We'll send an update on Sunday evening or Monday to share how the Father answered our prayers. Thank you for your faithfulness to pray with us for the people of Eastern Ukraine.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Team Kharkov Requests January 27th-29th
Please pray with Amanda and I as we drive today to Donetsk (4 hours south), lead a conference on prayerwalking on Saturday, and return to Kharkov on Sunday. Ask the Lord to grant us times of sweet fellowship with one another and with Him on the road. Pray for our time with our colleague, Joe Ragan, who serves as the only company servant in the Donetsk region. Intercede for our time at Gethsemene Baptist Church in Donetsk tomorrow as we cast a vision for taking prayer to the streets of the Donetsk region.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Team Kharkov Requests January 22nd-28th
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)
“What does “a living sacrifice mean?’” This was the question posed by one of the women who has come for the past 5 years to The Book Club after we read the first few verses of Romans 12 last night. Our group had significantly fewer folks than usual due to several other events for the evening, which gave Amanda and I an opportunity to go more into depth on what a “living sacrifice” refers to, and why we would choose to present our “bodies as a living sacrifice” to God.
The more we discussed, the more I was convicted of my need to choose daily to lay my own plans, my own rights, and my own will at the feet of my Savior as an act of worship and thanksgiving for His abundant mercy. Pray for us as Team Kharkov as we seek to be instruments in His hands, being transformed into the women of God He created us to be.
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| Larissa and Zhenya |
Sunday, January 22nd Mosphanovo is a small farming village about 80 kilometers south of Kharkov. We have worked alongside Zhenya Molodchy and other members of Christian Life church in Kharkov to reach out through health clinics and evangelistic events to those living in village that 80 years ago had a church with over 300 members, but is now slowly dying out. Larisa (shown in the photo) is a 35 year old woman with Down’s Syndrome whose mother travels from another village to be a part of this body of believers. She is now living in an orphanage, blind from eye problems. Zhenya asked us to pray for Larissa and their church as they seek to raise the $500 necessary for surgery on one eye that would enable Larissa to continue living in her current situation. Without the surgery, she would have to be sent to another facility and housed in much less favorable conditions. Join us in praying the Lord would show Himself mighty on behalf of Larissa through His people in the Kharkov region as they are asked to provide.
Monday, January 23rd Praise the Father for opportunities for Amanda to use her giftedness with crafts, specifically quilting, to build relationships with others in Kharkov. Pray for the Lord to draw other women into a small group that is beginning to form to meet once a month for a time of quilting. Ask the Father to draw women deeper into a relationship with Christ through their time of fellowship around the table.
Tuesday, January 24th Amanda continues to meet each Tuesday with 3 young women individually as the Lord has granted her opportunity to disciple, study (Experiencing God) and share the Word through relationships. Petition the Lord to grant each of these women a desire to continually seek and know Him even as they come to know one another.
Wednesday, January 25th Pray for the New Hope International Church women as they continue to study Breaking Free, meeting every 2 weeks to discuss what the Lord is teaching them. Intercede for the Lord to work through the power of the Spirit to set each heart free to receive His love, healing, and wholeness.
Thursday, January 26th Ask the Lord to grant us wisdom concerning the future of The Book Club. Our desire has continually been to see a new church born from this group that has gathered together not only to practice English, but also to read the Word, some for over 5 years. Pray the Lord would raise up a Ukrainian brother with a vision to be used by the Lord to help in transitioning this group from English, to a body of believers.
Friday, January 27th Amanda and I will travel today to Donetsk in preparation for leading a Prayer-walking conference at Gethsemene Church in Donetsk on Saturday. Pray for times of sweet fellowship with Him, and with one another as we meet with our colleague Joe Ragan who serves in Donetsk.
Saturday, January 28th Pray the Lord would prepare the hearts of each of us for our time of catching a vision for taking prayer to the streets in the Donetsk region of Ukraine as we meet today for the conference. What was originally a conference for women has now expanded to include some of the brothers and youth from the Donetsk region. Intercede for me (Linda) to speak His words, and not my own, as I lead during this time.
May we continually seek to join our hearts in prayer for one another, and for all we encounter each day as we are “thrust” into the world beyond our doors! Praise, honor, and glory to the One True God who is faithful to answer the cries of His people!
IMPACTing the Kharkov Region of Ukraine with the love of Christ!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Team Kharkov Requests January 15th-21st
“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:13-15 ESV)
How are those we encounter each day going to know they can call upon the name of the Lord and be saved? As I have sought to memorize these verses this week (from a memorization application called “Fighter Verses”), my heart has been convicted of the necessity, and the command, to “preach” by my life to those who come into my life. May we proclaim His Word not only with our mouths, but also with our actions!
Sunday, January 15th Team Kharkov is part of the Black Sea Orthodox cluster in the European Peoples Affinity. This Sunday is the third day of 3 days of fasting and prayer for European Peoples, marking a renewed emphasis on prayer for impacting the 98.5% of European Peoples who are not believers in Jesus Christ. We give praise to the Father for the power of prayer, and the way He is working in the hearts of His people throughout the world to unite in praying for revival and renewal of His church, and regeneration in the lives of multitudes who have never known Him. Join with us in seeking His face, and walking in obedience to His voice to reach the world outside our doors. More information for how you can join in praying for European Peoples can be found at http://imbeurope.org/.
Monday, January 16th For several weeks in June, the EURO 2012 football (soccer) tournament will be held in 4 cities in Ukraine, including 3 games in Kharkov. Many preparations have been made for the thousands of people from countries all over Europe who will come to Ukraine throughout the month. Pray the Lord would work in the hearts of His people in Kharkov, Donetsk, Lviv (western Ukraine), and the capital of Kiev to share the love of Christ with the world as they come to their cities. Intercede for the churches already making preparations for outreach to people within their own neighborhoods during the tournament.
Tuesday, January 17th In the months to come, we will begin visiting with churches outside the city of Kharkov to see how we might be used of the Lord in the future to encourage and work alongside believers in other areas of the Kharkov region. Ask the Lord to give us wisdom in choosing which churches to visit. Pray for opportunities to strengthen relationships with women in those churches, and develop relationships with those we have not yet met.
Wednesday, January 18th Our first volunteer team for 2012 is scheduled to arrive in Ukraine May 4th. Pray for all the logistics to fall into place for this team, especially securing transportation for the 20 volunteers plus translators during the team’s week-long ministry outside the city of Kharkov. Ask the Lord to work even now in the cities of Zmeeov and Balaklaya to accomplish more than we could ask or imagine, for His glory, honor, and praise.
Thursday, January 19th When Paul met Jesus on the Road to Damascus, Jesus told him the was sending Paul “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith” in Christ Jesus. (Acts 26:18 ESV) Pray we would have opportunities each day to be used in the same way by our Lord as we live and work in the Kharkov region of Ukraine. Ask the Lord to grant us eyes to see where He is working, and join Him in that work.
Friday, January 20th We thank the Lord for the sense of excitement and anticipation He is raising in the hearts of His people in the Donetsk region, giving them a desire to learn about prayerwalking. Joe Ragan, our colleague working and living in the city of Donetsk, is coordinating the conference on prayerwalking to be held there January 28th. Pray for Linda as she continues to prepare materials for the conference. Ask the Lord to prepare the hearts of those who come to catch a vision for taking the power of prayer to their neighborhoods throughout the Donetsk region.
Saturday, January 21st “Now, O my God, let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place.” (2 Chronicles 6:40) Ask the Lord to grant us a heart for prayer, and His answer to those prayers, for the people of the Kharkov region of Ukraine. Pray He would raise up Ukrainian believers with a passion for preaching His Word, that multitudes would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Team Kharkov Requests January 8th-14th
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." (Ephesians 6:18-20)
I have been praying for the Lord to give me a scripture for the year, as well as a book of the Bible focus on for 2012. This morning, I began sensing that He would have me "soak" in the book of Ephesians, even while reading the Bible through chronologically in my daily reading.
Shortly after feeling led in that way, while watching the last session of Passion 2012 from Atlanta, Louie Giglio read from this passage of chapter 6, exhorting the 40,000 plus university students gathered there to go from their time together "fearlessly," proclaiming Christ wherever the Lord has them at this time in their lives. I praise Him for confirming the desire He had already placed in my heart - to ask Him to grant me the words necessary in the Russian language, as well as the opportunities, to live out the gospel in the Kharkov region of Ukraine.
Would you join with Amanda and I in proclaiming this passage of scripture not only over our lives, but for believers throughout the Kharkov region of Ukraine? Intercede for all of us to enter into our world each day with a passion for sharing the love of Christ, and the "mystery of the gospel," with those the Father brings into our lives each day.
Sunday, January 8th Pray for Amanda and I as we meet together this week to pray and seek His plan for Team Kharkov in the months ahead. Petition the Lord to open our eyes and our hearts to what He is doing in different churches throughout the Kharkov region, and grant us the opportunity to come alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ as He leads.
Monday, January 9th Pray for Baptist church leadership throughout the Kharkov region as they gather together each week to pray and seek the Father's leadership in reaching the lost in their communities. Ask the Lord to raise up young men with a passion for starting new churches wherever the Father is working in the hearts of Ukrainian people, giving them a desire to know the One True God.
Tuesday, January, 10th Please continue to pray for the women Amanda has the opportunity to lead into spiritual conversations and/or disciple through Bible study each week. Pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to work in Marina's heart to overwhelm her with the love of Christ, and overcome her fear of accepting His love.
Wednesday, January 11th Our volunteer teams scheduled for May and July this year are diligently making plans for the work the Father has for them in the Kharkov region. Ask the Lord of the Harvest to work in the hearts of each person the teams will minister to throughout the months prior to their arrival in Ukraine, breaking up the hardness of hearts in preparation for the seed of the Gospel.
Thursday, January 12th We praise the Lord for all He is doing through your prayers in the hearts of those in The Book Club. We resume this week with the study of Romans 11. Ask the Holy Spirit to use the Word to penetrate each of our hearts with His truth. Pray the Lord with continue to bring new folks into the group with a desire to know Him.
Friday, January 13th Pray for me (Linda) as I continue to prepare for leading a conference in Donetsk on prayerwalking and teaching on Celebrate Recovery ministry in Kharkov. Pray my heart will be quick to recognize His voice leading me in the way He desires me to go. Intercede for the women who will attend the prayerwalking conference to catch His vision for the power of praying over their communities on-site with insight!
Saturday, January 14th We praise God for those He has placed in positions of authority as team strategy leaders, cluster leaders, and our affinity leadership. Go before His throne for these men as they seek to be servant leaders, even while leading their families. Pray they will each have times of refreshing and renewal in the midst of their very "busy" lives.
We recognize that your prayers are instrumental in changing lives for eternity in the Kharkov region of Ukraine. Please continue to intercede for us as we seek to share the love of Christ each day in the Kharkov region of Ukraine!
IMPACTing the Kharkov Region of Ukraine with the love of Christ!
I have been praying for the Lord to give me a scripture for the year, as well as a book of the Bible focus on for 2012. This morning, I began sensing that He would have me "soak" in the book of Ephesians, even while reading the Bible through chronologically in my daily reading.
Shortly after feeling led in that way, while watching the last session of Passion 2012 from Atlanta, Louie Giglio read from this passage of chapter 6, exhorting the 40,000 plus university students gathered there to go from their time together "fearlessly," proclaiming Christ wherever the Lord has them at this time in their lives. I praise Him for confirming the desire He had already placed in my heart - to ask Him to grant me the words necessary in the Russian language, as well as the opportunities, to live out the gospel in the Kharkov region of Ukraine.
Would you join with Amanda and I in proclaiming this passage of scripture not only over our lives, but for believers throughout the Kharkov region of Ukraine? Intercede for all of us to enter into our world each day with a passion for sharing the love of Christ, and the "mystery of the gospel," with those the Father brings into our lives each day.
Sunday, January 8th Pray for Amanda and I as we meet together this week to pray and seek His plan for Team Kharkov in the months ahead. Petition the Lord to open our eyes and our hearts to what He is doing in different churches throughout the Kharkov region, and grant us the opportunity to come alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ as He leads.
Monday, January 9th Pray for Baptist church leadership throughout the Kharkov region as they gather together each week to pray and seek the Father's leadership in reaching the lost in their communities. Ask the Lord to raise up young men with a passion for starting new churches wherever the Father is working in the hearts of Ukrainian people, giving them a desire to know the One True God.
Tuesday, January, 10th Please continue to pray for the women Amanda has the opportunity to lead into spiritual conversations and/or disciple through Bible study each week. Pray for the Holy Spirit to continue to work in Marina's heart to overwhelm her with the love of Christ, and overcome her fear of accepting His love.
Wednesday, January 11th Our volunteer teams scheduled for May and July this year are diligently making plans for the work the Father has for them in the Kharkov region. Ask the Lord of the Harvest to work in the hearts of each person the teams will minister to throughout the months prior to their arrival in Ukraine, breaking up the hardness of hearts in preparation for the seed of the Gospel.
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| The Book Club Christmas Party |
Friday, January 13th Pray for me (Linda) as I continue to prepare for leading a conference in Donetsk on prayerwalking and teaching on Celebrate Recovery ministry in Kharkov. Pray my heart will be quick to recognize His voice leading me in the way He desires me to go. Intercede for the women who will attend the prayerwalking conference to catch His vision for the power of praying over their communities on-site with insight!
Saturday, January 14th We praise God for those He has placed in positions of authority as team strategy leaders, cluster leaders, and our affinity leadership. Go before His throne for these men as they seek to be servant leaders, even while leading their families. Pray they will each have times of refreshing and renewal in the midst of their very "busy" lives.
We recognize that your prayers are instrumental in changing lives for eternity in the Kharkov region of Ukraine. Please continue to intercede for us as we seek to share the love of Christ each day in the Kharkov region of Ukraine!
IMPACTing the Kharkov Region of Ukraine with the love of Christ!
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