Serbia taught us a lot, but one of the lessons we learned was a lesson on materialism. Many Americans don't know this, but what we consider poverty, is NOT poverty by the world's standards. We are so blessed in this country with so many material things. So, why is it that depression is on the rise? Could it be that we are clinging so tightly to all this "stuff" that we let it get in the way of our relationship with God? I know if I had less "stuff" in my house, I would have less to clean up and organize and more time to spend in prayer and reading my Bible. It's a bit unsettling that I have so many "things" in just one room in my house that I can't even count them. Try it...try to count all the things in just one room. For most of us, it would take a while and we would probably give up before we finished. Why are we so materialistic? We might say "because we are Americans and that is just the way we live." That is about as frustrating as hearing a Serbian say "I am Orthodox because I am Serbian and that's just the way it is."
Is it time for a change? We think so. I get so frustrated with our electric bill each month, but if it weren't for all this "stuff," we could live in a smaller house and pay much less for electricity! Today, our family began to take action. For the next several weeks, we will have Matthew 6:19-20 posted on the mantle as we go through all this "stuff". Today we went through our movies and books. Why did we have over 100 DVDs? I didn't count them, but it was at least 100. There aren't enough hours in a week to watch all those movies! Some of them we haven't watched in years. So, we decided to share. We kept about 20 DVDs that we watch the most and are donating the rest to the local library. If we feel the need to watch one of those, we can simply go down to the library and check it out for FREE! So, now we get to benefit others and we can still watch them if we want to. We did the same with books. We selected a few to keep on hand and are taking the rest to the library. We've already read most of them, so what good are they sitting on our shelf? And to make it even better, most of them are Christian books and it's been my experience that the library doesn't have a great selection of those. So, now hundreds or thousands of people can read those books that were sitting on our bookshelf collecting dust. (On a side note, I thought it was pretty funny when I pulled a bookmark from a book I am donating and it said on it "Simplify" and at the bottom it says "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." -Jesus Matthew 6:34
We aren't trying to rub this in anyone's face and say we are "holier than thou" or anything like that. I just thought I'd share this with others who may not have looked at it in this way before. We will not look down at anyone because of their possessions and will probably even continue to have more than many others do. It will be a process to untrain ourselves from the materialistic lifestyle we have always led. We just decided it was time for a change in our life. If we can get rid of some of the "stuff" that holds us back, we will begin to spend more time with our kids and with the Lord. That is our goal...to make our life less complicated by material things so we will be more free to grow closer to God and our kids. If anyone wants to join us in the fight against materialism in your home, let us know and we can talk and support one another.
Now, it's off to the closet where, once again, I cannot count the number of items in it. Yikes!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Prayerwalking in Serbia
We posted this on the Pray4Serbia.org website while in Serbia.
We arrived Monday night to prayerwalk in Serbia for 7 days. Satan tried his best to make this trip not happen, so we are expecting great things from it. Our flights kept getting delayed, making our trip last around 34 hours. But prayer and Jesus kept us going.
Our translator wanted to cancel a few times, but said he couldn’t bring himself to do it. So, he is with us and has blessed us so much with his encouragement and his excitement for the Lord. Yesterday we prayerwalked in Belgrade. We met a young lady who was very receptive to what we told her. Our translator knew of a Baptist church in her hometown. He explained where it is, and she took a copy of our testimony (they had been translated into Serbian for us). Pray she will be open to the truth of salvation through Jesus and will find her way to that church.
Last night we traveled to Novi Pazar. The weather hasn’t been cooperating, but we just keep pressing on (Our luggage was lost and should be delivered today, so we will be able to dress warmer).
This morning, prayerwalking in Novi Pazar was interesting. We can tell a difference between this town and Belgrade, but both towns need much prayer. They had a call to Muslim prayer this afternoon while we were prayerwalking. So, we prayed at that time as well. We didn’t see anyone pray at that time and it was a bit of a relief to see that, while they are Muslim, we are not sure they are 100% committed to it. They seem a bit more liberal about it than other Muslims we have had experiences with. This may make it easier to open their hearts to the truth of Jesus.
Overall, so far we have seen that this country is in great need of the truth. They are in bondage to the lies of Satan and need to be set free. They need more Christians to come tell them about the love and salvation of Christ. And, by what our translator has told us, there are many Serbian Christians who need discipleship. Romans 10:14 says, “But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher?” Serbia needs Christians to come and tell them, so they can hear and believe.
We arrived Monday night to prayerwalk in Serbia for 7 days. Satan tried his best to make this trip not happen, so we are expecting great things from it. Our flights kept getting delayed, making our trip last around 34 hours. But prayer and Jesus kept us going.
Our translator wanted to cancel a few times, but said he couldn’t bring himself to do it. So, he is with us and has blessed us so much with his encouragement and his excitement for the Lord. Yesterday we prayerwalked in Belgrade. We met a young lady who was very receptive to what we told her. Our translator knew of a Baptist church in her hometown. He explained where it is, and she took a copy of our testimony (they had been translated into Serbian for us). Pray she will be open to the truth of salvation through Jesus and will find her way to that church.
Last night we traveled to Novi Pazar. The weather hasn’t been cooperating, but we just keep pressing on (Our luggage was lost and should be delivered today, so we will be able to dress warmer).
This morning, prayerwalking in Novi Pazar was interesting. We can tell a difference between this town and Belgrade, but both towns need much prayer. They had a call to Muslim prayer this afternoon while we were prayerwalking. So, we prayed at that time as well. We didn’t see anyone pray at that time and it was a bit of a relief to see that, while they are Muslim, we are not sure they are 100% committed to it. They seem a bit more liberal about it than other Muslims we have had experiences with. This may make it easier to open their hearts to the truth of Jesus.
Overall, so far we have seen that this country is in great need of the truth. They are in bondage to the lies of Satan and need to be set free. They need more Christians to come tell them about the love and salvation of Christ. And, by what our translator has told us, there are many Serbian Christians who need discipleship. Romans 10:14 says, “But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher?” Serbia needs Christians to come and tell them, so they can hear and believe.
Friday, June 18, 2010
GOing is Bittersweet
We will be on a plane to Serbia in 13 hours. A little anxious, a little nervous, a little sad to leave our kids, but VERY excited to see what God has in store for this mission trip!!!! Thank you for all your prayers. We'll be posting as often as we can from the mission field.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
It's been too long
It's been too long since we've posted here. I'm sorry about that. Life gets so hectic sometimes! We have just one week until we leave for Serbia. We'll be posting here frequently while in Serbia. Keep praying for us! We still have a lot of preparations to do this week. We're so excited and anxious! Can't wait to see how God works through us over there.
Thank you to all who donated for our trip. Our church funded what we weren't able to raise, but they didn't have to fund very much because our fundraising went AWESOME! Thank you all for your support and prayers!
John and Beth
Thank you to all who donated for our trip. Our church funded what we weren't able to raise, but they didn't have to fund very much because our fundraising went AWESOME! Thank you all for your support and prayers!
John and Beth
Monday, May 17, 2010
Prayer Warriors Wanted
Prayer is a very important part of our mission trip. Tonight at church we will be enlisting people to be in prayer on different days of our trip to Serbia. If you would like to sign up for a day (or more) just send us an email and let us know which day you would like to commit to praying for us. We want to fill each day with several prayer warriors so that several times throughout that day we will have people lifting us up in prayer. You can pick any days from June 19th through June 27 and pray at any time during that day or night, preferably several times. Things to pray for: our safety, our children and those caring for them while we are gone, for all conversations we have with Serbians to lead to spiritual things and for them to be open to the gospel, for victory in any spiritual warfare that arises.
If you sign up for any specific days, we will send you our itinerary so you will know exactly where we are when you are praying for us. We will also email you a reminder right before we leave.
Thank you and God Bless!
If you sign up for any specific days, we will send you our itinerary so you will know exactly where we are when you are praying for us. We will also email you a reminder right before we leave.
Thank you and God Bless!
Share Your Experiences
In our mission training workbook we read this:
"When you follow [God's] command and participate in a mission trip, you will find that your heart burns within you as you return home. You will have changed because of your encounter with God at work in that faraway place. The impact of that change may mean that you must become salt in your home church. God may desire to use the afterglow of your experience as a light to guide the body toward a deeper understanding of and commitment to being on mission in your community, in your nation, and to the ends of the earth. Your church will then have an even greater impact on a lost and dying world."
Has anyone reading this every experienced something like this? If so, please tell us about it.
"When you follow [God's] command and participate in a mission trip, you will find that your heart burns within you as you return home. You will have changed because of your encounter with God at work in that faraway place. The impact of that change may mean that you must become salt in your home church. God may desire to use the afterglow of your experience as a light to guide the body toward a deeper understanding of and commitment to being on mission in your community, in your nation, and to the ends of the earth. Your church will then have an even greater impact on a lost and dying world."
Has anyone reading this every experienced something like this? If so, please tell us about it.
Friday, May 14, 2010
All the Latest
Here is all the latest on our mission:
We bought our airline tickets
We have all hotels in Serbia and the one in London for our overnight layover booked
We have a translator who will travel with us
We are almost done with our Mission Training Workbooks
We are working on a 31 day Bible study called "Get Set" to prepare us for our mission
We are about to enlist a prayer team...I will be posting more about that soon
Keep praying for our mission! Thanks!
We bought our airline tickets
We have all hotels in Serbia and the one in London for our overnight layover booked
We have a translator who will travel with us
We are almost done with our Mission Training Workbooks
We are working on a 31 day Bible study called "Get Set" to prepare us for our mission
We are about to enlist a prayer team...I will be posting more about that soon
Keep praying for our mission! Thanks!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Hotel Booked
I just booked our hotel in London for our trip home. We have an overnight layover in London. We will arrive there are 3pm on June 26th and won't leave until 11:45am June 27th, so that gives us some time to look around London. I'm really excited about that. We will probably even do some prayerwalking there, and hopefully will meet some people we can witness to.
Everything is coming together now! It's seeming more real! We leave in a little over a month.
I'm having a yard sale tomorrow to raise more money for the trip. Pray for success!
Everything is coming together now! It's seeming more real! We leave in a little over a month.
I'm having a yard sale tomorrow to raise more money for the trip. Pray for success!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tickets Purchased!
We paid for our travel tickets today! It was a close call. I got an email from the travel agency saying the rates would go up tomorrow. We are getting a reduced rate for paying by check and the travel agency is in Ft. Worth, Texas. So, there was no way to get a check to them today. So, I called and she said she would give us our current rate if we could overnight a check. So, I did! A big thanks to Travel Leaders in Ft. Worth, TX for working with us and helping us out!
I added a section to the site for prayer requests. Please let me know if you would like me to add a name to it. And please, if you check this site, lift the names on the list up in prayer.
I added a section to the site for prayer requests. Please let me know if you would like me to add a name to it. And please, if you check this site, lift the names on the list up in prayer.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Funeral
My step-mom, Marie Henderson, lost her battle with cancer last Thursday, April 22, 2010. She knew Jesus as her Savior and is now experiencing something so amazing, we can't even imagine it. The funeral was last Sunday and it was really nice. The small country church she attended was packed full of people who loved her and there were even people standing in the back. The pastor did a wonderful job of honoring her and presenting a message of salvation to many who may have never heard it otherwise. I was able to pick a scripture to read during the graveside service. I didn't know which one I would read until we were in the truck on the way to the cemetery, but the Lord gave me this scripture and I think it was perfect. Here it is:
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Minnie Marie Henderson
September 25, 1952 - April 22, 2010
Minnie Marie Henderson, age 57 of Calico Rock, Arkansas passed away Thursday, April 22, 2010 at Hospice of the Ozarks Hospice House. She was born September 25, 1952 in Old Joe, Arkansas to Henry and Velma (Teegarden) Pruitt.
Mrs. Henderson married Bobby Henderson January 20, 1990 in Old Joe, Arkansas. She was a production line worker for Baxter Lab and retired after 32 years of service.
Mrs. Henderson is survived by her husband: Bobby Henderson of Calico Rock, three daughters: Paige Bishop and husband Jeff of Lucedale, Mississippi, Amy Stinespring and husband Jeremy of Westville, Illinois and Elizabeth Stauffer and husband John of Sherwood, Arkansas, two sisters: Estalee McGowen of Culp, Arkansas and Marlene Staggs of Calico Rock, Arkansas, eight grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 25, 2010 at Pleasant Valley Community Church with Pastor Monte Neal officiating. A visitation will be Sunday from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. at the church. Interment will be in Galatia Cemetery.
Beth
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Minnie Marie Henderson
September 25, 1952 - April 22, 2010
Minnie Marie Henderson, age 57 of Calico Rock, Arkansas passed away Thursday, April 22, 2010 at Hospice of the Ozarks Hospice House. She was born September 25, 1952 in Old Joe, Arkansas to Henry and Velma (Teegarden) Pruitt.
Mrs. Henderson married Bobby Henderson January 20, 1990 in Old Joe, Arkansas. She was a production line worker for Baxter Lab and retired after 32 years of service.
Mrs. Henderson is survived by her husband: Bobby Henderson of Calico Rock, three daughters: Paige Bishop and husband Jeff of Lucedale, Mississippi, Amy Stinespring and husband Jeremy of Westville, Illinois and Elizabeth Stauffer and husband John of Sherwood, Arkansas, two sisters: Estalee McGowen of Culp, Arkansas and Marlene Staggs of Calico Rock, Arkansas, eight grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 25, 2010 at Pleasant Valley Community Church with Pastor Monte Neal officiating. A visitation will be Sunday from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. at the church. Interment will be in Galatia Cemetery.
Beth
Monday, April 19, 2010
Several Things
I have several things to write about today, so here goes:
Serbia Updates:
We heard from Serbia today and there have been several changes, but only minor ones that don't really affect the big scheme of things. The girl who was going to go with us can't go now. She is doing an internship in Germany this summer and can't get away from that. So, now it will just be the two of us and our interpreter. The family we have been in contact with in Serbia has just been reassigned to England and will leave soon, so they will hand everything off to someone else. No big deal, that just means we get to meet more Christian missionaries in Serbia! Also, the economy has changed a bit and the cost of our hotels has gone up. But it only adds about $100 more to our trip than we had originally planned for. We can definitely work with that. So, everything is still on, we just had a few minor changes, but God knows what He is doing and we will continue to watch Him work through this mission trip!
Quotes from C.S. Lewis:
I'm reading a book by C.S. Lewis right now called "The Great Divorce", which isn't about divorce at all, but about Heaven and Hell. Two things the book says really struck me last night and I wanted to share them.
These are both quotes from a character in the book who is in Heaven:
"There have been men before now who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God Himself...as if the good Lord had nothing to do but exist! There have been some who were so occupied in spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ. Man! Ye see it in small matters. Did ye ever know a lover of books that with all his first editions and signed copies had lost the power to read them? Or an organiser of charities that had lost all love for the poor? It is the subtlest of all the snares."
Wow! This quote cut right through me. It is so true for us Martha's in the world (Luke 10:38-42). I'm trying so hard to be a Mary instead of a Martha. I thought that quote summed it up well.
He also says in the book:
"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'"
I think that one speaks for itself.
Fundraiser Update:
Saturday went really well at Kroger. I stayed out there for 5 hours and made $250! Some people were just giving donations. I met a lot of great people and got to share with several of them about our new church and about our mission trip. It was a great experience. We have now paid for all the cookbooks and everything from here on goes to our mission trip. We have $155 from them toward the mission trip now and there are a lot more books to sell. I'm having a yard sale this weekend and hope to sell some there. Also, some members of our church are working hard to sell them and we greatly appreciate their help. I may need to set up in front of Kroger again, but we will see how things go.
Prayer Team Needed:
We are about to organize a prayer team for our mission trip. We will announce it this week at church. If anyone reading this is interested in being one of our prayer warriors, please let us know. The team will meet several times between now and when we leave to pray, and they will also pray while we are in Serbia. We also want to ask everyone, whether on the prayer team or not, to stop each day at 6:19 (am or pm) to say a prayer for our mission trip(6:19 because that is the date we are leaving).
Have a Blessed Day!
Beth
Serbia Updates:
We heard from Serbia today and there have been several changes, but only minor ones that don't really affect the big scheme of things. The girl who was going to go with us can't go now. She is doing an internship in Germany this summer and can't get away from that. So, now it will just be the two of us and our interpreter. The family we have been in contact with in Serbia has just been reassigned to England and will leave soon, so they will hand everything off to someone else. No big deal, that just means we get to meet more Christian missionaries in Serbia! Also, the economy has changed a bit and the cost of our hotels has gone up. But it only adds about $100 more to our trip than we had originally planned for. We can definitely work with that. So, everything is still on, we just had a few minor changes, but God knows what He is doing and we will continue to watch Him work through this mission trip!
Quotes from C.S. Lewis:
I'm reading a book by C.S. Lewis right now called "The Great Divorce", which isn't about divorce at all, but about Heaven and Hell. Two things the book says really struck me last night and I wanted to share them.
These are both quotes from a character in the book who is in Heaven:
"There have been men before now who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God Himself...as if the good Lord had nothing to do but exist! There have been some who were so occupied in spreading Christianity that they never gave a thought to Christ. Man! Ye see it in small matters. Did ye ever know a lover of books that with all his first editions and signed copies had lost the power to read them? Or an organiser of charities that had lost all love for the poor? It is the subtlest of all the snares."
Wow! This quote cut right through me. It is so true for us Martha's in the world (Luke 10:38-42). I'm trying so hard to be a Mary instead of a Martha. I thought that quote summed it up well.
He also says in the book:
"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'"
I think that one speaks for itself.
Fundraiser Update:
Saturday went really well at Kroger. I stayed out there for 5 hours and made $250! Some people were just giving donations. I met a lot of great people and got to share with several of them about our new church and about our mission trip. It was a great experience. We have now paid for all the cookbooks and everything from here on goes to our mission trip. We have $155 from them toward the mission trip now and there are a lot more books to sell. I'm having a yard sale this weekend and hope to sell some there. Also, some members of our church are working hard to sell them and we greatly appreciate their help. I may need to set up in front of Kroger again, but we will see how things go.
Prayer Team Needed:
We are about to organize a prayer team for our mission trip. We will announce it this week at church. If anyone reading this is interested in being one of our prayer warriors, please let us know. The team will meet several times between now and when we leave to pray, and they will also pray while we are in Serbia. We also want to ask everyone, whether on the prayer team or not, to stop each day at 6:19 (am or pm) to say a prayer for our mission trip(6:19 because that is the date we are leaving).
Have a Blessed Day!
Beth
Friday, April 16, 2010
Watching God Work
When God called us to this mission to Serbia, we didn't have the funds to pay for it. But we committed to going and decided to watch God work to get the funds for us. We knew that if He wanted us to go, He would pave the way. So far, He has done just that.
Right now, we have 25% of the money we need. However, John's mom has committed to raising $1,000 from her church, friends, family, and business associates. That money has already started coming in and will put us at 50% when it all comes. The cookbook sales have been slow, but steady. We have almost raised enough money to pay for the cookbooks and the rest will be money for the mission. Beth and our 8-year-old are going to go door to door with them this evening (weather permitting) and tomorrow, we are setting up in front of our local Kroger to sell them. By the way, Kroger was so easy to work with and so nice about letting us do this. Once all the cookbooks are sold, we will be at 83% of the funds needed!!! Soooo close! Also, I have two Southern Living at HOME parties booked for May and a couple of other people say they might book one. Also, we are having a yard sale next weekend that should bring in at least a couple hundred dollars. Those parties and the yard sale should put us close enough to the amount needed that we will only need to use a little money from our savings to pay for the rest of the trip.
Let me just say how awesome it has been to watch God work through this. We knew in our hearts that He was calling us to the mission field, and we knew He would provide everything needed for it...and He has been and still is working! Praise Jesus!
Please continue to pray for the Serbs and for us.
An update on my family:
My step-mom is home on hospice. They were able to teach my dad to move her from her bed to the wheelchair and shower without hurting himself. So, it is a blessing that she is home. She now knows the cancer is terminal. Please pray for God to give her peace and to take away the pain.
My grandma is doing much better. They have her on some medicine that seems to be working well. Praise God!
Right now, we have 25% of the money we need. However, John's mom has committed to raising $1,000 from her church, friends, family, and business associates. That money has already started coming in and will put us at 50% when it all comes. The cookbook sales have been slow, but steady. We have almost raised enough money to pay for the cookbooks and the rest will be money for the mission. Beth and our 8-year-old are going to go door to door with them this evening (weather permitting) and tomorrow, we are setting up in front of our local Kroger to sell them. By the way, Kroger was so easy to work with and so nice about letting us do this. Once all the cookbooks are sold, we will be at 83% of the funds needed!!! Soooo close! Also, I have two Southern Living at HOME parties booked for May and a couple of other people say they might book one. Also, we are having a yard sale next weekend that should bring in at least a couple hundred dollars. Those parties and the yard sale should put us close enough to the amount needed that we will only need to use a little money from our savings to pay for the rest of the trip.
Let me just say how awesome it has been to watch God work through this. We knew in our hearts that He was calling us to the mission field, and we knew He would provide everything needed for it...and He has been and still is working! Praise Jesus!
Please continue to pray for the Serbs and for us.
An update on my family:
My step-mom is home on hospice. They were able to teach my dad to move her from her bed to the wheelchair and shower without hurting himself. So, it is a blessing that she is home. She now knows the cancer is terminal. Please pray for God to give her peace and to take away the pain.
My grandma is doing much better. They have her on some medicine that seems to be working well. Praise God!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Prayer Requests
I know I said I'd update this more often, but we've had some family emergencies recently. We are just now settling back into life and hopefully things will be calm for a little while.
Please pray for my grandma (my mom's mom) who is suffering from Alzheimer's. She is doing better now that she is home from the hospital, but she sees things that aren't there and gets confused a lot. We can't leave her alone at all. We hired someone to stay with her at night, which helps a lot, but we will probably have to eventually look into a nursing home or something like that.
Also, pray for my step-mom, Marie. We recently found out she has terminal cancer. It is on her spinal cord and she can't walk. They are trying to shrink it so she can walk again and go home, but there hasn't been any improvement so far. We had to transfer her from the hospital to a nursing home and that was really hard. She's only 57. But my dad can't take care of her at home if she can't walk. So, please pray she will get to come home at some point. Also, pray for my dad. He is having a hard time dealing with this and refuses to tell her the cancer is terminal. I believe she has a right to know, so please pray we can find the words to tell her and that she will be at peace with it.
As for Serbia, we had a great talk a couple of weeks ago on the phone with our contact in Serbia. Also, a girl from Louisiana is going to join us on our mission trip. We are excited about meeting her and working with her.
Please continue to pray for the Serbs and for us as we prepare to go.
Please pray for my grandma (my mom's mom) who is suffering from Alzheimer's. She is doing better now that she is home from the hospital, but she sees things that aren't there and gets confused a lot. We can't leave her alone at all. We hired someone to stay with her at night, which helps a lot, but we will probably have to eventually look into a nursing home or something like that.
Also, pray for my step-mom, Marie. We recently found out she has terminal cancer. It is on her spinal cord and she can't walk. They are trying to shrink it so she can walk again and go home, but there hasn't been any improvement so far. We had to transfer her from the hospital to a nursing home and that was really hard. She's only 57. But my dad can't take care of her at home if she can't walk. So, please pray she will get to come home at some point. Also, pray for my dad. He is having a hard time dealing with this and refuses to tell her the cancer is terminal. I believe she has a right to know, so please pray we can find the words to tell her and that she will be at peace with it.
As for Serbia, we had a great talk a couple of weeks ago on the phone with our contact in Serbia. Also, a girl from Louisiana is going to join us on our mission trip. We are excited about meeting her and working with her.
Please continue to pray for the Serbs and for us as we prepare to go.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Sorry I haven't updated you in a while. We've been super busy, but I'll try to be a better blogger to keep it interesting.
Fundraising Updates:
With the help of friends and family, we raised $280 toward our mission selling the Celebrating Home candles! Pretty good for a little candle fundraiser, huh? Special thanks to Robyn Craven for letting us do that. I'll have to book a party with her to show my gratitude! :-)
The Cookbooks Are In!
I was so excited to see the UPS man today that I ran outside, met him at the road, and made John help him carry the boxes to the garage. The cookbooks came! They look soooo good. They are just adorable. And at $8 a piece I don't think we'll have any trouble selling them. The exciting thing is, when we sell all the ones I ordered, it will pay for one of our plane tickets to and from Serbia! And if they sell quickly enough and there is more demand for them, I'll order more.
Another Great Fundraiser!
I know I'm probably killing everyone with the fundraising, but missions don't pay for themselves! I just became a Southern Living at Home consultant and all my proceeds are going to go toward our mission work. We definitely plan to do a lot more mission work after this short-term trip to Serbia. We are even looking into going long term in about 3-4 years. So, this business will give us a little extra to go toward these missions. I'm really excited about it. I've already met some really great ladies who are also consultants and I've already booked 2 parties! These parties are going to be so much fun...I already have a lot of great ideas to make them into a super fun night out for the ladies who attend. My first party is about a week and a half away and I can't wait!
As far as our Serbia trip, we are supposed to talk with our contacts in Serbia on the phone soon to discuss a lot of things about our trip. We are really looking forward to it. Please continue to pray, even now, that God will prepare the hearts of those we will talk with and that we will have many opportunities to share the Gospel and plant seeds while we are there.
Thank you for your prayers and support.
Fundraising Updates:
With the help of friends and family, we raised $280 toward our mission selling the Celebrating Home candles! Pretty good for a little candle fundraiser, huh? Special thanks to Robyn Craven for letting us do that. I'll have to book a party with her to show my gratitude! :-)
The Cookbooks Are In!
I was so excited to see the UPS man today that I ran outside, met him at the road, and made John help him carry the boxes to the garage. The cookbooks came! They look soooo good. They are just adorable. And at $8 a piece I don't think we'll have any trouble selling them. The exciting thing is, when we sell all the ones I ordered, it will pay for one of our plane tickets to and from Serbia! And if they sell quickly enough and there is more demand for them, I'll order more.
Another Great Fundraiser!
I know I'm probably killing everyone with the fundraising, but missions don't pay for themselves! I just became a Southern Living at Home consultant and all my proceeds are going to go toward our mission work. We definitely plan to do a lot more mission work after this short-term trip to Serbia. We are even looking into going long term in about 3-4 years. So, this business will give us a little extra to go toward these missions. I'm really excited about it. I've already met some really great ladies who are also consultants and I've already booked 2 parties! These parties are going to be so much fun...I already have a lot of great ideas to make them into a super fun night out for the ladies who attend. My first party is about a week and a half away and I can't wait!
As far as our Serbia trip, we are supposed to talk with our contacts in Serbia on the phone soon to discuss a lot of things about our trip. We are really looking forward to it. Please continue to pray, even now, that God will prepare the hearts of those we will talk with and that we will have many opportunities to share the Gospel and plant seeds while we are there.
Thank you for your prayers and support.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Blackberry
We both got Blackberrys so we should be able to keep everyone very up to date while in Serbia. How exciting!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Travel
We have our travel arranged...unless we get a better quote in the future, but I think the one we have is probably the best it's going to get. We will have to stay overnight in London on the way home. I know, I know, it will be rough, but it's a sacrifice we're willing to make...LOL!
We have our itinerary for in-country travel. We will be visiting and prayerwalking in these cities: Belgrade, Kragujevac, and Novi Pazar. Please be in prayer for these cities and the people we will encounter in them. We need the Lord to prepare their hearts now.
Cookbook Update: We should receive the cookbooks around the end of Feb or beginning of March. I'm so excited! I've already tried some of the recipes and they were really good. If the 250 we ordered sell, it will pay for one of our plane tickets! And if they sell quickly, I may order more. We'll have to see how it goes.
Thanks for all your prayers!
We have our itinerary for in-country travel. We will be visiting and prayerwalking in these cities: Belgrade, Kragujevac, and Novi Pazar. Please be in prayer for these cities and the people we will encounter in them. We need the Lord to prepare their hearts now.
Cookbook Update: We should receive the cookbooks around the end of Feb or beginning of March. I'm so excited! I've already tried some of the recipes and they were really good. If the 250 we ordered sell, it will pay for one of our plane tickets! And if they sell quickly, I may order more. We'll have to see how it goes.
Thanks for all your prayers!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Exciting Updates!
Sorry it has been a while since I have posted. We haven't heard much from the missionaries in Serbia because they had to leave the country to have a baby. We heard from them yesterday and we have firm dates for the trip. We will leave June 19, 2010 and come home June 26. We're sooooo excited! I've been getting travel quotes and one of them is a really really awesome deal and we have it locked in while we get other quotes to make sure there isn't something cheaper out there. God has been paving the way for everything to work out perfectly for the trip. It's awesome to see Him work.
I got the cookbook completed and sent to the publisher. It has 116 recipes in it and they all sound really really awesome! I don't think we will have any trouble selling them. They will be $8 each, so if you or someone you know would like to buy a copy, please let me know! We should receive them in a couple of months. The cookbook is called "Tried and True Recipes from LIFE Fellowship."
For now, we are selling candles as a fundraiser. They are from Celebrating Home. A BIG thanks goes to Robyn Craven, our Celebrating Home Consultant, for setting this fundraiser up for me. The candles are $10 each. Once again, if you want to order one, please let me know. My mom has already sold several and she's at work today pushing them for me, LOL!
Please continue to pray for our trip and for the Serbians we will come in contact with while we are there. Pray for God to prepare their hearts for what they will hear from us and that they will be open to hear the gospel from us.
I'll post again when we get more updates.
I got the cookbook completed and sent to the publisher. It has 116 recipes in it and they all sound really really awesome! I don't think we will have any trouble selling them. They will be $8 each, so if you or someone you know would like to buy a copy, please let me know! We should receive them in a couple of months. The cookbook is called "Tried and True Recipes from LIFE Fellowship."
For now, we are selling candles as a fundraiser. They are from Celebrating Home. A BIG thanks goes to Robyn Craven, our Celebrating Home Consultant, for setting this fundraiser up for me. The candles are $10 each. Once again, if you want to order one, please let me know. My mom has already sold several and she's at work today pushing them for me, LOL!
Please continue to pray for our trip and for the Serbians we will come in contact with while we are there. Pray for God to prepare their hearts for what they will hear from us and that they will be open to hear the gospel from us.
I'll post again when we get more updates.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Finding a Translator and Fundraising
We are still waiting to hear the official dates of our travel to Serbia. We will be traveling to about 3 different cities while we are there prayerwalking. So, they are trying to find a Serbian believer who will travel with us and be our translator. Hopefully, we will know something soon.
In the meantime, I'm compiling a cookbook for our church to sell as a fundraiser for our mission trip. I have about 20 recipes so far, but still need at least 80 more. So, if you have a great recipe you want to share, leave a comment with the recipe and your name. Your name will appear next to the recipe in the cookbook. I need all recipes by January 25 so I can get a discount. Or if you just want to buy one when they come in, let me know and I can hold one for you. They will probably be about $7.50 and full of tried and true recipes from our church members, their families, and friends.
In the meantime, I'm compiling a cookbook for our church to sell as a fundraiser for our mission trip. I have about 20 recipes so far, but still need at least 80 more. So, if you have a great recipe you want to share, leave a comment with the recipe and your name. Your name will appear next to the recipe in the cookbook. I need all recipes by January 25 so I can get a discount. Or if you just want to buy one when they come in, let me know and I can hold one for you. They will probably be about $7.50 and full of tried and true recipes from our church members, their families, and friends.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Travel Dates
I heard from Serbia today that the travel dates we requested are a very good possibility. They have to get a few more things in order before giving us a firm date, but we are looking at going June 19th for a week. Of course, we can be a little flexible with the date, but not too flexible because of John's school. He will only have about 3 weeks off for his summer break. So, be in prayer that everything works out for the dates we are available.
We will keep you posted.
We will keep you posted.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Prayerwalking in Serbia
Dear Friends and Family,
We have an exciting announcement. The Lord has led me and John to go on a short-term mission trip to Serbia. We will be going sometime in June of this year for 7 days. We will be going with the International Mission Board to prayerwalk in Serbia. What is prayerwalking and why is it needed? We will pray over neighborhood after neighborhood, house after house, and person after person. Prayer is the first step to reaching this land for Christ. The IMB has partnered with the Serbian Baptist Union based on the vision they have cast to plant ten New Testament churches in 5 years. We will be sent to one or more of several target cities/towns where they desire to plant churches. The ultimate vision is a spread of the Gospel and church growth where all Serbians have the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel and Christ in this generation. The emphasis is on discipling Serbs to start small groups and on reading the Word in Serbs’ homes at every opportunity. Prayerwalking teams provide invaluable prayer, information, and contacts for Team Serbia to establish work in this segment where very few churches or evangelical believers exist. While prayerwalking and developing relationships with Serbs, John and I will help carry the vital message and hope of the cross throughout Serbia to impact eternity.
As you can imagine, we are VERY excited about this opportunity. We also wanted to share how you can be a part of this very important mission. First and foremost, we will need a lot of prayer…starting now. We need prayer for us and for the Serbs who we will come in contact with while we are there. You can learn more about Serbs and this mission at www.pray4serbs.org . At the website, you can also register and sign up to receive newsletters to give you greater prayer needs. I have also developed a blog about this mission trip (and any future ones) so you can check it frequently for updates. I should also be able to update the blog and add pictures and details of the mission while we are there. The link to the blog is http://thereforego2.blogspot.com/
We will soon begin fundraising to provide the money for our mission trip. If you feel led to make a donation to our trip, we would greatly appreciate it. Just leave a comment on this post with your email address and we will send you instructions. Also, if you have any ideas for great fundraisers we can do, we would love to hear about them.
Thank you all for your help and prayers. We will keep you updated on the details of the mission and how God is working.
In His Service
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
