The Blessings of June: Fight the Good Fight
The Soundtrack to my Soul currently:
"You Won't Relent" by Misty Edwards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmViJnAHKQk
"Blessings" by Laura Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQan9L3yXjc
"Beautiful Things" By Gungor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1spkhp41ig4
"Build Your Kingdom Here" By Rend Collective Experiment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbdJXKqVgtg
"Oceans" By Hillsong United
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw
June has brought a lot of good things, a lot of life lessons, and a lot more to learn about waiting on the Lord. Since I've been back to NYC, my allergies have been better. Although, I cannot stomach peanut butter anymore. But that's okay, fresh vegetables are always better. I can still drink hot tea and cherish its calming effect. My asthma has barely flared. Apparently, all of your body is connected. When you eat something you cannot stomach or tolerate, the acid buildup can affect your breathing or flare up an asthma attack.
This June has not been as humid as last June here. It's much cooler and that's nice since there is no central air. It kind of forces you to go outside and enjoy God's creation because it's much cooler outside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please pray for my friend Pearl who has pancreatic cancer and has recently had surgery and is now in the Nursing Home temporarily. Pray that she will have strength, comfort, peace, joy, and deliverance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The interns and mission teams that we have had this month have been complete blessings to us. God knew just what we needed, as always. I praise God for the prayers that they pray, the service they gave, and all the financial provision they gave. One team surprised one of our centers with a coffee pot and us with a home cooked southern meal. Another team surprised one of our centers with a vacuum cleaner and gave our Kid's Club a party celebrating the end of the school year. Every perfect gift comes from God. Every single one.
I'm thankful for my home church that gives to me continually. Thank you for your prayers, financial support, and for letters and cards of encouragement. You mean so much to me. I am so thankful for you guys.
I'm thankful for my family. For every member of my family who encourages me and loves me. Thank you. They are my voice of reason and my helpers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The end of June brings the month of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting and seeking truth. Please pray that these people will find the that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. Pray that these people will have dreams and visions of Jesus, which is how most former Muslims have converted to Christianity. Pray that they would be connected to a Christian to be discipled. Pray that they would spread God's Word to their friends, family, and country. Pray that they would be bold and trust in God's power. Pray that God would give them strength and peace during any persecution they may face for their conversion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our summer Kid's VBS program at our South Asian Community Center is exploding in numbers! Since we have had mission teams, we have been able to run three programs at once; one at our center and two more and different parks. We have had a daily average of about 60 kids. Almost 20 kids a day at each location, and their parents get to see the program themselves if they are at the park or if they choose to stay at the center. That's close to 100 different people hearing a story from God's Word daily. We know and believe that God's Word is powerful and will not return void. Pray for these kids and families, that their lives would be changed by God's Word and that they would be able to come back to hear more, to be saved, and to be a part of our new church plant in Jackson Heights.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our ESL classes have been full to the brim with people, with no chair empty. We are able to pray and share verses with them almost daily. Thursday is the day we teach reading comprehension from a Bible story. Some of our classes have dwindled in numbers because of Ramadan. It's hot and they are fasting so it's better to not exert a lot of energy. Pray that these students would know God's love and Word deeply and that it would change their lives. Pray that the students will be able to keep coming to class. Pray that every person that steps into the ESL centers would hear the Gospel and that it would change their lives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pray that my trust would be beyond borders. Pray that I would trust God more and that I would wait on Him more. Missions is hard but it's worth it. It can bring out the darkest part of you so that God can heal you deeply of those things. There is so much spiritual warfare here. We know that God has already won and He is always fighting for us. When you are messing with the enemy's people, he hates that so he attacks. But God is more powerful. He's already won. Pray that our team would not neglect our sabbath, our rest time, our solitude with God, our prayer life, or each other. Pray that our team would be bound in the unity of God's love and peace and joy. Pray that we would trust God more, wait on Him better, and that we would daily put on the armor of God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I thank God for the mentors that He has put in my life here. God knows just what I need at all times. Even when I doubt Him, even when I try to be in control, He still has patience with me, gives me grace, and He STILL loves me deeply. I can't believe that some people think that God is not a personal God because He so is. Spend more quality time with Him and He will show you how personal His love is just for you. He knows you better than any person ever. He's my sanity, my strength, my fortress, my refuge, my light, my salvation, my deliverer, my helper. He's my everything. He's teaching me how to trust Him more. O to trust Him without borders. O to know the depths of His love.
God always has to remind me and teach me of His love in many ways. My name means beloved. Isn't that enough for me to understand? No because one, I'm a woman so I'm difficult, and two because I'm a sinner that needs to be reminded of God's love daily, or secondly, or every time someone says Amy.
Picture you walking around a big city. All of a sudden a storm comes that floods the entire city and all you can see is the top of skyscrapers. You struggle to swim to them. In your struggle, this massive hand picks you up and holds you above the storm waters.
That's a dream, I've had. God is always with all of us. No matter what we are going through. Trust that He is doing a good work in us and in the world and He will complete the good work. He will. He promises that to us in His Word. Wait on the Lord.
"Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" Psalm 27:14
"Come be the fire inside of me. Come be the flame upon my heart. Until You and I are one."
May the peace, love, joy, compassion, kindness and strength of the Lord be with you always,
Amy Drake
"You Won't Relent" by Misty Edwards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmViJnAHKQk
"Blessings" by Laura Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQan9L3yXjc
"Beautiful Things" By Gungor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1spkhp41ig4
"Build Your Kingdom Here" By Rend Collective Experiment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbdJXKqVgtg
"Oceans" By Hillsong United
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw
June has brought a lot of good things, a lot of life lessons, and a lot more to learn about waiting on the Lord. Since I've been back to NYC, my allergies have been better. Although, I cannot stomach peanut butter anymore. But that's okay, fresh vegetables are always better. I can still drink hot tea and cherish its calming effect. My asthma has barely flared. Apparently, all of your body is connected. When you eat something you cannot stomach or tolerate, the acid buildup can affect your breathing or flare up an asthma attack.
This June has not been as humid as last June here. It's much cooler and that's nice since there is no central air. It kind of forces you to go outside and enjoy God's creation because it's much cooler outside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please pray for my friend Pearl who has pancreatic cancer and has recently had surgery and is now in the Nursing Home temporarily. Pray that she will have strength, comfort, peace, joy, and deliverance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The interns and mission teams that we have had this month have been complete blessings to us. God knew just what we needed, as always. I praise God for the prayers that they pray, the service they gave, and all the financial provision they gave. One team surprised one of our centers with a coffee pot and us with a home cooked southern meal. Another team surprised one of our centers with a vacuum cleaner and gave our Kid's Club a party celebrating the end of the school year. Every perfect gift comes from God. Every single one.
I'm thankful for my home church that gives to me continually. Thank you for your prayers, financial support, and for letters and cards of encouragement. You mean so much to me. I am so thankful for you guys.
I'm thankful for my family. For every member of my family who encourages me and loves me. Thank you. They are my voice of reason and my helpers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The end of June brings the month of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting and seeking truth. Please pray that these people will find the that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. Pray that these people will have dreams and visions of Jesus, which is how most former Muslims have converted to Christianity. Pray that they would be connected to a Christian to be discipled. Pray that they would spread God's Word to their friends, family, and country. Pray that they would be bold and trust in God's power. Pray that God would give them strength and peace during any persecution they may face for their conversion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our summer Kid's VBS program at our South Asian Community Center is exploding in numbers! Since we have had mission teams, we have been able to run three programs at once; one at our center and two more and different parks. We have had a daily average of about 60 kids. Almost 20 kids a day at each location, and their parents get to see the program themselves if they are at the park or if they choose to stay at the center. That's close to 100 different people hearing a story from God's Word daily. We know and believe that God's Word is powerful and will not return void. Pray for these kids and families, that their lives would be changed by God's Word and that they would be able to come back to hear more, to be saved, and to be a part of our new church plant in Jackson Heights.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our ESL classes have been full to the brim with people, with no chair empty. We are able to pray and share verses with them almost daily. Thursday is the day we teach reading comprehension from a Bible story. Some of our classes have dwindled in numbers because of Ramadan. It's hot and they are fasting so it's better to not exert a lot of energy. Pray that these students would know God's love and Word deeply and that it would change their lives. Pray that the students will be able to keep coming to class. Pray that every person that steps into the ESL centers would hear the Gospel and that it would change their lives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pray that my trust would be beyond borders. Pray that I would trust God more and that I would wait on Him more. Missions is hard but it's worth it. It can bring out the darkest part of you so that God can heal you deeply of those things. There is so much spiritual warfare here. We know that God has already won and He is always fighting for us. When you are messing with the enemy's people, he hates that so he attacks. But God is more powerful. He's already won. Pray that our team would not neglect our sabbath, our rest time, our solitude with God, our prayer life, or each other. Pray that our team would be bound in the unity of God's love and peace and joy. Pray that we would trust God more, wait on Him better, and that we would daily put on the armor of God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I thank God for the mentors that He has put in my life here. God knows just what I need at all times. Even when I doubt Him, even when I try to be in control, He still has patience with me, gives me grace, and He STILL loves me deeply. I can't believe that some people think that God is not a personal God because He so is. Spend more quality time with Him and He will show you how personal His love is just for you. He knows you better than any person ever. He's my sanity, my strength, my fortress, my refuge, my light, my salvation, my deliverer, my helper. He's my everything. He's teaching me how to trust Him more. O to trust Him without borders. O to know the depths of His love.
God always has to remind me and teach me of His love in many ways. My name means beloved. Isn't that enough for me to understand? No because one, I'm a woman so I'm difficult, and two because I'm a sinner that needs to be reminded of God's love daily, or secondly, or every time someone says Amy.
Picture you walking around a big city. All of a sudden a storm comes that floods the entire city and all you can see is the top of skyscrapers. You struggle to swim to them. In your struggle, this massive hand picks you up and holds you above the storm waters.
That's a dream, I've had. God is always with all of us. No matter what we are going through. Trust that He is doing a good work in us and in the world and He will complete the good work. He will. He promises that to us in His Word. Wait on the Lord.
"Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" Psalm 27:14
"Come be the fire inside of me. Come be the flame upon my heart. Until You and I are one."
May the peace, love, joy, compassion, kindness and strength of the Lord be with you always,
Amy Drake
Comments
Post a Comment