Praise and Prayer February 28, 2014

We are thankful for the strength and health God gives as our family has continued to struggle with sickness.  This past Sunday, Cherith’s bronchitis and sinus infection along with some flu symptoms got the best of her and she stayed home with Josiah.  She is much better now, though still tired as the coughing at night has kept her from sleeping well in several days.  Josiah and Adrianna have also been on antibiotics for bronchitis and strep throat respectively and are doing much better.  My knee has improved further with physical therapy, though I have been somewhat limited in what I can do.  The foot doctor identified the problem as a displaced meniscus (not torn according to the MRI), which should move back into place and heal with the Lord’s help and the therapy sessions I am having.

Our elderly friends, the Cs, have finally been able to move to a retirement home where Mr. C’s needs are well cared for.  Since the kids had begun their winter break (two weeks) from school, Adrianna was able to go with me for a work day to help several other Christian friends work in the C’s old apartment to help get it ready to turn over to the owner by the end of February. 

Praise for:

- the work God is doing in Ch’s heart and life.

- for healing from sickness and knee injury and for daily strength.

- the room the Lord has provided in a retirement home for the Cs and for the good care that they are receiving.

- contacts that we have had, including new contacts through the cupcake baking party that Cherith hosted for Adrianna and some friends from school.  She also invited a couple girls from the Christian family across town that came, giving some good opportunities for interaction with these unsaved friends.

- opportunities during the kids vacation from school to connect with a number of people, including a friend from Vienna, Austria who came through Bordeaux for work, and the Corenthin family from the Bordeaux center church. Adrianna and Lydia C. (along with coach Cherith) spent Wednesday putting together a lovely dinner for our two families to enjoy here that evening.

- the beautiful flowers blooming in our garden, evidences of God’s power and love.

Pray for:

- Ch to know God’s strength and victory in the daily battles she faces.

- our weekly flyer distribution and that God will bring more people to church.

- continued healing for our bodies. 

- Mrs C to be able to adjust to her new surroundings in the retirement home.

- the provision of daily needs for our Central African brethren as they face the food shortage crisis.

- God to awaken the hearts of the people of Saint Medard to their spiritual needs. Pray that F will turn his life over to the Lord.

Praise and Prayer February 11, 2014

Thank you for praying for our film outreach January 31.  Though we had hoped to see more present, we have seen the hand of the Lord at work and we are thankful.  One man showed up in response to the 1000 invitations that were given out, but he was someone who had come to one of our first Sunday services with his family.  Neither he nor his wife are Christians but he had shown some interest in spiritual things while his wife has been pretty closed, having been burned by JWs which are very actively present in our town.  There has been some further contact with some of our acquaintances because of the film outreach.  The devil has built up walls of skepticism, fear and doubt in many people’s hearts regarding spiritual things.  When we see the influence of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in this area, it is no wonder that many are turned away by our attempts to reach out.  How we need God’s wisdom and guidance so that things we do and say will help to soften people’s hearts and lead people to trusting Christ, rather than pushing them further away.

We had a special encouragement when a friend of ours from our days in Reims came from Paris for a few days visit.  He was one of those from the church who had helped us move into our first apartment in Reims in 2007!  It had been a couple years since we had last seen Jessy, so it was a treat to enjoy his fellowship and share our work with him.  He gave us a hand with getting flyers out as well, a great help as I was already having trouble with my knee.

Praise for:

- the work God is doing through the film outreach, and through the flyers.

- visitors that have attended services recently, including a Christian family from the other side of town.  We were delighted to know there was yet another Christian family in town and they were encouraged to see the existence of an evangelical church in our town and showed interest in inviting their contacts to future outreaches.

- some special opportunities to interact with L’s unsaved parents who are visiting from China both in L’s home and at the church fellowship dinner.

- contacts with school children and parents through Birthday parties, school bake sales, accompanying field trips, etc.  This Saturday, Adrianna will be having several friends over for a Valentine’s day baking party, with supplies sent to us from a prayer warrior back home in MI!

- the good results from X-rays and MRI of Jonathan’s knee, that the pain he’s had wasn’t caused by anything too serious.

Pray for:

- God to work in the hearts of those who have heard the Gospel but have not yet made decisions (A, F, C and M).

- our weekly flyer distribution and that God will bring more people to church.

- health and strength as our family fights colds, etc.  Pray for healing for Jonathan’s knee as he works with a physical therapist. 

- wisdom and guidance in our outreach as well as in our preaching and teaching ministries at church.

- God’s protection of our Christian brethren in CAR, and for wisdom and protection for those responsible for restoring peace.