Praise and Prayer for October 19, 2010

God has brought us through another week, and safely over another 1200 miles since last Tuesday.  We are grateful for His protection and for His help for us, especially for the children as we face the many challenges that our travelling schedule brings.  They have been a part of our ministry presentation in almost every church where we have ministered, giving greetings, quoting verses and singing.  The constant changes do bring special challenges, however, and we would ask for special prayer for extra grace for each of them. 

Last Wednesday evening, my Mother’s oxygen levels dropped toward the end of her dialysis session and she needed to be taken to the ER.  She was in the hospital through today, when she was discharged and returned home. They drained 1.25 liters from around her lungs (thoracentesis) on Friday and adjusted some of her medicines.  We are thankful for brother Don and Ramona and my Aunt Mary Lee who are there and able to help and visit during this time when we are so far away.  Cherith’s Mom has been a real help to my Mother as well, and has been able to visit her several times. 

It is good to be back here in northeast PA.  We are nicely settled into a single wide home on the Dale Grosvenor farm, nestled in the beautiful Endless Mountains near Montrose, PA.  This week we have a special opportunity to join Pastor and Mrs. Rosenau and several other couples from Springville Baptist Church in attending a Couples Prayer Advance (Christ Life Ministries) in Lancaster, PA.  We look forward to the special time of studying and applying Biblical principles to strengthening our marriage relationship.  Our children are excited about spending time with Jessica Leslie who has taken extra time off work to be able to watch them for us.  We will be leaving the Advance early on Friday evening in order to retrieve our children and then on Saturday travel up to Parishville, NY for meetings on Sunday.

  Praise for:

- protection on our travels this week from NC to VA to DE to PA to NY, and back to PA.

- His help for the children, and for their participation in our home ministry.

- Josiah’s life, and for his second Birthday last Wednesday (October 12) in DE, and for the fun time celebrating with some of our ministry partners.

- God’s undertaking for Jonathan’s Mother this past week, for some improvement with her breathing, and that she has now returned home again.

- the time we have here in northeast PA connecting with our church family here and with partners in ministry.

Pray for:

- protection in our travels to Lancaster, PA and Parishville, NY.

- our children, for extra grace for the challenges that they are facing, for adequate rest and for good progress in school.  Pray for them as we leave them with Jessica on Thursday and Friday to attend the Prayer Advance.

- Jonathan’s Mother, for increased strength and that she’ll be able to breath well and rest well at night.

- God’s blessing on our ministry partners and that God would raise up others who share our burden to partner with us through prayer and financial support.

Praise and Prayer for October 11, 2010

The color of the leaves is changing as we head north through Virginia toward Delaware, continuing on a seven-week trip of connecting with ministry partners and seeking to establish new partnerships.  This past week in West Virginia and North Carolina included a special opportunity to speak in two of the chapel services at a Bible College in Winston-Salem, participating in one church’s missions’ conference, and ministering in four supporting churches.  The miles stretch on before us, but the prospect of good fellowship and encouragement and the opportunity to share our burden for France with others drive us onward!  We appreciate so much the hospitality and generosity of all of those who have been so gracious to us over these past several weeks.

Thank you for your prayers for us throughout this time, even without news.  While other responsibilities over these past several weeks have threatened to overwhelm us, updating our blog has been impossible though it has weighed heavily on our minds and hearts.  Cherith spoke in two ladies’ fellowships in Grand Rapids, our first year of homeschooling began, we continued to help my Mother, hosted an open house to celebrate her 80^th Birthday, and joined our church family at Wealth Park Baptist Church in celebrating 125 years of outreach and God’s faithfulness.  As this trip approached, we became very concerned that we not leave my Mother without having some practical solutions worked out.  She had been in rehab for 7 weeks, then with us for nearly two weeks, preparing to return to her apartment on Bridge Street.  From our house, she returned home, but soon realized that a move to an apartment with more assistance available would be not only desirable but also necessary.  The Lord intervened through leading and opening doors and prior to our departure on this trip we had not only found a beautiful facility with meals provided and assistance available but had also gotten Mother moved out of her two bedroom apartment (keys turned in) into her new one, a studio apartment at Lincoln Square, just 1.5 miles away.  The Lord provided family members to watch our children throughout the week, others to help with cleaning and moving, and even a truck and trailer for the move (complete with Cherith’s cousin Luke to drive and help with moving).  We left Mother on October 1 heading south on this 7 week trip, and though she still had a lot of adjustment and settling in to do, she was enjoying her new home, the home-cooked meals provided and the assistance available.   

  Praise for:

- God’s protection over the long miles, for His help for the children, and for the fellowship and encouragement as we connect with our ministry partners.

- healing for Cherith for a sprained finger, and healing for our family from some nasty colds.

- God’s answer to prayer in providing for Mother’s move before we left MI for this extended trip.

- some good news and continued contact with friends in France.

- God’s provision for extra expenses through some special love gifts.

Pray for:

- protection and grace for our travels, this week connecting with partners in NC, VA, DE, PA and NY.

- Jonathan’s Mother, continuing to adjust and settle into new surroundings and dealing with numerous health issues.

- God’s blessing on our ministry partners and that God would raise up others to partner with us through prayer and financial support.