Missionaries to Sudan 9.9.08

Greetings from Khartoum,

 

We have recently entered the start of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, in Sudan.  Muslims fast during this holy month from dawn until sunset.

 

It seems during this month there are challenges to the emotional and physical health of many people in this area.  Unfortunately, we have not been exempt from these hard times.

 

The day before Ramadan began Shellie and I started feeling sick and before nightfall, we were both dealing with a violent stomach bug.  We took turns visiting the bathroom all night hoping for relief the next morning.  High fevers, cold chills, sore muscles, and intestinal problems characterized the challenges we faced for a couple of days.

 

The morning after our rough night the power went out all day.  So we spent the day in our bed trying to “sweat” the sickness out in 100 degree heat.

It seemed like we were in the bad scene of a Hollywood movie.  Our power was finally restored by 8pm and we were able to rest more comfortably until midnight when a sand storm came through and knocked the power out again.

 

Thankfully we were able to pick-up some medicine and have now recovered very well.  I’ve started running again and Shellie is feeling strong as well.  We are very thankful that God kept Nathaniel healthy while we were sick.  He may have been hard to keep up with during our sickness but at least he wasn’t throwing up and going through 20 diapers a day at the same time.

Admittedly I was jealous of his diaper wearing ability with my frequent trips to the bathroom.  I thought it might have been a lot easier to put on a pamper and stayed where I was .

 

We are all aware that physical sickness can ultimately lead to physical death if the illness is not treated or the body is not allowed to recover.

In much the same way, spiritual sickness can eventually lead to spiritual death if the cause of the problem is not dealt with.

 

The word “Ramadan” comes from “ramida” which denotes an intense scorching heat and dryness.  As I meet with our neighbors and talk to Sudanese nationals I continually get a feeling that there is a spiritual dryness in their lives.  They fast and pray out of religious obedience but in their lives remains spiritual sickness and death because they have not dealt with the root of their problems: a denial of a living God.

 

We would like to ask for you to pray this month for our Muslim neighbors that they would see in us the light and truth they are searching for.

Please pray that God would grant us the ability to share the “medicine” they need for their dry and weakened spirits.

 

From the sands of Sudan,

Zach

Ask of Me

Ask of Me. That is the condition- God desires a praying people, willing and obedient.

E.M. Bounds.[ Purpose in Prayer. Chapter 1. pg. 11]

 We are dependant on God for everything. The strength I have today is a gift from God. The breath I breathe, I breathe because God allows it. My heart beats at  His command and gravity works because  He tells it to work. As I walk through life there are times I am tempted to act as if I have some power.  Actually, I am a steward of his power. When I was a boy I wanted to be a great singer, it never happened, now I realize that if I had been a great singer or a great musician I would have never become what I was called to be, a pastor. All I have is a gift. Whenever I hear someone say, ‘I can’t do this without God’ I always want to say, ‘What can you do without God?’  Thankfulness for what I can do should be part of my life.

We need to be aware that God’s natural gifting has limits.   We also have callings and the results of those callings surpass the limits on those gifts.  For example, there are certain abilities God has given me to be a dad but the real work of fatherhood, turning out fully devoted believers that know and use their gifts, is beyond my ability. If that is going to happen,   I not only need the gifts God has already given me but I need Him to move on their lives. This teaches me to reach out to God and recognize my need for His help.

The point is we are dependant on God for everything. What I can do and what I am called to do all require the help of God. The good news is that the help is there, God is available.  When what I am given falls short of what I am called to do, I learn to cry out to God. This is how He develops our faith. This is in His will for the relationship He desires with us.

In these areas, asking is a condition of receiving. So, it is always time to pray and without prayer we will fall short of God’s Goal for our lives.

District Prayer Needs 4.22.08

Cecil “Pete” white, 87, father of Greg White of Carlinville, went to be with the Lord Friday evening, April 17. He had suffered a severe stroke 4 years ago that left him paralyzed on one side. Please keep this family in your prayers.

Becky Barnett, pastor at Manlius, called with an update on their current situation. (The family home was destroyed by fire on March 5.) They have moved into a different rental property. The insurance campany declared their home a total loss, but they will be unable to rebuild anytime soon due to being under-insured. Becky asks for prayer that their financial concerns will be resolved and, most of all, that her children will heal from psycholocial trauma they have experienced.

Prayer Requests 4.8.08

• A co-worker of someone in the church has alot of recent health problems. He’s 34 and has eye problems and pains in his chest that might be arthritis.
• The father of someone in the church is in intensive care. The son would like prayer for him to be healed and to live a much longer healthier life.  
• An attendee of Calvary reuqests prayer for God to move in her life financialy, physically and emotionally. She prays that God would bring better things into her life to bless her and her family. She needs strength each day after the loss of a family member.
• A man in the church requests prayer that he will grow stronger in Christ and to be a better husband & father. He also requests prayer to find a good job to help support  his family.
• A 29 year-old woman has a brain tumor and is having surgery on June 10. Her mother-in-law requests prayer for her regarding this as well as prayer that her family would start attending church. They are Christians, but don’t attend anywhere at this time.
• A congregation member reuqests prayer for finances.

District Prayer Needs Update 4.4.08

Georgia Corlew, mother of Ray Corlew (senior adults pastor at Rockford First AG), passed away Wednesday in Morris, IL.

Rob Mitchell, pastor at New Life Fellowship Ministries in Tinley Park, requests prayer for his daughter, Sara, and her son Adam Daniel, who was born on Monday. At the time of her C-section, she had a viral infection that may have been passed on to her son. Also, Adam was born with a small hole in his left lung. During the birth, he apparently swallowed some fluid, which created an air pocket which caused pulmonary stress (high blood pressure of the heart). He has been transferred to Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, where he on a ventilator, sedated to keep him still and receiving medication to keep the blood pressure low. It is a complicated situation which could be fatal. Please keep Sara and Adam in your prayers.

Gene Cowsert, retired minister from West Frankfort, was discharged from the hospital this morning after doctors successfully shocked his heart yesterday. His heart is back in a healthy rhythm. Please pray that it will remain in this state.

District Prayer Needs 4.2.08

Gene Cowsert, retired minister from West Frankfort, is still waiting for a cardio-conversion, a procedure which “shocks” the heart. The procedure has already been delayed twice, due to blood clots in his heart. Doctors will attempt it again tomorrow, April 3.

Jeff Gowen, pastor at Collinsville First AG, has been experiencing excruciating pain believed to be caused from a ruptured disc between his shoulder blades. The severe pain started on Saturday. He has numbness from the top of his head down his left arm and is being scheduled for an MRI. He has battled back pain for almost 20 years and needs a healing touch from God.

David C. Plake II, Book of Hope representative from Carlinville, continues to recover at home following his recent heart ablation. Complications arose from pre-operative procedures. His heart is doing great! He appreciates all your prayers.

Becky Barnett, pastor at Manlius, sent an update on her family’s situation. The Barnett family home was destroyed by fire on March 5. She and her husband, Brent, have five children and a teenage boy who lives with them. “We had gotten pretty settled into the apartment when last Wednesday we were told to begin to look for a different place. We had hoped to stay here until at least June (this is what they told us in the beginning, and it even looked as though they were going to let us stay till we rebuilt.) This was a shock for our family, and the children are not doing well at all. They are next to church friends here at the apartment, which has made it so much easier to adjust. I am also next to a close friend who has been an incredible help, especially when I am down with a lupus flare. We are praying for favor and that the owner will change his mind. 

“I want to send out a BIG thank you to all the individuals and churches in the AG that have reached out in many ways to us. Your prayers and gifts of money have been so generous. We feel our AG family behind us in this most difficult time.

“The day we watched our home burn, the home Brent worked 18 years on to restore, I felt so helpless for Brent and for my children. I knew this man had poured his heart and soul into this home for us, and now he was watching it go up in flames.  But that day Brent turned to me and said, “God has a bigger plan for our lives“ and that he was in total peace even as the fire continued to rage. The days and weeks have been hard since the fire, but I hold on to that word from the Lord, He has bigger plans. And the peace that Brent carries with him is a testimony to God. You guys are part of that peace. Without your prayers and support, it would be much harder.  We are assured that God will provide for us and one of those ways has been through our AG family.

    

“We continue to battle the insurance company. Right now it looks like we may not be able to fully recover from this loss, but we hold steadfast to the promises of God. Thank you again for all your support.”

Praise Reports 4.1.08

• A member of the church recently had surgery and everything went well.
• A member of the church has a son that said the sinners prayer for the first time last week.

Prayer Requests 4.1.08

• A congregation member needs prayer for an illness. They also need prayer that they will gain employment.
• A congregation member’s sister-in-law needs prayer for complete recovery from a mastectomy due to breast cancer. They also request prayer for a client that recently said she will be fighting breast cancer as well. Pray also for a cousin who was just diagnosed with Leukemia. He is starting chemotherapy and will be getting ready for a bone marrow transplant.
• A member of the church requests prayer for her husband who needs a permanent job. She also requests prayer for her mother who is recovering from knee replacement surgery.
• A family in the church has a neighbor that recently passed away after heart surgery. He left behind a wife, two daughters and a grandaughter. Please pray for his family.
• Pray for traveling mercies for someone that is leaving for a trip soon.

Prayer For Our Deployed Military

Please continue to remember to pray for our deployed military personnel and their families. You may check out the Military Prayer Board in the main foyer to get specific names to pray for.

Pastor’s Comments on Prayer 3.25.08

In August of 2007, I felt that the Lord was telling me to raise the bar for prayer in our church. The core of who we have been since the inception of this fellowship has been founded on prayer. For years, my parents led a powerful Saturday night prayer service. We believed that the blessing of God was on us because of our prayers. Several years ago, we moved that service to Wednesday nights. I believe it is the most important service of the week. We face so many obstacles as a church and as believers that are absolutely too big for us in our own power, but they are not too big for God. One thing that has resonated with my heart these last few weeks is that we don’t have to beg or convince God of what we know He wants to do. We are just required to ask in faith and to present our prayers and requests to Him. He desires to move in ways beyond our ability, but He waits on our faithful appeal. Let’s make the appeal and see what God does.