Leigh Family Prayer Newsletter - January 2005

December 31, 2004

Well, 2004 is coming to a close, and for us, I'd say the last month has closed with a bang! That neither speaks of "positive" nor "negative"...rather of intensity. The month of December, 2004 has been intense!

As you may remember, I asked for prayer about our health because everyone but me had been sick. Well, Rachel continued to take a long time to recover which meant she missed a lot of school in December and struggled with motivation to keep up. Angela got worse and it was discovered that she had pneumonia! She is still on anti-biotics and doesn't have a lot of strength/stamina. Of course when the Mom is down, everyone is affected. The poor family had to suffer through my home-making abilities (which are suspect at best!) Unfortunately, my deficiencies in that area didn't help Angela rest any better! ;c)

On the financial front, we faced some of our lowest lows and highest highs all in one month!

Needless to say, it's been a bit of a roller-coaster and emotionally draining. In the worship times at school during December, I really sensed Angela's absence. It was difficult but valuable to recognize the value of our unity. As we plan to jump back in Monday morning in the worship leading at school, I'm very keen on Angela and I being together!

I have seen some of this as attack from the enemy; especially as I started the month with participating in a specific regional intercession team for the first time. We are definitely poking around in areas the enemy would like best to be left alone. But on the other hand, I believe that God is using this month of testing to reveal a few things...some personal and some general.

For me personally, the extra pressures in the realm of finances and health (and all the other relationship pressures that those engender) all have served to show a lot of holes in my armor in terms of my reactions with people and anxiety about circumstances. It's ugly to see but necessary to be aware of and to understand how God loves me tenderly in my process to grow from immaturity to maturity in Him and how I'm daily (hourly!) dependant upon Him! I've been in the midst of an excellent study of the Song of Solomon that has been very key in helping me understand circumstances in my life and walk from God's perspective. I highly recommend this particular study and you can contact me if you want more info about it.

In that which is not necessarily personal, I feel that we're going to see this sort of paradox or dichotomy more and more where our circumstances can change drastically, and in that sort of situation God can manifest Himself as the only sure foundation. Part of this will be personal preparation that He allows in our life to train us, but increasingly (and I think we'll see it in 2005 probably), I think there will be more global/international events that will affect both the "just" and the "unjust" equally. It's in these "troubled times" that we will have an opportunity to "give an answer for the hope that is within us" and watch God train us to have an assurance of God's vast love deep within us that can and will stand strong when earthly circumstances produce panic and fear in others. I think that what has happened in SE Asia is a prime example.

Prayer Requests

• Health - I'll start with this... Please pray that Angela's lungs get completely cleaned out and that her strength is restored!
• Prayer Ministry - This month, the intercession team at church will be resuming a regular schedule. There will be the monthly Soultz intercession meeting as usual, and the monthly school intercession meeting, and the same regional team that I started with last month will be meeting at the end of the month, and any prayer-walking that I do in the mornings. I'm participating in all these things and I believe that it's a part of our call as a family and is specifically important for this season of getting established in this region. In that I ask for your support to pray that: I would grow in understanding of effective prayer ministry; These different groups would persevere and operate in unity; Our family would be protected from the backlash of the enemy.
• Ministry Trip Planning - There are currently trips in 2005 possibly happening in February, April, July, and November (at least). Pray for wisdom to know what to engage in and for financial provision for those trips that God confirms. We'll keep you updated.
• Worship Ministry - It looks as if some worship ministry at church may be developing. What is the most exciting about this is that it looks like it will be based in first getting in some family-to-family relationships to fellowship and worship together. This is a deep desire of ours. Please pray that all our ministry would flow through and out of relationships!
• Support Network - Along the same lines, these pressures recently have showed us how much we need a network of supporting relationships here where we live. Because of a number of factors, it's easier for me develop those relationships for my personal needs but Angela has had more difficulty. With her illness/physical weakness, she's felt the need very acutely recently and yet has been less able to do something about it. This may be the most significant request for this month: Please pray that Angela would be able to develop a support network of relationships in our area. This is a critical foundation for us to get rooted here and to be able to bear fruit.

Until next month!
David (for all of us!)