ANSWER TO PRAYER

We thank you all who have prayed with us and we praise the Lord for an answer to our prayers for Pam’s parents. Pam has been on “stand-by” for the last couple of months because it seemed like her parents would not be able to continue to live independently. Pam’s cousin, Anne, has been an absolute lifesaver, handling all the daily details that normally fall to the children. Being in South Africa, it was almost impossible for Pam to be there. Pam’s brother, Mike, even with the hectic traveling schedule of a commercial airline pilot, made numerous trips to handle issues and search for solutions. Anne, however, has gone far above and beyond the call of duty. At any rate, both Mike (Pam’s brother) and Pam have been waiting for the call that they would have to go home and make very difficult decisions.
We have prayed and have asked you, many times, to remember this situation in prayer. We have prayed for a miracle that the Lord would enable them to have the capacity to continue to live in their home and avoid the move to assisted-type living for as long as possible. This situation would be much easier to navigate after we have moved back to the US, so we have struggled with all the decisions and implications.
Most of us face many decisions like this in life, and we pray for wisdom and even relief, but the Lord is Faithful. So faithful, in fact, that He usually does not respond the way we want, and that’s usually the good news. This situation is not different, but we praise the Lord for the best possible resolution.
We were touch-and-go for about 30 days, trying to decide if and when Pam should return home to help handle various details. Then, the phone call we had waited for came, Pam would leave in just a few days to meet her brother in Cedartown. The situation had deteriorated, and it appeared Pam’s mother would not be able to care for her dad at home any longer. We had been praying for her mom to regain the stability in her memory and stamina, but her dad had gotten worse, so there did not appear to be any other options. We just did not know how the Lord was working.
When Pam’s mom realized that Mike and Pam were on their way, she was blessed by the Lord with an all new sense of independence and determination to give her very all. Her progress on memory, stamina, and appetite has been amazing and nothing short of a miracle. What looked like some very difficult decisions for her parents and a 30-day trip home for Pam, was not what it appeared. What looked like a bad situation from our perspective, the Lord turned into a blessing for all.
We know God answered prayer, and He is continuing to do so as things continue to improve. Please continue to inquire of the Lord with us for them to be able to remain independent for as long as He has planned, and for Him to use this and every situation to draw men to Him. Thank you for your partnership with us.

“Son”rise Service on the Beach and the rest of the week

What a beautiful morning our Father created on Easter Sunday! I wanted to share a couple of photos and just express my gratitude to the Lord for such a glorious day. The service began at 6:30 am and the sun arose about 7:10. We then went back home got in a quick 30 minute brisk walk and got ready for church at King of Kings. The rest of the day we spent just hanging out and enjoying the day.
We had a great evening with our Bible Study on Wednesday. The time spent last Wednesday talking about forgiveness really paid off for one of the guys. I asked Mike to ask them if anyone had a testimony to share. One of the guys that asked for prayer for forgiveness spoke up and shared a situation that happened to him over the weekend. We shouldn’t be amazed when we hear stories of how God works, but it was truly an answer to prayer for him. Another stepping stone is that almost everyone is memorizing scripture or asking for prayer to help them. Only one person out of all of them had ever memorized scripture before and it is great to see them building up confidence in themselves. Finally, as we finish up each week, we ask everyone for prayer requests. One guy asked to receive Jesus as his Saviour and Mike walked him through the sinner’s prayer. Of all the things we are doing in this place, this is the most important reason of all. We praise God for what He is doing in the lives of friends from Zimbabwe.
We have been praying for a miracle for my mom and it looks like we may have had a small break through. It is too soon to say definitely, but Thursday night I was preparing to get on a plane this weekend and fly back to the states. On Friday morning, my mom seemed to be doing better. I spoke with my brother and my cousin and they both said wait! I feel like this is part of that “test” where God says, “Be still and wait on me”. I covet your prayers and ask you to continue praying. The new medication regime may finally be kicking in.
Finally, Saturday evening we had all the volunteers over for Mexican night! Not only did we have the tortillas, guacamole, rice, Pico de Gallo, chicken, sour cream, cheese and refried beans, but we played Mexican Train Domino’s! A good time was had by all.

Baby Steps with our Bible Study

We had an awesome night in our Bible study! A couple of days ago I had suggested to Mike that we spend some time on forgiveness in our work book. I knew there was some unforgiveness and because we were studying it this week, it made perfect sense. Mike, being led by the Spirit, really opened up their eyes to what Jesus said about forgiveness. Matthew 5:23-24 talks about if you have an issue with someone you must be reconciled with your brother before you can go to the altar. Matthew 6:14-15 says, “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Mike went through a scenario with them asking them if a certain situation happened to them would they forgive and 4 of them said “No!” but after we had both shared short testimonies and lots of scriptures in the Bible they changed their minds. When we went around asking for prayer requests 3 of them stated they needed to forgive someone and wanted everyone to pray for them to be able to do this! We have also been encouraging them to memorize scripture and to do their homework. The first couple of weeks we struggled to get them to do this, then Mike came up with an idea to buy some food, because they are sooooo hungry, and reward them for good behavior. They have started doing their homework and memorizing scripture, resulting in confidence and growth. It is wonderful to see them taking these baby steps and becoming better disciples.

Praying for a miracle

Well, all I can say is we are praying for a miracle. My father has had Alzheimer’s for a couple of years, and my mom has been his only caregiver during this time. It has been very difficult on her, but it has also kept her sharper because she has had to be so responsible. Unfortunately, the last few weeks my mom has gone through some major changes in her medications and she has taken a turn for the worse. She has developed a lot of the same symptoms as my dad and my cousin and nephew are becoming overworked by all their needs. My cousin suggested I come back for a month to either spend time with my mom while she still knew me or to help come up with a plan for them. This has been a heavy burden on me and I am really seeking the Lord for wisdom and guidance. My prayer is obviously for her to get better so they can remain in their home but also for her spiritually to trust God for her needs and to ask Him to help her. He is ultimately the one in control and if it is His will she will recover. Mark 11:24 says, “All the things you pray and ask for, believe you have received them and you will have them.” If things do not improve I am going to have to fly back to the states and meet with my brother and figure out the next steps. I know God has a plan and he says in His Word “That he will not leave me or forsake me,” so I am trusting Him that He will show me the way. Please join me in praying for a miracle!