We Are At War....

I started a new book this week: Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper.

This is a book about missions. Chapter 2 is on prayer, and these are
his beginning thoughts on warfare, prayer, and missions.

"Life is war. That's not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie=talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world. Prayer gives us the significance of frontline forces and gives God the glory of a limitless Provider. The one who gives the power gets the glory. Thus, prayer safeguards the supremacy of God in missions while linking us with endless grace for every need."

Piper claims that " We cannot know what prayer is for until we know that life is war."
Interesting.....

Please Pray....

Please pray for Mendy. She is a missionary on Tanna Island.
Sunday she broke her foot, and when she went to the hospital in Lenackel
the x-ray machine was broke so they sent her home with crutches and told
her to come back later in the week.

Prayer Update....Praise Is In Order....

Joel has extended his knee, and has taken 3 steps.... Good News Indeed....
Keep praying....

Please Pray....

You know sometimes this is just hard. I ask you to pray for my littlest grand son. He has been sick for a few days. He has an infection in his bone, It is serious and he will be in the hospital to get IV antibiotics 4 times a day. He can't walk because his leg is so swollen, and painful.

Sigh...sometimes its hard...

Please pray for the little guy and his parents.

He got one of the lollipops I sent for being such a trooper when they had to pump his leg full of antibiotic.
Glad I sent them :)

Heavy sigh with a few tears, yes,sometimes it's just hard...

Lord, please help him to feel better. Please have mercy on him and heal this infection without more complications. Encourage his parents.
With a heavy sigh.... I thank You that I can trust You and that You understand my heavy heart tonight.

Bless them and keep them,
Make Your face shine on them
Lift Your countenance on them
and give them your peace.
Thank you Lord,

PRAYER Update...

Please continue to pray for protection of family and village, mosquitoes are very bad right now.
Erik has gotten maleria this week. Pray for a quick recovery. It is a wicked illness.
Thank you for your prayers.

PRAYER Update...

GOOD NEWS and a praise, Michele's colitis is better.
Thank you for your prayers, Erik called last night to give me the news and say thank you for praying.

Prayer update...

My daughter in law is a very special young woman. She is wife, mother,teacher to the village school and her own children, translator,a wonderful organizer, nurse,encourager,and friend.
She needs our prayers for healing.She has colitas which flares at random times. It has flared again, and she is back on medicine. Pray that her flare will calm down and she will feel better.
Pray for protection and health of the rest of the family.
Pray the truck will keep running without more break downs.
Pray for translation of Matthew and continued work on other books.
Pray for people in the village that the gospel in Nafe would go out in God's power and in the Holy Spirit with full conviction.

On a mission....

Loosing weight and keeping it off is a never ending "mission" for me.
I will blame these 10 extra pounds on the holidays,but regardless of the reason now is the time to get them off.

First, since Erik sees me only every few years he is able to notice the extra baggage and He seems not to have a problem reminding me," that I need to stay healthy."
Second,
I have arthritis behind my knee cap so the extra weight causes undo pain and stress, and going to Vanuatu means I will be doing lots of walking.

My kids and daughter-in-law walk barefoot and for them shoes are something that they tolerate only when necessary. They move fast and furious to get where they need to be. The 5 mile hike to church is easy for all of them.

In the village the paths get extra slick from rain and human traffic. Last time I was there I wore my Crocs most of the time, and they are great for the village but when it is slick they are down right dangerous.Once you loose your footing there is no way to catch yourself.

One day Michele, David and I were trekking down the hill to visit some villagers.
Michele barefoot, and carrying Joel on her hip was traveling at a fast pace. I have learned that I can never keep up with her, so I was lagging behind going at my own pace when I like to say that the ground moved and down I went.

They kept going until David looked around and didn't see me.
"Grandma?" he called as he ran back down the hill.
At that point I was picking myself up off the ground, and sending up a prayer of thanks that I hadn't hurt myself.
"Are you okay?"
"You were just like superman," he said," one minute you were there and the next you were gone."

Hmmm....Well superman wouldn't have let the rut in the road take him down though he was right one minute I was up and the next I was down.

I took the hand he offered me, and
Michele slowed down until we got where we were going.

All week the little ol ladies in the village would laugh and tsk,tsk, pointing at me as Erik helped me up the hill.
Tsking is what they do when they think something is wrong.

I had to admit they had it over me when at 90 years old they are still walking a mile to their gardens and carrying back fruit and vegetables on their heads.

Anyway all this said I am back at weight watchers, bike exercising, and praying for God's help to get this weight off by May.
Oh yeah and I bought a super duper walking stick.:) That ought to help.
I would appreciate your prayers..

PRAISE....

I am updating the prayer requests.

All kids are doing better..

The money for the VSAT came in and if all goes well it will give the kids internet access in the village. That is a huge praise.

Pray that there will be a taxi available when they get back to the village on Weds. of this week.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS...Erik and Michele are thankful also.

Poor Joel....

Sierra and JohnMark are doing much better. Well enough to win a swimming contest at the club in town, but Joel is sick now.

Good News....

JohnMark had blood work he does not have Dengue Fever or Malaria. It is a virus.
Thank You Lord, this is good news, but his fever is still high and he is very sick.
I'm thankful they are in the city instead of the village.Sierra is sick now.
Thank you for your prayers.

Continue to Pray....

JohnMark is still sick. He has swollen eyes and a fever.
Not sure what is going on.
They are taking him to the doctor today.
Thanks...

Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. Ecc.7:3

Today this was in my devotional STREAMS IN THE DESERT, BY L.B. COWMAN
I thought it was so appropriate to POMs and our Missionary families that I had to share some of it with you.

" Sorrow, under the power of divine grace performs various ministries in our lives. Sorrrow reveals unknown depths of the soul, and unknown capacities for suffering and service. Lighthearted, frivolous people are always shallow and are never aware of their own meagerness or lack of depth. Sorrow is God's tool to plow the depths of the soul,that is may yield richer harvests. If humankind were still in a glorified state, having never fallen, then the strong floods of divine joy would be the force God would use to reveal our souls capacities; But in a fallen world, sorrow, yet with despair removed, is the power chosen to reveal us to ourselves. Accordingly, it is sorrow that causes us to take the time to think deeply and seriously.

Sorrow makes us move more slowly and considerately and examine our motives and attitudes. It opens within us the capacities of the heavenly life, and it makes us willing to set our capacities afloat on a limitless sea of service for God and for others."

My prayer would be that through these sorrows and losses, we would learn and grow into the people whose lives would bring honor and glory to our God.

Blessings to all of you...Thank you for your prayers for my grandchildren...I haven't heard how they are, but no news is good news at this point... I will let you know.

PRAYER REQUEST:

Three of my grandchildren are sick right now.
Please pray for wisdom as each one has different symptoms.
Pray they would get better because Erik and Michele have
3 days of conferences this week and it would be
good if everyone was well..
Thanks

Prayers of Many....

The apostle Paul often urged God's people to pray for him. He knew his success as a missionary was direcly related to the prayers of believers.

In 2Corinthians 1:8-11, Paul states," we do not want you to be uninformed brothers of the hardships we suffer in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure far beyond our ability to endure, so that I despaired of life. In our hearts we felt the sentence of death, but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but God who raises the dead. He has delivered us from the deadly peril and He will deliver us as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in the answer to the prayers of many."

I know that my missionary family suffer hardships and pressures on a daily basis. Many of their hardships and pressures I know nothing about, and some I cannot understand, but my God who "raises the dead," knows of these needs and how to meet them.

Paul speaks confidently in these verses about God's deliverance and the importance that the prayers of the Corinthians played in this process and his success.

Prayer is a way for me to feel connected to my son and his family. We are connected to the same loving, powerful God.
Prayer helps me with my fears and anxiety of having them so far away, and not being close
Prayer Connects and enables me to lift up those that they are working with and for.
Prayer helps me be able to see answered prayer,and give thanks for the favor that He has shown us.

All this said I am adding a prayer sections on the side of this blog with prayer requests for Erik, Michele, and my grandkids.

Spread of the Gospel

When I studied IThessalonians last year I loved this scripture, and I pray it often for the people of Vanuatu and the spread of the gospel.

"For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction;just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake." IThes. 1:5

Lord, I ask that your Word will go out not just in word only, but with the power of the Holy Spirit and with conviction so that it will change the lives of the people who read it and study it. Let Erik ,Michele and family be an example to those that they serve so that Ni Vanuatu will see You in their lives and in their example and teaching.

Encouragment....

I received an E-mail from my son today and he was discouraged. I was reminded that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

After sending what I hoped was an encouraging note back, I got on my knees and prayed for my family. Prayer is one thing that I can do that will make a difference, and it is good for me because it makes me feel better. It is difficult being so far away. I am here, they are on the other side of the world, but our God is in both places, and He does not slumber nor sleep. God knows their needs, and my needs, and He can meet both. Thank you, Lord.