Our new grandson and other good things!
January 27, 2022
Dear
Praying Friends,
A
sweet lady just reminded me that I haven't written a prayer
update in awhile. So here goes!
First
of all, baby Michael Joshua has arrived - born on January 26 -
picture attached! At 21.5 inches long and 10 lbs 6 oz he's
a big baby. Thankfully, mom and baby are doing
well. Please pray for adjustment for 4 year
old Natalie and for Megan as she balances the care of two
kids. Pray for when I should go out to
Bremerton, WA to provide support for Megan, and
also for Megan's mom Karen as she helps at this time. And
also for baby Michael's dad (our son Joshua) who expects
to be on his Navy sub until early March, and is
longing to be with his wife and 2 kids!!
Second,
I am enjoying my new role as Marketplace Chaplain! In
January, I began visiting 13 business locations as their Chaplain
(as the owners are Christians and they are paying for this
chaplain service for their companies). It is wonderful to
have the opportunity to pray for people, encourage them to attend
church and to read the Scriptures, and to listen to the hurts and
brokenness in their lives (though sometimes this gets heavy - I
must remember to always take their needs to the cross and remind
myself that it is Jesus who is the Wonderful Healer and
Counselor). Some employees are non-believers, some are
Catholic, some are nominal believers and some are strong
Christians.
The
businesses I visit include 3 crisis pregnancy centers, a
specialty cabinet-making shop, a financial advisor, a CPA firm, 3
auto repair shops, a Christian finance event planning
company, a payroll services company, a print shop, and a pet door
factory - quite a variety! So far I have been visiting a
few companies one day per week, but I am considering whether I
can visit a couple afternoons per week alternating with my OMF
work in the mornings. Pray that God will transform
lives like Sharon who has marriage struggles and is trying to
follow Jesus; Renee (New Age), Tracy (Mormon), Yudi (JW) and
Konny (non-religious) who are not yet believers; Carmelita and
Brittany to raise their kids to love Jesus; as well as Katherine,
Brittany and Cole who are looking for church
homes.
Third,
I feel behind in my OMF work now that I'm in the learning curve
as a Marketplace Chaplain. Please pray that I
will learn balance in the coming weeks. Please also pray
with me if God might provide an assistant to help me with some of
the admin work in my OMF work so that I can focus on some of the
big picture stuff. One of the big picture things
is that I'm working on having one person from each OMF center
(sending and field) trained in doing formal debriefs of TCKs in
the first half of this year - exciting! We also want to
create some training for parents to debrief/process with their
own kids.
Follow up on previous email updates:
- Thank you for praying - our Zoom meetings with kids who are more newly on the mission field and didn't get to attend Orientation Course in Singapore went really well. Fun to connect with them and they seemed to enjoy connecting with us and with each other as well as doing transition activities. Please pray as we seek to provide support for the February Zoom OMF Orientation course for 2 kids from a UK family, 3 kids from a US family and 3 kids from a Korean family.
- We are hoping to implement lots of OMF trainings in the near future, but at the moment we are in great need of some volunteers to work on creating these virtual trainings. Please pray that God will provide some.
- Matthew and Rachel with 1 year old baby Graham moved to Texas recently. (Attached picture of Graham and his daddy on his 1st birthday, January 20.) They will take over ownership of an Express Employment franchise on January 31 - https://www.expresspros.com/waxahachietx/ They are very excited about this new business/ministry opportunity. Please pray for them as they settle into their new community.
- I gave out another 6 unreached people group prayer guides to people at church recently. On February 10, I will get to share about my OMF ministry with the Elder Board of our church in Bradenton, FL with the hopes that Christ Presbyterian Church will begin financially and prayerfully supporting me in the future.
- My Thai friend Nuansee has attended our church the past two Sundays - she says she feels more at home in an American church than the Thai church since she has lived in the US since she was 10. Please pray for her to grow in the Lord and for her Cambodian friend Awm to begin attending church with her. Awm is in his 70s and recently he asked his Cambodian children if he can leave Buddhism and become a Christian! Also pray for Nuansee to be a light to Awm's extended family and the Cambodian community where Nuansee lives here in Florida.
- We had a lovely visit with Jacob and Alysha from January 6-10 here in FL. (Pictures attached) They are both doing well. Jacob needs prayer as he seeks to be a light to his co-workers at Bobcat repair shop. Alysha continues to minister to Micaiah, Joel and Jubilee as she homeschools, cooks and cleans.
- Nathan and Katelyn are happily enjoying married life in Dubuque. Pray for Nathan as he supervises 12 workers in software engineering for John Deere. Katelyn volunteers at the Christian school where she taught for years.
- Scott gave out 28 New Testaments and tracts as Christmas presents to people he serves as security guard. Pray for opportunities to pastor and share God's love with this community.
Blessings,
Jennifer
and Scott
“You
are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be
hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone
in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before
others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father
in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16