January Prayer Letter

…and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel…  Ephesians 6:19 

A new year has come!  Did you make any resolutions?  I have to admit that I try to avoid making resolutions because I know they will fall to the wayside over the coming months. Instead, I focus on the vision/mission statement I have written for myself and seek to always live in a way that moves me closer to those goals.  One of those life goals (written over 8 years ago) is “to live my life in a manner that is an inspiration to those younger than me.”  What a blessing how God continues to place me in situations to walk out that goal.  First, I had my veterinary 4-H group for three years, then I got involved with Christin Veterinary Mission vet student conferences as a speaker, and now He is sending me to teach full time. 

As I continue to seek out those He has chosen to raise up support while I serve in South Africa, I pray that He will help me develop the wisdom, patience, and love needed to reach those I will be teaching.  This season of reflection encouraged me to share more with you about just how you can “pray on my behalf” so that my actions during deputation (support raising) and in South Africa will bring Him glory.  Please pray:

• That I would be filled with Christ's passion and follow Him in His role to glorify God on earth and accomplish the work He has given me to do.
• That the ambition for Jesus to be ardently worshiped would come to dominate and integrate all other desires so that I live in the freedom of single minded purpose. 
• That my will would yield to God’s purpose in seeing all people reconciled to Him.
• That God would use me to be a blessing to all those I encounter during deputation and while serving in South Africa.
• That I would refuse to accept that evil in this world is God’s plan and that I would rebel against it.
• That God would fill me with the Holy Spirit that I might be effective in my small portion of fulfilling His mandate to take the gospel to all peoples.
• That my words and life would match those of Christ to serve as a public testimony to those around me.
• That the Holy Spirit would make clear to me those aspects of my faith which are universal and those which are cultural so that I would not hinder the South African students as they come to God.

Many of these prayer requests are inspired by a 15-week study I am currently taking called Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. Perspectives is the first of several training courses I will be taking in preparation for serving in South Africa and I hope to share more of what I learn in all of them throughout the next year.

May the Lord bless you with a vision and a calling this New Year and fill your heart with passion for Him.