Upate Tuesday 01/4/10

Coming out of Christmas and jumping into the New Year there is not a lot new going on to update you about.  The painting has begun and I was able to finish off three rooms by the weekend...only four more rooms and two hallways to go!  We are expecting a very pregnant guest this coming week as my wife hosts a baby shower for our sister in law, so we are taking a week hiatus from painting to avoid further fumes.  We should be back at it next week.
I have also been doing some reading lately, most recently I have been working through a short biography of Jonathan Goforth, an early Canadian missionary to China.  His story is quite dramatic even tragic at many times and his ministry really seemed to embody the paradoxes of suffering and joy, triumph and tragedy, persecuted and victorious that we see in the life of Jesus and the Gospel itself.  I won't say any more about him but invite you to investigate for yourself (can I give homework??!!?). 
While reading the biography, however, I did come across this quote given as advice to Goforth from none other than Hudson Taylor, as Goforth prepared to enter a new province in China:

"Brother, if you would enter that province, you must go forward on your knees."

I have been thinking about this statement since reading it.  I think it is appropriate advice to anyone moving forward with new adventures in ministry.  It is some advice that I would like to take to heart.  

With that in mind, I hope to spend some time this first week of the new year planning out some specific extended times of prayer and scheduling them in.

I am also thinking about planning some times of prayer walking in our targeted neighbourhood to which I can invite others to join us.  If you would be interested in joining us for one of these times don't hesitate to drop me a line at jason@jasonmcgibbonproject.com and I can give you specifics as they arise.

I would also like to thank you for your continued support and specifically for your continued prayer as we begin this new adventure.  We continue to pray daily from Luke chapter 10 for finances, people of peace and for workers (read more about this here).  We have already seen God at work in response to those prayers!
We continue to pray for the right house from which to start our ministry.
We would like to ask for continued prayer for strength for our family as we know that physically and emotionally this time of year can become quite draining and a prime opportunity for spiritual attack.
Please also keep our Sanctuary Milton church family in your prayers as we move forward for 2011 which promises to be a year full of the new challenges of planting a church as well as the continued work of sustaining and growing its own ministries.

Thanks for all your continued prayer!