Every month we share a few of the many things we are praying for. These share more about what is important to us and filling up our hearts and lives. Here's what we're into in the month of March...
REACH LONDON
We're really excited about this one. We're hosting a mission experience and conference right here in London over the next two weeks. It's part of how we say "thank you!" to our amazing supporting churches in the States - we are grateful. The amazing staff team at Redeemer has really turned up the energy and effort for this. We're hosting two waves both beginning on Sundays and really looking forward to connecting with friends old and new. Please pray for all involved: strength for the staff, support from local members, and a sense of calling and direction from the Spirit.
SEVEN WORDS
We're studying the "Seven Words" Jesus spoke from the cross during this Easter season. The seven words are more like phrases and sentences Jesus said while hanging on the tree. While not easy to bring yourself to, these are heart-warming, chin-lifting, identity-shaping words that are hugely important for all people to know and wrestle with. Please pray that God would heal, help, and encourage his people through this teaching. Pray with us that God would indeed save someone in the next few weeks.
EASTER EGG HUNT
Our fantastic family ministry team is preparing for a family Easter Egg hunt on Saturday 1 April. So much planning and prep is about to go into the next few weeks! We are really looking forward to hosting this at the school on the weekend before Easter. We're inviting friends locally - all are welcome! Please pray that this would be a fun family time and an easy connection for people in the local community.
PERRY AND SHEPHERD
Thank you for praying for our kiddos over the last couple of months. It seems like the Spirit is at work in their lives and continuing to draw them close to God. We're not there yet but we are encouraged by some progress. Today was world book day at school and they had a great time dressing up for it - Perry at school, Shepherd at home. Would you say a specific prayer for Shepherd to recover from a nasty fever and cold? He's been down for three days now and has had a rougher season of being sick. We need our little boy back!
BREAK THE SOIL
Thank you to all who prayed for Redeemer last month in Break The Soil. Inspired by Hosea 10:12, we had 24 hours of prayer and worship and it was a definitive moment for us as a faith family. We enjoyed our March prayer meeting last night in the Redeemer office and are grateful to God for a clear hunger for more of him in our community.
GOD COMES WHERE HE'S WANTED
It's hard to describe what we're experiencing in some parts of the Redeemer community. Looking back, Thomas' time away in October with Jon Tyson and the guys was a clear turning point for him and his leadership. God has been given our faith family a deeper hunger for him, to know him, and to experience his presence. Groups have been sweeter than usual, God is working in hearts the response time after the teaching, and friendships are being forged in new ways. It's clear that God is resting with us in a new way and we are grateful. Please pray for more in the months ahead.
PERSPECTIVE
It feels like we've poured ourselves out for 3.5 years here in London (and another 1.5 in the States getting ready!) and now the seasons are turning. Some really hard graft seems like it's finally turning over to some smoother stretches for us. Plenty of daily difficulties, frustrations and setbacks, and unknowns and anxieties are still around - but it seems like a new season is setting up here. It's bigger than us and beyond our control. We've learned to surf on the waves and now it seems like some smoother waters are coming. Please pray that God would give us perspective to know what moment of the story we're in, what season this is and what season is coming, and how we can best serve and steward the small part he wants us to play in his Story and plan.
HEALTH AND SAFTEY
This last one feels a bit indulgent to ask for but we do need a few good weeks of generally good health and safety. There's lots on with teaching, hosting, important moments for Perry and Shepherd around school, and such. Would you please pray that God would patch us up, keep us rested and healthy, and focused for the next month? We feel a good sense of weightiness for the moments right before us and we want to steward it well.
