We consider it a great privilege to be serving the Lord in helping to build His church here in Reims, France. While some aspects of our ministry take us outside our comfort zone, we can certainly testify to God’s faithful provision of strength, courage and His all-sufficient grace to accomplish the tasks that He gives us to do. His love and patience with us as we continue to learn and grow in our own walk with Him is ever humbling.
Our week was full and God’s blessings and answers to prayer were many. Prayer meeting Tuesday evening went well with a good group out to take part in the Bible study. As parents we were encouraged by our daughter’s growth and interest in spiritual matters. Her weekly ice skating lessons offered an extra hour on Wednesday morning for learning the music for the skating numbers. This created a dilemma since prayer meeting the evening before puts us home too late for her to make an early morning event the following day. Up until now (although normally the only child in prayer meeting), she has gone as often as we let her, when we felt she wasn’t too tired. Since we knew she couldn’t handle both prayer meeting and early ice skating, we let Adrianna choose which one she would like to attend: prayer meeting or extra ice skating lessons (with her friends). We were please when her response came without hesitation that she wanted to go to prayer meeting. So she was part of the number present Tuesday evening. The importance of the choice she had made became more evident when we saw another father arrive with his young daughter for the first time with the thought that Adrianna might be there as well.
On Thursday, I visited a community hall with the pastor to check it out for a possible location for a June concert by BJU’s Musical Mission Team. We’ll be checking out another hall tomorrow. The English Encounter went well Thursday evening and the level of questions and discussion encouraged us during the Bible study. The Lord brought some new visitors to church on Sunday, and there were 9 present in the older Sunday school class. Three of our SS kids, including two four year-olds, recited their first verses in the Memory verse challenge, and did so without error. A young lady taught the younger Sunday school class, the first time as the teacher, with Cherith helping this time. We all praised the Lord for a good class and a good experience for M. She did a great job of preparing and teaching, and we are encouraged to see God’s preparing and providing another needed teacher. One of the deacons preached for the second time in the morning service and gave a challenging message. We were blessed with the visit of our dear friend, Paul Stetson, in church, and then in our home for a brief visit.
Praise for:
- a good prayer meeting, and for the Lord’s help for Jonathan as he led.
- Adrianna’s good example to others in her interest in spiritual matters.
- another good EE on Thursday with especially good discussion during the Bible study.
- the good start of the Memory verse challenge by three of the children, including one whose mom had said before that her son couldn’t learn verses like Caleb.
- good progress on correspondence this week.
Pray for:
- continued good attendance in Sunday school, that some who haven’t been coming would come back.
- church members who are taking a more active role in ministry.
- good progress on reports this week.
- kids in Sunday school to get excited about learning Bible verses and that God’s Word would be learned and applied to hearts.
- peace and order to continue in the Central African Republic as the first round of presidential and legislative elections was held yesterday.
- direction for our future as the Lord guides us step by step.
2 comments:
Thank you for letting us know how we can pray for you and your ministry!
Thank YOU, Maryanne, for reading our updates and for praying. You are an encouragement to us. Thank you and Todd for the ministry that you are involved in too! May God bless you.
Post a Comment