Archives For prayer

First Day!

jay —  March 26, 2012  Leave a comment

As I type, I’m sitting at my new desk in the Digital Development Team’s area of the JESUS Film’s wing of Campus Crusade for Christ International’s headquarters in Orlando. Carrie and Fia are at our apartment in the Azalea Park neighborhood of Orlando.

This is what we’ve been aiming at for the last 9 months. We’ve met with a lot of people and shared the vision for my new position and these locations, so many of you have come along side of us in prayer and by giving your finances to this work of the Lord. Thank you for that!

Please be praying for all three of us. After a wonderful 9 months of being able to work from home and spend time with Carrie and Fia, I’m already missing them a lot and wishing I could cuddle that cute little ball of fat and spit (Fia) and hug my wife. Carrie and I prayed together this morning for our new normal, for this place being home for now, and for God to show Himself as big in our lives and hearts.

I am praising God for reporting today, and it’s sweet with only the slightest twinge of bitterness – join with us in praying through this transition as well!

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March 2012 Update – WE’RE MOVING!!

jay —  March 5, 2012  Leave a comment

WE’RE MOVING!!

Just yesterday we signed a lease on an apartment in East Orlando! We’re very excited about it and are looking forward to moving in 12 days from now. As of March 17, our new address is:

118 Dahlia Village Circle, Orlando, FL 32807

Jehovah Shama – the Lord who Hears

From a recent JESUS Film Project story update:

In a crowd of approximately 100 people watching the “JESUS” film—a large gathering for a country in South Asia—sat a Buddhist monk. He watched the film very intently and heard Jesus say He is the only One, He is the Way, and “whoever believes Me, believes My Father.” When the film finished, he came to the film team and started talking about Buddhism. They told him that no matter what anyone does, no one can gain salvation by works. They shared with him that Jesus is the only One who hears our voice, speaks to us, sees and walks, and helps us in our every work. Their words pierced his heart, and the monk—an honest and sincere man—told the team he wanted to accept Jesus as his God and Savior. They prayed with him, and now he attends church regularly and serves Jesus. Praise God for leading this man to the truth!

Jehovah Amaer – The Lord who Speaks

After weeks of hunting, we found an apartment and were hours from signing a lease this past Friday. But as Jayson prayed that night, he went to bed with a weight of unease on his chest. Since we had asked the Lord to put us in clear agreement, we spent Friday morning searching listings for a different place. By 3 pm — less than 15 hours after praying again that God would lead us to choose well together— we’d found a place that seemed even better. A friend checked it out and three days later, we have a lease on a lovely town home close to downtown Orlando.

Our location puts us 2 blocks from the main thoroughfares, surrounded by other town homes with neighbors to meet (our friend spotted a stroller next door), and lots of ethnic restaurants. Praise Jesus who hears, gives counsel and helps us in our every work!

Pray For:

  • The next 17 days will be crazy! Jayson heads to Austin & back, then we drive to Florida and move in… pray for God’s grace and power to be evident in our family in the next few weeks.
  • Pray that we’d be able to meet & build rapport with neighbors quickly. We’d like to serve our neighborhood as well.
  • As we drive a car and moving truck south, pray for good weather and safe drivers to be around us.
  • Pray for Carrie’s parents’ adjustment to having an empty nest.
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Pray for American University this Friday

jay —  January 10, 2011  Leave a comment

I just got an email from American University’s chaplains’ board, and I’ve been hearing rumblings from our student-friends at AU about something going on this week on campus. On Friday, January 14 the hate-filled Westboro “Baptist” “Church” will be protesting at AU (the quotes are intentional, they are in no way really Christians and I don’t want to insult any of you who are Baptist).

I can’t figure out the specific reason why they’ve chosen AU, but my concern is not that, but the students there. Wherever Fred Phelps and his “church” (which is made up almost entirely of his offspring and their spouses), it only stirs up hatred – first theirs toward everyone else, then the hatred of everyone around them toward them and as a fallout can intensify their audience’s distrust of faith, religion and God. Please join with us this Friday to pray that students would walk away from the protest, counter protest and whatever else and would seek Truth. Pray that through this students would seek to know a God who cares about them, but cares also about dealing with their sin. Also, pray that WBC would be ignored on the whole and that even they would come to know our God of justice, grace, mercy and love.

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November 2009 Update

jay —  November 6, 2009  Leave a comment

“How’d it go?”

After a busy first 8 weeks, Fall Retreat, and 25 visiting staff ”blitzing” four DC campuses for 3 days, there’s never been a more reasonable question to ask.  And I’ve never felt less sure how to answer.  Can I let you eavesdrop a little while I think on it?

Carrie, do you love me?

Yes, Lord… Why do you ask?

More than your success?  More than a “well done”?  More than the Mission itself?  (It is not the end, I AM.)

Carrie, do you love me?

Uh…

Will you feed my lambs?  Even when you are wearied by their indecision?  Grieved by their idolatry?  Sickened by their sexual deviance? Annoyed by their immaturity?  Embarrassed by the family resemblance?  Feed my sheep. MY sheep. (They are not your trophy or widget.)

Carrie, do you love me?

Lord, you know…  But what about these other ministries? They have so many freshmen — students are leading, stuff is happening! They must get something we don’t…”

If it is my will that they remain fruitful, what is that to you? You follow me! In a city of competence and résumés, will you resolve to know nothing but Christ crucified? Will you pour out your precious time with the runaways, internationals, and non-traditionals who will interrupt, drop out, move away and never give back to the “success” of “your movement”?

So, how did it go?

All of us at Fall Retreat

All of us at Fall Retreat

Well, we went (with less students than last year) to Fall Retreat, where one of our sophomore leaders realized for the first time that “God wants all of me,” and has been repenting of hidden sin and trusting God to give up substance abuse.

Our small group Bible study at Georgetown (which has been averaging about 3 actual GU students) has collected an 18-year-old gay runaway we met during “Blitz Week” who wants nothing more than to love Jesus wholeheartedly and start learning the Bible.

And in the past week, God gave opportunities for me to discuss the good news of grace clearly with three people: a bright young man studying audio technology at the University of MD (not our school), a Georgetown non-traditional student who lives across the city and whose only class is during our only group time, and an exchange student (also a Blitz Week contact) who will move back to China in just over a month.  None of these dear folks are likely to be involved with the movement.

The Lord brings hurting people out of the woodwork to consider message of Jesus. These people need more one-on-one dialogue time than ever (years, it seems), and yet this city is such a transient place! Movements do not happen without qualified leaders, and qualified leaders do not happen apart from laboring in prayer and waiting on the Holy Spirit. So please continue to pray with us for patience, wisdom, and perseverance, as we follow a God who does not disappoint! Thanks again for being in this with us!

Pray for:

  • Praise God for good health so far this year!
  • Pray for the students mentioned above, and several other potential leaders.
  • Pray for our slowly-forming volunteer army – their spiritual health & our practical wisdom in how to best fit them in.
  • Pray for our staff team’s upcoming visit to the VA Beach area to give lift to friends and help with a cross-cultural movement launch.
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