Update Tuesday 18/10/11

It was one of those moments; an ill timed, frustrating and even a bit embarrassing happening in the middle of what should have been an important time.  We had finished dinner together at last week's fellowship meeting in our home and had proceeded to sing a few songs of worship.  At the close of those songs, we reached for our bibles and were about to dig into the Word together.  It was at this moment that from the corner of her eye, my wife could see my youngest daughter dart by, head for the back door and head out unaccompanied into the dark of night.  My wife quickly and quietly got up from her seat to follow her.  I carried on, pretending nothing had happened and proceeded to dig into the word.  My wife returned a few moments later, but rather than the exasperated look of disbelief and frustration that I expected, she had a huge smile on her face.  She said that she had to interrupt to share a conversation that she had just had.  In a nutshell, this is what she shared:  Christine from two doors down had been waiting outside as someone was coming to pick her up.  Her husband had just painted their front stairs that afternoon so she was unable to wait on her porch which led her to wait on our next door neighbour's porch.  Our front window had been open and so she was able to hear our singing and the beginning of our bible study.  As my wife followed our daughter around from the back yard, down the path between the houses to emerge into the front yard, she heard a voice from within the darkness of the porch next door.  Christine asked if we were having church in our home at which point my wife was able to share a bit about what we were doing.  Christine told Kim that she would like to join us next week (tonight)!   When Kim recalled this story, I was reminded of a quick, simple prayer I had etched in my journal earlier that afternoon...Lord, would you add to our number.


As a part of our fellowship meeting each week, we have begun to pray for the names of people in our lives for whose salvation we might be praying.  As God begins to reveal those names to us, we are praying John 16:8, that the Spirit would be at work in their hearts convicting them of sin, righteousness and judgement.  We are beginning to spend some time working on and sharing our testimonies (as a first step and tool of many) and will begin to pray that God might provide us opportunities to be used to share and teach of Christ.  Please join us in prayer for this focus as we have begun to see God at work in answer to the prayers of His people. 

As a part of this prayer focus I have been praying for Rose whom I have mentioned before.  I have been praying for a breakthrough in this relationship and a shift in the conversation as this Jehovah's Witness continues to try to reach out to me.  I had been praying daily for a breakthrough in a meeting we had scheduled for Monday.  When she arrived I knew something was different as she arrived alone, which is unheard of for a Jehovah's Witness.  What transpired was a three hour conversation in our home, during which, for the first time we were able to share with her some thoughts about Jesus that she had not considered before.  During the meeting, my wife called our neighbour Diane and asked her to pray before Kim coming down herself to join us.  It was a powerful time in which we were able to share truth, bring up some pointed questions but (especially with the help from my wife) while still communicating love for her.  Please continue to pray for Rose.

I would also ask that you continue to pray for this time as we, as well as our parent church in Milton, put together the budget for next year.  Please pray that these are not just numbers, but that we truly seek the Lord and receive direction and inspiration from Him as to what we might be pursuing  this coming year for the sake of the Kingdom.