I was reading my (internet) newspapers on Monday and ran across a story that simply broke my heart. A woman in New York disappeared and after several years was declared legally dead. Her home was purchased by some investment-type person who sent cleaners to the house to clean it up. In the house they found the woman's bones. She had died in her own home and nobody cared enough about her to go to her home and check on her. For all those years she lay abandoned in her own home. How brutal to die so alone in this world. I cried for her - but I cried too late. It reminds me of a song currently on the radio that says "In the shadows of our steeple live all the lost and lonely people."
George Esparza is back in the hospital. The cyst on his liver is acting up again.
Please continue to pray for Ron Dangaran. He is not responding to treatment as well as had been hoped.
Our beloved Barbara Kanzler is having a difficult recovery following surgery, and has not been able to attend church in awhile
Kelli Hastings is home from the Sansum Clinic. They have narrowed her diagnosis to three possibilities - bladder cancer, urinary tract cancer or leukaemia. None of them a welcome thought - but Kelli's e-mail to me was so upbeat and trusting in Father that I think I am going to keep it to remind myself of what my attitude should be when I get whiney with Father.
Biana has sent off for her new STR-VISA application (not the credit card). Please pray that it will be expedited by the Nigerian officials.
Pray for the Prague missions team.
Harley Sowell is home!
We continue to pray for: Nola Ambler, Peggy Molander, Remo & Susan Paul and their pregnancy, Lorraine Esparza’s daughter, Bianca & Stephanie, Tony McDonald, Ellen Burton, Walt Couch, and Michael Ferris.
Pray for our missionaries – Meghan Dineen in Mexico, Matthew, Lisa & Nathan in Jos Nigeria, Judy, Faye & Miisaw at the New Life Center in Thailand, Jan & Larry Martin in Thailand, The Reaching Hand Society in India, Yvonne Deel in Belize, Bounkham & Khamla’s mission to Laos, Gospel for Asia, Laurie Bethall in Prague, and all the missionaries worldwide.
Pray for our pastors our leadership, our ministries, and Father’s provision for His Church.
Pray that we recognize opportunities to share our faith with others.
Pray for our country, her leadership and our military.
Holy, Holy, Holy, are You, LORD God Almighty! The whole earth is full of Your glory. We join with all of creation to sing praises and to worship You.
Abba, we pray for those who are facing health challenges. We ask you to touch George and heal him completely. We ask that You continue to heal Barbara so she can return to services. We miss her. We lift up Ron, Father, and ask for Your mercy and grace upon him - no matter what that gift looks like. We praise You, Spirit, for the testimony of Kelli. In spite of the confusion and indecision on her doctor's part - there is not confusion or indecision on Kelli's part. She trusts in You. Bless her Father. We thank You for Harley being able to come home. We ask that You continue to speed his recovery.
Our missions team took off for Prague this week, LORD Jesus, going to be Your hands and feet in a land far from here and among people we seldom notice. Be with them and protect them.
We ask that You expedite Biana's visa so that she can return to Nigeria.
We continue to lift up all of those who are long-term on our prayer chain. Deliver them from their situation, and use them to Your glory.
LORD Jesus, we thank You so much for our pastors and we ask, Holy One of Israel and of Us, that You pour a special blessing on them. We pray for the ministries of our fellowship and ask that You help us to keep the focus only on You.
Triune God, lost people matter to You, lonely people matter to You, hurting people matter to You. Help us to make them matter to us as well. Help us to reach out to those we have a tendency to overlook.
Be with Your missionaries who serve You so faithfully – remind them of how vital their work is to the kingdom.
We lift up our country before You, Father God, and ask that You bless her, bless our leaders and bless all those who serve in our military.
You are our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and end. We long to be closer to You, to be more like You, to reflect You fully into the darkness of this world. We love You, LORD.