Prayer Requests & a Good Week

This week has been wonderful. Why? Because we traveled back down to Indianapolis for an orientation for new pastors at the Wesleyan Headquarters. Not only was it good to meet the "major" people in the Wesleyan Church and have many of our questions answered, but we also met up with Stephen Mowat & Phil & Stephanie Stuller...it was a HUGE joy and blessing to be with them for those 2 days. We found out that the Stullers' Sunday School class is praying for us each week (a big thank you!), and we were able to spend a bit of time with both of our families. So we've definitely had a pick-me-up from the Lord.

Tomorrow our leadership team travels to Madison to attend a church health assessment conference by Lonnie Bullock of New Church Specialties. We are praying that our team will sense the vital need for change in our church, and that we will have more wisdon with how to proceed in this refocus/restart process.

I just opened the door to 2 missionary girls from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We had a good hour of talking and listening . . . and I am taking their arrival on my doorstep as an opportunity to pray for them and minister to them. They will soon be helping me put up the rest of the wallpaper border in my house, and we will get together for a Bible Study next week (their idea, which I will be bathing in prayer this coming week). Please pray with me. They are sweet girls . . . and just our ages. Pray that I would have a heart of patience with them, and that the Holy Spirit would open their minds and hearts to His TRUTH.

Josh is preaching about the persecuted church this Sunday...I am looking forward to hearing his message.

A few more prayer requests to take to Jesus:
1) We need nursery workers . . . we finally have a couple of babies whose parents are starting to attend service and I am struggling doing the nursery thing all alone (as well as leading worship & teaching Sunday School).

2) Eight kids were at the church last week (WOW!), but only 2 are committed to attending Sunday School time, when our kids programming happens. The others come just every now and then, and some don't actually come to the service time at all. Pray that we would have a solution to this...knowing how to minister to these kids and their families...how to love them and provide God moments for them to grow like Christ. And pray that their families would encourage them to be a part of our congregation.

3) Please ask the Lord to change us into a welcoming congregation where visitors and new attenders feel accepted and very loved.

It is snowing outside right now...our 4th snowfall of the season, but the first one that is really sticking. It's actually very beautiful. We should have 1-2 inches by nightfall.

Question to Ponder: The Mormon girls asked me this question as they were leaving: "Do you think that people are more apt to repent of their sins when it is winter/snowing because of the reminder of a pure cleansing?" Great question...

Thanks for praying for Josh and me up here in our mission field. God has definitely placed us here...and He will surely show us what He wants to accomplish.