Category Archives: Please Pray

Update on Ministry of Todd & Angela Owen

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Praying 40 Days to Freedom — Day 17

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August 27 (Day 17) — Tuesday. Continue to pray for Todd’s trans-Pacific journey today. Pray today that one of the Somau Garia friends who has been praying for and anticipating the Owen family’s return will get the word and be able to get into town to meet with Todd and make arrangements for the trip out to Uria Village. This trip involves buying food and other supplies, riding in the back of a flat bed truck for 40 miles, from the main road into the village for a couple of miles, finding a place to sleep for the week (if the house is greatly damaged—a genuine possibility), and setting up housekeeping for the week. Pray for God’s mercy in making these connections and basically getting it done.

 

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Praying 40 Days to Freedom — Day 16

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August 26 (Day 16) — Monday. August is drawing to a close. Todd is boarding his flight to Papua New Guinea today. Ahead is the unknown. Six years away from Papua New Guinea is a long time. Todd and Angela’s emotions will be swirling today, a mixture of anticipation and butterflies fluttering around in the stomach. Pray for the travel to the airport, for Todd’s luggage, safe passage, and timely connections. Pray that as Todd progresses toward Papua New Guinea, he will be filled with the confidence that comes through the Holy Spirit. Pray with him that even as he flies, God will be preparing the way and moving his angels and people to create divine appointments. Pray for God’s anointing on this time.

 

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Praying 40 Days to Freedom — Day 15

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August 25 (Day 15) — Sunday. “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31) In Papua New Guinea people rarely do things alone. Jesus, here tired and need to restore his inner man, invited his closest followers away to a quiet place to rest. Pray today for the missionary community, for the Christian leaders, and for those heavily involved in the war for the souls of men and women. Ask God to give them wisdom to take rest when it is needed. Ask God to bless their times of rest, making them useful for restoring the soul. Pray that for those in Madang, when they need to rest, power will be on so that fans can run, air conditioners can run (for the office), even the cricket match on telly (some relax to sports) can be viewed. Also ask God to reach down to the depths of the missionaries’ souls and do His work of healing and empowering. Pray also that God will minister deeply to them through the power of his mighty Word in their own heart language.

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Praying 40 Days to Freedom — Day 14

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August 24 (Day 14) — Saturday. Pray for PBT’s missionary community in Papua New Guinea—that they will enjoy the kind of rest this weekend that Jesus refers to when he encourages us “Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Missionaries often feel hard pressed by shortened resources and many demands. Pray for God’s mercy in bringing unusual rest and refreshment to the team this weekend.

PBT-Color-CMYK-revised

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Praying 40 Days to Freedom — Day 13

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August 23 (Day 13) — Samuel turns 18 years old today. Is it possible? Pray for Samuel’s mind and heart today. He is tender toward the Lord. Pray that he will grow in knowledge and wisdom and stature with God and with man. Pray that as he studies, works, and interacts with many that he will be a blessing to all who know him.

Drop him a note at samuelkowen@gmail.com and let him know you’re thinking of him!

 

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Please Pray–August 22, 2013

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Please Pray — 22 August 2013

Just sitting in a restaurant that has Wi-Fi, jotting some final thoughts before heading back to the place we are staying. Just a few days before jumping across the big pond. Pray for Todd as he prepares his mind and heart throughout the weekend for the journey. Pray for the Holy Spirit to encircle and fill Todd’s mind and heart with peace, truth, and focus to hear what the Spirit is speaking–also for clarity. Pray for Angela and the girls as they are away from home for the next month. Pray for God’s peace to be theirs, for his Spirit to quiet and move in them, for them to reflect Christ’s glory in each situation that they encounter. Pray for the boys as they study, work, relax, make new friends, and listen for the still, small Voice.

Your prayers are making a significant difference. Keep them going up!

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Praying 40 Days to Freedom — Day 12

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August 22 (Day 12) — The Aruamu New Testament has been in print since 2005. Old Testament translation is in progress. Yet, as one of the Aruamu translation team members recently pointed out, “The Bible is only powerful if people are hungry to read it and know it.” Pray that as excitement builds toward the crusade and the dedication of the digital audio recording of the Aruamu New Testament, that an increasing hunger and thirst will seize the people. Pray that when they gather for the crusade that they will be fixed on the majesty of Jesus, fixed on the Word that penetrates soul and spirit, fixed on the holiness of a completely “otherly” God. Pray that the Holy Spirit will prepare each person who will participate in the crusade for the purpose that He has for each of them.

 

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Praying 40 Days to Freedom — Day 11

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August 21 (Day 11) — Do a Google search of Papua New Guinea news and you will inevitably turn up the stories of sorcery-related killings. Sorcery is often used to hold victims in fear of reprisal, death, and spiritual bondage. Sorcery was known and widely practiced in Ephesus when Paul the Apostle showed up in town in the power of the Holy Spirit, doing the impossible. After an instance of would-be exorcists being beaten and chased, naked and bleeding, by a demoniac who recognized the name of Jesus and Paul (but not the seven brothers in question), the witnesses to this were gripped with fear and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Pray that the Somau Garia people will be set free from their bondage to sorcery and the fear that springs from it. Pray that Jesus’ name will be widely held in high honor among them. The Ephesians turned so completely from their devotion to sorcery that they burned all the associated scrolls and paraphernalia—worth 50,000 days’ wages! Pray that the Somau Garia will turn as completely to Jesus as the Ephesians did.

 

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Praying 40 Days to Freedom — Day 10

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August 20 (Day 10) —Tuesday. In the foothills of the Finisterre Mountains lies Uria Village, a central village of the Somau Garia people. The Somau Garia are subsistence farmers, mostly, but also cultivate some coffee, cacao, and vanilla to earn a little cash to buy things that cannot be acquired any other way. Lutheran missionaries came to the area in the 1930’s, but without the Word of God in their mother tongue, the impact has been somewhat limited. In the mid-1990’s Bible translators started working there. One team was not able to return after a few years of service. Angela and I went in 1997 and worked there for ten years, our sojourn culminating in the publication of the Gospel of Mark. It was a hard go and we needed to step away for a while. Pray for our Garia friends, that this will be a season representative of “the fullness of time” for them. May it be a year of the Lord’s favor for them. Pray that hearts will be tender and ready to receive all that the Lord has in mind for them. Pray that there will be a spirit of prayer and supplication that will enable them to break free of generations-old bondages that hold so many hostage.

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Praying 40 Days to Freedom — Day 9

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August 19 (Day 9) — Monday. The missionary team in Papua New Guinea work in some tough conditions. Electricity frequently drops out, depriving the houses without power for lights, refrigerators, ceiling fans, security lights, etc. It can be demoralizing. Crime is ever present. A person is usually on guard 24/7 in the city. Please pray for mercy, energy, strength, and good morale for the team. There are always more work and requests than there are time and resources. Pray that God will deal gently with the missionary team in Madang. Ask God to prepare them for the influx of visitors that will add to the already heavy workload they are facing.