Ways to Pray

I praise the Lord for all He’s doing in the world and in my life. Here are some of the highlights:

• The boy who accepted Christ in October is growing tremendously! His attitude and demeanor have changed so much, and I can see his hunger for God growing! He cherishes the camouflage Bible that I bought him while I was home in the States, and he’s starting to really see God at work in his life. Last Friday during God Sightings, he explained how he prayed persistently to God to help his car’s heater to start working, and a few seconds after praying, the heater started up! He shouted, “Hallelujah!” I echo the same word!
• God continues to refine my character. So much has come to light this year, especially in the context of my relationship with Lindsey, and God is faithfully correcting me and healing me of deep things that only He can touch. He has granted me the faith to believe that He is faithful to care for me, His child.
• A number of my students are really progressing in their academics and in their faith in God. In about three students, I have seen marked improvement from where they were in December. Praise God!

How can you be praying for me/us in the days and months ahead?

• For the school to receive its quota book, which is essential for issuing visas to the teachers, by early March. The more we find out, the more it looks like it will have to be a miracle for that to happen by March, but we still hold onto faith in Christ – He is the miracle worker. Without the card, it would cause a lot of logistical problems, as many teachers would have to leave the country all at once to obtain visas through other means than the school. We leave this in the hands of our great big God!
• One of my Korean students is in a very difficult situation. His mother is having great pain in her body and is receiving medical treatment in Korea. Her son, my student, is with her and is caring for her, but this creates quite a problem with his education, as he is missing tons of school, all of which he is responsible for completing, and we are not sure of the details of his situation – whether or not he is receiving any education or instruction in Korea at this time. Please lift this family up in prayer.
• Lindsey and I have many important decisions to make and details to work through as we plan for the wedding – pray for wisdom and great joy as we do this! Pray also for God to be glorified in our relationship and in our own individual hearts as we prepare for marriage. We want our relationship to always be all about Him.
• For upcoming visits to a local orphanage with my middle school boys group – that God would open the door for the gospel to be shared through our love, interest, and time with the kids there.
• For the English Café that we are launching at Moscow First next Saturday, January 30 – for just the right people to come, for us to develop good relationships with them, and for direction as we see where God wants this ministry to go.
• For God’s hand to be on the English Café as we kick it off again this year. Pray for our relationships to be strong and for us to have discernment in knowing which of our friends are interested in going deeper into the things of God through the Alpha Course, which will start in February. See my previous post for this semester’s Café schedule, so you can join us in prayer each time.