depending on God in prayer

In my last prayer letter, I asked my readers if anyone would like to join an Intercessor’s prayer team. I know God works through our prayers, delights to answer them, and I don’t want to go to Ukraine without solid prayer support. I’m thankful for my many friends and family who pray for me regularly, some even daily.

There haven’t been as many responses to my request as I’d hoped, which I find disappointing. However, it opened my eyes to another area were my tendency is to walk in my own strength: I assumed that God would give me a group intercessors–and quickly, too, rather than asking him about it and waiting for him to act, in his time. I’m growing in my dependence on God in prayer. Will you grow with me?

Will you pray with me for a meeting this Wednesday? I’ve applied to a local church’s missions committee for Ukraine support, and they will be considering my application at their meeting this Wednesday. As many churches do (including my home congregation), they place a high priority on supporting their own members missions work first, then regular attenders, then non-attending non-members like myself. However, I’m in the same presbytery and am seeking as much support as possible within our presbytery. Ask God to give me favor in their eyes, that they may decide to partner in sending me.

new numbers, faithful God.

Shortly after posting my monthly support at 57% due to the 2012 monthly support budget, I found two additional pledges totally $75/month in new monthly giving, and another $950 in one-time gifts!  So, as things now stand, I’ve received:

• 59% of my monthly pledged support
• 87% of my one-time support

In other words, I’ll be fully supported with $1,600 in new monthly pledges and $3,300 in one-time giving.  God is working through your prayers and giving, and my overall support is right at two-thirds: thanks!

More importantly though, God is building his kingdom in Ukraine, and his providence in my own life keeps pointing that direction.  Financial giving is only one of the tools God is using to build my trust in him and send me to Kiev.  At the truthXchange conference last week, and at the L’Abri conference, I met a number of people who offered contacts they have in Kiev, or sources for Ukrainian language and Russian language evangelistic and discipleship tools.  One friend recommended I connect with his friend, who I didn’t find a the conference, but ran into two days later in Terminal G of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

shifting numbers and our great unchanging God of grace

Sorry for my relative absence here of late.  Last week I attended the truthXchange Think Tank 2012 (http://truthxchange.com) in sunny Escondido, California, after a weekend exploring San Diego, worshiping with believers at Harbor Presbyterian (http://www.harbordowntown.org), and standing in awe at the beauty of a city nestled between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.  On the way home I stopped in Rochester, MN, for half the L’Abri conference, and to visit good friends and a few Ukraine supporters.  I arrived home Monday, thankful for a good trip, and for numerous reminders of the overwhelming goodness of God’s grace for us in Jesus Christ.

Meanwhile, MTW was revising my support budget for 2012.  Previously, I’d raised 60% of my monthly support, and 80% of my one-time; in their new budget, the amount of monthly support I have to raise has increased slightly, and the one-time amount decreased.  So I currently have 57% of my monthly support, and 87% of my one-time support.  I now need to raise $1,672 in additional monthly pledges, ($201 more than before).

Its tempting to be discouraged when I see my monthly support numbers shifting from 60% down to 57% due to having to raise an addition $201 per month.  But God hasn’t changed, he knew this was coming, and he will provide in his time and through your prayers.  My calling and task remains the same: reminding you that God builds his kingdom everywhere, by his grace.  Thank you for giving, for praying, and for participating with me in the work of making Jesus known to Kiev, Ukraine, and the entire earth.

The truthXchange Think Tank centered around the good news that God our Creator, who is separate and distinct from his creation, hasn’t abandoned it but actually came down, entered into creation in the Incarnation, and has made a way through the cross of Jesus that we might be re-united to God.  God is lovingly working to bring all things under the lordship of Jesus, and I believe that he will provide all my needs, according to the riches of his grace.

(The video below explains what truthXchange is all about.  Watch it, and then if you’d like to hear more the audio from the Think Tank is available on their website, http://truthxchange.com.)