What’s going on with Russ? Is he ok? What is God doing with him? Listen to the following song. I had no idea how prophetic this song was and would continue to be in my life, a message for some but not for all. I woke up with the following song by Nancy Honeytree in my mind. I remember in 2020, very shortly before my spouse Kitty’s death in 2020, we occasioned on this song and listened to it with great emotion. I had no idea how prophetic it was in my life. I would suggest you listen to this song as you read this post.
As we listened to this on the TV in our family room, we held each other and wept tears of acknowledgment – it resonated so deeply in our hearts. We had done our time pressing into the things of God, with little encouragement and much opposition, including resistance and rejection from thosknowe closest to us. Our gallows humor in those early years was that our circle of friends was so small it was a dot. For a season, only one person, our friend Denise stood by us and loved us through those difficult, often brutal times. There came a point that God sequestered us from all possible connection or collaboration with others, and we would lay on the floor praying, weeping, seeking God’s will, wanting assurance as to where we went wrong to experience such opposition. The answers weren’t clear or forthcoming. There was just a strong drive and undeniable drawing of the Holy Spirit to figure out every day what “seek the kingdom” looked like – and ultimately, it looked like Father’s Heart Ministry. The ministry took shape and launched. At that time, I had this deep-down conviction that ministry could take place and hearts could be touched for Jesus through the internet.
We were called to go out where we’d never been before:
To be sure, there were ministries at the time that were online, but from my background in IT, I could see the limitations of these sites. It seemed to me that many of these anointed ministries were relying on uninspired, enlightened programmers who were more interested in the financial gain of building a website than helping the founders of these ministries to have a free, open, and effective expression of their gifting in God online and available to the masses. Even today, many unscrupulous operators lace their services with “Christian” themes offering to help believers publish books and post sites online for obscene amounts of money that only give those they are taking advantage of what they could actually do for themselves with little skill, time, or training. I founded courses to help people around these pitfalls (see our online store).
I came to understand that the “information superhighway” is in our day for spreading the gospel and what Roman roads were in Paul’s day to bring the message of Christ to the world. At the time Father’s Heart Ministry launched online, there was a yearly poll of full-time ministers across many denominations and groups asking the question, “can a meaningful spiritual interaction” take place through the internet? Consistently for many years, the consensus was a resounding “no.” Even today, many ministers and ministries are convinced that brick-and-mortar churches and traditional means of spreading the gospel (radio, television) are the primary, if not the only legitimate means of representing the message of Jesus. Even the pandemic didn’t change many minds. Churches and groups were driven out of their churches to online venues to conduct their services, but this was only seen as an undesirable necessity rather than a new, exciting mission field to commit to.
Keep Walking in Love:
The other challenge Kitty and I faced was the character of the prophetic in our ministry. It is still very controversial to refer to yourself as a “prophet” or a prophetic person. Pastors are ubiquitous and universally accepted but to introduce a ministry session referring to “Prophet so-and-so” is often and frequently met with scorn and disdain by the very people who insist they are living on the cutting edge of what God is doing in the earth. God told us that our mission was to bring the prophetic into the mainstream. The vision that God gave us was to see a day come when it was as natural to call someone “Prophet” as to call them “Pastor.” After all, in Eph. 4:11,12, when Jesus gave the five ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher, he didn’t say that “pastors” were mandatory but “prophets?” You could take them or leave them? Not so says God’s word. If you need a pastor (and you do) you also need a prophet (are you listening?) Since Father’s Heart Ministry launched beginning in 2007, I believe we’ve made strides in that direction. During those intervening years, we’ve seen close to 15,000 people take our prophetic courses (see our online store for enrollment information). In addition, our server stats tell us we’ve had close to 15 million unique (individual) visitors to our website, being exposed to the message that God has given us to be stewards of.
One of the major areas of resistance we faced was the character of our work. Back then and still today, many people see the prophetic as all about “rebuke, chastisement, judgment” by isolated, frowning men and women allegedly with God’s anointing to be exactly that. God led us in the exact opposite direction. In our bible, we saw that the prophetic was about “edification, exhortation, and comfort” (1 Cor. 14:3). We believed that if “love never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8), why would we step out of love to reach men’s hearts since it was the “goodness of God” (Rom. 2:4) and not the severity that leads men to repentance? The prophetic (most agree) is all about seeing people repent, right? Then why give them anything other than what God says will actually bring them to repentance?
If You Want What You’ve Never Had Before, You have to Go Where You’ve Never Been Before
These were the things God called us to and the very things that put us under brutal isolation, opposition, and yet great success over the last many years. We didn’t have many examples to follow because there were precious few doing anything resembling what God had called us to do in character, presentation, and mission field. I recall one of my mentors insisting they wouldn’t even have a computer in their house because it represented the “beast” system. Of course, years later, this guy had the biggest and baddest computer money could by, and he never backtracked and admitted he was wrong. Oh well, keep on seeking the kingdom, right?
In those early days of challenge, we would hold on to each other, discern what God said and launch out to obey under a hail of insults, opposition, and attacks from our brothers and sisters in Christ who we thought would be excited to see what God was doing. During that season, I went to Kitty and shared that one day we wouldn’t have this kind of opposition, but that would be no time to keep pressing into the things of God, no matter how controversial they might seem to be. Respectability, acceptance of one’s peers, and everyone saying nice things about you or your ministry is the most dangerous time you will ever face in the things of God. That’s why Jesus said:
[Luk 6:26 KJV] 26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
[Jhn 7:7 KJV] 7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
[Jhn 15:19 KJV] 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
The year before Kitty died, the Lord asked me a question. He said, “Russ, I can leave you right where you are, or I can take you on.” He continued, “You will travel the world, reach thousands and minister my word with great joy….”
“Or, I can take you to the next level.”
Keep pressing onward, Beyond your fear…
I thought about what He was saying and answered, “can I get back to you?” I wanted to ask Kitty. Wherever I was going in God, I just knew that she would be going with me. When I told her what God asked me (notice, he didn’t ask “us,” but only “me.” Kitty looked at me with a smile and said, “I know what you are going to tell Him… you are going to tell Him you want to go to the next level.”
Then came the warning from God. He cautioned me when I returned with my answers, “Be aware that it will be more difficult taking you from where you are now to what I have for you – than it was getting from where you were in earlier years to where you are now.” I had no idea what the cost would be – because, unknown to me, Kitty would not be going with me. Her health began to decline, and (we think) the beginnings of dementia set in. In a fog of confusion, cognitive decline, and despair, she took her life a few years later. Understandably I was devastated. The ministry suffered. Friends (certainly not all) abandoned us. Some ministers tried to come close and take advantage of this vulnerable time to take over the ministry. These were people I took into my confidence and wept in their arms. The betrayal was brutal. The staff? The staff struggled to keep things moving forward while I shut down in grief and heartbreak. Yet God was good, so good, so overwhelmingly merciful through it all and carried me through that dark, brutal time and laid me gently on the shores of “Going on in God.” My obligation and my commitment were to go on. To continue to pioneer the ground and territory in front of me.
But you can’t look back
no, You gotta keep pressing through
There’s a wilderness pathway
And it’s callin’ you…
no, You gotta keep pressing through
There’s a wilderness pathway
And it’s callin’ you…
I don’t know that I’m an apostle, but I do know that I have apostolic tendencies in my call. Apostles are groundbreakers. They don’t build on another foundation.
[Rom 15:20 KJV] 20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation:
At the time that Paul penned these words, most of his peers (the apostles) were ministering exclusively among the Jewish people. Paul was called (with great resistance) to go to the gentiles with the gospel. This was so controversial to the Jewishness of the church at the time. The Jews called gentiles “dogs,” and they were just being insulting; they truly believed that gentiles had no more place in salvation than we would if someone told us their cat or their parakeet got “saved” and filled with the Holy Spirit. How did that apply to me? When the dust settled after Kitty’s tragic death, I found myself in Springfield, Missouri, fellowshipping with the Charismatic contingency at a nearby Catholic church. When I first visited, I told someone, “I don’t even know how to walk into a Catholic church!” And it was true. Yet, among these people, I found loving, pressure-free acceptance and kindness. It was refreshing beyond words. Beyond that, during one of the early visits to these meetings, I had an open-eye visitation from the Father. I was instructed to “persevere in this new way.” What will that look like, and what does that mean for Father’s Heart Ministry? I don’t have all those answers. Abraham went out, “he knew not where…” I’ve learned to be “clueless in God” it’s the only way to have what you’ve never had in God and to go where you’ve never been in God.
[Heb 11:8 KJV] 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
This worked out pretty well for Abraham, and it worked out pretty well for Kitty and me. We’ve been blessed beyond words and so honored to represent the gospels to so many over the last many years. She doesn’t continue with me, but the work goes on with an added mandate related to my presence and fellowship now among my new Catholic family (which doesn’t mean I’m leaving my prophetic family and those I’ve walked with and ministered with for the last 40 years unless they can’t hang with the new thing God is doing. To be sure, I am alone in fundamental ways, most remarkably in Kitty’s absence. We were so close, and our relationship was so unique. I haven’t wanted to face the loneliness and the singular yoke, but for now, that is my plight, and I trust God in it.
Uncharted wilderness / Stretches before you
And you thrive on going / Where no one has gone
Still, it gets lonely / When darkness deepens
So sing by the fire / Until the dawn
You travel on / You travel alone
And when you arrive / Nobody knows
And you thrive on going / Where no one has gone
Still, it gets lonely / When darkness deepens
So sing by the fire / Until the dawn
You travel on / You travel alone
And when you arrive / Nobody knows
I have to thank those who’ve walked with me during my time of grieving. I’ve been little more than a heavy burden, barely able to go day to day, and there have been those who stood by me and have continued to love me, though not all, and that’s ok. I’ve been dominated the last few years by very apparent feet of clay, and my own vulnerability and frailty of nature have been on full display. There comes a point where grief subsides, and the determination of life resurfaces. I want to say I’m thankful that God allowed me to cry and mourn Kitty’s loss. When Ezekiel’s wife died, it was different for him:
[Eze 24:16-17 KJV] 16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down. 17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not [thy] lips, and eat not the bread of men.
Where to from here? Well, in the cluelessness of Abraham, I’m not demanding all the details. I do see the dim outline, though, and it seems exciting, even thrilling. Like one of my mentors said after a time of isolation, “I’m back!” I’m back, and I’m moving forward. Years ago, when our circle was a “dot.” Now it is certainly a “dot.com”. I know our ministry is small, and relatively few know us or Father’s Heart Ministry but God has given us, now given me a testimony and a mandate that has, in fact, reached and influenced millions – server stats don’t lie. As for the Catholic dimension of my path, I have heard this:
There are many who are adrift in their faith, looking for help, for a community a context for going on in God.
If that’s you, I want to say this – the Catholic church is not what it once was. It’s not “your father’s Oldsmobile,” so to speak. There is love there. The hand of God is moving. Non-Catholics will seethe in rejection of that suggestion but God’s word cautions them:
[1Co 1:27-28 KJV] 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
God will do exactly what you think He won’t do among those people you are convinced He will never use or work among. How am I convinced? I wasn’t convinced. I had a visitation. An open eye, audible, visual visitation with a mandate like Paul to go among those that my existing spiritual community and leaders may find controversial. I believe there are many who will follow. Those who are commissioned. Those who are tired and drifting in their faith. How do I know that? God told me, that’s how. This isn’t all God’s called me to. I haven’t been led to shutting down the ministry. A lot of ministers and others, seeing the direction I’ve taken, have suggested and even insisted I have to do thus and so, but they don’t have the mind of God for the situation. There is no map to follow. God called me to be what Nancy Honeytree’s song talks about. I’ve been doing it my whole life, and honestly, I would do it any other way. The personal toll? I don’t like being alone. When we were brutalized at the beginning of our ministry Kitty and I had each other to weep and console each other. I do have friends and people around me, and I appreciate it. I also have enemies, spiritual wolves and bitter, vengeful, motivated “Christians” who think they are doing God’s work and speaking against me. Knock yourselves out. God promises me that the opposition I face and the suffering I endure are the metric establishing the scope of blessing and favor and the power of God I will walk in.
What about you? Are you a pioneer? I’m here to help you if I can. I pray that God gives you YOUR VERSION of the breakthrough I’ve walked in these many years. Yes, there’s been opposition. Yes, there will be times you will be alone, sometimes alone in a room full of people. But God is with you. Sometimes He is the only one you can relate to.
Only the Father, Goes before you.
To your own frontier, You’re a pioneer.
To your own frontier, You’re a pioneer.
- Note: Special thanks to my staff for standing by me as long as they have. Thanks to Denise Allsop for being such a good friend. Thank you, Kristen Rey, Tyler, and Audrey, Also, Shelley Pichler, Fr. Tom Keiffer, and Eddie and Kathleen, Gary, Marilyn, and Pat, Thanks to Warren and Kayla Hunter for drawing me out and loving me during a very difficult time. Thanks to many, many others who have supported and stood by me. You know who you are. To those who are otherwise. God bless you – God has used you to do a work in my life that I truly appreciate. ~ Russ
_____________________________________________
The full lyrics of “Pioneer:”
Pioneer
Pioneer
Keep pressing onward
Beyond your fear
Only the Father
Goes before you
To your own frontier
You’re a pioneer
Uncharted wilderness
Stretches before you
And you thrive on going
Where no one has gone
Still it gets lonely
When darkness deepens
So sing by the fire
Until the dawn
You travel on
You travel alone
And when you arrive
Nobody knows
But the Father in Heaven
He is glad you can go
For those who come after you
Will need the roadPioneer
Pioneer
Keep pressing onward
Beyond your fear
Only the Father
Goes before you
To your own frontier
You’re a pioneer
And what you have done
Others will do
Bigger and better
And faster than you
But you can’t look back
no
You gotta keep pressing through
There’s a wilderness pathway
And it’s callin’ you
Callin’ you
Callin’ you clear
Keep pressing onward
You can’t stay here
Only the Father
Goes before you
To your own frontier
You’re a pioneer
Only the Father
Goes before you
To your own frontier
You’re a pioneer
Deborah Rogers says:
Brother Russ. Thank you so much for your honesty. You and kitty have been such a blessing to me. At a very difficult time I received a very accurate word from you both. I was so saddened to hear of your loss of your dear sweet wife. I have at times prayed for you and just wanted to let you know your ministry is appreciated. The Lord told me some years ago that he was going to move again powerfully in and through the mainline churches again as he did in the charismatic renewal in the 60s and 70s I was a young teenager then and was powerfully touched by the Lord at a Charismatic conference in Sydney Australia. Father Francis McNutt preached on the love of God and I saw in the Spirit beams of light coming from his eyes. The presence of God was stronger at that conference than anything since as the unity among the churches brought the commanded blessing we were all so hungry for more of him. So bravo for following his voice and not pleasing man. Forerunner of God I will continue to pray for you . Deborah
Dorothea Grahl says:
Prophet Russ I never knew that there is a Prophet by Gods Grace he connected me to your Ministry snd ever since I can tell you hmm. Resistance percecution increased in this in Free Germany ?!? I only desire honor Yahwe Lord God Sebaoth and glorify HIM. Most of my Life I been alone with my beloved Jesus Messiah, my workplace as Nurse was where I seen most signs wonders miracles wonderworkings happening. Now the Lord said he brings Frank home to my side, who did same in his Job that separated us. Now we are both retired a New Beginning the Hour has come the time is NOW …. thank you ABBA father for answering some of my questions I have had, thank .you. Prophet for sharing all this I very much appreciate your efforts every day the father says….
I honestly had no clue Halleluja glorious Jesus wonderful counselor holy Majesty and you the greater one inside me is the CLOU ❤🌹
I am Unknown Anonymous I like to keep it this way
Janice Graham says:
Dear Sweet Russ, for so long you were, to me, God in my inbox everyday and how I have looked forward to what He was going to say to me every day. When I found out your wife passed I was heartbroken for you. It means a lot to get to know more about you, Russ. Thank you for sharing about your life with us. I relate very well to being “alone”. I am there. I don’t personally know anyone who has the deep desire to Seek the Kingdom First, as I do. I think about Jesus all day, everyday. The Joy of the Lord is My Strength and I know He has plans for me. I hope I never lose the connection with you and your Amazing ability to hear so clearly from out heavenly Father. I donate to your ministry, monthly and it Blesses me tremendously. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you and may God keep you covered in His life saving, healing, comforting, Blood.
Rose Banwart says:
Remember you are never alone! God is with you! Praise and worship Him and your spirit will be high!
I am very sorry about Kittys tragic death. This has to be very hard to go through. But you can now help others who are on this same path of grief!
Thank you for being a good man of God!
Charles says:
You are blessed Papa Russ. May God accomplish His purposes through your life
Shelley Reid says:
I’m so thankful for your faithfulness.My husband went home this year so I understand that journey.Id been sent 2 prophetic words from your ministry prior to this and they’ve been a huge comfort to me this year.Thankyou.Thankyou.The words have proved even more accurate when I look back over them.
Carolyn says:
Dear Prophet Russ
I have followed you and the ministry since 2015 and even met you and Kitty at a service in Baltimore in 2016.
You have blessed me much and I read your daily message and listened to many messages! Your divine messages have been a comfort on many dark and difficult days.
I, too am a pioneer of sorts. I too am
alone since 2015, separated from loved
ones through bizarre circumstances and distance.
I know this “alone” time is for my spiritual growth and God uses the bad to make things good, in Jesus name! One day, Jesus will tell me who, what, where, when and why’s!…
Im excited you joined with a Catholic community and starting a UNITING movement! Yes, that is surely God’s plan!
I am born again and was raised Roman Catholic (attended Catholic school too) who sensed Before 2015, God wanted us to unite denominations in Jesus name!
If you love God, you love Jesus and
you love the Holy Spirit! We Glorify God
Through unification of His Body! Praise God!
As a United family, the enemy’s power is diminished.
You are not alone, Russ! We are never alone; Holy Spirit is within and upon you, always! We are here with you and we hear God’s voice too!
Keep walking to higher ground as you are promoted to higher levels of faith and divine mission! I am praying for supernatural comfort from the Comforter!
We love you and respect you;
we look forward to going higher
too In Jesus name! Amen.
Agape & Blessings
Carolyn
R fry says:
My God, Confirmation and so much more I needed. Thank You and may God bless and use you even more.
Deborah Peoples says:
Thank you for sharing your testimony of faith, Brother Russ. Your ministry encourages me more than any other ministry out there! It’s my ‘go to’ for devotions every morning, for several years. It is pure and unadulterated. Some of us are different, in that, we don’t follow popular opinions, we want to hear directly from God for ourselves. I love my Pastor, but what I hear from the pulpit, though true, seems to be a delayed word. The prophetic words of Father’s Heart confirms what I hear and encourages me to keep going forward. It reassures me of my relationship with the Father and His love for me. I feel alone and misunderstood, much of the time, but in my heart I know I’m on the path to glory. I’m a pioneer! I would also like to mention that Nancy Honeytree was one of my favorite artists when I first came to the Lord! Another one of her songs was ‘Make Me New Lord’. This song has gone over in my mind many times when I’ve felt like I failed. God bless you and keep you, till we see Him face to face.
t says:
Thank you for sharing your heart. Know you are not alone in your trials you have experienced.
Praising God for your new freedom, because that’s what it is.
Hi ho Silver!
Brenda Maharaj says:
Prophet Russ thank you so very very much for sharing this song and your Great testimony. You testimony is what I needed so much, for where I am right now in my spiritual journey. Only God knows the strength I drew from reading your testimony and kitty’s.
I’m so glad that you shared what happened to her. I know it was sudden lost, but I had no idea of how we lost her. I know you miss her deeply, and I know God is strengthening you continually.
My words cannot express my gratitude for you and Kitty, and Father’s Heart ministry. My words cannot express how much strength I drew from reading your story you shared.
For years I have believed you were an Apostle yourself, but I never heard you say it. It’s not my call, but I’ve seen that in you, in your works for years, but I know you will let God speak to you concerning all things.
I love you Papa Prophet Russ. You are such an inspiration, with great wisdom to many.
Debra (Greyson) Stoehr says:
Prophet Russ, you were the Man of God I needed at the right time and the right place. All along, you have spoken God’s Truth, and it has meant the WORLD to me, for I tread a lonely path on my own. Your loving and dutiful obedience to God is a wondrous thing to see, and I hope I can emulate and develop the same in myself.
I know how much God loves you, and I know how sad it can be to lose one’s own heart (Kitty). Keep reaching and keep going forward, for God’s plan for YOU is a particularly amazing one, and I am eager to see how you rise and grow.
God bless you!
Rick Ouma says:
Wowww! 🤗 Ohhh! I am very blessed by your sharing Sir. Thank you! Thank you for the song. And For what you have shared. I’m in a season of isolation! Have had a rough time with my wife, who doesn’t stay with me (works elsewhere), and things went from bad to worse where she’s chosen not to be with me. Thank you for the GREAT pioneer testimony of your path in terms of ONLINE ministry, which is what I am doing (simple lunch hour preaching messages on Telegram). Thank you for your path of healing since 2020. May that “next level” that the Father spoke to you about, be realized. Thank you for sharing the warning He gave about having to press through and endure greater challenges because of that new level. Sir, GOD BLESS YOU. What more can one say.
Jacqueline Bradley says:
I just want to say that what I just read on your site was heartbreaking and precious!!! You’re a true man of God and you have comforted me with your daily prophetic word everyday!!! I know you’re a true man of God and wherever God leads you I know you personally know the Father. You’re a beautiful soul and I thank God for you. I pray the God of all comfort will comfort you without ceasing in your loss of your precious wife Kitty. You certainly do remind me of Abraham and actually you always have. That’s what I love about you! No one can put you in a box because they can’t put God in a box!!! I love you brother Russ…what a special unique and precious person God made you to be!!! Anyone that meets or knows you is truly blessed!!!!!!!! Thank you again for imparting beauty and strength to all those you encounter. ❤🕊💎✨🙏