July News and Opportunities

News

I have to tell you, friends, building a prayer and provision team has been a different experience this time around than it was when we first engaged in it back in the mid-90’s. The world has become a more complicated place in the last twenty years, especially in the realm of communication and expectations regarding communication. Twenty years ago it was pretty much a monthly newsletter to a small group, a quarterly to a larger group, and lots of phone calls and visits. Today the wide array of media outlets is dizzying. Facebook, Twitter, website, cell phone, texting, Youtube, Vimeo, Skype, email, Google Chat, LinkedIn, and Podcasting (iTunes being the most well known of the podcast services). I’m sure that I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg. They are all wonderfully useful in getting the word out, but, Oh! the massive amount of content that must be written, recorded, published, hosted, syndicated, distributed. Did I mention plain old fashioned paper, envelopes, and stamps?

Don’t interpret the previous comments as complaint as much as middle-aged observation. . . adjustment . . . entering the 21st century kicking and screaming. Something like that.Yet I thank God for the opportunities presented by these means; for outlet for my creative soul.

Part of my time in July has been given to such things. I’ve tried my hand at podcasting by producing a podcast entitled The Shake the Gates Daily Word podcast. So far, 19 episodes. Those episodes were hosted on the previous incarnation of www.shakethegates.org, which has been taken down to make room for this one. The only real reason I had to take down the other one, though is that the previous one sort of imploded one evening as a result of an “update”. Grrrrr . . . Blessing in disguise, let me tell you. We learned a lot on that first site and have made some awesome changes at this site to make it better, more useful, and more useful for your smart phone or tablet.

Building a prayer and provision team this time around has also been unique in regards to our understanding of God’s purposes for it. Clear to us is that the Father wants to show his majesty and that he answers prayer today. We came into July as financially strapped as we have ever been. On the horizon for us was taking Samuel to Missouri from Florida to get him settled in college, a trip further north, then Todd’s trip to the other side of the world for a month: very expensive ventures all. God has provided for each and every need without exception and without us needing to go into any kind of debt!!

Opportunity

He will do the same for you. Test him in this. I have an opportunity for you to test his willingness to answer your prayers. On the Resources page on this site I have placed a link to 40 Days to Freedom: A Prayer Guide. Download the prayer guide and begin praying with us, beginning August 11, for the upcoming trip to Papua New Guinea. Todd will be reconnecting with the Somau Garia people, will be preaching an evangelistic crusade in another area of the province, and making preparations for a planned 2014 move to PNG with the family.

Also, if you are interested in helping cover the expense of the ministry trip to Papua New Guinea, visit the donate page and choose the best option for your situation.

Thanks for visiting today!