Hope and true life

Although many in the Netherlands don’t really know why they have a holiday on this day, we are thankful for the 2nd day of Pentecost - even more so this year. In the Netherlands there are three holidays that get a 2nd day: Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. The fist two have become ambiguous in recent decades, but Pentecost has always been a bit of a strange one. 

For the churches in the Netherlands and Belgium this is a day to get together and encourage one another. Since everyone has free, it is a good day to gather. The Family Day at camp in the Fall is more for the churches in Belgium and this day more for the churches in the Netherlands, since it held in The Hague. But people from all over both country are welcome. This year we had a group of about 60 visit from Maastricht, Antwerp, Ghent, Eindhoven, Haarlem and The Hague, but various countries were also represented. 

Our theme for the day was hope and we finished the day with a visit in a nearby park which concluded with a walk to the beach to see a death, burial and resurrection. Jef had been talking for some time about his faith as he visited in Maastricht. But yesterday after services he stated quite emphatically that he needed to be saved and Jesus was the only one who could do it. He wanted to give his life to the only One who could really give him hope for eternity. 

Jef was already planning on coming to this special day, so we simply planned a little further and took some things along to make it possible for him to be born. We are so thankful for the hope that Jesus truly gives. Praise God for your new brother in Christ and pray for his daily walk and growth in faith. It was great to see so many there today - some of them also young babes in Christ, walking in faith. 

It is so good to see how God can use us in so many different ways to bring life, joy and hope to this world where hope is far away. Our hope is built on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which gives us a living hope, tested by fire, founded on the promises of God, stretching into eternity. 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.   1 Peter 1:3-9

New life!

Every Sunday we celebrate the powerful message and truth of God’s grace in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The blood of Jesus washes our sins, even today, because He is risen. And therefore we, who have died in Him, are risen to new life and hope. Around the world this is celebrated by many at least this past weekend. And the religious calendars were aligned this year so that Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant all celebrated on the same day. 

For us this day was even more beautiful than others because we were reminded of the beauty of the salvation that Jesus brings. Isaak, one of our young people, decided to give his life to Christ and be buried and raised in Him through faith and in baptism. He has become more and more aware the last months of his own life and how much he needs Jesus in his life. So on Friday afternoon, Isaak was buried in Christ and rose to new life. 

How much can a young heart know? He knows that he needs Jesus to save him from himself. He knows that Jesus is mightier than sin and death. He knows that life and happiness, both now and in eternity, are to be found in Jesus. He knows he wants to speak of this great news to any and all around him. We are encouraged to see how much a young heart knows. 

A few weeks ago, some of our older young people were together with young people from around Europe at CYC (Christian Youth Conference). This past week some of our young people were together down at camp for Vacation Bible Camp. Please keep all of these young hearts in your prayers as they too wonder if they need Jesus and if He is their King. In the meantime we have several others in Maastricht, not young ones, who are also considering this same question. And on a Sunday we all remember how beautiful it is that Jesus has given us new life as well. 

Whatsit Wednesday: Mennonites

We have often explained that ‘Pennsylvania Dutch’ isn’t Dutch at al. It is “Deutsch” which is German. It is the Amish in Pennsylvania who are most well-known for the clothing restrictions, horse-and-buggy, and family values. Interestingly, the Amish are a subset of a group known as Anabaptists. Mennonites come from the same theological and historical foundations. 

Whereas the Amish are named after the Swiss leader Jacob Amman, the Mennonites are named after Menno Simons. And all of it begins back in the 16th century at during the reformation. Menno Simons came from Friesland, an area in the Netherlands, and began as a Catholic priest. After his brother was killed for his religious beliefs, and after examining his own beliefs and coming to the conclusion that he could no longer be a Catholic, Menno joined the anabaptist movement. 

As the movement progressed, despite severe persecution, followers ended up taking Menno’s name. They became Mennonites. In the Netherlands these groups of believers were called “doopgezinden’ or baptist-minded. They were persecuted and even killed because they believed that people needed to be able to believe in Jesus Christ before they could be baptized. The anabaptists (which also included Zwingli, the Amish, the Mennonites and the Hutterites) believed similarly that one needed to be re-baptized as an adult, even if one was baptized as a baby (which was what was happening in the Catholic Church as well as the protesting Lutheran and Calvinist churches). 

I remember following a tourist tour in Haarlem and the tour guide pointing out the anabaptist church which was hidden behind other houses. The church members had to meet in secret or they could be caught and persecuted. Their property would be taken from them and they could be executed. This struck me at the time as quite strange, since this all took place in the religiously tolerant country of the Netherlands. But it has always been clear that all cultures can become quite intolerant at times. 

The main beliefs of the anabaptists and thus the Mennonites have remained the same throughout the centuries. They have been staunch pacifists, perhaps because of the very violence they experienced and were at first willing to use. Menno’s brother was killed for his beliefs, while the anabaptists in Münster (in Germany) were willing to force people to be re-baptized in order to establish the New Jerusalem. But the Mennonites have been known for their pacifistic views for quite some time. They did not fight in the First or Second World War (or in the American Civil War). They also are unwilling to accept oaths, since Jesus says: Let your yes be yes and your no no (Matthew 5:37). 

Because of these views and the persecution that came with their faith, Mennonites have often moved around the world, seeking more peaceful places. As they went, they took the gospel with them, often choosing to move somewhere in order to preach, knowing that they would never return. They have a strong mission emphasis in their teaching and lives. 

Besides these views, they also believe in simplicity of life and an emphasis on the family structure that God created - in the nuclear family as well as in society and the church. Although the Amish, which was a more conservative group of anabaptists, eschew technology, Mennonites do not. They do emphasize that things should not take our lives over, focusing on God and people rather than things. 

Most recently in my experience, I have noticed that Mennonites also emphasize and excel in a capella singing. This is interesting considering the history of singing in the Netherlands. But that is for another time, another topic. 

This is what God can do

I have talked here often about how God continually surprises. I don’t know why I am amazed every time that He does something that I did not expect. Why did I not expect it? Is my faith so small? I have to remember the disciples in the boat as the storm raged and Jesus slept. “Don’t you care that we are going to die” they asked Jesus. He woke up (I imagine him rubbing sleep from his eyes, calmly yawning and looking at them with amazement) and said, “Why are you so afraid? Where is your faith?” Then he told the storm to be quiet and it listened. It is THEN that the disciples really got frightened. “Who is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

I have told so many people about this truth. I have seen it in our lives time and again. And still God surprises me because I forget how mighty He truly is. These last months have been some of those times. Let me tell you about one of them. 

For years we have cared for our sister in Christ, K. We have counseled her and her husband, who is not a believer. She came to Christ years ago and has done her best to be faithful in spite of the many efforts of her husband, F.,  to thwart her. He has struggled with all sorts of things in his life as well. When we counseled them, he tried to understand how to change, but couldn’t really see anything that he was doing as wrong. 
Most recently F. has also struggled with the relationship with his sons. This frustration often led to explosiveness. He would mention to all who would listen: “I can’t be held responsible for what might happen if you don’t …” The threats were often not even veiled. So at a point, K. let him know that he was not welcome in the house when he came home on the weekend from his ship (he is a shipper on the canals). 
He could have fought this - even physically. He could have come home, his home, and smashed things up. He had done this in the past when he had been out to a cafe drinking. But he said that he didn’t want to do those things. He had often said that he wanted to change. Now, as he was confronted with the reality that he really wasn’t desired and that his behavior would no longer be accepted, he started to think. 
He still had regular phone contact with K. She let him know that he could talk to me if he needed. So F. called. We talked. Or he talked and I listened. But he became more and more aware that he needed to change. In the end he stated very clearly, “I know I need to change. I want to change, but I don’t know how. I need help.” And when I made it clear to him that we all need help and cannot change without the strength of God, he asked, “Do you really think God can accept me?” 
Yes. Yes I do. At least, that is what I have told people for so many years, including F. And so I stated it again - even though I was not at all sure that F could be changed. Was he too far gone? Had he damaged his life and relationships far too much to be able to change? God had shown me in His word that this was not so. Look at the apostle Paul. Look at each of the apostles. John says that the blood of Jesus can cleanse every sin (1 John 1:8-9). 
After several meetings over several weeks, trying to make sure that F. understood what God was saying to him and what was needed, we came to a decision point. F had already said that he wanted to be a new man. He understood that it would not be easy. But if it was possible, and I was telling him from the Bible that it was, then he wanted this newness of life. So on September 27, F was baptized into Christ, washing away his old life and putting on the new which is being transformed by the Spirit in Christ. 
He knows that he needs to show that he is changing, allowing God to change him. And he is trying. We don’t expect miracles, but we do expect change. And as I have mentioned, God always surprises me with what HE is able to do. We are thankful for our new brother in Christ. K is especially thankful - although she also wants to see for sure that her husband truly does want to change. 
This is just one of the amazing things going on in the congregation in Maastricht. God is putting people together here to care for one another and to help people grow in faith. And as this happens, more are being touched - and this in a time that it looks like (seems like) fewer and fewer are finding the beauty of God. 
The storm may be raging and it may seem that Jesus is sleeping. But that doesn’t mean that he is not in control. I am so thankful that God amazes. Let Him amaze you in your life. Expect the unexpected - even though you really can’t. He always does more. 

Thank you for your encouragement of us and for your prayers for what is going on here. We pray that God is continuing to bless you too ij all you do as you walk with Him, the almighty, loving Father. 

... for all the little things

I was recently reminded of various moments in my life that were pivotal. What amazed me is that when I recounted these moments to the person or persons who made the moment such a turning point, they didn’t even remember it. For them it had simply been part of who they were. A comment about what it means to be a follower of Christ, a listening ear when times were difficult, a word of encouragement when I needed it most – these moments in time had printed an image on my memory, but not on theirs. 

A few months back when we had a singing here in Maastricht, people came from Cologne and from Eindhoven. One of the visitors from Eindhoven was a Syrian refugee who has given his life to Christ. At one point, after the singing, he shared his story with one of our contacts who is considering giving her life to Christ, but is scared to death of water. His story, which includes a near-drowning and a similar fear of water, concluded with him showing a video of his own baptism and how beautifully simple and tender it was. 

He didn’t know how important showing that video was. The woman watching wanted to see it at least three more times. And she asked how he ahd overcome his fear. “I knew I was safe with these people.” T. is still struggling with her fear, but those words and that video have stuck with her. I wonder how God will use her in the future as he used the brother from Eindhoven. 

I am so thankful for the little things we all can do in our daily lives. But I am mostly thankful for how God can turn those small things into mighty deeds with His grace. It reminds me that this is the One who took a boys lunch and fed more than 5000, who turned jars for washing into the best wine at the party, who took 12 misfits followers and spread the good news of life all over the world. Of course that last bit is still happening – through you and me. 

Enjoy this weekend (we will be celebrating “Thanksmas” on December 1, which is when most of us will be free and can get together) and remember how mightily God can use your simple words of thanks, your simple deeds of kindness to touch people all over the world and through eternity. Thank you for your prayers for us and for your faithfulness if you are following the One who showed us all how life is to be lived. 

Rejoice always,pray continually,give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Where were you born?

The baptism of Gijs in 2015 - washed clean!

I remember the births of my two sons very well – as should be. Although both of them were born in a hospital, they were both unique in their ways. Stephan was born on Halloween. If you haven’t heard my story yet, you probably will if you talk to me long enough. Sean was born in Genk, Belgium, which was different in it’s own right.

Just as we remember the births of our children well, we also remember the births into Christ that we have experienced. The ‘usual’ way might be in a baptismal pool, but there are all sorts of variations. Our Stephan was baptized in the (very) cold creek at Bible camp in the Fall. Sean was baptized in the outside pool of friends in a night in January (we removed the ice from the pool covering).

For some, there was quite a crowd (a whole congregation). For others it was something more intimate. But for all of us, we can remember (I hope) that choice that we made, the thrill of knowing that we were washed clean, the wondering about what our life would look like now.

On Monday afternoon, Tulay emailed that the baptism we had talked about recently (she called us and said she had recently come to faith in Jesus, and did we know anything about baptism) would not leave her thoughts. She went to bed with the thought and awoke with the desire to be washed. We had just seen each other the day before and worshipped Jesus as Lord and King.

In Maastricht we meet in an upper room, but do not have a baptismal pool. Sometimes we are able to go to congregations close by and use theirs (in Liége or Genk). But this time, it was going to take too long. So we made other plans. A few years back, we had bought an inflatable pool – the kind you put in your back yard for the kids to play in (bigger than a little splashing pool). We have used it once for a baptism and it did well. Now was the time to use it again.

I took a bicycle pump, a tarpaulin, our garden hose and towels along. We stopped at a DIY store and bought the kind of pump and hose you use to empty your cellar of flood water. We didn’t have an electric pump, but I figured the bicylce pump would work just fine to blow up the pool. It didn’t. So I started blowing. The room needed to warm up anyway, so we had gone early to get things ready. How long could it take to blow this thing up?

Thankfully, Ruud came with a pump that pumps when you pull and when you push. Now (15 minutes before people would arrive) we could start filling the pool with water. The hose was hooked up to only cold water, so we filled buckets with hot water and dumped them in. This was going to take longer than expected.

In the meantime, Tulay arrived. Have you read what Cornelius’ house looked like when Peter arrived? (see Acts 10:24-27)This is what I was reminded of. There were 5 of us from the church who could be there – including sister Nel who does not go out in the evening (it was 8pm) and sister Kitty who had gotten permission from her non-believing husband. But Tulay brought her 7-year-old daughter, her mother and father, her best friend (who was now also a Christian) and her friend’s daughter, and the woman who had first introduced her to Jesus. Tulay understood how important this was and she had invited the people nearest her to hear what God had to say.

We sang, we looked at examples of this same birth in the book of Acts, and we saw a woman rise from the dead to new life in Christ. Now, as with all of our births, life would begin. Now would begin the learning, the struggles, the glorious little victories made possible only in Christ. Now we had a new sister. And we shared our hearts in prayer to the God of all who alone makes this possible.

Tulay went on her way that evening tired, but excited for her new life. Do you remember your birth? Where were you born?

Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized? And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Acts 8:35-39

New life for Farley!

Farley has been visiting our services, participating in the weekly Bible studies and asking plenty of questions for a while. He and our sister in Christ, Shadira, are planning to wed next month. He has a lot on his mind and likes to make his life decisions certain. And he had a lot of questions about a life in Christ. But there are some things you just need to do.

We had talked about how giving your life to Christ is so much like a marriage. If you love the other, you want to belong completely to them. Jesus has already shown us that He has given everything so that we can be with him. Farley was already to the point that he knew he wanted to belong completely to Shadira, to give his life to become one with her. So when we talked about life in Christ in these terms, he understood that it was about the love he had for Jesus and making the decision - yes or no.

He had talked about being baptized in the sea. Both he and Shadira are from Curaçao. The ocean is part of their life - even if much of their lives have been in the rainy, hills of the Netherlands. But we also wanted to be able to share his birth with the brothers and sisters of Maastricht. So when someone said, "Why not this afternoon at the barbecue? We'll all be there," his response was, "Yeah, why not? Let's do it!"

A spatter of rain couldn't ruin the fellowship at the barbecue and definitely couldn't dampen Farley's spirits in giving his life to "my Lord and redeemer!" A swimming pool, some water and, most importantly, a family of believers and the blood of Jesus made for a wonderful afternoon of praising God for new life! Welcome Farley!

Welcome!

Welcome our new brother, Rob Kok, to the family of God. Rob is the identical twin brother of our Peter Kok. For years he has been considering his life with God and wondering what he wants to do. He grew up in a strict Dutch Reformed home, but both he and his brother rebelled against this faith, although both have said they never felt they completely left God.

Peter has been part of our family here in Maastricht and in those years Rob’s life continued in the north of the country, closer to the place he grew up. But the brothers have never really been far apart, and it is certainly due to Peter’s life and stuggles, questions and discussion with his brother that Rob thought more and more about giving his life to Jesus. So when he came by recently, while visiting Peter (who lives in our street), it was to talk about if it was possible to be baptized.

It was during the Christmas break. Stephan had gone down to Peter’s house to say hello and Rob was visiting. Rob talked with Stephan about it who suggested that Rob should “just go talk to my dad.” So he did. And this last weekend Rob drove all the way down to us here (about a 3 hour drive) so that he could share his new birth with us and with his brother.

It has always thrilled me to see how the Holy Spirit works in people’s lives. Rob has had many people influence him in this choice to live now totally for Jesus. His brother, the memory of things his father said and did, talks with us during visits, and even Stephan on a simple visit. The Good Shepherd is always out doing all he can to find the lost sheep and get them home. I am so glad that I can be part of that.

Rob’s new life has begun, and it is just a beginning. He lives with a loving wife and has two wonderful sons, but they do not share his faith – are even against it. But I know, and he has experienced, that the Holy Spirit continues to work through people all around us. Thank you Father, for your grace and might, for your love for Rob!

Where do you go?

Next week we will deal with a great problem, once again. Someone we know, who has been struggling with his life and now knows that he wants Jesus to run things, has asked to be baptized. He wants to give his life completely to Jesus, to die and be born again. We are so thankful for the grace that Jesus continues to show!

This man will come down to our area, since he doesn’t have a congregation where he is. As so many times before, we are looking for some practical ways to deal with his death, burial and resurrection. You see, our building doesn’t have a baptistry. I know that we are not the only ones who deal with this “problem”. I remember seeing pictures of soldiers in the desert, crowds lining up for a muddy pool in India or Africa, and have myself been part of baptizing people in freezing waters.

The where doesn’t matter. As long as you can find water to bury someone in, you are going to be fine. I used to look for deeper waters which were long enough for tall people (the Dutch are some of the tallest people in the world). Then I remember seeing a baptistry in Croatia that was basically a cylinder in which the person being baptized could stand. When he bent his knees, he would sit in the water, which would of course go over his head. This was what some of the first baptistries were like.

Who doesn’t matter either. I mean, who is doing the baptising. The apostle Paul even makes the point that he did not baptise many personally. And further, we are seldom told who does the baptising. It’s just not important.

What matters is the heart of faith of the person who is giving their life to Jesus. What matters is that the family of Christ knows that God is adding to their number that day. What matters is that we understand that the angels are rejoicing – and that we will do so as well with this new brother or sister.

So on Saturday we will look for a place to bury this man’s sins and welcome his new creation into the body that is Christ’s. We have a blow-up pool which we could fill in our kitchen/livingroom. We could go to a local lake. We have friends who have an outdoor swimming pool. The one thing we do not lack in Belgium is plenty of water! So, no matter what, we will rejoice!

What kind of baptisms have you seen?

Give thanks to the Lord!

Last Saturday, very close to the actual day, we celebrated Thanksgiving with friends and guests in Antwerp. This day is always special because we get to see one another again, remember all the things we have to be thankful for, and spend some great fellowship time together (and - oh yeah - there's some really great food!)

What made this year special was Adrian. Before we began the afternoon Carol Brazle mentioned that each year a turkey is pardoned by the White House, while all the other turkeys are eaten. Her point was that for us, One is offered and all are spared. So when I mentioned why Adrian had come with us, that was what I made clear. He came for the turkey. 

You see, Adrian came to us about a month ago. He had seen my name and number online and had called. He and his fiance live in Maastricht where she is a students (she just graduated). Adrian wanted to know what kind of christians we were. So he visited and had lots of questions. Recenlty he called up again - after a time that we had heard nothing. He wanted to talk - and seriously. He had been looking at things and wanted to give his life to Christ. He wanted to be free from all the things that had kept him captive in his most recent years (all sorts of darker practices). 

So Shirley and I sat down with him and opened up the Bible. By the end of the day he wanted to know what he could do to get this new life started. We knew we would be in Antwerp the next day with all sorts of brothers and sisters - a perfect opportunity (and practical place) to help him in his death and resurrection. 

So Adrian came for the turkey. He came for the One who gave his life that all could be spared. And it was a wonderful time for thanksgiving! He was a bit worried (he is turning his back on quite a hefty past), but thrilled once he had been washed clean in the water and the blood. 

Please keep Adrian in your prayers as he starts hs new life and immediately will face all sorts of struggles. Pray for us as we meet with him to help him grow and learn. And thank God with us for God's mighty power to save! 

(Thanks to Jim and Ruth Krumrei for the pictures!)

New life!

Last Friday we were so pleased to welcome our new sister to the family! Valéri is the best friend of Isha, one of our teens. They have both been encouraging one another immensely this past year, striving to grow in Christ. Valéri had already decided she wanted to give her life to Christ, but her parents were not so sure. We were so glad that her parents care about her and want what is best. When Valéri's mother recently asked her when she would want to be baptised, Valéri's answer was "Now!"

Thank you for your prayers in the past months and please continue to pray for Valéri, her growth and new life in Jesus, and for her family as all start this new beginning. New life is always so good to see!

Wonderful words of life!

This evening we witnessed the birth of Susanne Dela. Our births here are always so very special. Every birth is special - because we get to see God in His saving grace and power raising a loved one from the dead of sin to the newness of life. But in Maastricht, because we do not have a place to baptize people, we are especially blessed. We usually call up the church in Liege and ask to have the birth with them. This makes for a very special relationship. Although most of us in Maastricht speak very little French, and most of the members in Liege speak next to no Dutch and only a few speak English - we both understand the joy of new life. So we sing, pray and are witness to the mighty power of God!

This evening was doubly special. Susanne and her husband have lived in Liege in the past, so the church there know her struggles and journey to this point. So it was especially good for them to be a part of this wonderful birth. And the two families (Maastricht and Liege) were able to renew their ties again. How wonderful it is to be part of the family of God!

New life!!

Many of you have been praying for the people in our lives here - for their growth, their struggles and their joys. We have mentioned Isha and Valéri - two of our teens - and their search for and desire to know the Lord. They both went with us to Marseille at the end of June and have been talking and praying sincerely for the last weeks.

On July 27 Isha decided to give her life to Jesus, dying to herself, being buried in baptism and raised in life with Christ! She was with her family at home, but now she has a larger family - and that includes many of you! We are so excited for her and her new life. She has also not been able to stop smiling. What a wonderful joy and what a wonderful sister she is already becoming.

On the same day, but down at camp (which is where we were when we heard the news about Isha), David van Ginneken - one of the teens who regularly attends our youth weekends and Bible camp as well (they are members in Ghent) also decided to give his life to Christ. You can read more about his decision and see some pictures over on Luk Brazle's site.

Thank YOU for being part of this wonderful family, for sharing in this joy with us, and for taking part in the growth of these two young people. Continue to pray for them and for the church here in Belgium and the Netherlands as God does mighty things - changing peoples' lives.

Prayer opportunities

Not that you need to hear from me to know that there are so many wonderful opportunities to speak with God, but I wanted to share these things in our work for which we would greatly appreciate your prayers.
- Last year I told you about the opportunity we had with our colleagues in their village. Karla was asked to help with the Catholic confirmation group by teaching them about the Bible. I was able to help out during a weekend retreat where we talked about faith. This year they have asked me to help again, specifically to talk about prayer and what it is. So I will be able to talk to these young people (and also to the adult supervisors) about how and why we can pray. Talk to the Father about this. So many people miss out on what prayer really can be and this is an opportunity to give this to these young people who aren't even yet sure if they want to know who God is.
- P. called Ruud (Karla's husband) last week and told him he wanted to be baptized. Ruud called me and we discussed how we should continue. We made an appointment to talk - so that he could see what we were saying and we could see what he was thinking. He lives up around Nijmegen - a good 2 hour drive from us. We went up last Sunday and talked for several hours, finally leaving, understanding that P. would let us know what he was going to do. He called this past Friday to let us know that he is very serious about his desire to give his life to God, but that there are a few more questions he is examining. He has a yearly vacation in France at this time, so this will give him a good opportunity to think, pray and study. Pray for P. and his wife, N., as they are making this consideration for their life.
- We have a new couple in the congregation in Maastricht. Philip is a Christian from Togo, via Germany, and his wife, Susanne, is from the Orthodox church. They are bringing a regular visitor who just moved to Belgium. Susanne's desire to know the Lord in her life, along with the visitor, along with two other regular visitors are all putting a strong emphasis on the decision we all make to belong to our King, Jesus. This has also been good for our young people. Pray for our discussions and the decisions of those considering giving their lives to God.

Thank you for your faithfulness and encouragement!! It is so good to know that we are striving together to have a wonderful family in our Father's kingdom.