What to pray for this week April 26th-30th, 2010

It has been fun seeing so many new people reading the blog. Thank you all for your prayer and encouragement as God works in my life and in the hearts of the Samogho. If you are wondering how to pray for me this week, here are some ways, Pray for:


1. Safe travel
2. Time with Jak that it would be encouraging and a growing time for us both
3. Time with my two woman's group...for openness, understand and for Him to draw them to Himself through His Word
4. For the leaders of these groups...Wa who is a young believer and Shata who is not a believer at all. God is showing me I need to spend more time with her this week.
5. Jak and I will travel to Shen to visit the 5 guys who have the desire to hear, study and know the Jesus road.
6. For my walk that I will be weak enough to wait and strong enough to listen, for spiritual eyes to see Him where He is working and courage to go join Him
Thanks to you all!
Walking and believing Truth

Storying in Shen

As Jak and I were visiting the village of Shen, four man came and we told them the story of Jesus' birth. Once again it was cool to sit back and watch them learn more about Jesus and God. The main thing that I wanted them to understand was that God did not have sexual relationships with Mary. That is a huge belief in this area. We talked about who created everything...everyone..and then God gave me this saying....Did God have sex with everyone to create everyone. After saying that one of the men that had not said much looked at me and it was like the light went on and he shook his head and said..hmmmmm. I love those moments. After the story we talked about many other things it was so good to be with them. I really believe that the chief and at least 2 of them are followers. The other two are seeking big time.

The money story

The last trip the chief in Shen (a new village Jak and I are going to now) had given me money for coming. It took me by surprise for many reasons, one that he offered it and two that Jak took it. It was only a dollar but still. When we return to Kar, I just did not have peace about it. Then God brought to my mind these people that come through every now and then and pray over and bless people. That sounds all nice and stuff but really they are there to put the fear into people and use that fear to plunder the villages. They told people if they didn't pay them they would be cruised. They came with all the stuff from the last village and then after being in the village for a day made someone take them and all their stuff to the next village. The power of fear is amazing. I am glad God brought that to my mind because the chief was paying me so he would be blessed. As I prayed about how to return the money, God just told me to use the truth. As we sat with the chief many people came in and out to greet the chief and also Jak and I. I began to pray for a time that we were alone with the chief so we could give the money back and explain it all to him. God granted that prayer. We told him about how God did not give me peace about the money and that we were not about being paid for blessings. Jesus had paid it all and now if he believed he could have all that Jesus was offering. He loved that. It was cool to watch him understand that God better. After that he told everyone that came in that I gave him back money. It was a hoot to watch.

Lizard story

I got in the truck to head to the village last week. I have about 8 block on a dirt road before I get to pavement. While on this dirt road, a lizard came from the roof of my truck and landed on the hood. It ran all over and jumped onto the cattle guard and then back on the hood. It finally ended up in the space between the hood and wiper just staring at me. I stopped to get bread and told him this was his chance to go but when I got back in the truck he was still there. I stopped and got gas and by then he had jumped on the cattle guard and was out of sight so I was thinking he finally got smart and left. Well, as I was heading out of town and picking up speed there came the lizard over the roof, up the windshield, onto the roof and off the truck...bouncing a couple of times on the pavement. What a deal but there is one less lizard at my house now.

Answered Prayers!

THANK YOU ALL so much for the many prayers that went up for me last week as I faced breathing problems and was just overwhelmed by all the paperwork that was given to me. Now I am asking you to PRAISE GOD with me for all He has done. My lungs are doing so much better. I did not even have to take any meds last week because my breathing had improved so much. Continue to pray for them as I travel back out to the village this week and will be out in the dust more. I got my budget for 2011 done and finished other things on my list. The cloud of being overwhelmed is slowing disappearing so that is a HUGE PRAISE.

Pray as I head out to the village this week. I will be meeting with my two woman's groups, Jak and other people in Kar. Jak and I will be traveling to 4 different villages....two on Tues and two on Wed. Pray as the one on Tues have three men that are really excited about hearing God's word. Pray for our time with them. Also pray for the trip on Wed. we will be meeting with the new chief since the old one passed away last month. Pray that he is as open to hearing God's Word as the last one. I will give you an update when I return on Friday, April 23rd. Until then...walk in peace and share the light!

Overwhelmed

April is HOT here! The heat alone is overwhelming enough. I have a TO DO list that seems to just keep getting longer instead of shorter. I feel I will never get it all done. When I look at it compared to the Cross, it reminds me that what I am going through is so small compared to what Jesus did for me and you. Pray that I get the things that I need to get done and get back out to the village. Here is what I need to get done so you can pray for them by name:
1. 2011 budget
2. Preparation for TWO teams coming in June which includes:
a. Scheduling
b. housing
c. menu
d. devotion for the team before they come
e. list of stories to tell while they are here
f. list of things I need to take out to the village before they come
3. Preparation to leave in May on vacation so I can enjoy my trip and not worry about all these things
4. Finish read a Leadership Book and do my college credit report by May 1st. I am halfway finished with it.

All this plus my ministry which includes story prep for 3 groups with different stories, travel time to different villages and seeing where God is at work around me all the time.

I know this doesn't seem like a lot but all these require time that seems to just go by WAY TO FAST. Thanks for walking with me through all this and praying to the One that created time.

Week in Bamako

Hey there everyone...well I guess everyone that reads this..haha Sorry it has been a week since I have written anything. I traveled to Bamako for a week and God had me busy. It was great that I could do and see so many people while I was there. First, of all I got to do Easter with other English speaker. We had a non sunrise/sunrise service. We didn't make it right at sunrise but it was earlier enough. It started at 7am. My heart just leaped as I was able to praise Him in English and with other English speaking people. He has RISEN was said to me and the response.. HE HAS RISEN INDEED! My lung were still healing so after 2 hours of talking and laughing, my lungs decided they were done. I went home and went to bed but VERY HAPPY! I also got to see some journey women whose 4 years were up and they were headed back to America. I wasn't sure I would get to see them again so that was an added gift. We also had our big boss in town to meet with us as a group and individually. He was presenting our Mali bosses with their 25 year service pin. It was fun to be apart of that. We had a luncheon to celebrate that with them. When we got started, the big boss called me up first. I was very surprised. He presented me with my 10 year service pin. WOW, can you believe it. I have been on the field 10 years. Praise God for all that He has done in those 10 years!
Thank you all for your prayer for my lungs as well. I was able to get back to my regular workout program today after taking off a week. My lungs were GREAT but my body is hurting...smile Praise God with me about how well He takes care of me.