February prayer notes
Dear Friends,
I want to share with you a couple experiences I’ve had lately that impacted me. They’ve helped remind me that the ministry we do with leaders and teens in Young Life is really a long term investment, not always one where the results are immediately seen.
I heard from two former club kids the past couple weeks who were part of our ministry in the DR years ago. At the time, I would have said we spent time and shared the gospel with them, but saw little fruit from that investment. I wouldn’t have called it wasted time exactly, but I also wouldn’t have seen it as a real success-- so what I heard from them was somewhat of a surprise. With the first I got an e-mail from her letting me know she is now a YL leader in the US, investing back in teens the way she saw people do with her in the DR! Her line to me was: "It's crazy how your dedication to YL ministry would leave a lasting impact on my life.” Yep, I’d agree…hoped and prayed for, yet unexpected and pretty crazy. The other student called me this past week. He’s been going through some challenging times lately and it was making him ask some deep questions. My favorite question he asked was “So, what exactly would it mean for me to walk with Jesus?” What an honor and privilege to talk about this with him and pray with him about it! In both cases I love God’s reminder to me that he is at work when I don’t even know it. I’m thankful He helps me remember that investing in leaders and teens in Latin America is not a short term thing that we do on our own, but that it is a long term investment, guided by Him, that has eternal impact. Thanks for helping make moments like these possible and being part of investing in leaders and teens in Latin America.
Prayer requests:
Haiti: Thanks to all who have been praying for Chedrick and our team of leaders in Haiti and for those who have donated to Young Life’s earthquake relief account. We’ve been able to get the team some much needed food supplies, and a team of leaders from the Dominican Republic visited them this past week with tents, sleeping bags, blankets, and some other basics they need. They are still living outdoors, which is challenging physically and not very safe, so there is much work to be done getting building supplies and repairing their homes and ministries in the months ahead. But despite the challenges, they are praying that this quake will increase their ministry’s impact in the long term.
Saraiah: a few weeks ago I asked for you to pray for my cousin’s little girl Saraiah, who was born with severe heart defects and expected to live only a week. Amazingly, Saraiah is now in the 2% of kids who survive this long with those defects, but doctors are still saying her heart will give out sometime in the near future. Please continue to pray for her and her family as they trust in God during this time.
Ministry: I’ll be traveling this week to Dallas (I know, not very Latin L )for some Young Life training there and a chance to learn/discuss how we can best begin to use the internet to help us do more distance training classes for our international leaders. Pray for safety in travel and a fruitful trip. You can also pray for leaders in Peru and Paraguay who are holding outreach camps this week with teens and for our leaders in Mexico where we’re focusing on opening some new ministries.
Personal: Jenn (lovingly and gently :)) reminded me I should probably mention here that we’re expecting our second child this July. I don’t ever really forget that, but I do forget to ask for prayer about it way too often. Praise God for a healthy pregnancy so far and a very exciting time for us.
I want to share with you a couple experiences I’ve had lately that impacted me. They’ve helped remind me that the ministry we do with leaders and teens in Young Life is really a long term investment, not always one where the results are immediately seen.
I heard from two former club kids the past couple weeks who were part of our ministry in the DR years ago. At the time, I would have said we spent time and shared the gospel with them, but saw little fruit from that investment. I wouldn’t have called it wasted time exactly, but I also wouldn’t have seen it as a real success-- so what I heard from them was somewhat of a surprise. With the first I got an e-mail from her letting me know she is now a YL leader in the US, investing back in teens the way she saw people do with her in the DR! Her line to me was: "It's crazy how your dedication to YL ministry would leave a lasting impact on my life.” Yep, I’d agree…hoped and prayed for, yet unexpected and pretty crazy. The other student called me this past week. He’s been going through some challenging times lately and it was making him ask some deep questions. My favorite question he asked was “So, what exactly would it mean for me to walk with Jesus?” What an honor and privilege to talk about this with him and pray with him about it! In both cases I love God’s reminder to me that he is at work when I don’t even know it. I’m thankful He helps me remember that investing in leaders and teens in Latin America is not a short term thing that we do on our own, but that it is a long term investment, guided by Him, that has eternal impact. Thanks for helping make moments like these possible and being part of investing in leaders and teens in Latin America.
Prayer requests:
Haiti: Thanks to all who have been praying for Chedrick and our team of leaders in Haiti and for those who have donated to Young Life’s earthquake relief account. We’ve been able to get the team some much needed food supplies, and a team of leaders from the Dominican Republic visited them this past week with tents, sleeping bags, blankets, and some other basics they need. They are still living outdoors, which is challenging physically and not very safe, so there is much work to be done getting building supplies and repairing their homes and ministries in the months ahead. But despite the challenges, they are praying that this quake will increase their ministry’s impact in the long term.
Saraiah: a few weeks ago I asked for you to pray for my cousin’s little girl Saraiah, who was born with severe heart defects and expected to live only a week. Amazingly, Saraiah is now in the 2% of kids who survive this long with those defects, but doctors are still saying her heart will give out sometime in the near future. Please continue to pray for her and her family as they trust in God during this time.
Ministry: I’ll be traveling this week to Dallas (I know, not very Latin L )for some Young Life training there and a chance to learn/discuss how we can best begin to use the internet to help us do more distance training classes for our international leaders. Pray for safety in travel and a fruitful trip. You can also pray for leaders in Peru and Paraguay who are holding outreach camps this week with teens and for our leaders in Mexico where we’re focusing on opening some new ministries.
Personal: Jenn (lovingly and gently :)) reminded me I should probably mention here that we’re expecting our second child this July. I don’t ever really forget that, but I do forget to ask for prayer about it way too often. Praise God for a healthy pregnancy so far and a very exciting time for us.
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