How to Pray for Us in 2012

We are very excited about the start of a new year as we continue serving the Lord here in Siberia. As we look back over the year 2010 we praise the Lord for the work He has done in many lives. The ministry here can be ever so challenging, but in this new year as always, we continue to trust the One who is able "to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." (Ephes. 3:20) We are so grateful for the opportunity He has given us to serve Him here in Russia.

We thank the Lord for each and every one of our prayer and financial supporters. Without you our ministry would cease to exist! We love you all and thank you for holding the ropes for us through the years we have been here and the years to come!

So, as we look forward to what the Lord has in store for us this year, we covet your prayers for our family and ministry. We pray we can keep you better informed through the use of our prayer letters and blogs. Please feel free to contact us by e-mail at any time. 

A missionary friend recently posted on her blog several prayer sheets she and her husband have picked up from churches as they travel on the topic of how to pray for missionaries. I enjoyed reading them and was thankful for some of the specific areas mentioned in which we often "forget" to pray for missionaries around the world. I pray they are a blessing to you in helping you pray more fervently and specifically for the missionaries your church or family supports.

Prayer Sheet Option #1:

How To Pray For Your Missionaries

SUNDAY - Our Relationship With God
a. Personal growth in the Word of God
b. An effective prayer life
c. Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit
d. Empowerment by the Holy Spirit
e. Victory over Satan and the flesh
MONDAY - Our Physical And Emotional Life
a. Good Health
b. Protection from disease and other hazards
c. Protection from hostile governments, religions, and nationals
d. Safety while traveling on planes, subways, buses, trams, trains, bicycles, taxes, animals, and on foot
e. Deliverance from discouragement, loneliness, and depression
TUESDAY - Our Family Life
a. A marriage that is a good testimony to the nationals
b. The children's education
c. The raising and training of the children
d. Strength for the children, especially teenage children, to withstand the world's temptations
e. The children to love the Lord and the ministry
WEDNESDAY - Our Ability to Communicate
a. Good success in language school
b. Ability to communicate God's Word with clarity
THURSDAY - Our Ministry
a. Boldness to witness
b. Open doors in schools, orphanages, prisons, etc.
c. Wisdom in preaching and teaching
d. Receptive hearts towards our witnessing, teaching, preaching, counseling, discipling, etc.
e. Fruit that will remain
FRIDAY - Our Need For Fellow Workers
a. Nationals to get their hearts stirred for service
b. Christians to surrender to God's call on their lives and come to the field and help us
SATURDAY- Our Country Of Service
a. Stability in the political realm so we can remain in the country
b. The leadership of the country to allow freedom in the distribution of the Gospel
c. People to have their eyes opened to the deception of their false religion
d. Protection of our country from natural disasters and catastrophes that would kill our people

Prayer Sheet Option #2:

How to Pray for Our Missionaries (notice on this one that the first letter of the day corresponds with the first letter of the prayer request)

Sunday - Spiritual life
Monday - Money
Tuesday - Temptation
Wednesday - Witnessing
Thursday - Team members
Friday - Family
Saturday - Safety

Prayer Sheet Option #3:

A Seven Day Prayer Guide: 
Sunday  - The missionary's own Spiritual walk, growth in grace
Monday  - The missionary's personal life, health, safety, emotional stability and well-being, 
avoidance of loneliness, and the desire of fleshly things  
Tuesday  - The missionary's family life, husband wife relationships, parenting, children, extended family from whom they are separated, and the model of a Godly family they display 
before those who observe them daily  
Wednesday  - The missionary as a communicator, facility with the foreign language, cultural 
adaptation, and communicating the truth by the example they set  
Thursday  - The missionary's ministry, teaching, preaching, witnessing, boldness, fruitfulness and satisfaction in their work, and open doors through which they may pass to share Christ  
Friday  - The missionary's relationship with fellow workers, a sense of cooperation and not 
competition, humility, consider others better than self, avoidance of pride, working with nationals  
Saturday  - The missionary's county of service, stability, freedom, governmental leaders, passports, visas, work permits, etc.