Friday, May 25, 2012

France Friday, 5/25/12

Hello to all!  God is moving and remember that He is able to do more than we could ever think or imagine!  Thank you for praying with us... 

  • This is the last week in May.  Please pray with us that our pledged monthly support will jump to AT LEAST 25% by the end of the week.  We're ultimately praying to be able to leave for France in January 2013.
  • Pray for strength as we prepare to move to a nearby home this weekend.  
  • Pray that more people would catch the vision of how they can be a part of what God is doing in France and not just helping out the Burch's.  This is all part of our God's grand story to reconcile His creation to Himself!   

Thanks again and God bless!

Friday, May 18, 2012

France Friday, 5/18/12

Hello again.  Thank you for joining us again to call on our God to do great and mighty things!  Here's a few quick announcements of things going on before I give some prayer needs.

  • We have about 10 Chik-Fil-A cheesecakes left that are available for sale for $21.  For each one sold Chik-Fil-A gives us $5 towards our pursuit of France.  Contact Michelle for more details.
  •  We're having a Yard Sale at Bartlett Hills Baptist Church on Sat. June 2nd to clean house and raise some more funds for France.  Donations are welcome if you have anything you've been meaning to get rid of.  I'll gladly come and pick it up as well.  Just let me know.   
  • For the coffee lovers out there, check out this website:  https://justlovecoffee.com/about/beneficiary/allonsy/    You can purchase organic, fair-trade coffee from various regions around the world and a portion of the proceeds will support our church planting efforts.  Let me know if you would like to me order it wholesale for you (its cheaper that way). Otherwise you can order it on your own and $5 per bag will go to our World Team account.
Thanks for your support and please spread the word.  God is working!  Here are some specific ways you can pray for us this week:

  • Please pray that we don't get overwhelmed as we try to find some time and energy to pack for our move (locally).   
  • Pray that we can reach 25% of the pledged monthly support needed by the end of this month.  Our outgoing (one-time) funds are steadily increasing, but we are having a harder time lining up our ongoing, monthly support.   
  • Pray that we can fix our eyes on JESUS and not lose sight of our ultimate calling to know and follow Him!   

We also want to express our gratitude to the Women's Ministry and Pastor of Mullins Station Baptist church for allowing us to share at their meeting this week.  Also, thanks to Sherry Hall from the Mid-South Baptist Association for bringing us along.  




Friday, May 11, 2012

(It's Still) France Friday!

Ok, so I am a little behind on France Friday, but the day is not over yet, so its not too late to pray!  I am going to make it short and sweet which I know many of you will appreciate.  Here are the updates:

First, a few praises:
  • We have had yet several more people give to our outgoing expenses fund and so it is consistently growing.
  • We have been presented with several more opportunites to speak with different groups, some small and some larger over the next few weeks.
  • We have several fundraising opportunities and they are already going really well!
Now, a few specific requests:
  • We still need the many people who have verbally committed to give monthly to our ministry to put those commitments down on paper either mailed into World Team or via email through Brandon and me.  We believe that if everyone does this, we will exceed our goal of being at 25% by the end of May.  Pray that we will be able to contact these people and get those commitments ASAP.
  • We are speaking at a missions meeting at Mullins Station Baptist Church on Monday night.  Pray that more contacts will be made and that more people will catch the vision to see France reached with the gospel.
  • We are preparing to move in a few weeks as well as host a HUGE yard sale at Bartlett Hills Baptist Church.  Pray that we will make time to get organized for that.  We have had many people already tell us they have things to donate, so we expect it to go well!
**We do still have 14 (frozen) Chick-Fil-A cheesecakes left, so if you would like one, please let us know.  They are $21 each.

Bon Weekend!

Friday, May 4, 2012

France Friday: Something Better...

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
                                            Isaiah 55:8-9

I am a planner, a "type A" personality.  I like to live by the motto "Plan the work and work the plan".  I usually resist when God's plans don't match up with mine.  And then I am reminded that He is God and He has a better plan in mind.  This week, I was both frustrated by a change in plans and then blessed by God working out something better.  We had found a house in Bartlett to rent temporarily (for the next 7 months) and I was just trying to make the specific arrangements since we will be moving out the first of June.  Let's just say that this option is no longer an option.  I began to get really angry that this would fall through with so little time to find something that we could afford.  I felt like the "perfect" house for us was dangled in front of me and then taken away.  Only a couple days later, a friend of mine was able to connect us with someone who has been kind enough to offer to rent us a house temporarily at the same price as the other house.  This house has already proven to be a better option for us in many ways.  Why would I doubt God's provision?  Over and over again He proves to me that He is good and that He is in control.  And having Him in control is much better than having me in control.  I am having to be reminded of that often as there are good days and bad days in the support raising process.  We have had some more great breakthoughs since David went back to France a week ago.  We have also had some small frustrations.  I constantly have to remind myself that this is God's calling on our lives and that He will get us there in His timing and by His ways.  As always we thank you for continuing to pray for us:
  • as we follow up with those that we were able to share with while David was in town
  • as we attempt to schedule more opportunities to meet with individuals and churches and share what God is doing in France and invite them to partner with us
  • Pray for us as we prepare to move in the midst of all this!
  • Pray for the Shorbs, a couple serving in France for about a year now as they seek to move to Gisors to join the church planting team there in this new work. 
And now for a few pics from the week...
                              This is our temporary home!


I absolutely loved hanging out with this amazing group of women from BHBC.  This WMU group asked me to come and share about France with them.  I was so moved by their passion for missions that I plan to attend any meetings that I can between now and when we leave for the field.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012