On the Road Again...

Ken and Jean Morris are dear friends and champions we met in PA last summer- read about that trip here. They are a gift! This weekend we have the privilege to see them again and share with their Sunday School class, and fellowship with the body of Christ there tomorrow. We also get to introduce them to our boys! We flew solo in the summer so they can't wait to meet the little guys! And our Caleb is SOOOOO EXCITED to meet another Caleb! He just walks around saying "two calebs! hahahaha! two calebs!" Cutie :)

We head out this morning in a couple minutes- pray for our drive, for our time with the Morris family today and our opportunity to minister alongside them tomorrow! Would you also pray for my brother and sister-in-law? They are on the road the entire month of February- we'll just get a little taste of travel- they've got a feast!

Would you also be in prayer over our finances? Our current goal is 50% in pledges and 50% in one time gifts (we're at 39% and 33% respectively)- we know God has a good plan for us, we know the He is our Provider, and also that He will provide for each champion He calls to join our support team... would you pray that each one of us would be obedient to the calling He has placed on our lives and that we would act in faith. Also pray that our eyes would be fixed on Him, and not our need. Pray that we would seek His face and not His hand. We are so grateful for the ways He is growing us. And also for your prayers- Thank you!

Uganda Field Requests

How you can be Praying for WGM Uganda…

Please pray for the physical & spiritual health of the missionaries & their families…

• Southern Uganda Missionaries:
  • John & Beth Muehleisen (HMA)
  • Jonathan & Lisa Mayo (Jordan & Ethan)
  • Kenneth & Delight Hopson (Kaleb, Austin, & Emilee) (HMA)
  • Lisa Fish
  • Keith & Donna Bourne (Haley & Rachel) (HMA)
  • Jean Komline
  • Teresa Duncan
  • Jenna Gaventa
  • Betsy Kurtz
  • Kristi Fuller
  • Brent Duncan
• Northern Uganda Missionaries
  • Billy & Joanna Coppedge (Elsie Jayne & Lucy Mae) (HMA)

MDs Preparing to Serve Throughout Uganda

Jamie Friedrich

The Hallahan Family

Scott and Meg Rambo

Michael and Brenda Guilliams

Pam Wilson

The Ferg Family

The Burkes

*Please pray for Caroline Ouma who is experiencing difficulty with her pregnancy (the baby is due June 6). She is the wife of one of our pastors and also works in the field business office.

*The Uganda field has an urgent need for a business manager/treasurer by May. We don't have anyone at this point to fill this very important position.

*Joanna Coppedge's mother (Nancy Neff) is having surgery for cancer again this morning (January 27) and will begin chemotherapy next month. Pray for a complete recovery for Nancy and for her family as they give support and comfort to each other during this time.

*Beth Muehleisen's sister, Mary, donated one of her kidneys on January 4. Thanks for praying! She made a very quick recovery, going back to work 2 weeks after the surgery. The man who received her kidney is also doing extremely well. He was released from the hospital a week after getting the new kidney.

Ongoing Prayer Requests for the Field:

• Please continue to pray for the field housing situation. With rent increases and more missionaries arriving, the need for affordable field housing continues to remain a need.
• Please pray for the pastoral training program in 2010. The training syllabus is being updated and revised to a new discipleship/scriptural knowledge/leadership model.
• The Africa Gospel Church will be going through a time of transition in 2010 as they will soon get their registration from the Uganda government. They will be learning how to govern themselves as well as how to budget the church's finances. This is a huge step in the life of the Africa Gospel Church.
• Pray for the Community Health Empowerment ministry (CHE) that was launched last February. Pray that those involved in this ministry will be true servants of Jesus Christ and will help lead not only their local churches but also their communities toward transformation.
• Please pray for the youth pastor’s training as well as a devotional book that is in the works for the youth who are away at school.
• Please pray as we continue to look at new areas for outreach. New ministries have already begun in South Sudan. We are now looking at ministry opportunities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 5 strategic locations within Uganda .
• Please pray that the Lord will provide 25 to 30 new missionaries in the next 5 years to meet the needs of the expanding ministries.
• Please pray for land to be purchased to build an Urban Center or to be able to purchase land with an existing building for multi-purpose ministries in Kampala. This Urban Center would be a place for the 600 plus students from 11 African countries in the University Ministry. It would be a multi purpose building for a church to reach professionals, a place to begin businesses or to rent out to other businesses to help fund the ministries of the church.
• Please pray that God will provide the necessary resources to meet the needs within all of the ministry opportunities.
• Please pray that we would all have the attitude of Christ, that we would keep Him the center focus of our lives, marriages, families, & ministries, and that we would be a light to Uganda.
• Also pray for some open teaching positions at Heritage International School for this current year, and next year!
  

Is Your Heart Broken?

This hymn was passed on to us from HQ this week (thanks, dennis). A timely, and relevant exhortation!

Let your Heart Be Broken

Text: Bryan Jeffery Leech

Music: James Mountain

1. Let your heart be broken, for a world in need-

Feed the mouths that hunger, soothe the wounds that bleed,

Give the cup of water, and the loaf of bread

Be the hands of Jesus, serving in His stead.

2. Here on earth applying, principles of love –

Visible expression, God still rules above,

Living illustration, of the Living Word

To the minds of all, who’ve never seen and heard.

3. Blest to be a blessing, privileged to care,

Challenged by the need, apparent everywhere,

Where mankind is wanting, fill the vacant place,

Be the means thru which, the Lord reveals His grace.

4. Add to your believing, deeds that prove it true

Knowing Christ as Savior, make Him Master too:

Follow in His footsteps, go where He has trod,

In the world’s great trouble, risk yourself for God.

5. Let your heart be tender, and your vision clear –

See mankind as God sees, serve Him far and near;

Let your heart be broken, by a brother’s pain,

Share your rich resources, give and give again.

copyright© 1976 by The Evangelical Covenant Church

Light shall Dawn

After witnessing His people's religious activity... and seeing there was no love in their hearts or compassionate action among the least of these... He said this:

"Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the heavy burdens,
to let the oppressed go free,
and that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
when you see the naked, that you cover him,
and not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'

If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing finger, and speaking wickedness,
If you extend your soul to the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted soul,
then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
and your darkness shall be as the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your soul in drought,
and strengthen your bones;
you shall be like a watered garden,
and like a spring whose waters do not fail.
Those from among you shall build up the old waste places;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In."
-Isaiah 58:6-12

Considering the current events- it causes all of us to ponder what love looks like- what loving God means in our lives and our finances. A new day is dawning. Are you willing to do what it takes to bring His light to a dark world? He promises to give you all you need, if you are willing to obey. Where will you bring light today??

Haiti Haiku

Been inspired over at (in)courage to write a haiku about winter... this is what first came to mind as I looked out the window:

bare branches stretching
pointing to Glory we miss
causing us to pause

but something bigger is on my heart... heavier... and so I sit and let word beauty pour out:

Hot winter rumbles
life and death in epic race
Glory will still win

"God, in the midst of tragedy, we know You are still who You say You are. Same Glory... forever. Thank you for pointing us to Your final victory- for promising that this world is not our home, and that one day death will be destroyed! Hallelujah! But now- with scenes of death stamped on the screens of our minds and hearts- move us to action and push us to our knees (where the true battle is fought!). Be Your Ever-Present self in Haiti. Shine brightly- Glorious One- in the midst of utter darkness. We wait for You. -Amen"

--Want to join in the haiku challenge? Check it out!

8 Specific Ways to Pray for Haiti

Sometimes in the midst of tragedy, I have no words to even pray. And I feel almost frozen. This is one of those times. But I am grateful for this website that gave me a guide to praying for those effected by the earthquake in Haiti! Thanks, OperationSAFE!

Here's a bullet list in case you don't feel like clicking over (although they expand on each point):

• Pray for those in need of rescue that it will come swiftly.
• Pray for the rescuers- safety, rest, encouragement, in the midst of horror and unrelenting pain.
• Pray for families that have witnessed the unthinkable, are worried about loved ones, and fearful for their own safety.
• Pray for children who need comfort and safety, hugs and reassurance- even if they are physically "fine."
• Pray for governments and authorities that all red tape would disappear and corruption would cease.
• Pray for relief agencies to have wisdom and compassion to make a lasting difference in Haiti.
• Pray for those around you that they would respond not just with what they can do, but with their heart.
• Pray for yourself that you would have a heart of compassion- start now and it will grow.

And this website that challenged how I should respond! Thanks, Generous Mind!

This is WAR!

As I've been studying Numbers with some lovely ladies at Sicklerville UMC, God has shown up and been teaching and convicting me! One thing that has really grabbed my attention- just as the Israelites were about to move in, cross the border and enter into all that God had for them... Satan attacked... causing some to settle on the east of the Jordan (oh, they were so close!). Satan lured them with material prosperity, and safety for their children- and they missed out on God's best :(

Josh and I are in that place of "on our way" to the place God has prepared for us... are you in transition as well? Well, let me share some things we've been learning, and some ways you can be partnering with us- perhaps they will help you on your journey, and give you some fodder for prayer!

He says to us: "I have begun to give... begin to possess..." -Deut 2:31 "Rise...begin to possess it, and engage him in battle..." -Deut. 2:22 "You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you..." -Deut. 3:22

Engage in battle.
Begin to possess.
Do not fear!

This is war- we must spend much time in the Word and in prayer- our two weapons in this spiritual battle! And just as we approach all that God has for us, we must be ready to fight all the harder and lean all the more on Him! As you keep walking the path He lays before you, stay dependent on Him, and spend extra time in prayer! Put on the full armor of God!

As for us, we're at almost 40% of our pledges and almost 30% of our one time gifts... and as we get closer to 100% we're going to need you to fight for us! Satan has had a hold on Uganda for decades- He doesn't want any more missionaries there! I've been feeling the weight of our great calling lately- and there has been a heaviness upon me- knowing it will only get harder as we get closer to our own Promised Land. So pray that God would protect us from the evil one, and that we would walk in obedience, and surrender. And that we would spend extra time in our prayer closet, girding ourselves with the armor of God! Thank you!

Pray also for our dear friend, CJ Caufield. There has been some progress, and praise reports- but this is far from over. Join us as we lift up our voices around the world for his complete healing.

Also be in fervent prayer for Haiti! A friend of mine has dear missionary friends there, and WGM has some personnel on the ground. Be praying hard that God would be sufficient in this time of crisis. And ask Him how He wants you to respond in a tangible way.

New Year Dawns...

Light pours in the window... causing us to squinch eyes... the glory hurts... hope, like the sun rises as we wipe slate clean and begin another 365. And the opportunities overwhelm... freezing us...inactive...

But the Christ who came- is still God With Us! And He promises to walk hand in hand with us into the unknown that lies expansively before us!

Our 2010 holds: opportunity for God to show up in big ways, situations to trust Him entirely, countless love gifts from Jesus, training for what lies ahead, hard places, airplanes, car rides, meals with brothers and sisters in Christ, champions whom we can invest in, new ministry in Uganda, new teammates on the field, endings and beginnings, and the invitation to walk with Him daily through it all!

What does 2010 hold for you? How can we be praying? How can we serve you? How can we join you in your kingdom work?