“Faith” sat with tears at our table again. She was on her way to the dentist and had her phone stolen; then she got a call from her husband’s employer that her husband was taken by the militia. He had been kidnapped in the past for a paltry ransom; this time he was suspected of being a terrorist and held for two days. No money was required. Her brother had an argument with her father and left for Italy on the boat, illegally. She apologized for her tears and said, “Praise God. In all things we praise God.” Please ask Jesus to reveal to her who it is that she is fighting to praise! He is the living water that satisfies! Years ago now, we read John 4 together. She has the Word in her home, but does not know to turn to Jesus there. We receive these sorrows in surrender, begging that they will bring her to her knees before Jesus.

“Naiomi” has just been invited to come to our home this Saturday (Dec 3). Pray that she will have the courage to come and that embers of her interest in Jesus would be blown by His Spirit into full light! When we met unexpectedly a week and a half ago as our children played at the park, she told me that she was curious by nature and that she had read some of the New Testament and prophets online and had watched the Jesus film too. She specifically asked, “Can you tell me what you believe about Jesus? Do you have an Arabic NT that I could see and read?” I told her that I did and asked if she would like to read it together and she said that she would! She is free only Fridays and Saturdays, so please pray that she would not be kept from studying the Word of Jesus!

Please pray for “Katy,” a new friend of less than 3 weeks. She is in an abusive situation at home, and yesterday I shared Matthew 11:28 with her and prayed for her in Jesus’ Name. She said that she had been having dreams about me and had gone to ask one in her family who knows about dream interpretations. In her dreams I’m constantly planting trees. Her sister said that maybe the trees were to build a house in Paradise; I suggested that they were women and people I care for and want to have freedom…tending to them. And she “prayed” that I would live long and be able to help the many who come. She puts huge significance in dreams (most do). Pray that she will have a dream of Jesus! That she would trust in the Lord and be like a tree planted by water, and does not fear when heat comes. (Jeremiah 17: 7-8)

A brother in the East has been arrested for sharing his faith online. The authorities found him by tracing his IP computer. Pray for courage and grace for him and all the believers. Pray none would shrink back, and that they would be discerning in communications.

Thank you for praying for our daughter’s friend and her mother who suddenly disappeared. They’re back! Our daughters tearfully embraced for a long time. There are a lot of rumors flying around about where they went and the mother is being very secretive and defensive. But she seems to trust me. Pray for them to come into the Light and experience the miracle of restored relationships.

Please pray for an Arab woman who is meeting a believer for the first time this Wednesday. She has heard the gospel through the internet and wants to meet someone to talk with them of Jesus. In a neighboring country, a man is also asking for a call from a believer and wants to be baptized! Pray for clarity in communication and for continuing follow-up face to face!

Pray for two brothers in the faith who were imprisoned and tortured and video recorded recanting their faith. They had not told their families of their faith. Pray for each one who hears and sees this evil, coerced confession. Ask that God would tenderly draw these wounded ones…and that what the enemy intended for evil, He would use to further declare His glory! Pray the darkness of the enemy would be exposed and that the grace of Jesus would be irresistible.

My daughter’s close friend and her mother just disappeared. Her father and other adult children have had no contact and have no idea where they might have gone. There are many sorrows in this home: knives have been pulled (and the daughter came to our house), forgiveness refused, and when my daughter was sharing about Jesus, the older sister told her to stop talking about these things and pulled the little girl inside. Pray that Jesus would mightily intervene, that the mother would have an experience like Saul/Paul and recognize the truth and worth of Christ. May Jesus guard this precious girl and awaken her heart to faith.

“Yohanna” is one of a few believers in a huge city and all are reluctant to meet together. He is increasing in love for the lost around him and prays faithfully for his family to come to Jesus, although he has not yet confessed his faith to them. The last time we met, he said that there is another man who “loves Jesus” who wants to talk of Him and study the Word. This man is not yet ready to follow Jesus, but is listening. Pray for the gift of faith and pray that these dear brothers would know that they are not alone.

For the past few weeks, “Adam” has been asking about the purpose of life, and agreed that we all live in darkness and need God to be able to get into the kingdom of light. The last time he met with my husband, he said, “If God really wanted me to believe, he would do something to show me.” My husband replied, “Maybe he is showing you. Maybe he sent me to speak to you.” Pray that “Adam” and the many like him would receive grace by faith. And, pray that God would send Adam a vision if in His wisdom and mercy it would most clearly display His glory!

“Nathan” has heard the gospel many times. He even declares that he believes it is true. He believes that Jesus died and rose again…and does not balk at the deity of Christ, but he is not yet ready to follow Him. He recently sat down with his family and explained the gospel to them as our sister listened with joy! Ask that he will go from seeing and loving Jesus from a distance to surrendering his whole life! We know that demons believe and shudder; may this family believe and joyfully follow Jesus as King!

“What kind of God would send a kind Buddhist to hell, but save a wicked man who became a Christian right before he died?” He didn’t ask the question to stir up trouble or to start a debate or to sound intellectual. He carefully chose to say Buddhist because his country and he himself are (at least nominally) Muslim. He was obviously sincere and confused and truly grappling with who God is and how justice and mercy fit together.

This question came right before he told us that a boat of 120 refugees heading to Europe had broken down not far from their beach home and hand-paddled into shore. That’s 120 people who needed food and water and medical care! One lady, who had recently given birth, was unable to walk and had to be carried up to the house. Generously, this man and his wife cared for each one. As the refugees left in pairs every fifteen minutes to disappear and try again another day, the woman was abandoned a ways down the beach. One of this man’s employees found her two days later, near death. They transported her back to their home, spoon-fed her water, gently washed her, found clothes for her and got her to the hospital.

I could see the question in their eyes. Surely God sees our good deeds. Surely if we are kind and loving, it is enough. Pray for this man, and the millions of people like him, to recognize the shocking evilness of our sin in God’s sight. Pray that he and his family will not refuse the grace of Jesus! May they see that only at the cross is the wrath of God removed, and His justice and mercy perfectly revealed together! Pray that they will see that when we shout to God that we can be righteous on our own, there is no truth in us and we are demeaning the blood of Jesus and declaring that His sacrifice was for nothing. May he and those like him recognize the necessity and beauty of the grace of the gospel of the cross.

“When my husband died, his brother took me as his second wife. You know that I have older daughters. It wouldn’t be good for me to marry someone outside of the family.” I was reminded of the story of Tamar (Genesis) and the expectation that one of her husband’s brothers would marry her. It made me think through what life would have been like for Leah or Hagar or Abigail…or any of the several in Scripture who were one of multiple wives.

I only met the husband once briefly . She usually arranged for us to get together for tea when he was at the other wife’s home. The day he was there, I was amazed at her thoughtfulness and patience. He preferred coffee to the tea that was offered; the plate that the cookies were on was not the one he would have chosen. She quietly rearranged the afternoon tray without complaint. Later she told me, “His other wife often speaks of the difficult things so I have chosen to make this a place he can rest.” Of course, the difficult things usually have nothing to do with afternoon tea. Her husband tries to give his time equally to both, spending every other day with each wife. He is quite conservative, and unlike his brother (her first husband) doesn’t approve of her going out. Although she is over 40, he wanted children and they now have a beautiful son, but the other wife doesn’t know that there is one who will share in the inheritance. The two wives live in completely separate parts of town.

Culturally, there is so much that I don’t understand. As a woman, the pressures that I imagine she faces are probably the same across any cultural lines. *Pray that she and the many others like her would know that they are treasured in the eyes of Jesus. *Pray that they would recognize the depth of Jesus’ love that took Him to the cross. *Pray that she, and all of us, would realize that our value is not based on comparison or performance. May we all believe the gospel of grace!

“What kind of God would send a kind Buddhist to hell, but save a wicked man who became a Christian right before he died?” He didn’t ask the question to stir up trouble or to start a debate or to sound intellectual. He carefully chose to say Buddhist because his country and he himself are (at least nominally) Muslim. He was obviously sincere and confused and truly grappling with who God is and how justice and mercy fit together.

This question came right before he told us that a boat of 120 refugees heading to Europe had broken down not far from their beach home and hand-paddled into shore. That’s 120 people who needed food and water and medical care! One lady, who had recently given birth, was unable to walk and had to be carried up to the house. Generously, this man and his wife cared for each one. As the refugees left in pairs every fifteen minutes to disappear and try again another day, the woman was abandoned a ways down the beach. One of this man’s employees found her two days later, near death. They transported her back to their home, spoon-fed her water, gently washed her, found clothes for her and got her to the hospital.

I could see the question in their eyes. Surely God sees our good deeds. Surely if we are kind and loving, it is enough. Pray for this man, and the millions of people like him, to recognize the shocking evilness of our sin in God’s sight. Pray that he and his family will not refuse the grace of Jesus! May they see that only at the cross is the wrath of God removed, and His justice and mercy perfectly revealed together! Pray that they will see that when we shout to God that we can be righteous on our own, there is no truth in us and we are demeaning the blood of Jesus and declaring that His sacrifice was for nothing. May he and those like him recognize the necessity and beauty of the grace of the gospel of the cross.

“When my husband died, his brother took me as his second wife. You know that I have older daughters. It wouldn’t be good for me to marry someone outside of the family.” I was reminded of the story of Tamar (Genesis) and the expectation that one of her husband’s brothers would marry her. It made me think through what life would have been like for Leah or Hagar or Abigail…or any of the several in Scripture who were one of multiple wives.

I only met the husband once briefly . She usually arranged for us to get together for tea when he was at the other wife’s home. The day he was there, I was amazed at her thoughtfulness and patience. He preferred coffee to the tea that was offered; the plate that the cookies were on was not the one he would have chosen. She quietly rearranged the afternoon tray without complaint. Later she told me, “His other wife often speaks of the difficult things so I have chosen to make this a place he can rest.” Of course, the difficult things usually have nothing to do with afternoon tea. Her husband tries to give his time equally to both, spending every other day with each wife. He is quite conservative, and unlike his brother (her first husband) doesn’t approve of her going out. Although she is over 40, he wanted children and they now have a beautiful son, but the other wife doesn’t know that there is one who will share in the inheritance. The two wives live in completely separate parts of town.

Culturally, there is so much that I don’t understand. As a woman, the pressures that I imagine she faces are probably the same across any cultural lines. *Pray that she and the many others like her would know that they are treasured in the eyes of Jesus. *Pray that they would recognize the depth of Jesus’ love that took Him to the cross. *Pray that she, and all of us, would realize that our value is not based on comparison or performance. May we all believe the gospel of grace!

Praise God for multiple opportunities, especially in public transport, for Christians intentionally living amongst the Arabs, to be asking questions which often lead to opportunities to talk about Jesus. Pray that these conversations would lead to further meetings and to Bible studies, ultimately resulting in people trusting in Jesus.

Please pray for peace in North Africa. Pray that the unrest and insecurity will cause people to cry out to God and find true peace.