Mighty Jesus, please help your children to love one another, to forgive one another. You say that if we say we love God but do not love our brothers and sisters we are liars. May your children abide in you and bear the fruit of the Spirit- love.

Mike and Faith are a retired couple. They moved from their home area looking for some freedom from the weight of the local practice of belief. Father brought us together, allowing for a growing friendship and the opportunity to discuss what true freedom really means. Mike has rejected all religious belief, trusting in science instead, while Faith is torn by her sense of loyalty and the evident hypocrisy. Please ask Father to open their hearts to truth and for seeds being planted to bring life!

The Father is growing the church in the capital city and we are hearing reports of a number of people following the Son or choosing to be ‘dunked’. Please ask that they would be rooted in the Word, in  prayer, and in a Believing Community.

Many of this generation are being taught that their feelings define truth and that if they follow their heart, they are being most true. Jesus, we pray that you would expose this lie, that instead of trusting their own deceitful hearts, (Jer 17:9,10), they would allow you to search their hearts and transform them. May they put their confidence and trust in you and be like trees that put out roots by the stream and bear fruit without fear. (Jer 17:7,8)

The end of Ramadan is in a few days. Ask that as we meet up friends and neighbours that the Father would open a door to speak of Him.

Tonight Muslims around the world will commemorate the night on which Allah first revealed the Qur’an to Mohammad. Many will spend the night in prayer expecting blessings and mercy. Pray that the Lord will bless them with a revelation of His Son.

Jesus, we ask for generations of believers where parents and grandparents share their faith with their children without a spirit of fear, but with power, love and self-discipline. May they be willing to join in the suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. May they remember that you have saved them and called them to a holy life—not because of anything they have done but because of your own purpose and grace. Jesus, may they be heralds and teachers of this gospel. (2 Tim 1)

Please lift up the local body and local leaders to be Spirit led, humble, obedient followers as they lead others.

We are getting to know a man in his 30’s named ‘L’. He has come to our house and heard the Word. Pray that the Father opens his heart to see the beauty of the Son and the Good News.

Ramadan starts April 2. Pray that many will find Jesus satisfies their deepest longings.
Also, ask that the devil will not discourage local followers during Ramadan.

We studied John 1 with Missy today. The Holy Spirit helped her understand the passage especially confirming her “right to be called a child of God” as Jesus had called her “His daughter” in her dream.
Amazingly, her housemates noticed such a change in her that they guessed she’s a Follower!! When they confronted her about it this week, she knew she couldn’t hide the Truth so she spoke plainly and openly… and rather than being aggressive as she’d feared, they were peaceful and asked questions. Pray the Lord would open their hearts to the Truth.

Missy is a student who has been in correspondence with someone online for a few months about heavenly things and has expressed a desire to follow and be dunked! She’s agreed to meet ‘in person’ so a teammate and I met her today.
We asked: “Who is Jesus to you?”
She replied, “He’s God [that’s so important here!], my protector, the One I run to whether I’m happy or sad to tell everything to. He’s Lord, who we must give authority to in all parts of our life.”
We also asked, “What does it mean to be a disciple?”
She replied, “Someone who follows the way of Jesus, who learns more about Him and tells other people too.”
Pray that she would continue to thirst after Him and grow.
She also willingly agreed to meet Joy so please pray for wisdom and protection as we try to set that up.

The believers are meeting for Christmas this Saturday! How wonderful that three women who wouldn’t speak to each other before are now all going in one car to the meeting. And both men and women will be present. Pray that trust deepens and this church is bound together by the Holy Spirit.

Praise the Father for resources being developed in the local dialect. A recent video of the story of Jesus from birth to ascension is being sent to local contacts. Ask that they would forward it on and the Truth would go viral!

On December 23 we are hosting a team outreach party for local followers and local friends who do not yet know Christ. Please pray that the Light of the World would shine brightly during that event and those who believe would be encouraged and bold. We pray that those that do not yet know the Savior would experience the Love of Christ and see the goodness of the gospel of grace.

The believers were planning to meet for Christmas but two of the older believers have been pulled in repeatedly by intelligence these last few weeks so they are wondering if the gathering should happen. And if so… where to meet? Both places they have used are being watched now… one of the local brothers, whose wife doesn’t yet believe, opened his home for a small group of men last week… but I don’t think he’s willing to open it up to women or a larger group… pray for courage and wisdom please.

On Monday December 20, I am hosting a women and kids party at our place. Please pray for me as I share about the Son and His love for them. For some this may be the first time of hearing the good news and for others we pray it will be the time that the Father opens their hearts to learn more about Jesus and choose to follow Him.

Time in the Word was so special and humbling to see the HS use it to crumble the lies Joy’s husband has been saying: “You have all these family problems because you are far from God since you turned from Islam – that’s why your prayers are unanswered.”
But when we looked at Elizabeth and Zacharias, how long did they patiently wait for an answer for a child? Perhaps they even stopped asking given their age. But they didn’t ‘give up’ on the Father or His goodness. Instead, “they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.” With every human reason to be angry with God and the shame He allowed them to endure, they patiently continue to draw near and trust the Father. Please ask that these truths would comfort Joy and give her fuel for more spiritual conversations with her husband.

Pray for open hearts in our community as we share that the Light of the World has come as Emmanuel whose message is one of Hope and Joy. Pray many would listen to this good news and believe!

A young believing girl has been trying to leave the country for a while… but from all we see, she has a loving family. She wants more freedom and says she is suffering. She disappeared yesterday and her mom has been frantically calling. (Over 15 times in 2 days.) We have talked to all our connections but can’t find her. Pray for her and her family.

We’ve been worried about Joy as unusually she hasn’t responded to messages ever since her brother came into town 10 days ago. Finally heard from her last night and she is heart broken. Not sure on all the details but all her family have broken relationship with her and are refusing to give her any inheritance. She can’t understand how the Father would allow this to happen when she has prayed so much. She’s struggling to trust His goodness. Please pray for her.

Praise Jesus for new believers who are boldly sharing their faith, for another new sister, for a group of 12 interested in learning more, receiving the Scriptures, praying. Ask for continued boldness, courage and faithful abiding and discipleship.

Went to read with Joy and discovered she’d lent her copy of the Word to a friend! A childhood friend who is asking lots of questions. Awesome! Got her set up with the Word on her phone which she is thrilled about because now she can easily send verses to others by WhatsApp. Ask for continued boldness, thirst for the Word, her friend to truly read it and the HS to soften this friend’s heart to the Truth.

Pray that the believers would strive together for the sake of the gospel not frightened by any who oppose them. Praise Jesus for the handful of faithful men who are growing in courage and welcoming others.

Please pray for “Rachel and Mark”- ‘dunked’ one year ago but still very new in their faith and struggling in every way.
After a cancer diagnosis and surgery several years ago, the cancer has clearly returned and seems to have taken over many vital organs. From a human perspective, this 38 year old mother of four children doesn’t have much time.
Please pray!

Praise Jesus that believing men are regularly meeting together. Even after one was arrested, most continued to meet. Ask for persevering courage.

Pray for Joy to read the word daily and learn to feed herself with it, and not just rely on others to feed her.
Pray for Roza to be encouraged in her faith and learn to grow right where she is.

Ezra just came over for a meal to talk about his language teacher training course which starts next week. He’s excited…and a little nervous! It’s his first time to live completely independently from his family (he just completed his 3rd year of uni while living at home) and we’ve connected him to believers in that city (trust doesn’t come easily between believers here). Please ask for good fellowship, growth in character and maturity, and that he’ll grasp these unique opportunities with eagerness.

Please pray for my friend Roza. Her grandfather died this week. This is her message:

“He passed away without knowing who Jesus is. It really hurts me that a member of my family goes without talking to Him and knowing Him. I always pray for them to wake up from their mistake. But it’s a really sad feeling knowing that they go forever in the devil’s way. I’d be relieved if he had gone knowing who Jesus was.”
Praise God for Roza’s faith and pray for her comfort and opportunities to share her faith with her family.

This week millions of Muslims around the world will be buying a sheep ready for the sacrifice in remembrance of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Ishmael. It’s a big celebratory holiday where family gather…but hard for Followers as it’s a clear reminder of the lostness of their families.
Being held Wednesday this week in our country – please pray for our Brothers and Sisters.

Pray for our English Summer School for local kids. Parents send their kids to learn English and make a mess (science, art, cooking) – something they are definitely NOT allowed to do at home! Good opportunities to speak values into these kids’ lives (like don’t swear!!), get to know parents, and be involved in the community. Please pray for good connections with the parents. Thanks so much!

Pray for Stacey – a teammate met her at the gym and with follow up conversations helped her get the Word on her phone. They will start reading together.
Also, a pregnant lady fainted in town this week- teammates sat with her while waiting for her husband to come. He arrived, stayed to chat and they both heard the full gospel message – probably for the first time… including others who had also stayed around to help the lady. Pray for them to want to know more.

Calgary and Edmonton, Canada have a combined Muslim population of 230,000. Many of them come from North Africa. Some of their children will be attending an August summer camp in Alberta. Pray that the Holy Spirit would be working on their hearts, preparing them for the Gospel truths they will hear at camp.

Ask for perseverance and grace for believing spouses. And for courage/wisdom/trust to know how to meet together for fellowship.

Lord Jesus, remove the spirit of fear that paralyzes believers and keeps them from witnessing, from preaching, from identifying with You. May the charade of pretending to be Muslim for the sake of ease or safety be stopped in the name Jesus. May each believer love Jesus more than life, more than honoring their family.

Praise Jesus for the Arab men who are meeting together faithfully. Ask for couples, families, and women to be able to join in. Transportation and gender separation make this a huge challenge.

Joy’s mother’s died several months ago. She doesn’t know if her mother put her faith in Him and regrets not sharing more with her. As the family gathers for the Eid holiday on Thursday, Joy wants to share with her father and family. They know she is a believer. Pray for boldness and wisdom for Joy and open hearts for the family to really listen and engage.

A few men are meeting weekly to encourage each other and pray together. Ask that they will welcome newer less mature brothers.

Please pray for Isabelle. She’s a young Sister who has been shy to proclaim but growing in understanding of her walk with J. Her copy of the Word was stolen and pictures sent to her of it cut up into pieces. It’s really shaken her!! Hoping to see her this week and thankful that she still has access to the Word online for encouragement!

One brother is in prison now and standing firm holding tightly to Jesus . Ask that he will not deny Christ and that the believers who hear would be encouraged to be more bold in witnessing.