Dear Prayer Warriors,
Several years ago I put out a letter frequently to some of you so that we can share together in a more personal way as we pray, for I know that you do!! As the hustle and bustle of life has taken over, I realize that I have not given you the joy of seeing how God is working in the kids lives, especially and so I would like to share with you a few answers that still leave me with my jaw hanging open. May you be blessed and thank you for being faithful and lifting up my hands when I get weary!
This past weekend JJ, Krash and I stayed home from church because I had a migraine.
Nate went to church on his own (no worries he travels safely on public transportation here as do many of our children when they reach the teenage years!) Nate has started helping out in the kids Sunday School in teaching English to the children through use of Bible memory. He will be taking over this class when the teacher, Marianna Peipon and her husband go to the States next week for a 6 week stint of support raising. This is answer number 1. Nate is serving and loving it!!
While home, Krash, JJ and I spent some time reading a few psalms and a chapter in Proverbs. After each chapter we looked for one attribute of God in it and thanked Him for it. They found some cool attributes that I could tell they were listening to the words. Then at the end of the time, we prayer together and I said, " now even if you have a request, make the request in the form of a thanks to God." I then modelled this concept for them. "Thank you Lord that you are looking after me and that you have given me a chance to stay home from church to rest. Thank You that You will take away this migraine. Thank You that You have given me the wisdom I need to rest and relax today."
The boys followed suite.
The profundity is in the prayer of JJ when I tucked him into bed that night. JJ's burden has been 2 fold of late. He prays for his dad frequently that he will become a Christian and that he will come back to us. (You can imagine what I am thinking...but I never say a word) He has also prayed," that if dad doesn't come back, would God bring a man who is a Christian, who would want to live with us and who would understand him to us." ( I guess this if God sends a Ukrainian, that the guy would understand English?? who knows but this prayer I could handle better! :-) He also prays that we won't have to move again. In recent weeks when he has prayed for these 2 things he often got teary with worry and concern.
2 things happened when we prayed on Sunday. JJ prayed just as fervently, but with a calm and peace as if he knew something already. After he finished praying said, "You know mom, God told me that we're going to be ok, even if I don't have a dad." I said, "how did He tell you?" "just through my thoughts mom." WOW!! This is big! And the calm prayers continue even though the requests continue too!
Thank you for holding us up.
I have felt led to share more personal requests with you and then the answers as I know that you pray very fervently for us and you need to see how God is at work here in these precious young men!!
Keep it up and I"ll keep you posted!!
Loves,
Pam
Note: Pam is a nurse missionary to Ukraine and teaches EGP in English and Russian.
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