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I'm sure you're getting sick of me saying that a given month has been or will be significant, but honestly, we are in such a season of...let me find a word here...hmmm...:
...that I literally can't see a "normal" month coming up on the horizon. They are all full of significance and purpose. I think in many respects, it's the way we're supposed to live, actually. But when you're a bit tired, you look forward to a "break" somewhere! ;c)
So having said all that to excuse myself, I'll just say that May has been crammed with significance and June steps up now to carry the same torch.
As for your valuable prayers? Read on...
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Family - Keep praying about our ability to really have a "couple getaway" as our financial situation is a bit more challenging than ever at the moment!
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Friends - Our visit with our friends was a fabulous blessing for us...and we were hoping to be a blessing for them! In particular, it was a good "sealing" on the relationship before they left the mission field to return to the US. Continue to pray as they take their heart for missions into the US church and the work world.
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Health - On the family front, we're getting over a bout of colds coinciding well with some cold, rainy weather! Knocked Angela out for a few days!
Finally had my heart stress test which went fine. That's one box ticked off. A week before that, I was at the doctors with a persistent pain in my chest and back. The doctor has diagnosed an ulcerated esophagus due to a problem with a muscle at the top of my stomach which is not closing properly, thus increasing acid reflux. After a time (years) this has damaged my esophagus. I'm taking an acid-suppression medication now which is definitely making a difference. There are some dietary changes that I'm making in conjunction with this. All in all, I think that I'm pretty zeroed-in on stomach and food intolerance issues and not my heart as the issue. This relief has a positive effect in itself as anxiety has no positive physical effect! Still a long way to go to see what sorts of foods provoke the worst reactions. I'll be having a physical soon and I'm trying to be very consistent with my prayer walking...to gain all its benefits! Can't say I feel "great" or "normal" but I can persevere now in trying to get into better shape.
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Worship Workshop - This has been a wonderful learning experience for me! I took the kids to a park to study how the Creation worships the Lord. They struggled a bit with getting past "concrete thinking" and into opening one's heart to God revealing Himself in creation but about half of them really gave an effort and that's the best part to see!
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Establishing - This is still probably the major thing that God is speaking to me at the moment. I was finally able to meet with a couple of other men in our church to begin a process of having a "council" locally to help us in all the aspects of getting established here and in helping us move forward in all that God has called us to. Our path has been very non-traditional and thus fairly independent. Now that we've come to where we believe we are to settle, our vision needs to take root here. We bring what is unique to us of course, but we must join with what God is doing here already, hence our connection with the Body of Christ here must deepen in every way.
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Ministry - Our time with Martin Scott was an incredible time! It far exceeded expectations and is a connection upon which much can be built. You can view Martin's report of the weekend here. If you want to listen to the teaching times, the MP3 files are here on our site. My primary prayer for this time was that the relational connection(s) would eclipse that between Martin and myself and myself and the church leadership here. Indeed significant relational connections were exploding all over the place. Also, as we've been watching God orchestrate a real "progression" in His activities here, it was a real blessing to see how this weekend slotted in perfectly with all that God has been doing in 2006. A blessing in every way.
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Youth - Rachel and I joined with the youth worship team and several other adults at the invitation of a worship team in Switzerland to come down for a weekend of discipleship in worship leading. It was a fabulous time and we pray that it planted deep seeds in our youth and also that connections between the church in Switzerland and our would grow. On another note ("Youth" or "House", etc.) we just said good-bye to a young American guy who came over from England, where he's studying, to help with some smaller projects in our house. He brought a breath of American and extroverted fresh air to our house for about a week and we're very grateful for his willingness to serve and his open heart. Thanks Craig!
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Fete - June 30th and July 1st will be days of celebration here as we mark (along with those brave troopers who've been here from the beginning) the 20th anniversary of Collège-Daniel. This is our children's school and is where Angela and I invest the bulk of our time and energy. This being a big celebration this year, we need prayer for logistics!. I'm responsible for the sound system and there is much prep work to do. We also pray for community impact as we recognize publicly the faithfulness of God for 20 years and thank Him for the fruit of lives established on The Rock.
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House - We hope, this month, to do the work on the back of the house that is so necessary!!! Here is a picture of it's current state as viewed from the neighbor's court yard:
We've been getting counsel/opinions as to how to proceed and I think we may be ready, with some local volunteer help to finally do it. This has been a stressful burden for awhile now, and opinions about how to proceed are all over the map! Please pray for wisdom with how and with whom to proceed in the construction work. Pray also that this work would be a catalyst for a deepening of relationship with our Muslim neighbors who have to stare at this eyesore right now!
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Finances - With a larger than expected income tax bill (that as a foreign resident I can pay in June instead of April) and the aforementioned construction work (not to mention half a dozen other "mid-level" expenses), we're in a time right now where we could use some real prayer for financial release!!
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Alsace Walk - This summer, we will be participating in an intercession walk around the borders of Alsace. The story behind this is too big to re-tell here, but I'll be involved in some of the logistics and hope to be part of the walking team in the last week of the walk which should happen in August. Pray for time management to get this logistic work in and for God to send the right people to participate in the walk.
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Worship Workshop - Tomorrow's workshop will be on "movement in worship"...that is the use of the physical body in worshiping God. I had hoped to hand this off to someone who really knew about movement, but I was unable to. In the end, God is telling me to do it anyway. So, here goes!
In each session, I'm seeing certain patterns develop and one pattern I see that I don't like is a "clique" between 3 girls that shuts out the others. They are solid Christian girls but are displaying some immaturity in this. Pray for wisdom in knowing how to speak into their lives about this. As always, pray for creativity! Pray for receptive hearts! Pray for the 6 kids: Claire, Mélodie, Naoumaï, Amandine, Myriam and Adrien!
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Establishing - I am continuing to pray deeply into what our next steps are. Currently I'm reading a book called Church that Works that is speaking enormously to me about the need to fill all the spheres of creation with God's fullness...including all the work place. I truly believe that our immigration and financial challenges (which are linked in themselves) are methods that God is using to help us pursue a larger vision for impacting our world over here. It excites me but it is overwhelming at the same time! ;c) As the disciples cried out, "Lord increase our faith!"
My thoughts are turning to the parable of the talents in recent weeks and my question is, "What are all the 'talents' entrusted to me and are there any that are currently being buried?" One answer is "our house" and then "my professional skills". Arguably, I'm using my professional skills in ministry computer work...though perhaps not exploiting them completely. Our house, on the other hand is completely paid for and its financial power is pretty much just sitting here taking up space. The questions that I'm posing currently are "Do we mortgage our house?", and "What do we do with that money to invest for God's purposes?"....start a business?...buy real estate?...etc.? Because our financial situation limits our immigration status, burying that talent is, as the parable states so well, not a way to save anything but a way to lose everything. Right now, I feel we need to "lean into this thing" and embrace the challenge that is before us. Pray for wisdom, discernment and impulse!!! ;c)
Until next month!
David
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