Connie and I are so very blessed to have such a tremendous group of prayer warriors, partners, and encouragers!  I shared the below post on FB this morning.  Connie said, “Honey, you need to share this with our team.”

This week the battle has been fierce, but Praise God, His word is alive, engaging, and always “spot on” with where we are in life. I was reading in Mark, and 1 Samuel today. As with so many of our friends, there are many “fires” that we are facing in life and ministry. We are tempted to try and take matters into our own hands, to forge ahead with the “solution” that we think is best.

Saul felt this same way. The armies were surrounding him, (1 Sam 13). Thousands of Chariots, and “soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore.” Samuel was suppose to arrive on the scene. Saul waited 7 days, his troops were starting to scatter. I can imagine he was just a bit stressed out. As a leader he felt he “had to do something.” So he did…acted ahead of God’s timing. Marvin Williams said, “Saul’s impatience was the ultimate display of his lack of faith.” Saul ultimately lost his Kingdom because of his actions.

Then in Mark 9:22-24, the man with the demon-possessed son comes to Jesus with what we see as an absurd statement, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” I can understand the father’s anguish. But Jesus replied, “If I can?? Everything is possible for him who believes.”

The father’s response is the cry of my heart during these days. “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.”

I keep reminding myself: We serve the Creator of the universe. The Alpha and Omega, the only God who sees the end from the beginning. Our God doesn’t write about history, he foretells the future!

Sometimes we feel the armies and battles closing in around us. We need to stand firm, commit to pray, and wait on the Lord and His timing.

Love this quote by Oswald Chambers – “Tune your anxious heart to patience, walk by faith where sight is dim; loving God, be calm and trustful, and leave everything to Him.”

Here are some major prayer requests from the Asia-Pacific Region. (Click blue links for the story from the Region.)

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  3 Nazarene Families: At this very moment, there are 3 Christian / Nazarene families who are being brought before officials in one of the countries on our Region.  We received word last night that this was going to happen today.  We started circulating the word to have 24 hours of prayer.  I was so blessed this morning when I arrived on campus and found a group of students in front of a world map, laying hands on the map, fervently praying for those families.

• Father of Missionary from PNG:  Please pray for the father of one of our missionaries who suffered a fall.  It is so difficult to be thousands of miles away when your family is hurting.
• Senior pastor hit by motorcycle:  In Myanmar, one of our senior pastors was hit by a motorcycle and suffered a head injury.  Please pray for Pastora Maa.
• Please continue to pray for our kids.  It is so difficult for us being so far away.  We lift them before the Lord daily.  We trust that He is bringing people into their lives to help stand in the gap.
• Please continue to pray for Connie’s brother Curt.  He continues his battle with cancer.  We pray for him and his precious family daily.

Thank you so much for continuing to pray and partner with us!

Yours and His,

Todd & Connie Lou