Prayer Calendar
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As I get ready to go back to the States after over a year here, I've been reflecting on what I've learned. One of the biggest things is the power that comes when God's people are united in prayer.
I'm not just talking about me praying on my own. I've been doing that for a while now. But I was always reluctant to ask others to join with me in the things I was contending for. Maybe it was laziness or pride, or both. But I have been blown away in the last month or two as I've seen God answer prayers when many believers are contending for the same thing. (I'd love to share stories with you in person!)
So in response to this, Brandon and I have decided it would be a good thing to step up our prayer support from back home. We have many people who have told us they would like to pray, but we haven't been very good about organizing a structure for it. So this year we're going to try something new.
It's an idea given to us by a pioneering church planter we respect. He told us, "You will never see breakthrough happen unless you have lots and lots of people praying." His idea was to get 30 people to each commit to pray for him and his work one day a month (so the first person would pray on the first of the month, the second on the second, and so on). After a while of doing that, he asked each of the 30 people to get 30 other people to pray for him a day a month. You can see how this would multiply quickly into a massive amount of people praying for the same thing!
Well, we're going to try out the first part of that plan. We would love to find 30 people who will commit to pray one day a month for us and our work here. If you join this prayer calendar, you will be committing to pray for our work the same day each month for the next year and a half (until we return to the States again). You will be contending for breakthrough in Masiphumelele, asking for leaders to be raised up to change Africa and a movement to begin. We would commit to pray for you on that day as well.
If you're interested in being part of this prayer calendar, please let us know! Or if you would like more information about it, maybe we could talk in person? We're going to be back in the States soon! We will be in Austin Dec. 3-5, Norman Dec. 6-18, San Antonio Dec. 19-28, and the Washington D.C. area Dec. 28-Jan. 9. One of our main goals is to raise up more prayer and financial partners while we are in the States. So if you're interested in partnering with us, please let us know and we will try to get together!
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Discipling a family
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I wanted to share a brief story about a family we are spending time with in Masi. I've shared this story in our monthly e-mail update, and if you're not on the list and want to be, please let us know and we will add you!
Brandon and I met them several months ago when the 9-year-old boy, Lovedon, ran up to Brandon in the street and begged him to come to his house for Bible study. That led to an introduction to his parents, Present and Lovemore, and they were eager to study the Bible with us. We've been reading scripture with them most Sundays (when the father doesn't work) since. It's been amazing to see the transformation in their hearts as they have learned more about Jesus. They already called themselves Christians, but they lived isolated lives just striving to make money to send back to family in Zimbabwe. We are studying the early church with them, and they are beginning to understand that life is about more than just praying to Jesus in order to go to heaven someday. They are reaching out to their neighbors and sharing God's good news. It's been wonderful to disciple a family as a family!
This Sunday they came to Celebration for the first time and were able to connect with other Zimbabwean believers who are part of All Nations. They loved the experience, and I'm excited to see them get plugged in even more.
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Video: VC camp and Nokuthula's story
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Brandon made a great video last week about the Vulnerable Children camp that was in July. He focused on the story of one of the girls that I've been discipling. She's not in the VC program, but helped translate for Kid's Club and so came along as a counselor at the camp. I hope you enjoy the video!
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This is a picture of twins that were born to my friend Tuesday. It was a stressful labor and I had to rush her to the hospital and she had an emergency C-section. But she is doing well and so are her boys, Olwami and Oyintando. Please pray for God's continued provision for this family. The mom doesn't work and neither does her mom who she stays with.
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There's a word that's been coming up with me a lot: Expectation (and expectancy). There was a Celebration at my church back in the States where they talked about this, and it's made me think about it too. Several subsequent conversations from friends from that church have expanded my thoughts.
Here's the gist: I want to live a life where I expect God to move. Where I'm not just going through the motions of asking God for things because that's what I'm supposed to do, but instead I'm actually expecting change. The Bible talks about how God moves on people's behalf, and it says we can come "boldly" before God's throne to make requests. I make requests all the time, but lately it had felt alot like sending a prayer into the great void "out there" but not expecting anything in response.
I want that to change. I've begun by changing my prayers to use more confident language. And it's made me feel more confident. Yesterday at our prayer time with the Masi team I felt God clearly reminding me that he has promised to move and he will. Despite the bondage, poverty, pain and sorrow I see around me in Masi, God is bringing breakthrough.
So I copied an idea from my friend in Norman, Megan. She has a plate of expectancy in her home. On the plate, she writes down the things that she is expecting God to do. And then she displays it so everyone can see. I loved the idea of writing my requests in a noticable place and then seeing how God answers them. So I made a chalkboard of expectancy in my kitchen. The very day I included my friend Danielle's wedding venue, she found the perfect spot. So God is moving!
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Fruits of the Spirit
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In Angels Group this afternoon we are drawing bunches of grapes with the fruits of the spirit on them. Talking about what life looks like with the Spirit of God.
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