Prayer Warriors

Teamwork is amazing too see and experience. Accomplishing something on your own is exciting, but being part of a whole is even more enervating and challenging. We are members of a body, God’s team. He is using us. And we team together with people around the world. 

The amazing thing is how powerful prayer is in this team work. As with any team, we sometimes forget all the parts and only focus on certain elements - the ones more visible. Everyone notices the striker who kicks the goal, the basketball player who makes the dunk, the wide receiver and quarterback who hook up for an amazing touchdown. Some think they are doing nothing - “All I can do is pray.” But prayer is the power behind change. 

Jesus mentions that we can make our desires known before God. He says that if we ask we receive, if we knock the door will be opened. He will give us what is best for us. God is just like us as fathers (or is it the other way around) - a father loves to be asked to help and to be trusted to help. God wants to hear what we want and wants to hear how we trust Him to do it. 

Most recently the body of Christ in Maastricht has been praying for many people we know who are seeking God in their lives. Many of these people are clearly seeking Him. They are on a path to become a child of God. Others do not even know that they are seeking God. They are seeking peace and we know that peace only comes from God, the Prince of Peace. As we pray, we look for opportunities to share the grace and love that has been shared with us. 

We are so very thankful for others who are also praying for us, for our words, as we are praying for people who are seeking peace. We know that we are part of a team. Many of you are partnering with us as we are partnering with you. We pray for one another and thank God for the ways that He is working in so many lives around the world. 

Thank you for prayers for our conversations. Thank you for prayers for the various activities we have planned (for Bible camp, youth weekends, Bible studies, retreats and more). Thank you for being part of the team. Everything you are praying for is very important. Knowing that God is our strength and calling on Him for His strength is extremely important. And it is so very encouraging knowing that you are praying for us. 

Seasons

Seasons come and seasons go, we move from one set of challenges to the next. As we transitioned into the Fall season, I realized I had not taken the time to look at the summer that flashed by.

As July started we as a church planned a youth weekend. Although most of our kids could not attend, we had some of the kids from the Catholic group come over for a great although dreary-weathered day. The misty rain simply added a veil of mystery and excitement to our discovery. It was great to have Mario and Tonia there to help and experience the day.

Our biggest task in the summer is Ardennen Bijbelkamp. This year Scott taught for a day at Jongerenkamp (15+) and then spent two weeks directing the following camps. Shirley joined him during Benjaminkamp (8-11 year-olds) to help with two kids needing special attention. This was also a week to train two young people who came for the first time as counselors.

The following week saw Scott directing, Shirley in the kitchen and a new team being trained, from assistent director to teacher. Once again we were impressed with how much God can do in young hearts (and older) no matter what the weather or situation – if we are willing to let Him work in us.

Most of the summer was filled with grey days and muddy games outside, but the word of God was still a challenge each day. Who is God? And where do we find Him? At Benjaminkamp one of our campers was a young muslim girl. During Tienerkamp it was encouraging to see how the lessons on the law of Moses were made practical and led into clear discussions about salvation and the gospel. 

After two full weeks of camp, you might think that we’d had enough, but Family Camp is always last in the summer and Scott didn’t want to miss anything there. Challenging, lesser-known stories from the Old Testament gave us good food for thought and conversation. The week ended, as always, with Family Day. But this is one of the things that will soon be changing.

Scott is one of the members of the board for camp and plans the evaluation meeting each Fall. But we also live the closest to camp, so if something needs to be done, we are often the ones who are able to do it. Scott went down on a Monday to make sure that the trash sacks that had accumulated during the summer were finally picked up. Later in the month, those who had directed and taken part in camp met to evaluate and plan for the next year. And there are plenty of changes coming up.

In the meantime, September had arrived and we moved into the next season of our work. But that is for the next time. As the leaves are falling and the temperatures cooling, we look back with contentment at what was done in the summer months and look forward to all the activities waiting.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ. Colossians 4:2-3

Do you want to see more photo's? Check out the albums here. 

Team work

When a couple gets married there are many ways their unity is emphasized. Rings are exchanged, a marriage book is signed (here in Belgium and the Netherlands), and of course we are reminded by God in His word that we are one, no longer two, but complete, whole, in Christ Jesus. Each couple then has to go on and realize the reality of this oneness.  Which side of the closet is used by whom, and on which side of the bed do you sleep? Who does the cooking? The cleaning? When children come, who trains them and in what?

Before we arrived in Belgium, we had already discovered the various ways that we complemented each other’s strengths. Still, it is always exciting to see it in practice. Throughout the years that our boys were growing up, our tasks were more varied. Shirley is a fantastic manager, making sure that we always have enough with whatever we have at the time, providing for a place that we as a family and the church family can always feel at home.  She is a teacher and example for her children, for her neighbors and for church members – always ready to help. I was more active preaching, teaching, visibly leading.

When we worked with a week of summer camp, I would lead and/or teach and Shirley would take care of the kitchen. We always knew we could depend on one another doing our jobs. And we were able to leave the work for that area to the other member of the team.

Now that both Stephan and Sean are out of the house, we have more time to work together in our outreach and teaching. Recently we have begun a series of studies with the members from the book of Mark. We are not only challenging ourselves as body members to be changed by our lives following Jesus, we are also training in learning how we can help others do the same.  How do you help people see who Jesus is in the Bible and in your life?

Every two or three weeks we are meeting with at least three different groups in the congregation, reading, sharing, challenging, encouraging. It is exciting to see how God is changing the various members, changing us. It is exciting to be doing this together. I am so thankful for this team, that we are a team together.