Prayer and Praise

29 March 2009

A Very Special Sunday for Sendero de Vida!

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I have here some video of a very special service we had here in Ixtapaluca today. It was a worship service, a gathering of a church not four years old, to recognize its first elder/pastor and deacon, Martín and Miguel.

It was such a great time to focus on the Lord – what He has done, what He is doing here.

We read Acts 13:1-3, remembering how the Holy Spirit chose people for His service in the early days of the Church. We also read Romans 11:33-36, which reminds us that God truly is great beyond imagination, and at the centre of everything.

Anyway, on with the video. Some weird things about it – for one thing, I was at the front when we actually laid hands on and prayed for Martín and Laura and Miguel and Tania, so the "highlight" of the service is not in the video. Maybe I can beg a photo from someone else to show you later. For the same reason you miss some of the music (since I was playing keyboard).

And I don’t point out these two couples in the video, though I think you do see all of them. However, there’s a nice shot of Martín with a video camera, and during Rod’s closing prayer you can see both couples to his right. See some pictures of them here.

Antonio Muñoz also gave a challenging message – a great reminder of the responsibility we all have to be servants in the church – not just a few people.

I’m so thankful to be among people who are looking to the Lord and glorifying Him – that’s what it’s all about!

27 March 2009

Where we’re at on Friday

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All right, so do you want the latest report? 🙂 If not, just skip this post and read some other ones.

First of all, Nathanael is doing fine. His foot (which, as you recall from our previous podcast, got caught in the spokes of a speeding bicycle) is a lovely purple colour, but doesn’t seem to be bothering him much.

Hannah missed one day of school, and seems to be much better now. This was exam week, so to catch up she did 4 exams yesterday instead of 3, and is doing some more today.

Since getting sick on Tuesday, Shari was in bed off and on until (and including) today. The latest report is that she’s starting to get her strength back, and has actually been out a couple of times today. Hopefully she’ll continue to improve.

I’m not sure if I mentioned it in the podcast, but I’ve been pretty sick too with quite a nasty cold (I hope that’s all!). After getting very little sleep Wednesday night, I ended up in bed part of the day Thursday. With all that had to be done, I finally got all the sugar and caffeine I could and finished what I needed to finish (ie laundry, helping with homework, etc) in the afternoon/evening. So today I’m still pretty sick and tired, but I’m stalling going to the doctor and hoping I’ll get better "naturally".

So we’re pretty behind with everything, but we’re trying to be very careful over the next couple of days, because Sunday is going to be a very busy day and we want to be able to be a part of it (more on that later). So here’s hoping we’ll be well enough to enjoy the day! Then next week…. catch up? We won’t think about that now. 😉

Thanks for those who prayed for us! And for those who got our email update this week, please do remember to pray for the weekend and the for the people I mentioned.

24 March 2009

Typical Day? Maybe not…

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It started out as a typical week… sort of…

10 March 2009

Answered Prayers

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Thanks for your prayers for Nathanael! He slept very late this morning, and is feeling a lot better today. Rod and Mayra’s son Daniel was in school today, and I haven’t heard the latest about their son David.

If you’re talking to God, be sure to thank Him! And pray that we’ll all be feeling well enough to go to Texcoco and Mexico City tomorrow and Thursday. We’ll be visiting Rollie and Jo Ann Smith in Texcoco, and then heading downtown to visit El Museo Nacional de AntropologÃa (the National Anthropological Museum) (as a part of our Orientation Year requirements). Hannah and Nathanael are looking forward to staying overnight at the Smith’s.

Tonight, Lord willing, I’ll be leading our weekly prayer meeting. Please pray with us that we would learn to trust the Lord more, and that He would do great things here in Ixtapaluca.

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1Jo 5:13-15)

10 March 2009

Praying for sick kids

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I mentioned in a previous post that we need to be praying for sick kids. It seems like, between Martín and Laura’s family, Rod and Mayra’s family, and ours, that we can’t keep a full set in school!

Rod and Mayra’s two sons were out of school yesterday (just when their daughter finally made it back). Martín and Laura’s kids were both there yesterday, though Martin was telling me the whole family had been taking turns sick.

And, if you’ll notice the time – it’s 1:26am and I was just up with Nathanael, who has a fever again.

There have been some pretty nasty bugs going around, though it doesn’t seem like it’s been all one thing.

Anyway, do be in prayer for us – for everyone’s health, and also that we will trust the Lord and not be discouraged. Psalm 86:15-17

7 March 2009

A Kind Man, a Coat, and some Kids

Jim Ministry glimpses, Prayer and Praise 0

On Friday morning Shari rushed out the door with Nathanael, a couple of books, packages of mini-M&Ms and children’s band-aids.

She picked up Ceci and Abraham, and they all headed to school. Unfortunately, Ceci, a nice little girl a year younger than Nathanael, was feeling rather poorly on the way. Let’s just say her breakfast didn’t provide her with much nourishment that day.

So instead of calmly gliding into the school, Shari came breezing in with lots on her mind. Ceci claimed to be feeling better, so she went to her class, Abraham went to his, and Shari went with Nathanael.

Almost every week, some parent comes in to read a story to the children. This was Shari’s turn.

The stories were the good Samaritan and the story of Joseph and his special coat.

The children paid attention to these stories that Shari said were really true stories from the Bible. At the end, she gave them each M&Ms (to remember Joseph’s coat, which some translators believe was colourful) and a band-aid (to remember to help someone else, as the Samaritan did).

After, Shari took Ceci home, because her teacher felt that she wasn’t doing so great.

The moral of the story?

Praise the Lord for the freedom we have to be able to go into a school and teach Bible stories!
Please pray for the many children who are sick around here right now.

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