Sharing our Steps: 2014

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Thanksgiving Update

As we approach Thanksgiving, there are SO many things our family is thankful for:

God has kept us and preserved our lives. God has shown us his goodness and faithfulness.

God is stirring our hearts to LOVE HIM… and to LOVE PEOPLE like never before.

The Missions Ministry we are doing is powerful and has God's anointing on it.

Lost people are searching for answers and hope online using Google.

We are there with various language websites with the TRUTH and God's Word.

This is a few of the prayer requests from people visiting our site just this week:

This week's prayer needs:

Needs from inquirers around the world:

ON 11-10-2014 A REQUEST FROM A WOMAN IN BOTSWANA (AFRICA)
I great u in the name of JESUS..I am a married woman, and I am HIV positive. So this is making me to loose hope that I feel rejected sometimes. Help me with prayers that we help me to focus n forget abt the sickness.I am a born again. I really need us help. Thank u in Jesus name
ON 11-09-2014 A REQUEST FROM A MAN IN UNITED STATES (NORTH AMERICA)
I suffer from depression sometimes thinking about suicide and there is alot of reasons for it but truthfully, I use to believe and go to church and all that but after I got married to an abusive wife and was put through the ringer so to speak, I stopped believing. [...] my whole life has been terrible and wished that I never had it [...] suicide is the only answer that can come up with, not saying I'll go through with it, I really don't have the hair to do it but it only takes that "spur of the moment" [...]
ON 11-08-2014 A REQUEST FROM A MAN IN ETHIOPIA (AFRICA)
hi can you help me for pray
ON 11-08-2014 A REQUEST FROM A MAN IN INDIA (EURASIA)
I have some issues regarding my marriage at home.Please pray for me. Continously. I am totally depresed. Unable to take a wise decision. Pray.. pray... pray for me please.
ON 11-06-2014 A REQUEST FROM A WOMAN IN NEW ZEALAND (ASIA PACIFIC)
I am a Catholic. Have lost much through illness. Am constantly terrified into paralysis so don't get things done. Lot of pain. Want to not need pain relief & not be depressed.
ON 11-06-2014 A REQUEST FROM A WOMAN IN SWAZILAND (AFRICA)
I need Him to take over my life i need Jesus to work through me and i should allow him to work.
ON 11-05-2014 A REQUEST FROM A MAN IN LIBERIA (AFRICA)
I have accepted. Jesus as my Lord and and savior since I was a lil boy back in 1994 and I got baptized 2002 November 17. But I am far away from Christ these days...
ON 11-05-2014 A REQUEST FROM A WOMAN IN KENYA (AFRICA)
AM living in fear of dying prematurely just pray for me to overcome the challenge.
ON 11-04-2014 A REQUEST FROM A MAN IN INDIA (EURASIA)
i feel lonely and hopeless,

Please join us in praying for our ministry at Network 211… that we will shine God's light in the darkness like never before and that HOPE and TRUTH will be found, and that LIVES would be TRANSFORMED!

Jesus strengthen us! Fill us with wisdom and anointing and the POWER of your Spirit!

7 Ways to Bless your Pastor

I realized that October….Pastor Appreciation month came and went. But I couldn't find words this year to communicate what my heart was feeling about blessing your Pastors. Most everyone who knows me knows how much I love Pastoral Families… having been a Pastor's daughter and a Pastor's wife in my life!

However, when I received this email link last night… I was like "Aha"! This is what I need to share! If you missed doing something special for your Pastor during October - it's not too late! The month of Thanksgiving is a Wonderful time to express your love and gratitude for them and all they do to serve you and your families!!

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Who doesn’t love their pastor? Often times, pastors are just taken for granted because they are called to service for the church. I would love to encourage you, as a church goer, to bless your pastor.

Pastors are human and get discouraged, stressed and overwhelmed. They need more than just our prayers and finances. They need us, as much as we need them.

7 Ways to Bless Your Pastor

Invite them to Dinner – Serve your pastor a cooked meal at your home or take them out after church on a whim. The time around the table is so personal and the conversation can be incredibly encouraging to everyone. Laugh together! Our pastor is one of the funniest people I know and he loves to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine and most pastors won’t share with their congregation when they are sick or needing some encourage.
Send them a Card – If God has placed a scripture or word on your heart for your pastor, send it to him in a card. We all love getting cards with personal notes in them and our pastors are no different! Even if you don’t have some purpose in writing a card, just a ‘thinking of you’ card can be the very thing your pastor may need to be joyful in his never ending duties.
Raise Money for a Vacation – Pastors are some of the most frugal people I know and their vacations are often connect with visiting family or even a mission trip of some sort. Going around privately to the members of your church for a donation to send your pastor and his wife on a surprise get away just for themselves to be refreshed, I would encouraged you to do so. Even Jesus went away for his own refreshment!
Do a Work Day at His House – This can be something you schedule with him or just show up. Landscaping or pressure washing the outside of the house or painting some shutters isn’t invading on what is going on inside and will be a quick way to let his neighbors know that good people live in that house and will uplift the spirits of the family inside.
Drop a Gift Card in His Bible – Gift cards are a great way to express your love and allow them to have a time with their family at one of their favorite restaurants, fill up their car with fuel or buy the tool of his choice. The gifting without being seen is one of the best ways to encourage a servant of the Lord!
Throw a Church Wide Appreciation Dinner – Get everyone involved in celebrating the pastors of your church by coming together with an appreciation dinner. Special music, a powerpoint presentation highlighting their lives and sacrifices to His kingdom and even a table for thoughtful gifts can be a few elements to give your pastors a time of appreciation and love as a whole congregation.
Inspiration Item to Use Often – I love to give a coffee cup with an encouraging scripture or a plater with a strong message that when it is used will remind my pastors how much they mean to our family time and time again.

If you are interested in the origin of this post, just click on this link: www.teachersofgoodthings.com

Blessings to everyone that loves, prays, gives, and supports our family so we can do the work God has called us to do in International Missions!

Friday, July 4, 2014

Celebrating July 4th. In So. Many. Ways.

First and foremost - these 3 give us great reason to celebrate TODAY!

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Two years ago on July 4th we took my mom and sister to Toledo, Spain, for sightseeing. Even though I (Glenda) was still in incredible pain from my c-section 5 weeks earlier - I didn't want my mom and sister to go back to the US without ever getting out of our house in Spain!!!! Sadly we spent the day at the police station filing a report on Mackenzie's backpack that was stolen as soon as we got to Toledo. It was an #epicfailday.

Two years later. So. Much. Has. Happened. Since. Then.

Pain. Sickness. Loss. Grief. Pressure. Confusion. Anger. Acceptance. Healing. Renewal. Trust. Revival. Balance. Growth. Depth. Health. Stability. Peace. Joy.

That is a LOT of seasons. It has been a long journey to recover from the effects of PTSD and understanding why God would allow such a thing to happen when you have left everything to follow His leading.

Yet do I know and understand Romans 8:28 like never before. Even in the squeezing - God is working in and for us. I found that so hard to believe during this difficult season… but I clung to it… I hoped. I trusted. SOMEHOW God you are going to WORK ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD.

I am still not 100% whole in the healing of my nervous system…. but the past 3 months have brought the greatest strides towards that goal than the entire 2 years since Micah's birth. AMAZING. ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!

Today I celebrate the great heritage God has given us as Americans… in spite of all America's blemishes and failings… I am so thankful for those who gave their lives so that we could be FREE. There are so many around the world that would give anything for the freedoms that we have. Freedom to choose Jesus first and foremost.
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The ministry that we are working with continues to grow in INFLUENCE in so many nations around the world. In just the past 3 months we have added websites with videos/content for searching people to learn about the TRUTH of JESUS…. in Russian, Japanese, and next week Korean.

This is a live - as of RIGHT now map of all of the people responding to the TRUTH of JESUS in the past hour or so:

Can anyone say - "Thank you God for Network 211 taking the TRUTH to the world through the internet??!!" My soul rejoices at lives touched. I am one who was forever changed by the saving power of Jesus who took the empty shell of who I was and filled me up with REAL LIFE.

Until next time….. Love to ALL of our friends, family, supporters, and PRAYER WARRIORS! You are what keeps us going! You are the feet we stand on as we work for the goal that God has called us to!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Lost Treasures

After setting out on our journey into the "unknown" almost 6 years ago now… we are unpacking boxes that have been tucked in corners, attics, closets, basements…

And finding LOST TREASURES!

To my great surprise - after opening this box from the corner of the garage…. I found Mia's special zebra blanket… and MY GUITAR! I had not been able to find these since we have been back in the states! We had a celebration!