Praise and Prayer for October 31, 2011

After praying for my Mother through all of the suffering she has faced these past months and years, she entered the gates of her heavenly Home on Monday, October 24 into the presence of her Lord and Savior whom she loved and served throughout her earthly lifetime.  Our hearts are filled with emotion, both of grief for our loss and of joy for her gain as we move through these days.  Your prayers for my brothers and me, for our families and for all of those who knew and loved Mother during this time are much appreciated.  As I type, we are travelling back to Michigan to help with some of the arrangements and for the funeral service there Thursday evening.  Lord willing, we will return to northeast PA on Friday for a funeral service and the burial there on Saturday.  Her body will be buried beside my Father’s not far from Springville, PA. 

While my Mother’s promotion and this trip comes as a surprise to us, we are comforted by the knowledge that these events do not come as a surprise to our loving Lord.  We know that He has known the number of Mother’s days since before she was born (Psalm 139; Job 14).  In His wisdom and love, He had arranged for us to receive the word of Mother’s promotion while in the home of long-time friends of our family, at a church that has partnered with my family in ministry for more than 50 years!  God surrounded us with His love in tangible ways.  He continues to give us the comfort and healing that we need.  Mother has been a major partner in our ministry through her interest, prayer and financial support since the beginning.  While her input into our lives cannot be replaced, we pray the Lord will use her example to raise up many who will pray, give and go in response to God’s love and claims on their lives, just as Mother did.

  Praise for:

- the generous special gifts that have been given to cover extra expenses that we are having.

- protection in our travels between PA and NY.

- the good preaching and spiritual refreshment at the Couples’ Prayer Advance in Lancaster, PA.

- Mother’s life and fine example, and for God’s answer to prayer for her healing.

- the evidence of God’s love and care during these days of sorrowing (Ps. 23:4).

Pray for:

- travelling this week to and from MI and for the services that will be held in MI and PA celebrating Mother’s life, her service for the Lord and her promotion to Glory.

- continued healing and comfort for our hearts (and my brothers and their families), and for guidance in the days ahead.

- a new wave of those who would respond to God’s call to pray, to give, or to go, and that Mother’s life would continue to bear fruit through the lives of those whose hearts have been touched by her testimony.

- 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.