Leigh Family Prayer Bulletin - February 2009

Feedback...

For those of you who read Angela's latest newsletter, you know that Olivia's blessing ceremony was a tremendous...well...blessing! Thank you for your prayers. Any day now we should be receiving a shipment of about a dozen books in French about this subject that attendees of the ceremony signed up to buy. That is very encouraging to us. I've also been asked to speak on the topic at church in March. So, we're really praying that a change in culture with respect to blessing each other, especially parental blessing, is birthing here.

January was month of financial blessing for us, literally unlike any other. Two large donations received on either side of Olivia's blessing ceremony. We've been able to reduce our car loan and invest a bit in IT equipment that I hope can be used when we get the right to work, and had fun giving some bigger than usual gifts. We also heard from one supporter who was in danger of losing her job that she was not laid off...still more blessing! I do believe, however, that we (at least me) still need more understanding of God's economics in all circumstances. The lessons are starting, though!

The German church that was to visit in January couldn't come, so we need to reschedule that.

We heard from the mayor's office that the "receipts" for our residence permits are in. These receipts mean that a real residence permit is on its way...but...they still have not decided on whether it will be a 1-year "visitor" permit (the ones we've been getting all along) or a 10-year permit which allows a right to work. So the prayer work is not over! (nor for our friend Leonie; right now in Australia waiting to hear about her green card)

Please Pray...

• Christian Education Conference - The school with which we work is a "hub" of sorts with respect to Christian Education in the French-speaking world. Each year they organize a conference named after John Calvin's teacher, "Mathurin Cordier." This year the conference will be held here and 300 people involved in Christian Education in French-speaking Europe will descend on Valentine's weekend. The theme of the conference is CREATION AND CREATIVITY. We will be lodging a couple at our home. Angela is involved in the decoration and signage. I am coordinating the technical aspects. It will be a full weekend with what we feel is a very important theme. Please pray for the practical logistics and traveling safety of all involved. Pray for our hearts to be prepared to receive what God wants to plant into and through education into Europe at this time.

• Health - I am just now starting to get over a flu that's had me down since last Wednesday. Please pray that Angela and Olivia are protected from this and for a full recovery with discernment (I don't do TOO much TOO fast).

• Intercession - Just after the seminar, and I do mean just after, we are hosting a small YWAM France intercession team for one night and I will be joining them for a prayer time in Strasbourg the next day. This is part of a specific strategic prayer initiative to the major border cities in France. This will be Sunday night the 15th - Monday the 16th. I would especially appreciate your prayers for protection for the team, safety in travel, team unity and clarity in hearing God's voice.

• Establishing - Please press in in prayer for favor with the French government with respect to our residence permit. I've had a real sense that now is the time for change, not only in the permit itself, but in what it would facilitate with respect to integration with/penetration into the culture, spiritual authority, and personal development in us. As such I believe it is being strongly contested.

Thank you for your precious prayers!
David