Praise and Prayer October 29, 2015

43 people entered eternity on the morning of October 23 when a full bus struck a jackknifed tractor-trailer in the middle of the two-lane highway in the worst highway accident in France since 1982.  Since the accident was inside our region (the Gironde), survivors were evacuated to a Bordeaux hospital for treatment.  The accident, which shook the country, is a wake up call for unbelievers and believers.  Are we ready to face God?  Are we living and working to let others know about our Savior?  How many will go into a Christless eternity without our having tried to reach them with the Gospel?  May God move in our hearts to motivate us to never lose sight of eternity – our own and our neighbors’. 

Praise for:

- the good opportunities to share the Gospel through the English outreach and for the interest of some new families.

- several visitors that have come to church.

- the burden for the lost that God has given to many of those in our church and for the opportunities to witness that He is giving to many.

- the church flyers that have been distributed.  Praise for the help of friends that are in France for a year of language study in preparation for service in Cameroon.

- the good progress preparing for the Christmas cantata outreach, including the children who will be participating in the children choir.

- the good practices for the Christmas cantata so far, with fairly good attendance.

Pray for:

- good opportunities to share the Gospel with T. and his family, as well as with neighbor Mrs. S.   

- the multi-church retreat this weekend (October 30 to November 1) with over 100 attendees.  Cherith, Adrianna and Pastor Christian’s daughter Lydia have spent many hours in the kitchen preparing desserts for the retreat. Pray for decisions to be made by believers and unbelievers as they hear and see the Gospel at work.

- the evangelistic Bible study that we are doing with our church people.

- the preparation of the Christmas Cantata “The Lost Star”, including working out logistics for the presentations, seating, flyer invitations, etc.

- God to use the recent tragedy in France to impress on each heart the shortness of this life and the truth of eternity, either with God or separated from Him.

Praise and Prayer October 6, 2015

Thank you for praying for us.  God has answered prayer in a number of ways and we want to share with you some of His answers. 

Concerning my health, the pain in my stomach diminished until it is now gone.  The doctor was unable to determine the cause for the attack that I had and the elevated numbers in my blood.  The last blood test last week indicated that the numbers are almost back to normal. 

Our atheist friend T and his family continue to need prayer.  God has given us a number of good opportunities to share with this family.  He is in the hospital now to begin a new treatment of chemotherapy, and hopes that the cancer will respond to the new treatment.  Please pray that God will continue to work in his heart, as well as the hearts of his wife and sons.  Last Saturday evening, we were invited to have supper with the family.  A.’s Mom asked me to pray before the meal and A. said that we had sung a song too (“God is good to me”, in French).  So she asked us to sing the song as well before prayer.  This family has been through so much and needs the Lord so desperately. 

We had the joy of having a visitor with us for several days last week.  Our Dutch friend, Hennie, from Pennsylvania came to Bordeaux for her work and was able to spend time with us in the evenings, as well as attend our Sunday services, fellowship dinner and prayer meeting.  What a privilege and encouragement to have one of our faithful ministry partners in our home.

Praise the Lord for the four kids that attended our first English Connection last Friday evening, one of them for the very first time. The theme for our Bible stories this year is the Parables of Jesus, and the first lesson was on the Sower and the Seed. Pray that God will prepare the soil of these kids' hearts to receive His Word! Pray too that He will help our teammates and us to reach more children and families this year through this outreach.

Praise for:

- the opportunities to share the Gospel that He has given us.

- the restored health that the Lord has given to me, and that nothing serious was discovered.

- the encouraging visit from one of our ministry partners.

- the four kids at the first English Connection outreach, one for the first time.

- the good practices for the Christmas cantata so far, with fairly good attendance.

- a blessed time together with the other pastors who were here in our home Saturday for the monthly pastors’ prayer breakfast and Bible study.

Pray for:

- T and his family’s salvation. Pray for God to guide our words and actions and that His light would shine through us.   

- the English Connection outreach, for good attendance and for God’s help for us to prepare, host and teach.

- our own study and preparation of lessons and messages for our church ministries.

- a special 7-week evangelistic Bible study that we will be starting at church for our own people beginning October 18.

- preparations for the Christmas cantata.  Pray for plans for a children’s choir to be able to participate in the cantata this year.  We have been asked to lead it.

- the Central African Republic which is going through more unrest and insecurity with fighting and demonstrating in the capitol city, Bangui.  Pray for God’s people and for those that do not know Him to turn from their wicked ways to Him.