Thank God I'm Forgiven! How thankful are you about your forgiveness and new life in Christ? Have you thanked God lately? Have you shared this with some others who need to know our Savior and about our hope? Be still, open your heart, chat with Daddy and worship! Then go share your heart and new life with some others this weekend. God loves, you, calls you by name, redeemed you and wants to love through you! Allow it! Be His representative !
Good Morning Forgiven, Redeemed and Empowered Harvest Worker! Amen! How's this playing out through you daily? Is your life overflowing with love, mercy, grace, hope and help? It can!!! PTL! We are gathered and Holy Spirit empowered to live and love like Jesus and sent together to be Christ and His helper. Help us Lord! Thanks! Check out the Word for You below about God's search for laborers. He's calling you by name and you have been gifted and activated for service. Team up, pray, prepare and go! Remember, we all have a role to play in God's Good News Delivery Company, St. Matts division. What's your part? Prayer Warrior, bread server, clothier, teacher, giver, helper, encourager, inviting friend? The roles are as varied as us and God has gathered us to encourage each other and to help us to make disciples. He has someone just for you and a spot to serve and grow into your potential. Are you cooperating with His Spirit? Are you dying to self, taking up cross and ready to follow Jesus and be Him in the flesh and action? That's why you are here and what you are created to be and do--be you. Be about God and His business. And we need each other's part to help, encourage, pray and do our what we are created and gifted to do. Are you? DO IT! Try it! You are created, gifted, and placed here for such a time as this. Keep working at growing into your potential in Christ and doing what you are created to do for such a time as this. God is calling you by name and saying come and walk with Me to my best for you and others. He really does care for you and loves you beyond measure. he is our Savior, Provider and Protector. Choose Him first and to allow Him to have His way with you. His plans are great and as varied as we are. PTL! I am so excited for what God has for you and us this year and how He wants to grow you and unite us to help each other become mre like Jesus and to go live and love more like Him. I'm praising God for you all and praying for Him to fill you with dreams and vision and things to work at and on. What might they be? Let us reason together and continue to pray, encourage and spur on to all He has for you and us! Amen!
TWFYT:
Upper Room: God Cares
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” - Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)
In early , our town received more than 15 inches of rain over several days, causing significant flooding around the city. Unfortunately, our home was affected by the flooding. The seemingly impossible task of repairing our home and the devastation in the town were almost more than we could bear. We wondered where God was and how God could turn this tragedy into something good. Fear and anxiety quickly set in. But as we prayed and sought God’s guidance, God not only brought restoration to our home but blessed us with people along the way to help with the rebuilding process. Something that had once seemed impossible was now possible with God.
When adversity makes us feel hopeless and overwhelmed, it is best to turn to God and trust in God’s plan. God cares for each of us and about the things that trouble us — big or small. Letting go of worry and allowing God to lead us through requires trust, but doing so gives us peace and comfort when we need it most.
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's Prayer
Dear God, help us to hand over to you the things that make us anxious, knowing you care for us and will provide what we need. Amen.
Brian and Missy Wagner update
Happy New Year from our Crazy Crew
As we ended our first school term at the very end of November, we welcomed over 200 AIM members who live and minister in Kenya and Tanzania to campus for our Spiritual Life Conference. WHY do we gather together each year? We’re glad you asked! We gather to be rooted in Christ, renewed for service, so that we may return to our areas of ministry with fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, empowered to bring transformative impact to the lives and communities we serve, for the glory of God. During our times of teaching, were challenged from the Book of Daniel as we reflected on the theme of Heartfelt Mission in a Hostile World. What a wonderfully encouraging time of worship and fellowship.
After conference, we packed our bags and headed to winter weather in Pennsylvania where we spent time with each of our grown children, their spouses, and two grandsons, along with extended family, friends, and several church groups. What a blessing to have this gift of time together. We even got to enjoy some SNOW! ❄️
Finding a New Way Home
After an unexpected airport adventure from Washington to Lagos (Nigeria), then Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), we arrived back in Nairobi (Kenya), only three hours later than our original flight through Brussels (Belgium). Thankfully, our four pieces of checked baggage kept up with our new itinerary and arrived with us! It was so good to be home!
Back in the Saddle
Five days later, life and excitement returned to campus as we welcomed students back from all around the world for the start of our second school term. Our boys were happy to see their friends and quickly unpacked and settled back into dorm life. As we ended week three, all our K-6th grade students enjoyed a water-themed field day! Below the equator, we are happily enjoying sunny days and temperatures in the mid-70’s! Visitors welcome! 😉
Here are some ways to PRAY for us this term:
CAMPING TRIP: We’ll be taking our Titchie dorms camping this weekend! It’s always a fun time getting our seven guys and six girls off campus. PRAY for good health, safety, and fun as we make new memories together.
AP CLASSES: These next twelve weeks of teaching and learning are critical as our students prepare to take their AP exams, which will happen in early May at the beginning of our third school term. PRAY for Brian and all our AP teachers as they teach and work with students to help them feel ready for these exams.
MUSIC TOUR: This year’s three-day high school choir and band ministry tour will travel to schools in Nairobi at the end of February. The theme, Light in the Darkness, is focused on John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” PRAY for the students and directors, as well as Missy (choir accompanist), through these weeks of learning music and finalizing tour details.
As we gathered together in preparation for the term ahead, the liturgy below was read as a prayer over our staff, those who have been called to live and serve together in this school community that sits high above the Great Rift Valley in Kenya.
A Liturgy for Labors of Community Every Moment Holy, Volume 1, written by Douglas McKelvey
Our lives are so small, O Lord, Our vision so limited,
Our courage so frail, Our hours so fleeting.
Therefore give us grace and guidance
for the journey ahead.
We are gathered here because we believe
that we are called together into a work
we cannot yet know the fullness of. Still, we trust the voice of the One who has called us.
And so we offer to you, O God, these things: Our dreams, our plans, our vision.
Shape them as You will. Our moments and our gifts.
May they be invested
toward bright, eternal ends.
Richly bless the work before us, Father.
Shepherd us well lest we grow enamored
of our own accomplishment
or entrenched in old habit.
Instead let us listen for Your voice,
our hearts ever open to the quiet beckonings
of Your Spirit in this endeavor. Let us in true humility and poverty of spirit remain ever ready to move at the impulse of your love in paths of your design.
You alone, O God,
by your gracious and life-giving Spirit
have power to knit our imperfect hearts,
our weaknesses, our strengths,
our stories, and our gifts, one to another. Unite Your people and multiply our meager offerings, O Lord, that all might resound to Your glory.
May our acts of service and creation,
frail and wanting as they are,
be met and multiplied by the mysterious
workings of Your Spirit
who weaves all things together
toward a redemption more good and glorious
than we yet have eyes to see,
or courage to hope for. May our love and our labors now echo your love and your labors, O Lord.
Let all that we do here,
in these our brief lives,
in this our brief moment to love,
in this the work you have ordained
for this community,
flower in winsome
and beautiful foretaste
of greater glories yet to come.
O Spirit of God, now shape our hearts. O Spirit of God, now guide our hands. O Spirit of God, now build Your kingdom among us.
Amen.
May this be your prayer, too, in whatever community the Lord has you planted at the beginning of this New Year.
