April 2006

Preparing to move and Prayer by Month

To view letter in PDF format, click here

In an effort to ask for prayer in the upcoming months, we decided to breakdown this Newsletter by month, so that you can know how to best pray for us during the times ahead. In addition, we would like to share with you a couple of highlights from March and April.

One special month we want to point out to you is July. We have been in the process of praying for a move date for a few weeks now, and it seems that the Lord is culminating everything to work out for us to move at the end of July! Praise God!!

As a reminder when praying for us, we have to have 100% of our monthly support before we can report to our assignment, so please pray diligently alongside us as we seek the Lord’s guidance for our remaining funding. Your prayers and encouragement have meant so much to us, and we know we will need them in the months ahead.

March
Thad had the opportunity to share a message about 21st Century Missions with a Sunday School class at Stonebriar Community Church.

April
MP 2 MP Parents Weekend - We had the privilege of working with Mike and Sally Mathews as they hosted a Parents Weekend for 3 missionary families. Our task was to help them prepare their PowerPoint presentation and provide technical assistance during the weekend. As you may know from our time at AIT last year, “providing technical assistance” can be a full-time job. Computers never cooperate. When you hook them up to projectors, things just get worse. We were prepared though. We packed every cable we could think of. Our laptop was ready as a backup. So, what happened? Nothing. Upon arrival at the hotel, Mike had the computer hooked up to the projector. Everything ran perfectly all weekend. Praise the Lord that the technology did not get in the way of a wonderful weekend!!

May
May 20th-23rd - Creativity Summit in Los Angeles
“It is an historic event: a Crusade gathering where the core values are creativity, inefficiency, artistry, and abstract-ethereal ideas. We are looking to gather the most creative from among our numbers: innovators, graphic artists, filmmakers, writers and fine artists...We have three themes for our time: Theology of Art and Creativity, Hearing and Inspiring the Creative, and Creativity and the Context of our Mission.” - Melissa Immel

Jana will attend the Creative Summit listed above, while Thad will meet with family and friends and work on Support Raising in the L.A. area. Our travel dates are not yet set, so check our website in a week or so for specific dates. If you have family or friends in the area that might be interested in hearing about or partnering with our ministry in Western Europe, please pray about putting us in contact with them.

June
Pray for any remaining monthly funding to come in, and for our trust to remain in the Lord. Since setting our move date, we have both been faced with doubt and worry regarding God’s provision. Pray for our hearts and minds to be protected, and that at all times, we will see God’s truth before us.

One of Jana’s favorite verses is from the book of Joel (2:23) “... rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness.  He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.” Because we have seen God provide for us in the past, pray that we will know His provision will come.

July
July 12th - Scheduled cesarean arrival of Ben and Melissa’s baby girl, our newest niece. Praise God for giving us a couple of weeks to meet, know, and hold her!!

July 31st-August 7th - European All Staff Conference (EASC) in Nottingham, England
Pray for us as we decide on the timing of our move to Germany, whether that is just before the EASC conference or after.

Prayer Request Summary

• Pray for the details of our travel plans to L.A. for the Creative Summit...for safe travel, an inspiring conference, and new Ministry Partners
• Pray for remaining funding to come in soon! Also, pray for our hearts to be protected from worry regarding the Lord's provision.
• Pray for us as we decide on the timing of our move to Germany, whether that is just before the European All Staff Conference (end of July)or after.

As our move date approaches, we will update you with more specific prayer requests regarding the move and all involved!!

Sincerely,
Thad and Jana