Friday, November 07, 2008
Answered Prayer
We have great news to tell. We have a new home for Living Way! We have been praying earnestly for this land and Pastor John and The general manager of Living Way, Richard Lundie, met with the board on Monday to decide on who would get it. The school for the handicapped was the other main player in the decision. Initially, when negotiations first started, they wanted us to share the property equally with the school. We both knew that we might be able to share right now but within a year or two both parties would be able to fill the site. This would have left someone having to look for another space. During negotiations a couple of weeks ago, the school for the handicapped told the city council they would fight hard to get access to all of the property and did not want to share it with us. This left us all feeling like we might need to look somewhere else because they had brought a group of people from the Western Province Dept. of Education to back up their proposal. On Monday when they met, the school for the handicapped miraculously withdrew their offer and we were awarded all of the property. Richard and John were very surprised but very excited. We did agree to help with some work creation for some of the handicapped but they would only take up 1 or 2 classrooms. There is no other explanation except God heard our request and answered our prayer. We have asked so many people to help us pray and we want to thank you for your support. We now have begun the real challenge of putting the property to work for the Glory of God. It is His to give us and we want to be good stewards of what He gives. We have 1 more hurdle that could take up to six months and that is for the city council to decide on the length of time we can lease the property. We want to begin making it our home with tidying up and putting some root downs, so pray for them to come up with that decision quickly.
Monday, November 03, 2008
How God has Answered Our Prayers
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. Psalm 40:5 (NIV)
Lord my God, You have done many things—Your wonderful works and Your plans for us; none can compare with You. If I were to report and speak of them, they are more than can be told.
—Psalm 40:5 (HCSB)
This was one of the devotions from Brentwood this week and it got me thinking. As we are preparing to come back for Christmas, we are reminded of all the things we are thankful for and how God has answered our prayers in the last 10 months. Our blog has become our journal so I will look back over it and sum it up in one. As the scripture speaks above, there are more than can be told. This will be longer than normal because we couldn’t fit it all in a newsletter.
• Provision-God has been so faithful in providing all of our needs. We have been blessed that he has raised up people in our church, people outside of our church and members of our family that have supported us either financially or in prayer. He has met every need just as He promises.
• Relationships- This has been one of our biggest prayer requests. We wanted to have meaningful relationships with the local people. We could get involved with the church and be in a cell group, but this isn’t the group we felt God wanted us to be in. We felt called to building relationships in the townships. We thought we would be building relationships with the Xosha speaking people from South Africa but God has had a different plan for us. When we moved in to our flat we needed some help getting our furniture up the stairs, and so we asked someone at our church if they knew of anyone. The maintenance man told us of a young man named Washington from Zimbabwe, who was helping him, some at the church. We met Washington and asked if he had someone that could help him. He said he would get his brother-in-law, Brian, who was really not his brother-in-law by marriage as you will read later on. We picked them up at the church and brought them to our house. We didn’t know anything about them but quickly learned they were hard workers and desired more for their lives. We have had weekly acquaintances with them and about 15 to 20 others every week since then. About a month ago, we learned in most of the African cultures that couples that want to get married have to pay a “bride price” to the girls’ parents in order for them to get married. This has resulted in most people living together and having children because they can’t afford the price. At church last Sunday, the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart the need for this particular couple, Brian and Blessing, to get married. They have a 3 yr old son, Keith, who we want to see grow up in a home with parents who are married. As we stood in the atrium after church, I talked with them about work and they told me they wanted to earn extra money so they could pay their “bride price” so they can get married. I shared with them about the Holy Spirit impressing that same thing on my heart and we are moving forward to plan a wedding for them in Jan 2009. We have asked them to make a list of all the things they need. I spoke with Pastor John today and asked him if he would be willing to perform the ceremony. He said sure and we can find a dress, and have a reception at little or no cost to them. God is so good. I don’t remember “wedding planner” in my list of gifts, but I am really excited. I believe they will be the model for the marriage God intends for all the Zimbabweans that are living together in these same situations. We may also begin a cell group with them after the first of the year. We are still seeking the Lord for the answer to that prayer.
• Protection- In a place where people are fleeing because of all the crime that takes place, we have been protected and secured by our Loving Father. We faithfully ask for this in prayer every night!
• Blessings of friends and family from the States- We have had multitudes of people from the US here working with us, not only from our home church but from all across the country. We have had many special requests sent to us via the Brentwood Teams that have come. Last but not least, we were very fortunate to have Mike’s mom and sister come to visit us for 10 days in September.
• Beauty- Words can not describe the beauty of Cape Town, South Africa. We prayed for God to send us somewhere near the ocean or where we could at least see the water, and he gave us 2 oceans to look at! He has given us a beautiful place to call home for now.
• Ministry-We initially prayed for separate ministries, but soon realized after we got here that the Living Hope ministry would take both of us to get it running smoothly. I believe God has answered that prayer for us as we are fine tuning it in preparation for someone to take it over after the first of next year. The Living Way ministry has so much potential for each one of us to flourish in our own capacities and we have been using our gifts and talents to get Living Way off the ground. As you read our newsletter, you will see all of the accomplishments of this year with both ministries. We are still praying for the property for Living Way and they have a meeting this Monday to possibly determine the outcome. It isn’t looking good for us to gain the entire property because they want us to share it with a handicapped school. We feel like we could use the whole property. God knows what we need and don’t need and it is in His hands. Please pray for Living Way and for us on Monday. The scripture says I couldn’t begin to tell you all the things God has done for us and this is so true. The individual blogs that have been written since we got here tells most. We are just so thankful and so blessed that God is using us in a mighty way for His Kingdom and His Glory. We are looking forward to visiting the states in December and hope to see as many people as we can. May God bless each of you that reads this!
Jesus tells us to have faith in God and to pray believing that it will be answered. I will be the first to tell you if you are in Gods’ will and you are asking according to His purposes they will be answered. Mark 11:24 says, “All the things you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you will have them.” These are just some of our answered prayers.
Lord my God, You have done many things—Your wonderful works and Your plans for us; none can compare with You. If I were to report and speak of them, they are more than can be told.
—Psalm 40:5 (HCSB)
This was one of the devotions from Brentwood this week and it got me thinking. As we are preparing to come back for Christmas, we are reminded of all the things we are thankful for and how God has answered our prayers in the last 10 months. Our blog has become our journal so I will look back over it and sum it up in one. As the scripture speaks above, there are more than can be told. This will be longer than normal because we couldn’t fit it all in a newsletter.
• Provision-God has been so faithful in providing all of our needs. We have been blessed that he has raised up people in our church, people outside of our church and members of our family that have supported us either financially or in prayer. He has met every need just as He promises.
• Relationships- This has been one of our biggest prayer requests. We wanted to have meaningful relationships with the local people. We could get involved with the church and be in a cell group, but this isn’t the group we felt God wanted us to be in. We felt called to building relationships in the townships. We thought we would be building relationships with the Xosha speaking people from South Africa but God has had a different plan for us. When we moved in to our flat we needed some help getting our furniture up the stairs, and so we asked someone at our church if they knew of anyone. The maintenance man told us of a young man named Washington from Zimbabwe, who was helping him, some at the church. We met Washington and asked if he had someone that could help him. He said he would get his brother-in-law, Brian, who was really not his brother-in-law by marriage as you will read later on. We picked them up at the church and brought them to our house. We didn’t know anything about them but quickly learned they were hard workers and desired more for their lives. We have had weekly acquaintances with them and about 15 to 20 others every week since then. About a month ago, we learned in most of the African cultures that couples that want to get married have to pay a “bride price” to the girls’ parents in order for them to get married. This has resulted in most people living together and having children because they can’t afford the price. At church last Sunday, the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart the need for this particular couple, Brian and Blessing, to get married. They have a 3 yr old son, Keith, who we want to see grow up in a home with parents who are married. As we stood in the atrium after church, I talked with them about work and they told me they wanted to earn extra money so they could pay their “bride price” so they can get married. I shared with them about the Holy Spirit impressing that same thing on my heart and we are moving forward to plan a wedding for them in Jan 2009. We have asked them to make a list of all the things they need. I spoke with Pastor John today and asked him if he would be willing to perform the ceremony. He said sure and we can find a dress, and have a reception at little or no cost to them. God is so good. I don’t remember “wedding planner” in my list of gifts, but I am really excited. I believe they will be the model for the marriage God intends for all the Zimbabweans that are living together in these same situations. We may also begin a cell group with them after the first of the year. We are still seeking the Lord for the answer to that prayer.
• Protection- In a place where people are fleeing because of all the crime that takes place, we have been protected and secured by our Loving Father. We faithfully ask for this in prayer every night!
• Blessings of friends and family from the States- We have had multitudes of people from the US here working with us, not only from our home church but from all across the country. We have had many special requests sent to us via the Brentwood Teams that have come. Last but not least, we were very fortunate to have Mike’s mom and sister come to visit us for 10 days in September.
• Beauty- Words can not describe the beauty of Cape Town, South Africa. We prayed for God to send us somewhere near the ocean or where we could at least see the water, and he gave us 2 oceans to look at! He has given us a beautiful place to call home for now.
• Ministry-We initially prayed for separate ministries, but soon realized after we got here that the Living Hope ministry would take both of us to get it running smoothly. I believe God has answered that prayer for us as we are fine tuning it in preparation for someone to take it over after the first of next year. The Living Way ministry has so much potential for each one of us to flourish in our own capacities and we have been using our gifts and talents to get Living Way off the ground. As you read our newsletter, you will see all of the accomplishments of this year with both ministries. We are still praying for the property for Living Way and they have a meeting this Monday to possibly determine the outcome. It isn’t looking good for us to gain the entire property because they want us to share it with a handicapped school. We feel like we could use the whole property. God knows what we need and don’t need and it is in His hands. Please pray for Living Way and for us on Monday. The scripture says I couldn’t begin to tell you all the things God has done for us and this is so true. The individual blogs that have been written since we got here tells most. We are just so thankful and so blessed that God is using us in a mighty way for His Kingdom and His Glory. We are looking forward to visiting the states in December and hope to see as many people as we can. May God bless each of you that reads this!
Jesus tells us to have faith in God and to pray believing that it will be answered. I will be the first to tell you if you are in Gods’ will and you are asking according to His purposes they will be answered. Mark 11:24 says, “All the things you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you will have them.” These are just some of our answered prayers.
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