This little book attempts to provide the reader with the knowledge to initiate sincere conversation and friendship with the universe encompassing and indwelling Mystery of God. Why and how this undertaking is possible constitute the substance of this little book. If the spiritual journey being recommended and explained is undertaken and faithfully completed, it will lead to the indescribably precious goal of habitual union with God's indwelling Presence and Love.

Born for Restoration is about my life. "Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you, and before you came out of the womb I set you apart" (Jeremiah 1:5, ISR). Psalm 23 is a song sung about a life starting and experiencing the tests of discovering our purpose and who is with us as we go through the birth canal until eternity. 1. I am convinced that even before I was in my mother's womb the Lord was my Shepherd; with Him I never experienced lack. 2. He instructed me in the comfort of the womb to lie down in green pastures as He spoke to me throughout my journey. I was guided beside still waters parting the way into this world. The river of life spoke through the Lord as a Spirit of comfort and calm embraced me. 3. Leaving the comfort of mercy (Heb: Rachem=womb) when I entered the world and made wrong choices the Lord turns back my being; He leads me on the cycles of righteousness. This was the beginning of my restoration birth. I was told this journey is not just about you, but you are a voice telling people who I am. I learned His name, and this was one of the most important aspects of this message. 4. As I ran my race then walked through the valley of the shadow of death, I did not fear because He told me I did not give you a spirit of fear. I gave you a spirit of love and power through my Spirit and a steadfast mind toward Me. I Am with you. The Lord disciplined me when I needed it, and that was a comfort because He was all about preserving my life as any good Father desires. 5. I recognized the tables as the tablets He set before me in the presence of my enemies. These commandments were needed, so I looked at them and not the faces of my enemies. As time continues, this journey with the Lord of Restoration sets me apart by anointing my mind and my life overflowing with a desire to listen and obey His Word and influence others to consider this journey of restoration. 6. As a result of repentance, only goodness and loving commitment follows me. And now I know my journey is to dwell in the house of the Lord to the length of days!

This issue of The Ministry presents the first eight messages given during the 2005 fall term of the full-time training in Anaheim, California. The general subject of this series of messages is entitled "The Overcoming Life as Portrayed in Song of Songs." This general subject is based upon an intrinsic revelation in the Scriptures related to our overcoming and our love relationship with the Lord. This is demonstrated in Romans 8:37--the "theme verse" of this entire series of messages, which says, "In all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us." The Greek word translated "more than conquer" is hypernikao, which literally means "super-overcome" or "more than overcome." Hence, we more than overcome through Him who loved us. According to this verse, the ones who are really loved by God become super-overcomers, more than conquerors. There is a deep, sweet, rich, essential, intrinsic, organic, and experiential connection between love and overcoming. In Song of Songs the lover of Christ overcomes in four stages: in the first stage (1:2--2:7) she overcomes the attraction of the world by being captivated by Christ; in the second stage (2:8--3:5) she overcomes the self, which secludes her from the presence of Christ, by becoming one with the cross of Christ; in the third stage (3:6--5:1) she overcomes the old creation (the physical things) by living in the ascension of Christ in resurrection after her self has been dealt with by the cross; and in the fourth stage (5:2--6:13) she overcomes the flesh, the natural man, the old man, by living within the veil, requiring a deeper experience of the cross. Last of all, we present a concluding set of testimonies from some who participated in the recent gospel move in the Russian-speaking world.