August 1, 2004
Prayer Request
Who Did You Say Was Calling?

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church. May we each be counted as mature in the Lord.

2) Pray for our country. . .Pray for all parents in our nation--that they will accept their responsibility with dedication and sincerity, motivating, encouraging, disciplining and loving their children to become mature and responsible individuals. Pray especially for fathers in our country as they lead their families, that they may do so with honor and strength, seeking wisdom from God and His Word. Give thanks also for the efforts of parents, stepparents, adoptive parents, and foster parents who sacrifice willingly to raise their children, making our nation stronger.

3) Pray for our president. . .As the President wraps up his vacation at his Crawford, Texas ranch today, pray for him to be renewed; strengthened by time away and restored in mind, body and spirit. As he returns to the White House, pray that he will humbly seek God's divine guidance and will in the many matters facing him. Pray for the members of his team, from the cabinet on, to seek godly counsel from the Scriptures and to turn to God in faith.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: II Chronicles 34:27 & Numbers 23:19

Oregon

4) Pray for Joey's deliverance from multiple disorders.
Pray for parents who are too focused on problems rather than on God.

Update on Marty's heart condition from Marty: "Continue praying for me. The doctors are still running tests. The heart condition they're looking for isn't there, and their own numbers back it up. This only proves God is still in control and heals people. (Halellujah!) But they refuse to believe. To no avail I tried to convince them I do not need all their "equipment" because God's plan is working just fine."

Missionaries

5) Praise God for a believer from Yakut, Siberia, Russia who has completed illustrations for the 1st Christian children's book in that language.
They look great and are according to Yakut life and culture. Praise God also for a native Christian leader as he works in church planting. Pray for leaders to rise up.

6) Pray for the work among the refuge Punjabis in Canada.
Progress is being made.

7) Pray for Bob and Becky Otten in Kazakstan where they are having a productive summer.
Pray for certain relationships to bear fruit for the Kingdom.

8) Pray for Chuck Thompson.
He is a delightful "elder" who is an encourager and a "seldom published freelance writer". Pray for someone to encourage him.

9) Pray for Dr Tim and Joan Herrick in Mali.
Continue to pray for a couple who are studying the Bible with Joan. Pray for openings to pray, teach, and witness to those who have become friends. Pray for the boys that they would do their best in school.

10) Pray for the Gil Harder family.
Gil has moved to a new mission group and has expanded his opportunities to minister. He is with Eternal Perspective Ministries, led by Randy Alcorn.

11) Pray for South Pacific Missions and the congregation at Rakiraki Baptist Church.
Recently they held a camp. 92 kids came and 14 of them were unsaved. Of that 14, 7 professed Christ and 2 of the 7 were Muslim. This is in a part of the world where people are beaten and expelled from their families because of their decision to become Christian. Imaging how you would feel if you were told that your mother and father and siblings would never speak to you again if you let it be known that you were saved?

12) Pray for Frontier Missions who work with the native Americans.
This summer they have led VBS 's on various reservations. After VBS, supper, and an evening family crusade, each family who attends gets a box of food. "Only eternity will reveal the souls who have been saved, delivered from alcohol, drugs, and abuse," says Don Cline.

Who Did You Say Was Calling?

One Saturday night a pastor worked late. He decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM but his wife didn't answer. He thought it was odd, so he finished his work and tried again. This time she answered right away and told her husband that the phone had not rung.

The next Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office where he had tried to call his wife. The man he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night. The pastor couldn't figure out what the man was talking about until he said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer." The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife.

The man said, "That's okay. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, 'God, if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now.' At that point my phone started ringing. I looked at the Caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'. I was afraid to answer!"

The reason why it showed on the man's Caller ID that the call came from "Almighty God" is because the church the pastor called from is named ALMIGHTY GOD TABERNACLE!
Thanks, The Hoods, Redding CA

August 8, 2004
Prayer Request
Just A Note
Try This One -- And Don"T Look At The End First!

Love Away From Home

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

We arrived at the soccer field earlier than usual and we saw him lying curled up next to a brick utility building. The sharp wind bit with cruel precision through the rags he wore. His soft snoring assured us he was alive.

"I'll bet he's hungry, Dad," I whispered.

"I'll bet you're right, son," Dad whispered back. "Let's go get him something to eat before he wakes up and moves on."

We arrived back at the field with hot coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Others had arrived and their concern had led them to call the police. With his pathetically small bundle of possessions in hand he was being led toward a patrol car.

I couldn't hear what Dad said as he approached him, but I saw the ghost of a smile cross the man's face. He accepted the food and laid a hand on my dad's shoulder as if bestowing a blessing. Dad turned and walked back toward me with tear filled eyes.

That was the day I began to grasp the passion behind brotherly love. "Father God, help me to look beyond the ordinary to see the power of Your extraordinary love!"
(c) Jan Fugman, Gresham OR

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church. . . Remember, You can be His outstretched hands when you can be nothing else.

2) Pray for our country. . .The Olympics begin in a couple of weeks. Pray for the safety of the participants and the spectators. Pray for the Iraqi team. It is that country's first venture in the public eye as a "free" country in many years. Pray also about the heightened alert status on the East Coast. Pray that the terrorists can be thwarted without loss of life.

3) Pray for our president. . .as Mr Bush implements changes in the structure and communication of our intelligence gathering groups.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: Psalm 32:6 & 8 & Psalm 121:7-8

Missionaries

4) Joan in Israel is having house troubles. She now has to be out of one apartment by August 12th and can't get into the next until September 1st. She will put stuff in storage and "go visiting" until then. Pray for peace and safety while all this is going on.

Oregon

5) Pray for a man who needs a job.

6) Pray for a man who has finally come to the point of telling the truth about some childhood experiences. It is scary and hard to reveal things that hurt so many others.

7) Pray for Ron and Karen Rohman who do street ministry in downtown Portland. Pray for their safety and their witness.

8) Praise God. Jay had to have some laser eye surgery this week All went well and his vision has cleared. To God be the Glory!!!

9) Early this year you'all were asked to pray for a young man - a high school senior- who brought a lawsuit against the Portland School Board for removing a religious club display from the halls of the high school he attended. Other clubs also had displays that week -- Club Week on campus. The religious club had a Bible in their area. The case was finally settled in July. The young man, with the help of the ACLJ, won and the rights of religious groups on campus was restored. Thank God for the persistence and courage of this young man to stand up for his convictions. Pray that the school district follows through on their end of things.

Update: Continue to pray for MaryLou.

10) Pray for a lady who is trying to settle a disputed estate long distance. There is a great difference between to truth and reality.

11) Pray for the staff of the Veterans' Home as some of their favorite people go home to be with the Lord. It's hard to care!

12) Pray for a group who are going to be starting marriage enrichment type class.

13) Pray for Jennifer as she grows through some childhood issues.

Update: Laura is doing really good, thanks to the prayers of you'all. She's 94. Keep praying!

Nevada

14) Pray for Grandpa Jim. He fell this past week. He is pretty sore but didn't break anything -- Praise God! He's 95 this month! Happy Birthday!!!

Illinois

13) Pray for a lady who is trying to settle an estate long distance. There is a lot of work and hassle involved. Many decisions. Pray for wisdom, strength and courage.

Just A Note:

It takes nearly $700.00 a month to produce and mail this prayer letter!

Try This One -- And Don't Look At The End First!

1. Pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate. (Try for more than once but less than 10)
2. Multiply this number by 2 (Just to be more honest)
3. Add 5 (for Sunday).
4. Multiply it by 50...It's okay to go get your calculator.
5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1754. If you haven't, add 1753.
6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number. The first digit of this was your original number (i.e. How many times you want to have chocolate each week)

The next two numbers are YOUR AGE (Oh, yes, it is!)
Thanks Robin Wyrick, Incline Village NV

August 15, 2004
Prayer Request
Writer's Prayer
Show And Tell

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church. . . Do you have a prayer closet? If not, maybe establishing one would change things.

2) Pray for our country. . .Looks like most of the East Coast is going to be lashed by Hurricane Charley. Pray for those left homeless, disrupted, and hurt by this storm.
Pray for our troops fighting in Iraq and around the world.
Pray for our athletes in Greece -- for safety.

3) Pray for our president. . .Between the campaign and the world situation, he is a busy man. Pray for strength and wisdom.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: Matthew 7:7-8

Government

4) California Court System has struck down the validity of the same-sex marriages that took place in San Francisco. Praise God! And keep praying!

California

5) Pray for Joyce Lee. Her trip to Mexico was highly successful. Now she is off to a conference in LA with another batch of kids. She leads the Youth Ministry in their church in Central California.

Oregon

6) Pray for Shirley. She fell and seriously bruised her face and probably broke her nose.

7) Pray for a family living in fear. The husband (step-father) may have been seriously injured or killed in Iraq. No one seems to know.
(Update: husband was seriously injured but alive! Praise God. The situation has become a marvelous opportunity to witness and live out the Word of God before this family!) Keep praying!

8) Pray for a lady about to make some big decisions in her life.

Arizona

9) Continue to pray for Judson, an Episcopal priest with heart problems.

Illinois

10) Pray for Ted. This week he woke up one morning with an intestinal blockage and was rushed to the hospital and into surgery. He is feeling better. Pray for his healing.

11) A couple of weeks ago, you'all were asked to pray for a lady trying to settle an estate long distance (in Florida). The home involved is in the path of Hurricane Charley. Pray about the damage to the estate. Pray for the lady to have peace about the situation.

Missionaries

12) Pray for Richard and Charlotte. They are returning to the Far East next week after a time in the USA taking care of his mother who was ill. Pray for a smooth transition and a return to their vital ministry.

Olympics

Did you know that, although, many people have gone to Athens, Greece to see the Olympic Games, there is a very strong group there for a different purpose? (And no, I don't mean being a terrorist!!!) Several Missionary groups have begun witnessing in the crowds and with the athletes. Pray for these many and varied groups of Christians who are bringing the Lord to the games, hoping that the participants take Him home with them.

One of our prayer warriors called recently asking for information about an article we printed about a young lady who was stopped on a dark road apparently by a police office. She stopped, but rolled up her windows and locked her doors and dialed *77 to connect with the police and verify the identity of the officer. Turned out he was a rapist and the police arrived to apprehend him. It is legal for you to turn on your hazzard lights and proceed to the nearest lighted area or to call 911 or *77 to verify the stop.

Show And Tell

Benjamin got up in front of class and said, "I'm Jewish, and this is a Star of David." Freddie came to the front and stated, "I'm Catholic, and this is a Crucifix." Billy walked up and spoke, "I'm Baptist, and this is a casserole."

August 22, 2004
Prayer Request
Words To Live By

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church. . .Praise God if Jesus resides in your heart! Pray for those you know where He has yet to be invited in!

2) Pray for our country:
Pray for America's schools as students, teachers, administrators and staff head back to school. Pray for godly values to be incorporated into our schools, making America stronger. Pray also for the millions of home schools that will begin soon as well.

3) Pray for our president. . .Pray for wisdom, peace, strength and God's love to grip his heart.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: Revelation 8:3 & 4

Georgia

4) Pray for Dressie and her husband and children as they try to put their family back together.

California

5) Continue to pray for Jennifer's mom. She has had several bouts with cancer -- all in remission at this time. That's a praise! She also has diabetes and recently had a toe amputated. Pray for proper healing -- always a concern with diabetics.

Oregon

6) Pray for Stan who is fighting a serious case of Hepatitis C.

7) Pray for Mr Sullivan who has been diagnosed with Leukemia and is having trouble finding a bone marrow donor match. Pray one is found soon or it may be too late.

8) Pray for a young man who will have to live out the rest of his life with the results of a drug overdose.

9) Pray for Gayle. The tumor in her throat is in remission but the one in her lung is still there. She also has a debilitating case of emphysema also. Pray for her salvation and for the salvation of her family.

Update: You'all prayed for Val when he was hospitalized after a serious fall. Val "is dancing with the Lord" according to his wife Jodie. She is so relieved that he is no longer in pain that she says she only feels jealousy -- that he is with the Lord and she is still here.

Pray for Jodie's strength.

10) Pray for a young lady who is searching for meaning in life. Pray she finds THE REAL meaning in life -- Jesus.

Missionaries

11) Pray for Katherin. You'all have prayed for her while she served in Mongolia. Now she is home and going to start the Grad program at Multnomah Bible College. (It is such an intense program that it has been likened to "taking a drink out of a fire hose!). Pray for her comprehension, strength, and endurance. She is preparing for a return to the same area when she is done.

12) Pray for Rich and Charlotte as they return to Thailand. Some of the translation work was completed while they were here in the states. Pray for quick completion of the project and a quick release of the materials in their new languages.

Words To Live By

Always keep your words soft and sweet in case you have to eat them.

Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

Eat a live toad in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.

It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

Never buy a car you can't push.

The early worm gets eaten by the bird, so sleep late.

Birthdays are good for you; the more you have, the longer you live!

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

You may be only one person in the world, but you may be the world to one person.
Thanks to the Hoods

August 29, 2004
Prayer Request
Puns For Intellectuals

"I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother . . .and in your mother. . ."
(2 Timothy 1:5)

My nine brothers and sisters and I celebrated my mother's 80th birthday at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. With our collective 25+ children, we spent the day on the beach and, as the sun was setting, ate birthday cake out on the deck that overlooks the ocean. On my way to bed that evening, I happened to glance into my mother's room as I passed by her open door. The sight of my mother down on her knees beside her bed, hands folded, and head bowed in prayer, took my breath away.

This exact scene is my first recollection of prayer. All through my childhood, when I passed by my parents' room at bedtime, through the soft glow of the night-light, I would catch a glimpse of my mother kneeling beside her bed, head bowed in prayer. These holy moments left an indelible impression of faith deep in my spirit preparing me for a life of prayer.

In my youth, she was teaching me that to be a mother is to be an intercessor. Now, she was teaching me that to be a grandmother and a great-grandmother is to continue the role of intercessor. I hope that when I am 80 and a great-grandmother, my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will catch a glimpse of me down on my knees in communion with God.
(c) Jean Roach, Gainesville, FL

Prayer Requests

1) Pray for revival and an awakening in the church. . .How will your great-grandlings remember you?

2) Pray for our country. . .Pray for the athletes coming home from the Olympics that they understand "from whence cometh their" fame and turn their eyes on the Lord rather than on themselves.

3) Pray for our president as he carries on the campaign while running the country. Pray for strength and wisdom.

Additional leaders to pray for:

Read: Your favorite passage of Scripture every day this week.

Oregon

Praises!!! Helen had tests this week and the doctors are sure the cancer is gone.

Update: Elnore is having her tests this week. Pray for the same results -- Gone!!!

Update: Stan has Stage 4 (of 4) Hepatitis C. Didn't know there was a problem until it is in its final stage. He also has cirrhoses of the liver and may need a liver transplant, but the Hep C makes transplants nearly impossible. Stan is still working but doesn't know how much longer he will be able to. But his insurance is connected to his work. Pray for the whole situation. His wife, Liza, only recently learned to drive; she can now take Stan to appointments.

4) Pray for Jameka who has gestational diabetes and is not taking care of herself or the baby.

5) Pray for a lady who does well when she takes her meds but forgets to take them all too often.

Missionaries

6) Pray for Jay and Linda Neuharth as they head back to Kyrgyzstan the second week in September. They have been home for a brief respite the last couple of months. Pray for travel mercies.

7) Pray for the Christians in Pakistan who are enduring heavier persecution as the civil war there continues.

8) Pray for Peter and Debbie Dodd. A group of short term missionaries from Oregon are coming to serve in an English language camp. Pray for their effective ministry. Pray for the Dodds as they do the preplanning and coordination.

Two days after they leave, Elizabeth starts first grade at the local Chinese elementary school. She is fluent in Chinese and has done well in Chinese kindergarten. But she has a difficult time making transitions. Please pray for her as she begins that she will adjust easily and that as the only foreigner, she wouldn't feel too conspicuous. Pray that, as a family, the Dodds will be a good testimony in the school.

Three days later, another team from a different church in Eugene will be arriving. They will be helping to lead an English camp and doing repairs at the seminary. Pray for details surrounding that camp.

The small group at church the Dodds have been involved in has just changed to be more than just families. As a result, 4 non-Christian women joined the group. That changes the dynamics of the group a lot, but it's also pretty exciting. Please pray for the witness to these women and to others in the group.

Debbie has still not settled the accident she had in April. Pray for a quick and just settlement. Pray also that their house in Portland rents soon.

9) Pray for the missionaries your church supports.

Maine

10) Pray for Marj and her husband. In fact, she requests prayer for Steve, a teen that they want to adopt. She says he's been hurt so many times he's afraid to commit and in Maine, teens have to agree.

Puns For Intellectuals
(I'm not sure we qualify!)

1) Two vultures boarded a plane, each carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess stopped them and said, "Sorry sir, only one carrion per passenger."

2) NASA recently sent a number of Holsteins into orbit for experimental purposes. They called it the herd shot round the world.

3) Two boll weevils grew up in South Carolina. One took off to Hollywood and became a rich star. The other stayed home and never amounted to much and naturally became known as the lesser of two weevils.

4) A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and met in the lobby where they were discussing their recent victories in chess tournaments. The hotel manager came out of his office after an hour and asked them to disperse. He couldn't stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.

5) There was a man who sent 10 puns to some friends in hopes at least one of the puns would make them laugh. Unfortunately no pun in ten did!!!