Prayer Requests
2006 will be full of a number of exciting possibilities . . . as well as challenges!
Please pray for the following:
Praise God for His Abundant Goodness! God was faithful to answer:
Please pray for the following:
- Cultivating "S P A C E" for God. We recently returned from a prayer retreat. A highlight was a day spent at the Trappist Abbey. A dear monk, Brother Mark, gave us creative encouragement and insight in learning how to "be still and know God." With a ministry full of meetings and commitments, people and needs, we are working to cultivate intentional space for God.
- Cursillo! This is a new word to us. This "movement" to strengthen spiritual development, began with Catholics and is now embraced by many liturgical groups. Jack and Judy will be "making their cursillo" in April (Jack) and May (Judy). This adventure will stretch us in many ways and we look forward to all God will teach us in through these four days filled with periods of quietness, study, community, and celebration. Pray for us!
- Marriage Health. Our ministry depends on a strong marriage. We truly co-labor and the stresses for balancing life and ministry can get intense. Our ministry team is made up of five couples—all empty nesters in our age-range. Each year our team plans a marriage enrichment retreat with outside expertise. We see many ministries flounder because they work out of a "leaky boat!" We will spend a week-end in "dry-dock" and do some maintenance in mid-April. We want to glorify God in our marriage.
- Ministry Trips. During Spring, Jack will continue to travel to Wilsonville, Vancouver, Sherwood, Seaside, etc. for ongoing ministry to churches. He asks you to pray that God will "improve his hearing." Listening Skills continue to be our most valuable tool! This is exciting and rewarding work. We continue to marvel at the doors God is opening.
- Hospitality. Our favorite pastime is hanging out with those outside the faith. Pray that God will fill us with hearts of love and creative ideas to create safe environments for fun and discussion!
- Retreats. Judy will be the speaker for a women's retreat the last week-end in April. Pray that God would guide her to discern His will and wisdom as she shares from her life with these precious women. The theme will be "Excavating the Heart."
- Increased support. We have never been at our "full-budget" these last three years. God has NEVER failed us—not ONE month since this journey began! "God is able to make all grace abound, so that having all sufficiency in everything, we can be abundantly supplied for every good work!" This is both a prayer and a praise! As insurance costs increase and the cost of gas, car repair, paper, and postage rise, so do our needs! If you would like to partner with us financially in this ministry, please see the "Contribute" information and link on our Ministry page.
The Ministry of the Brothers!
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- A Band of Brothers: Jack has been meeting with a committed group of men for the last couple of years. They have decided to expand to include a couple more interested men and are benefitting greatly from their discussions of John Eldridge's "Wild at Heart" materials.
- A Time and a Place for Prayer! We have been given the generous use of a home on the coast for the last week of January to pray, reflect, study, and rest. This coincides with the CDM "Reflection Retreat" that we are all encouraged to take each January. We are grateful that this is such a strong value for The Navigators.
- Open Doors, Open Hearts: We continue to experience God's faithfulness in opening two churches in southwest Washington. God is doing some grace-filled changes in hearts and communities.