“It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the L0rd.”
1 Thessalonians 3:8
While I was in the states and celebrating the birth of our S@vior and the coming of G0d with Us, I received a call from my friends in M@li. They, too, had just finished their celebration and w0rship of G0d’s gift to us in the birth of Jss. They were so excited to tell me of all who had come to celebrate, especially so many who are not yet following, and all they had done to celebrate–singing, dancing, sharing G0d’s Story, eating, pr@ying, and receiving a gift!! When I received these calls, I felt like Paul and Silas must have felt when Timothy returned to them with the news that the followers in Th3ssalonica were “standing firm in the L0rd.”
I had been with these Malian friends for the past 4 Chr!stmases, and I was not sure if they would come to celebrate in my absence. I certainly had no idea that so many who are not following would come to celebrate and hear more about the gift G0d gave us through His Son. I truly felt this infusion of new life with every word spoken to me on the phone as they described their experience and heard the joy and new resolve in their voices.
Upon my return, it has been another great infusion of new life and joy as I see with my eyes the work G0d has been doing in those months I was away:
The f@ith of my friend O has become her own in greater ways. She still struggles and needs our pr@yers regarding persecution and the influences of those around her, yet I see so many changes happening within her. She told me of her conversation with G0d one night last week and how she asked G0d to help her talk with me about a struggle in her life. I was so glad to hear that first she was talking to G0d about it, second that G0d spoke to her and guided her. Third, that she was being obedient to what He said. The journey of f@ith is not easy, it takes time to learn His ways, and it is imperative that we walk obediently to what He shows and asks of us. Please keep pr@ying for O and her walk, relationship, and F@ith in our L0rd.
The sweet tender humility of my friend M continues to shine and the effects of the truth she is hearing, learning, and seeking are more apparent. She is a quiet person and very much in the background, yet I hear her comment and talk about the songs of f@ith they listen to at home and the reality that they are listening and learning about Jss on their own. Please continue pr@ying for M and the solidifying of her F@ith and belief in the Truth.
The work of f@ith and the call to servanthood of my friend S0 is remarkable!! This man is developing into a servant of the Most High G0d!! He continues to open his shop for the speaking of Truth, the telling of G0d’s story, the conversations of encouragement, and the fellowship of pr@yer. He told me this week of an old woman (a very positive term for the elderly here) he has known for a long time and her desire to follow Jss. Her husband is dead and the road is open for her to follow Jss. She has wanted to follow and wanted to know how to do that for a long time, but the road was not open for her. He went to spend the morning with her one day and came back so excited. He could not stop telling me about it as he was gathering the things he wanted to take to help her grow in her f@ith. S0 gathered the very things that he himself had used to grow in his f@ith. He was like a kid in a candy shop and it reminded me of the sweet, sweet joy that fills us as we fulfill what G0d has placed us here to do…Make HIS NAME Known and Make HIM Glorious among the peoples. S0 said, “Fanta, can you, D@n, and I go to see her together soon?” Oh yes, my brother, we can go…let’s do it!! Pr@y for S0 as he learns to live out his f@ith in ways that impact the world and makes Chr!st known to all around him…I believe G0d is going to use him as part of the explosion of the G0spel here in M@li!!
The coming to Chr!st of a young university student is joyous!! D@n and his wife shared Chr!st with this young woman and last week I had the privilege of meeting her. D@n and I spent several hours with her at her house just talking, getting to know one another, hearing about “her decision” that no one can keep her from making, and sharing Chr!sti@n songs with her. She had one question, “How do Chr!sti@ns pr@y? I need to know this.” We began that discussion and will continue it over the next few weeks. Please pr@y for 0D as she grows and seeks to understand this new road she is walking as she “follows what is in her heart– JSS.”
After talking with 0D, the university student, Kim Steck spoke to me about what G0d had placed on her heart to do during her time here during Easter. G0d was leading her to teach on pr@yer. I just love how our G0d orchestrates every detail, every direction, every activity He is doing among us!! I love how He confirms for us what we are to be about and how we are to be serving Him.
Please pr@y for Kim, D@n, S0, O, M, 0D, and I as we prepare for time together as well as planning for our Easter celebration April 3-6. We will have our first celebration on Friday, April 3rd, then open up the doors for anyone who wants to come on Monday, April 6th. The M@lian church will be celebrating April 5th. Please pr@y for the explosion of the G0spel to begin here during the celebration of this special time when it all began so long ago!!