHLEY: So I visited with Ashley for about 45 minutes that Thursday night in August. Ashley seemed to be coherent and was receptive to all that I had to say to her. I remember telling Ashley, "There is a more excellent way than this for you Ashley" "The Lord has more for you than this life" You Matter... When you decide to walk away from this life He will use you to RESCUE OTHERS... I just began to prophesy to her while she was in her CAPTIVITY... Sounds alot like Isaiah 61 Where the captive becomes the one who rebuilds the ruined cities and ancient ruins... Ashley allowed me to pray with her before leaving and we had a powerful prayer together. As I drove away Ashley's Ex-Girlfriend drove up to bring Ashley a pizza. I'm thinking to myself, "Wow, just like the enemy to try and take away the seed of God I just planted" The enemy wasted no time... I left not knowing how things would transpire.
The following Tuesday night Hannah and I were ministering over in Jonesboro Hodge at Hope Chapel. During the invitation time the Spirit of the Lord was moving powerfully among this new church plant - 3 teen boys came forward to get baptized that very evening - so we took them to a swimming pool :-). This was the night I got a text message from Ashley Evans brother Ryan who is a very close friend of mine. Ryan let me know that a big step had been taken by Ashley to go into DETOX. This really was a major step by Ashley. I was celebrating with JOY.
A few more days passed by and I then found out that Ashley had moved back to the Storage Unit Building. I was dumbfounded at this point. I had hoped that Ashley would move forward with a Spiritual Rehab program. But she had not yet made that decision. As the Lord would have it a lady who had been observing Ashley's life at the Storage Unit Building intervened and came by to take Ashley to the PECAN HAVEN REHAB program. She was there for 30 days. I had the privilege of meeting with Ashely on about day 29. Ashley and I visited for 1 hour thanks to her COUNSELOR HOLLY SAVAGE. Ashley was very hungry for God and had many questions. I shared a spiritual resource with her by Katie Souza - A book entitled "Soul Decree". She was excited to receive it and I was able to explain to her how to use the book. The book is full of decrees to be spoken out loudly over one's life.
The next day Ashley was to begin a 7 month program with Fresh Start in Winnsboro, La. I had recently ministered a prayer session to a Fresh Start Leader and as I was leaving my hospice office I saw a group of men from Fresh Start driving through town with a TRUCK FILLED WITH CHOPPED WOOD. This reminded me to go check on the Fresh Start employee that I had recently ministered to. Sure enough I got to see her and to hear that She was doing well.
As I was there visiting the employee then out of nowhere Ashley appeared. Full of Joy and excited to see me Ashley said, "Whit it seems like you just keep popping up in my life about every 30 days". She said with tears in her eyes... "Whit, I really feel like God is calling me to be a MISSIONARY to spread his GOSPEL abroad to other COUNTRIES". I was blown away. This is what the Kingdom of God is all about. Just like I mentioned earlier. The captive, the broken, the blinded, become the SOLUTION to advancing HIS KINGDOM!!!!
So here is how JADA'S and ASHLEY'S lives connect. Right about the time ASHLEY went into Pecan Haven Rehab JADA was placed in OCC Detention Center in Monroe La. JADA'S mother Vickie reached out to me to let me know that she would really like for me to visit JADA while she was at OCC. I immediately felt led to put Ashley's mother Kim in touch with Jada's mother Vickie. This proved to be very beneficial. Since Kim had already walked down this PARENTAL path a little longer than Vickie she was able to give Vickie profound advice. Vickie, don't put any money on Jada's commissary account because if you do so she will call her thug friends to come and bail her out of prison. This seemed to be very hard for Vickie to do since JADA would not be able to purchase anything while in prison. But the plan would work.
I had some real struggles getting in to visit with JADA since I've never ministered out at the OCC. I called the OCC and requested to speak with the Chaplain about 4 to 5 times with NO SUCCESS. I even drove out to the OCC and was rejected from being able to go in to see the Chaplain. I found out that an appointment has to be made beforehand with the Prison Chaplain before being able to enter into the facility. So I sat there outside the OCC GATE wondering to myself... and I prayed.. "Lord, show me how to beat this" I then remembered having GREAT FAVOR with the Richland Parish Detention Center. I called Lynn Allen who has worked with me numerous times with the chapel service at Richland DC. I told Lynn what my challenge was - how difficult it had been to schedule a visit with JADA. Lynn said let me see what I can do. I received a call back from Lynn within 5 minutes. Lynn said, "Whit, I have someone hear at Richland DC that once worked at OCC. He's given me the extension to the Warden's office. When you dial the extension you will be connected directly to the Warden. So I called the number with the extension and I was shocked to find that I was speaking to the Warden. I explained my challenges to visit with Jada. He told me "hold on just a moment". He got off the phone with me. I thought.... "Hmmmm, wonder what that means?" Then within 5 minutes I got a phone call with the Chaplain and he said, "I have a time available tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. if you can visit then." I said "YES."
I arrived the next morning to visit JADA while having to visit her having to look through a thick glass and speak through a telephone. We only had about 25 minutes, but during this time I was able to hear her concerns. I told her, "Jada, your only way out of Prison will be attend a Faith Based Rehab. We were able to pray together and I was also able to take her a book by Katie Souza - Soul Decree. JADA was not happy with her parents and was blaming everyone for her being in Prison. I left wondering if I had made any difference at all. Not long after this visit Vickie contacted me asking if I knew of any transitional homes where JADA could stay before checking into a Faith Based Rehab. I gave her some different contact numbers. Then not long after this I discovered that JADA was in Fresh Start Faith Based Rehab. So both of these girls that I was ministering to ended up at FRESH START at about the same time. Also, both mothers continue to stay in touch with one another as there daughters are FINDING HEALING AND FREEDOM. This STORY is still UNFOLDING and these ACORNS are beginning to grow into MIGHTY OAK TRESS. One day soon they will begin producing forth great production to feed others who HUNGER FOR GOD. Please continue to pray for ASHLEY and JADA as they continue attending the FRESH START PROGRAM.
Attempted Murder Inmate meets Jesus!
Thursday, October 12, 2017
A staff member from the Richland Parish Detention Center - Prison - contacted me about coming to meet with a female inmate. We will call the inmates name J. I honestly didn’t know what her history was until I arrived at the prison on Tuesday. I walked in and sat down and the staff member proceeded to tell me that J has massive anger problems. She has already served a sentence of 9 years and has come back due to burning a house down with her X girlfriend inside. Thankfully the X girlfriend escaped.
After hearing this bit of information the staff member goes to retrieve J. I’m thinking to myself, Wow, Lord you know I really need your help today. J walks in. She looks tough and rough. Like she’s strong and stout looking - like tough like a Linebacker for a football team. She said she’s been dealing with so much anger that when someone wrongs her in prison she wants to kill them. Hurting them doesn’t satisfy her anger any longer. I asked her if she had ever heard of Ted Bundy. Serial Killer from the 80s. I told her that Ted Bundy did an interview with Dr. James Dobson sharing how pornography started as a fascination but soon the pictures stopped satisfying him and he began acting out by raping women. Then he began mixing violence. Then he went on to killing women after he raped them. She was truly mesmerized by this story. She said, “That’s the way I feel”. Anger alone doesn’t satisfy any longer. Hurting no longer satisfies. Now I just want to kill. I said Jesus wants to give you a new Heart and remove your dark stony Heart today. The Holy Spirit began to move in.
I then shared the story of how Queen Esther had intimacy with the King and was able to access protection through a whisper to remove evil Hamman from the picture. She said she couldn't wait to read about Esther in her Bible. I explained that God defends us. That “Hurt People Hurt People”. I said all people are broken to some extent. Let’s ask Jesus to give you His heart today and to see people the same way He sees them. I shared much more as I had almost 2 hours with J. I was able to lead her to Christ. We renounced some evil darkness. We asked for enduement and clothing of POWER. She was visibly touched by the LOVE of Christ!!!
I saw the prison staff member last night. She said that today one day later every time she saw J she couldn’t take her smile off her face. Please join me in praying for J’s ongoing walk with JESUS!!!
HE STILL RESCUES!!!!
Whit Bass
From the Prison Cell to the Mission Field
Hello my name is Erica McNease. I am 27 years old. I was raised up with a mom and dad who loved me very much and I also have an older sister. My grandpa would come and pick my sister and I up and take us to church almost every Sunday, so I was brought up in church. But being a kid I really didn't pay that much attention. I had an awesome childhood, especially being a daddy’s girl. My dad brought out the “tom boy” out of my sister and I. I did everything with my dad. I wasn't scared of anything and I wasn't afraid to get dirty that's for sure. My sister and I had anything a kid could ask for: we had bikes, rollerblades, four wheelers, a basketball goal, and we had friends who lived walking distance from our house so we never got bored.
When I was about 11 or 12 my mom and dad were getting a divorce. It really tore my heart into when this happened. So during this time my mom, my sister and I went to go stay with my aunt and cousin. This is when I started misbehaving as of not listening to my mother, back talking her, ect.... I was really upset with her because I wanted to be with my dad but I didn’t understand why I couldn’t. After we moved back into our house I started smoking and stealing from my mother. I would steal my mom’s nasty merit 100's by the singles so when I got good at that and getting away with it I started stealing them by the packs. I would sneak off and hide to smoke them. I would then steal any cash that I could find from her purse to get someone older than me to buy me packs of cigarettes. But for them to buy me cigarettes they would either buy them self a pack too or just keep the change.
Not much longer after I started smoking one of my friends began getting into mischief. We would go and steal her dad’s alcohol and ride off on our four wheelers and drink until we were pretty wasted. We then would go back to my house and sober up. Our parents never found out about this happening because we would always plan it out around my mothers work schedule. All through my Jr. High School year at Ward Three I made good grades. I was a cheerleader for three years there and I never failed a grade. I was a really flirtatious girl and I loved the attention from the guys. I loved to tease them to get them to do things for me. I was afraid to have sex but I never let them know that. My friend and I were the only two girls that all the guys liked to be around (GO FIGURE). So in between smoking, drinking and being addicted to attention we “thought” we had the life.
At the age of 14, I was dating a guy who I was just head over heels about. He was older than me, he had a truck and a job. I then lost my Virginity to him only at the age of 14! (Wow) about a week or two went by and we had split up. Once again my heart was torn. So what did I do? I turned to alcohol and guys to fill the emptiness I felt inside. By this time I was going to parties, smoking, drinking, and having sex. Then I met another guy who was 17 and I was 15. His family was not a rich family and they always had people in and out of their house. One night he and I went out to a party with some of his friends and that’s where I was introduced to marijuana. One hit of that stuff and all I remember of that night was that I couldn’t quit laughing at everything and then I got really hungry and then I woke up. I continued to smoke it and I loved it I just knew that this was the answer to my sadness because it made me laugh it made me happy.
Then one night he brought me to a hotel and he brought me the marijuana but I noticed that he wasn’t smoking any he was smoking something that was different. He told me that it was meth that I shouldn’t try it. So I didn’t. That night anyway. A few weeks went by and we was at one of his older friends house and there were a few more older people there and they all were smoking meth. So I was like; well, I don’t want these people to not like me so I asked my boyfriend to come into the next room and I asked him to let me try it so he let me and when I tell you the first hit I felt like I could run through a brick wall and not get hurt I meant it. That’s the way I felt. I WAS HOOKED. At the age of 15.
Well at the age of 16 I was skipping school in my high school year, smoking cigarettes, smoking marijuana, and smoking meth. I drank alcohol also but not as much now since I started smoking meth. I then became violent towards any one that even looked at me the wrong way. My hurt turned into anger. I then became pregnant during my second year of my freshman year at the age of 16. So I quit school. I then quit doing all drugs for nine months (God was trying to save me) even cigarettes. I was sober but my boyfriend was still getting high and when I wasn’t high he didn’t want to be around me and started to cheat on me. It drove me crazy. I wanted to lose the baby but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Well, after nine long hot miserable months I gave birth to my beautiful daughter Julia Potter. The moment I saw her I knew what I needed to do to be the best mom I could be to her. I got a job and my dad bought me a trailer for me and my daughter to live in, and yes I was still with her father. I couldn’t bring myself to leave him because I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to raise my daughter by myself.
When Julia was just a few months old I started back smoking meth because I was so tired all the time having to get up and feed and rock her when she woke up at nights. (POOR EXCUSE) After a few years went by Julia was about 4 or 5 when her father got caught up in trouble and went to jail for a year. So during that year I had to raise her on my own (Gods Working) So I left her father. I worked my butt off with different jobs to keep lights on and food in her belly. We were happy.
I then had gotten a baby sitter one day to go four wheeler riding in Calhoun. When we got there a group of us was riding and had gotten into an accident. I ended up with second degree burns on my back side really bad road rash. I also ended up breaking my shin bone so I was on crutches for a few months. Since I was on crutches I couldn’t work so I lost my job. While I couldn’t work I ended up needing to pay bills but I had no money so I started to stress really bad and my mind started to think about how I could make easy money soon….. I knew someone that needed a ride to go across state line to go pick up some drugs so I said if you pay me enough I will take you. Well he jumped on that deal quick. From that day forward I ended up running dope up to several ounces at a time. I was getting paid probably $500 and I was getting high every time we went so I thought “well this is pretty easy money."
After several trips I started using meth in IV form and when I did this that was it for me. I lost my self and I gave my life to the devil. He had me wrapped up. I used the needle for almost 2 years I believe. I don’t remember everything or how long some things went on. All I do know is that I stayed pretty messed up all the time. My daughter was 5 when I started doing the drug that way and 4 years flew by. One day I was at my house and I remember going to sleep and waking up to all kind of people in my house and I was asking them what they were doing they were like we couldn’t wake you up. I was asleep for two days straight never awakened to use the bathroom, to drink anything and they were all shaking me and yelling my name and I never knew it. From that day I decided I wanted to get off the needle. It was really hard but I did it. (Thank you Jesus for helping me) but I didn’t quit doing meth I just started smoking it A LOT. A year went by and I never picked it back up. But I met another guy who was a dealer and he helped me out a lot with my house and took care of me. But in this relationship I had my heart blocked to him and I wouldn’t let him love me. We were together for several months and fought all the time. There were times where we would get in so big of an argument we would pull out our guns and shoot at each other.
On February 16, 2016 we were caught together by the police and were arrested for distribution of meth and illegal carry of a firearm. We were booked into FPDC. I wasn’t mad for some reason. I knew deep down I was wanting to quit everything I was doing I just didn’t know how to. ( THANK YOU LORD) Well about two weeks went by and my step mom told me that someone was going to come talk to me. Some guy. Well that guy was Whit Bass. I was confused when he first started talking to me. Why? Because he started talking to me about the Bible and like I said at the beginning I went to church but never paid any attention. I heard stories about God and stuff but as a kid I just thought it was make believe. So I really never believed. Well to continue. When Whit was in the jail talking to me and telling me a story I was listening but didn’t understand it. So Whit had to show me. He asked me if there was anything he could pray for me about. I had these knots on my wrist that hurt all the time I had them for months and sometimes I couldn’t even grab things sometimes. So he placed his hands on my wrist and he began to pray. I started to cry and I didn’t know why. When he left out of the room they come and got me from the little visitation room we were in and walked me back to W dorm. By the time the door shut behind me I looked down at my wrist and my knots were GONE!!!!! No pain, No knot!! They were gone. I knew right then that there was a God.
I then started to read my bible a little bit and my prayer book my cousin had given me. The next day I called my step mom and told her what had happened. She was amazed and then she told me that she had gotten a phone call saying that there was a bed available at teen challenge in Minden Louisiana. I am so thankful that God put Whit in my life to show his love for me. (Gods Love) Whit helped open my heart to the Lord and to let him be able to get in and change it. So I got out of jail and went to Minden. There is where I really was shown how much God loves me and they helped me get out of my old ways and step into the light. My eyes are open now to where when I looked at my past I saw where God was helping me and saving my life and he was trying to tell me things. There was no way I could have quit the needle on my own and still be sober today without him.
I give all the Glory to God for changing my life and putting me where I needed to be. I have been sober for 1 year now from drugs and cigarettes and I love to go to church to hear what God has to tell me. I pray to him every day and thank him for what he is doing in my life. I have a Job that I love and I have my daughter back in my life (who holds me accountable) and I am now so very excited to say that I have been invited to go to Nicaragua on a mission trip with the Richland Parish Celebrate Recovery Team and give back to others what God has given me. I am going to be able to show Gods love for them. Thank you so much God for everything that you have done and continue to do in my life. Thank you for being so great, kind, and merciful. Thank you for your love. Thank you for being with me every day. I love you in Jesus name AMEN!
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13
PRAYER SESSIONS FOR MANY IN ONE FAMILY
Just recently we’ve ministered to individuals dealing with past abuse, gender and identity confusion issues, marital difficulties, and drug abuse to name a few. One testimony involves a single individual that asked me to minister prayer to her brother. So I prayed with her brother in regard to drug abuse and a number of other issues. He was addicted to Crystal Meth. He started using marijuana at the age of 17 and started using the harder stuff when he was about 27 or 28 and has been battling drug addiction of some form for the last 15 years. He has been free of the desire to do these drugs since we prayed 3 to 4 months ago. Here are HER words to describe how our prayer session has helped.
“The prayers for me stopped my lifelong cycle of depression, it cycled around every 3 to 4 weeks. I would spend a week in heavy depression and then be okay for 3 to 4 weeks and then cycle again. I have had the cycle for most of my life, but I have been keenly aware of the cycle the last 7 to 8 years, but could not stop it. I have kept a journal and everything trying to ‘ward it off’ when it was time to come. Praying the freemason prayer broke this off of me. I can’t tell you how good God is when we get before HIM in repentance for restoration.”
I also prayed for her son, her niece, herself, and now a sister is scheduled to drive down from Arkansas on a Saturday within the next few weeks. This is how the Lord works. We simply walk through doors that HE opens for us to walk through to bring Isaiah 61 / Luke 4 ministry to the family.