28 November 2020 Prayer Update

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Helping Hannah and Noah hang their Christmas lights

Quote of the week:

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.            1 Peter 2:21-23

Dear |FNAME|

This week we enjoyed having all of our kids around again. Caleb came home early to quarantine once again. Andrew and Emily were with us the first part of the week, then they travelled to Massachusetts to be with Emily’s family for Thanksgiving.  From my email / Bible Study last week, we decided to just have Thanksgiving with our immediate family.  So, it was just Caleb and Hannah and Noah, since Andrew and Emily were in Massachusetts.  It was a very nice day. 

The 3 of them helped us put our Christmas tree up and decorate the house a little.  Thankfully our church has left some Christmas decorations here in the house for us to use, since all of our stuff is in PNG.  We had a very nice day together.

We trust you all were able to have some gathering for Thanksgiving.  Covid has made so many things more challenging this year.  But, I hope you were able to take some time this week to look back and remember things you can be thankful for.  We enjoyed doing that as a family together this week.

You all are one of the things we are most thankful for.  Thank you for your valuable partnership.  Here’s some prayer requests for this week.  And as always, don’t miss my devotional thoughts at the bottom.

Prayer Requests

  1. As we hear and correspond with the orientee families we will be working with, they are beginning to make their final preparations to head to PNG.  Pray for the good byes with family and all the last minute things.  They all need to be on the ground in PNG by mid January.  Some are leaving in December, and some in January.
  2. We have also begun talking with PNG leadership about our return.  I’ll give a little more info on that in the News Column.  But, be praying for the details for our return as well.  Pray for the clearances for PNG and the flights.
  3. Andrew and Emily are in Massachusetts with Emily’s family for Thanksgiving.  Praise the Lord they were able to go.  Pray for safety for the drive back to Michigan on Wednesday.  Pray also that their car runs well, without any mechanical issues.
  4. Continue to pray for a healthy pregnancy for Emily.

News

We have shared a few times that some of our coworkers have been able to successfully return to PNG.  The only route that is open is with a Humanitarian carter out of Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.  They only do the flight once a month.  So, with the baby due the end of January, our plan is to be on the February flight.  We have been informed that typically they fly around the middle of the month.  So, if all goes well with the baby, and she comes on schedule, she should come in plenty of time for us to enjoy a week or so with her before we have to say good bye.  So, we are praying toward that end.

There is another group of missionaries that will be leaving this week.  One of the families was waiting on their clearance still, and they are supposed to fly tomorrow.  Please pray for the Keeton family that they will get what they need so they can fly on the flight this week.

The WORD For ToDay

I have started something new in my devotional time this week.  As I do my Bible reading, I take notes of what God is challenging me with.  Then I take a few minutes after my Bible reading to write a prayer for that day based on what I read and what God was encouraging me with.  I am calling it “The WORD for the day.”  I then take some time to pray through my prayer list, and include the prayer from “The Word for the day.”   So, for this week, I thought I would just share one of my “Word for the Day” meditations.

Father, I have been reminded this morning that in myself. in my flesh, there is nothing good. That in my flesh, in my own strength, anything and everything I accomplish is God-less, because it is without God!  I recognize that I still believe there is some good that I can accomplish in the flesh.  It can’t all be bad, can it?

In a sermon by Ian Thomas I listened to this week, he talks about the story when King Saul, after he was told to totally destroy all of the Amalakites and all their possessions, he kept the best of the cattle, the best of the herds, and even kept king Agag. Ian Thomas says, This is a picture of our flesh. God said there is nothing good in our flesh. Anything we think is good apart from God is idolatry because it shows that we value that more than God!

In contrast to Saul, 1 Peter 2:21-23 gives us the picture of the mind of Christ. Phil 2 tells us to take on the mind of Christ who didn’t see his position as God something to hold on to, but considered our needs as more important. “He did no wrong, He never sinned, no deceit was found on him, when He was accused and made fun of, He didn’t retaliate.  When he was threatened He didn’t lash back. Instead He entrusted Himself to God who judges righteously / justly

Justly… I’m not sure I would consider what happened to Jesus as just. it wasn’t fair to Him! It wasn’t easy or comfortable. But because Jesus didn’t consider Himself as something great, He wasn’t relying on His own strength, His own flesh, He simply trusted in Gods plan. He found joy in the circumstances, because He was confident in God and could be at rest with God’s plan..

May we be like Jesus today, completely confident in God, available for Him to use our lives to do His work, and not putting any confidence in our own flesh.

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