Praise and Prayer for November 28, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving Day yesterday! Although France does not celebrate this American holiday, we have been able to celebrate with fellow Americans as well as with the students at the Institute. What a meaningful holiday in which to reflect on God’s goodness to us over this past year.

Thank you for praying for the ministry here this past Sunday. The Lord answered prayer! God gave special health and strength to all of the students from the Institute who did a great job despite colds, etc. that are going around. David C. did an excellent job leading the people in a time of worship to the Lord and Joel H. delivered a challenging message after the choir’s presentation. Our small auditorium was packed as 114 people squeezed in. God gave special grace to the church family, with members welcoming and seating, even giving their seats for guests. After the service and during the fellowship dinner, many of the folks shared that the students’ ministry among them Sunday had challenged them. Pray for our church choir members as we prepare for the Christmas program Dec. 14. Several told us that the Institute choir’s presentation was very motivating to them!

Praise for:
- answers to prayer for the special Sunday at our church with the Bible Institute here to minister.
- the opportunity to work with these students on a weekly basis.
- our gas prices which are now only about $6 per gallon (down from $10 this summer).

Pray for:
- the preparations for a special Christmas celebrations/outreach for the Sango Bible Study. The current BMM Advance publication contains a brief highlight of our outreach to Central Africans in Reims!
- wisdom as we work with the vocal groups at the institute with fluctuating numbers. Each of the wives who are students are expecting!
- additional financial support. We are currently at 80% of our monthly need.

Praise and Prayer for November 21, 2008

Sunday, November 23 is nearly here, a day for which we have long been praying and preparing. On October 17, our Praise and Prayer told about the Bible Institute in Algrange and our involvement there. This Sunday our two primary ministries will intersect as the student body of the Institute will come to minister in the Baptist Church of Reims. The students will minister through the entire service, including the preaching. Pray for the choir and ensemble as they present four songs before the message, that the Lord will give peace and recollection of what we’ve practiced. Pray for us as we lead and accompany.

Pray for grace and wisdom for seating in our small church building. Last week there were 92 in church with at least 15 absent. Sunday, there will be at least 20 from the Institute added to the number present from the church. Our building seats 80 comfortably. Pray! Pray too for each one attending, saved and unsaved, that hearts will be receptive to the message through testimony, song and preaching. We are praying that the Lord will call out from this congregation some who would prepare to serve Him vocationally.

Praise for:
- a conference/ministry forum Jonathan was able to attend with Emmanuel on Monday in the Paris area.
- the student body at Algrange, for opportunities for training and for ministry.
- the opportunity to work with these students on a weekly basis.
- a number of members who have volunteered to help with the nursery ministry this month and next.

Pray for:
- the Institute choir and ensemble as they minister in our church this Sunday.
- open hearts among those in attendance at church on Sunday.
- Good health as the cold and flu make their rampant advancement through the Institute and schools at this time of year.

Praise and Prayer for November 14, 2008

We are so thankful for our children and for the opportunities of outreach that God has given to us through them. Adrianna is our vibrant five year old. She has had the opportunity last year and this year to attend the local pre-school and kindergarten, helping her to learn the French language and develop friendships with children and adults in our neighborhood. We see in her developing a love for others and a burden for their salvation. Adrianna has talked to her friends at school about God and we have encouraged her to continue to share with them as she has opportunity. She is learning to be more thoughtful of others, desiring that they see Christ’s love in her. She has been invited to several Birthday parties where her gifts include some kind of Bible storybook. Through Adrianna, we have had opportunities to befriend teachers and some of the parents through daily contact and involvement in the parent-teacher meetings.

Please pray for us that God would give us wisdom in reaching these parents and their children for Him. We pray that some of the children will be allowed to come to Sunday school with Adrianna some day and that the Lord will use this to reach the parents as well. At Christmas, we have a special opportunity to share a gift with some of these families and our neighbors with a message of God’s Gift to the world. Our Christmas program at church is a celebration of Christ’s birth as well as an outreach to the community (though space is a problem!). Adrianna will be singing at church in our Christmas program, and we pray some of her friends will be able to attend.

Praise for:
- our children and the doors they have opened in our ministry.
- relationships God has given us with parents and teachers from Adrianna’s school.
- Caleb’s improved health after a bout with the flu last weekend.

Pray for:
- the spiritual needs of families with whom we have contact.
- wisdom in sharing and ability to communicate the Good News.
- our Christmas program at church and that some of Adrianna’s friends would come.

Prayer and Praise for November 7, 2008

Some of the less acclaimed aspects of our ministry are the administrative and office responsibilities that we have. Communicating with prayer partners is at the top of this list, and is vital so that you are able to pray more effectively for us. Time is set aside regularly to write prayer letters and updates. We need prayer for guidance so our ministry, needs and praises are represented clearly. We have created a blog to make current prayer requests and praises available and are in the process of creating a website with more information about us and our ministry. We appreciate your prayers, as this is fairly new territory to us.

Aside from keeping our prayer partners and supporters informed about our ministry, there are several other reports that we must work with. Monthly expense reports submitted to our mission agency include ministry mileage and expense records with receipts, and are used to figure our income tax for the IRS. Our home office, our BMM France team and some supporting churches require detailed ministry reports annually, all in different formats. Several documents must be prepared annually for our foreign residency permits which we must renew each year with the French government.

Praise for the:
- prayer and financial supporters God has given us around the world.
- great job our youth did at the Bible quiz rally last weekend.
- refreshment students at the Bible Institute received on their week of vacation.
- good health the Lord has given us in the past few weeks. Caleb hasn’t had the coughing spells he had so commonly before.

Pray for:
- guidance as we communicate to our prayer partners.
- the spiritual needs of the Central African population living in Reims.
- the preparation by the Institute students as they prepare the music, testimonies, choir numbers, and the message to present here the 23rd.
-protection of our health as Adrianna is back in school where colds and other infections are easily passed from one child to another.