Praise and Prayer April 13, 2021

Springville, PA

I love the spring with the signs of new life everywhere, bursting from the ground, the bushes and trees all around us.  It is a reminder of God’s love and goodness, His faithfulness, His power in sharing His resurrection life with us.  This spring is extra special to us since it is the first time we have been in the US for this season since we first left for France in the spring of 2007. And though we’re so thankful to be here this year, we are also thankful for the time He allowed us to serve Him in France and for His work in hearts and lives there.  “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” (Psalm 61:11)

We appreciate your prayers for us over these past couple of months and we thank the Lord for His answers to prayer.  God’s protection has been evident as we have driven many miles through 10 states and DC sometimes watching as cars flew past us, weaving in and out of traffic.

Once we came upon an accident that had happened seconds before. God has also given us wonderful opportunities to connect with our ministry partners, both churches and individuals. It has been so encouraging to spend time with many who faithfully sacrifice to make it possible for us to pursue God’s call. We are so honoured to be able to partner with each one and thank the Lord for them.

Praise for

• God’s protection over 3300 miles traveled since leaving Michigan March 7, and for great opportunities to reconnect with our supporting churches and individuals.
• the Lord making it possible for Adrianna to visit the Bob Jones University campus and connect with a number of people there in anticipation of starting there in the Fall.

• God’s help for our children, and for the opportunities He has given them to serve Him. Praise for a place where we are able to stay this month in Springville, PA where the kids are able to get caught up with their classes.

• the time we are able to be near our sending church (Springville Baptist) to connect with our church family and participate in activities when we are not speaking in other churches.
• the way God has blessed Cherith and Caleb with healing following sinus surgery for Cherith and removing 4 impacted wisdom teeth for Caleb.
• Emmanuel Baptist Church in Moncton, New Brunswick being able to launch the French Sunday school class despite Covid restrictions.
• the vision and amazing teamwork to build and set up a Christian school ministry in Bambari, CAR that we are hearing about from Central African pastor friends.

Pray for

• God’s continued protection as we travel, and that He will help us with the rest of our meetings and use us to challenge His people to greater commitment to His service.  
• God’s provision of the remaining support needed before we leave for Moncton, New Brunswick in July. Our committed support is currently at 95%.
• each of our children to be sensitive to God’s leading and that they will daily desire to know His will and do it. 
• Cherith’s complete healing from her sinus surgery and for her breathing and congestion to show real improvement soon. 
• the Canadian government to further loosen Covid restrictions and for the borders to soon be open.
• meetings with the staff of the church and Bible Institute in Canada and for our preparation for moving and beginning our ministry there late summer.

• The churches in the Bambari, CAR area as they prepare to begin a new Christian school ministry in the midst of the daily turmoil.

Praise and Prayer February 2, 2021

Warm greetings from cold, beautiful, snowy Grand Rapids!  It has been interesting dealing with snow again, both on the driveway and on the roads.  The boys have been a big help with shovelling the drive and have enjoyed building snow forts and sledding.  

Adrianna took drivers’ education in the fall and has gotten in nearly 80 hours of accompanied driving, and is becoming an excellent driver.  

The Lord has given us many special visits with our team of supporting churches and individuals as we share of God’s leading to Canada.  God has surrounded us with the loving care of these friends, our own church family and immediate family, which has been so good for us.  

This last month, we lost one of our supporting church pastors to COVID, a great loss for his family, church and all who knew him.  We are so thankful for Pastor Ken Harris’ life and for God’s help and comfort for those who remain.

Since we arrived in Michigan, Cherith has been undergoing many tests (in many cases repeats of those already done in France) to try to ascertain the cause of her respiratory problems.  This has been a bit of an ordeal, both physically and financially.  Our health insurance has a very high deductible and is very slow to approve tests and treatments.  With tests coming back negative, the medical team has reached the last resort of recommending sinus surgery with the hope that this would improve her respiration.  We would greatly appreciate your prayers that the Lord would see fit to cause this surgery to be successful and that Cherith would experience relief.  The date for her surgery is February 18.  

Praise for

• time to be with our Plainfield Baptist Church family, and for the good meetings God has given us with our support team of churches and individuals thus far.
• health and safety on the road and for our vehicle running well at this time.
• the many medical tests Cherith has been able to have leading to sinus surgery and that they were able to get her scheduled before our big trip in March and April.
  
• the French Sunday school ministry launching soon in Moncton, NB at Emmanuel Baptist Church in anticipation of our arrival in July, Lord willing. 
• some good contacts with our friends in France over the holiday season.
  
• the opportunities that Adrianna has had to minister in music (instrumental and vocal) in our meetings as well as in our church here in GR.

Pray for

• God to use our family as we meet with individuals and share in churches.  Pray that our support team will share our vision for ministry in Canada and that God will supply the support needed.
  
• our children in this transitional time, travelling with us while they homeschool.
• the Lord to bless the sinus surgery Cherith has on February 18 and that the results will be very beneficial!  Pray too for Caleb as he has dental surgery to remove 4 impacted wisdom teeth on February 8, and that God will give healing.

• restrictions in Canada due to COVID to be lifted soon and the French Sunday school ministry to be launched.
• Pray for Jonathan’s Muslim friend who may soon be moving to Canada.  If he does, we are hoping that we will be able to meet again and have greater opportunity to share the Gospel with his family.
• Pray for our children to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and to be sensitive to God’s direction in their lives. Pray for Adrianna as she prepares for her graduation in June and heading off to Bob Jones University next fall.

Praise and Prayer November 2020

Thank you for your prayers over these past couple months since our last update, both for the Lord’s provision of grace for our family and for His clear direction regarding our future ministry.  While waiting for our shipment to arrive from France on September 18 we enjoyed spending time with our church family here in Grand Rapids, MI. With the help of a dear couple in our church, Adrianna was also able to begin Driver’s Ed and finish the in-person requirements before we left for northeast PA the following week.  There, we were able to spend 3 weeks with our sending church family, Jonathan’s brother David and his family, and other friends (while our kids continued with their studies). While there, David provided his photographic talent to take family pictures as well as senior pictures for Adrianna.

On one of the weekends, the Gadbois family, who had come to help us in France on several occasions, drove over from CT to spend some time with us. 

God has used these visits and the times with our loving church families from both of our home churches to build us up, refresh our spirits and give us healing. 

Through this time, even without the possibility of making a survey trip, we have sensed the Lord continuing to lead us toward a new ministry.  With the unanimous approval of both our sending church (Springville Baptist Church) and the leadership of Baptist Mid-Missions, we are transferring fields from France to Canada to minister in Moncton, New Brunswick in partnership with Emmanuel Baptist Church there. Our ministry there will include Gospel outreach to the French speaking population of this officially bi-lingual city and teaching in the Emmanuel Baptist Bible Institute in the areas of missions and music.  EBBI was launched and developed with help from Baptist Mid-Missions in order to prepare Canadian leaders for church planting in Canada in 2001.  We are excited about this new opportunity and by the way the Lord has been preparing us for this particular ministry over the years.  Our new prayer cards have arrived.  If you would like us to mail one to you, please let us know! (jteachout2@cs.com)

Praise for

• the work that God has done in our hearts to bring us to this point, and for His clear leading regarding our future ministry.
• the arrival of our shipment from France.

• safety in traveling, for good fellowship and meetings, and for protection from Covid-19 up till now.
• God’s protection and provision of help when the transmission of our car went out travelling on Interstate 81 near Harrisburg, PA.

• many opportunities that God is giving us to serve Him here.

Pray for

• God to continue to help each member of our family as we move forward in the direction He is leading and seize opportunities that He gives us to serve Him here (Besides our Sunday deputation meetings, Jonathan is currently leading the Wednesday Bible studies at Plainfield Baptist Church while our pastor and his family have had to travel to TX unexpectedly to be with family after his mother-in-law was in a serious accident. Please pray for her and this dear family.) 
• relief and healing for Cherith’s respiratory and sinus problems as she undergoes tests with various specialists here in the USA and as they try different treatments.  Pray she will find relief.
• the Lord to open the doors for us to get into each of our supporting churches over this year, especially after having had to cancel all of our meetings between August and October. Pray for continued safety in travel and from Covid-19 for both our family and for our ministry partners. Pray that our vehicle would run well.
• Our continued contact with friends both saved and unsaved in Europe.  Pray for Jonathan’s ongoing contact with his Muslim friend.
• Pray for our children to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and to be sensitive to God’s direction in their lives.

Praise and Prayer September 5, 2020

Fear thou not for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10) God continues to show His kindness to us as we cling to His promises.  We are so thankful for His help in working out a myriad of details as our time in France came to an end and we travelled from Bordeaux to Grand Rapids, MI on August 6.  From precious final visits with brothers and sisters in Christ and thoughtful gestures from neighbors and friends to the kind provision of our final meal in our house and help with cleaning and moving, the Lord has sent us help and encouragement while providing for our needs.  

He worked out the details for the sale of our car and the walk-through visit of our house with the realtor and the new buyers the day we moved out.  And when upon early check-in for our flights (23 hours before departure) we discovered our airline tickets had all been cancelled without notice, He even helped us to find new tickets out of Bordeaux on the same date. The new tickets included a forced overnight in London which provided us with desperately needed rest.

Since arriving on this side of the “pond”, the Lord has continued to provide His help with each step.  We were met in Chicago by family from Allendale, MI and Tipton, IN and have felt His healing while He surrounds us with loving family (including Cherith’s sister Hadessah who is home from her field of service waiting for boarders to reopen) and a loving church family.  

Through the generosity and love of His people, He has provided for the special financial needs outside of our regular support.  He provided a place for us to stay with Cherith’s parents for the first couple weeks and now we are in a mission house in Jenison, MI within 20 minutes of family and church. He helped us to secure phone service and internet (and gather necessary materials and equipment) in time for the children to begin school on August 24.

In seeking God’s direction for our future ministry we had hoped to make a survey trip around now to see a particular work closer up.  However, with boarder closings due to Covid-19, a survey trip is out of the question.  We are asking the Lord to clearly lead us even without a visit — just as He has done for us, our parents and grandparents in the past.  

Praise for

• all that God has done for us as He has given help with each detail.  Praise for His provision for our needs, including through a family from our church that invited us to their garden to pick fresh produce. 

• Praise for His provision of all of our special expenses caused by this move.
• this time that God is giving our family to fellowship with loved ones and continue to heal and adjust to all the changes. 

• continued contacts with neighbors and friends in France.
• opportunities that God is giving us to serve Him here.

Pray for

• our adjustment to God’s plan for us and for His direction to be clear to us regarding our future ministry even without the possibility of making a survey trip.
• God to use us during this time of healing and waiting. This evening, we will be helping a family from our church here to hold an outreach to their extended family and Sunday, Adrianna will be playing her violin in a duet with a friend on the clarinet for special music in the morning service.
• a safe trip to northeast PA later this month to spend some time in our sending church after the arrival of our shipment from France. 
• relief and healing for Cherith’s respiratory and sinus problems that have worsened possibly because of pollen since we arrived in MI.

Praise and Prayer July 21, 2020

Roman Arena in Arles

Finally, an update long overdue!  And what better way to use the time of waiting as the oil is changed and tires balanced on our car so we can get it on the market hopefully sold in the next few days.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley…  I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.”  (Psalm 23:4). We are so grateful for God’s presence, His Word and His help as we follow His leading through this valley. In 17 days, ready or not, we will Lord willing be boarding the flight back to MI.  The whirlwind continues as we continue to progress in our preparations for this move.  

I just shared the following to our prayer group on FB:

Our heads are swirling with so many details, but the stack of boxes in the garage is growing and the house is emptying.  The emotions are everywhere, with full days and short nights, anticipation and joy for the future God has for us, and stinging pain for all that we are leaving.  God is good and He is faithful as He gives us strength and help each day.  Only 17 days until we board the plane August 6, Lord willing.  

Despite being a bit overwhelmed with all of the work to do and details to be arranged for this move, God’s grace and guidance have been abundantly clear, and for that we praise Him.  He provided a buyer for our home without a “For Sale” sign ever being posted.  Within three days of our signing with a realty agency, there were two offers on the house.  We signed the preliminary sales agreement on July 7, though the final sale won’t go through for 2 to 3 months per French law.  The final signing should be able to happen without us present.  

God has given us some precious visits with friends and church family as well as missionary colleagues. 

While it breaks our hearts to leave, we are comforted and encouraged by the expressions of love and sorrow at our departure.  We have been given several invitations to consider for future ministry and have made a survey trip here in France.  Although we do not yet know for sure where the Lord will take us next, He has given us clear direction and peace about leaving France and returning to North America.  Please pray with us that God’s will be clear to us as we follow His leading.

Praise for

• God’s help as He leads us through this valley.  
• Good contacts with unsaved neighbors and friends, including my friend in Saudi Arabia over Skype who is also going through big changes.  

• Precious visits with Christian friends and opportunities to continue to minister to these dear ones, some with great needs themselves.

• The children finishing up their school year in June as scheduled and for the help they are able to give.  Praise for good contacts and visits that they are having with unsaved friends here.

Pray for

• God’s enabling for these final short days before departure.  Pray for His will regarding our flights and arrival in MI, regarding COVID-19 possible cancellations, quarantine, etc.
• Each of us as we feel the stress of the times. Though there is acceptance, we know that each of the kids are also under new stresses.
• God’s help with all of the details for preparing this move involving our shipment, the sale of our car and house, the trip, and the details (and provision) for housing and transportation on our arrival.  Praise the Lord for Cherith’s parents opening their home to receive us on our arrival in MI!
• God’s provision for all of the special expenses due to this unexpected move. If the Lord moves you to help in a special way, please feel free to ask for more details.
• Relief and healing for Cherith’s respiratory and sinus problems that have been aggravated by the extra dust as we sort and clean in areas that have long been untouched.

Praise and Prayer May 25, 2020

James 4:13-14 says “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” We like to add the phrase “Lord willing” when we make plans, knowing that God is working out a plan much greater and wiser than any that we can imagine.  Even as lives and economies around the world have been  disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic these past few months, our family is facing other life changes reminding us that God is working out His own purposes in our lives and that He is ultimately responsible for us.  

Just one month ago we were thinking, just as we had thought ever since we moved here in 2012, that we would be living and ministering here in Saint-Médard for many years to come.  However, the Lord has shown us that our time in this ministry is over and that He is moving us on.  When God clearly closed the door for us to return to Africa after 11 years there, He clearly led us to France, first to help for four years with the final stages of the church plant in Reims, then to team up with the Christys to plant a church here on the west side of Bordeaux in a town we had never heard of.  All along the way, we have been able to see God’s faithful hand helping and guiding and say with Samuel “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”  Now, as we face an even greater upheaval as a family, as we are uprooted from our ministry, our church family and our home, we are confident that our God, who has led us up to now, remains faithful. He is our Comforter, our Provider, our Help and our Healer.  He had already taught us that the ministry is His and our lives are His to use and move as He pleases.  We knew in our hearts that we would be here just as long as He wanted us here and that we needed to guard against thoughts of our own indispensability in His work.  

After much prayer and hours of discussions, the Lord has led us to make the most difficult and painful decision we have ever had to make.  We have come to agree with our teammates’ desire for our team to separate and for us to leave the continuing of this ministry to them. Together, we realised that philosophical differences along with conflicting interpretations of team ministry make it impossible for us to continue as a team and limit the freedom in ministry that each of us desire.  

So once again we are facing an unknown future as we turn over our ministries, begin to sift through the contents of our house and prepare to put our house on the market.  We are so thankful for the knowledge that the Lord is our Guide, that He is in control and that He is working out His purposes for His glory and for our good.  Our plans at this point are to return to the USA in August, Lord willing, for a year where we will continue to wait on the Lord for future direction and healing. Please pray for His clear direction regarding the next step, especially regarding future ministry for 2021.  Our hearts desire is to know His will and to do it.  We know that this and the COVID-19 pandemic will have an effect on some of the plans that we have already made for meetings.

Praise for

• God’s guidance and sustenance as we navigate a difficult time in our lives and ministry. Praise for the peace that God gives as we cling to His promises.
• God’s help for Jonathan as he distance-taught his class to the four first year students at the Bible Institute (World of the Bible: O.T.), especially with the extra challenges of sharing quizzes and tests.  Praise for the good spirit among the students during Jonathan’s class and for the class being enriched by the fact that all four students had been to Israel!
• God’s healing of friends recovering from COVID-19 and for His protection of our family.
• for the end of the home school year approaching for our three children (5th, 8th and 11th grade) and for Cherith.  They will be finished, Lord willing, by June 12, with Adrianna finishing a dual credit module with BJU by June 26.
• God’s Word that nourishes, heals, encourages and refreshes. Praise for the encouragement and prayers of our pastor back home, and of friends and family.

Pray for

• clear direction from the Lord for our future ministry, especially regarding where He wants us in 2021.  Pray that He will show us if He wants us to remain in Europe or if He wants us elsewhere.  Pray too for His guidance regarding our previously scheduled meetings.
• God to help us with sorting and packing, maintenance projects on the house, and wisdom to know what to keep and what to get rid of.  Pray that the Lord will provide a buyer for our house.
• God’s provision for our transportation and housing needs for our time in the USA.

Prayer and Praise Update April 4, 2020

Greetings in our Lord, fellow quarantiners!  While the world seems almost at a standstill with COVID-19, singing birds and blooming flowers remind us of a Heavenly Father continuing to hold this broken world in His powerful hands as He reaches out again to those lost in sin.  Our hearts are heavy for those who are entering eternity every day because of this virus, who are unprepared to meet God.

We are grateful for God’s blessings and care as we go through this unusual time.  Now into our third week of complete lockdown in France, we are grateful for the goodness and mercies of our Lord.  With all activities outside the home cancelled, we do have more time with our children, though much of it is taken up with school.  We can still enjoy a lovely yard and the beautiful Spring weather.  Our family continues to be protected from the virus, with me going out alone about once a week for groceries.

Our church family is connecting through social media as most of them have either WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.  We are grateful for the  edification, the fellowship and gathering together that is made possible through technology.  Today is the 90th Birthday of Mrs. T. who is off social media but able to be reached by telephone.  We thank the Lord for His care for this dear servant now even more isolated than before.

Next week, I am to teach a course to the first year students at the Bible Institute in Algrange.  I had to cancel my travel arrangements (train and air)  and have been working these past couple weeks to adapt the material to distance teaching/learning and get set up with an online classroom.  

Praise for

• God’s protection of our family and church family’s health thus far. Praise for healing for our teammates and for God’s help for several other friends in ministry that have been suffering with COVID-19.
• The technology available to us that has enabled us to continue to connect with and nurture our folks here. This has also made it possible for us to connect with family and friends in the US and should, Lord willing, make it possible for me to teach my class next week. It is also making it possible for Adrianna to continue violin lessons with her teacher via Skype.
• God’s help for Mrs. T. who is 90 today, and for His helping our other members too during this difficult time. 

Pray for

• Jonathan as he teaches his class to the Bible Institute students this week from a distance (with all the challenges that involves!).  His class is on the World of the Bible (Geography, History and Culture). Pray that we will receive a refund for the airline ticket that was cancelled.
• God’s continued protection for our family and church family, and for continued healing for those suffering with COVID-19.  At least one person in our neighborhood has been diagnosed with it.  
• for the Central African Republic with 8 confirmed cases of COVID-19, where this pandemic could cause great devastation on many levels, if it spreads.
• God’s provision for our transportation and housing needs during our 6 months in the USA, providing our trip does not get postponed due to this virus.