Friday, April 26, 2013

France Friday, 4/26/13

Hello everyone!  I'm gonna keep it short and sweet this week.  Here are a couple of recent updates in case you missed them and then I'll go straight to the prayer needs for this week.  Thank you so much for walking alongside us in this journey! 

  • We found out about two weeks ago that we won't be able to attend the required pre-field training in July because they don't have anymore room.  Even though we still have a long way to go to get to 75% funding, it was disappointing to hear that we don't even have a shot to take that step in July.  What next?  That leaves two options for now:
  1. Try to make the September training course at the former institution that World Team used, but this one costs about $5,000 more than ICC.  
  2. Wait and try to go to the next ICC course offered in January. 
         Obviously we're anxious to get there as soon as God will allow us to go. 

  • We were privileged to be interviewed by our friend Larry Rea at the Commercial Appeal this week.  We're hoping to see the article run around Mother's Day as we discuss what this faith journey means for us as a mom and dad of 3 young'ins.  
  • How can you help?  Outside of prayer and financial gifts and pledges, we're looking for more opportunities to share in person with families or small groups.  If there's someone you think we should meet, would you be willing to arrange a time we can all meet for coffee?  These opportunities to share face to face are invaluable!  
Prayer Needs:    

  1. I (Brandon) am praying that God would provide a large increase in our funding soon, either through a "large" donor or an army of "smaller" donors.   
  2. I will be sharing with the children's ministry and Fayette Baptist Church this Sunday.  Pray that God will use me to give children a passion to reach the ends of the earth!  
  3. I have a meeting with a local pastor tomorrow.  Continue to pray that God would lead area churches to join what He's doing in France.  
  4. Pray that the article would be accepted in the "Faith Matters" section of the paper that goes out to everyone!  
  5. Pray for pastors and friends Brent and Keith that are on a trip to the Sudan to preach the gospel and train men to make disciples.  Pray that God will allow them to finish strong as they are pretty worn out.  

Lastly, big thanks again to the Butler's and K's donuts for placing one of our "pickle jars" in their shop.  Go support their business.  They're located across from the neighborhood Walmart in Bartlett and the donuts (and donut holes!) are great.  **We have 5 or 6 more pickle jars ready to go if you know of another business that would take one.**  Let us know and we'll get one in your hands. 


I'm not kidding about the donut holes!  You have to try them!

 

Friday, April 19, 2013

Running the Race, Part 2

      Last week I used the analogy of our support raising journey being like "running a marathon with no mile markers and no finish line in sight" and was reminded in scripture about our need for endurance.  Well, it's been a long time since Michelle or I did any type of long distance running, but we have family members training for various races and marathons and I think that's what brought the analogy to mind. 

     This week of course, with the terrible events that took place in Boston, the mention of marathons is every where you turn and it has made me think about my analogy on a whole new level.  We all have a race set before us and none of us knows for sure where the course will take us or when the race called life will end.  Hebrews 12:3 goes on to encourage us, "For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." I have to admit, there are plenty of times that Michelle and I have felt weary and been tempted to lose heart, and this week with some new challenges has been like that for us in many ways.  But we only get one shot at this race, and to borrow from another passage, " Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize ? Run in such a way that you may win" (I Cor. 9:24).

     We're all going to come to the end of our "race" one day.  The question is, are we going to run it to win it? So as we covet your prayers in our journey, we pray for you as well.  Let this week's tragedies be another reminder that this life on earth is just a vapor and to make this life count.  Love people like Jesus loves us.  Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Let's be about His business.  


"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" Hebrews 12:1

Here are some ways you can pray for us this week:  

  • I won't go into too much detail until we know more but we found out that ICC, our pre-field training course we are required to attend, is full and won't have any spots available for us in July.  The next ICC course is not until January and the thought of being delayed until then is one of the things that causes us to grow weary and lose heart!  Waiting until January is just one of several options we have right now, however, and we need your prayers for God to show us what He's wanting to do through this situation.  We selfishly long to be able to make some type of "next step" soon. 

  • With our timeline even more fluid than before, we'll have to decide soon the best option for Karis to begin school in the fall.  Again, pray for God's wisdom.
  • In the meantime, we are going to continue to pray and share and invite people to join with us in what God's doing to reach the French.  Pray that God will stir people's heart to join Him and that He would lead us to these people.  


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Running The Race...


     I know we missed our weekly "France Friday" post this week but I wanted to share some brief reflections on our current faith journey.  We are often asked about our progress and how we're doing.  Lately, I (Brandon) have found myself giving this response: "It feels like we're running a marathon and we can't see the finish line and there are no mile markers."  It feels like we've been running a long time and we can't say for any certainty when this "race" will end.  But we know that stepping off of the plane in France isn't the end at all but only the beginning.  We know that God is preparing us for what's to come.  It's funny that the Bible also uses the analogy of a race and we're exhorted to run the race with ENDURANCE.  This trait is not easily acquired.  This Christian life is not some leisurely stroll through the park.  But we have an example, "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross." What a gracious heavenly Father!  He knows our needs.  He perfects our faith.  Oh what joy is set before us!  Let us fix our eyes on Him.  
  • Please pray that God will INCREASE OUR FAITH in Him and build up our endurance for the race set before us.  
  • We have LESS THAN 3 MONTHS to reach the 75% mark in our funding and so be able to attend our required training in July before we can go to France. Please pray that God will stir people's heart to join His work in France. 
  • Pray for two church-planting teams in France with World Team that are seeking a PERMANENT PLACE to worship.   




Not running a race, but close enough.  =)