November 26

Happy Thanksgiving, a few days late! We had a nice time celebrating with 15 other Americans. We are so Thankful for our family and friends. Each year we look and know that God has been so good to us.

Lauren is so much better and our time with the young pastors last Monday was the best yet. They are getting comfortable together and with us.

This week I ask you to pray:
1. For safety in travel. Andy and I need to travel to Country Coordinator meetings in Estonia. The girls will stay here with a trusted young Moldovan woman. Pray for our safety as we travel to Estonia--we have to drive to Kiev, Ukraine to fly from there. Pray for safety for the girls as they are home with Daniela.

2. For the World Missions Summit--Please continue to keep this in prayer (see former blog).

3. For fruitful meetings while we are in Estonia.

God's blessings to you this week.

November 19

Thanks for your continued prayers for us. Elissa and I had a great trip to Kiev. Our friends took us to an indoor skating rink and Elissa skated for the 2nd time ever in her life. That night she thanked God as she prayed that she didn't break any bones! She landed on the ice quite a few times, but kept getting back up.

She did great with her testing and I attended a seminar for teaching writing to our children. Both were great.

Andy's class finished on Thursday. Thanks for your prayers in that. The three weeks of teaching every evening were long for all of us, but he made it through and the students have a better understanding of the book of John.

Prayer requests today:
1. Lauren has a cold. I never used to worry about colds in the states, but here with little medical help and cold buildings, it seems it is so easy for the cold to go to more severe infections. Pray for her healing.

2. On Monday (November 21) we meet with a group of young pastors and their wives. Pray that our time with them is productive. Our young pastors need someone to come beside them, encourage them and teach them. The wives love that they are included, which is a rarity here. We want to build them as a team.

3. The World Missions Summit--You can check out the link on the right. We will be attending this sumit for students in Louisville, Kentucky over the New Year and are very excited about it. It is an opportunity to share missions with college students, build relationships, see young people called and present opportunity for them to respond. Pray that we have great God moments with the young people we eat with around tables, talk to over coffee and sit near in services.

4. Please continue to pray for our housing situation when we go back to the states, our health and home schooling. (See last post for more on this.)

Thanks for your continued prayers.

November 10, 2005

We have now been in Moldova exactly 2 1/2 years. What a journey it has been! I recently heard that the first 2 years of missionary life is the "ugly duckling" stage. Does that mean we are beautiful swans now? I don't feel I'm quite there.

As I reflect on the past 2 1/2 years, I realize that God has been our provider through all the ups and downs of adjusting to life in Moldova. I also realize more than ever how the prayers and giving of the faithful are so crucial to what we do. Each month when I see the list of those who gave (and give faithfully each month), I'm so blessed.

But I'm also blessed when people write simply to say, "I'm praying for you." Or ask, "What can I pray about for you?" Just as the gifts of support are so necessary to keep us here, your prayers are necessary to keep us, help us, sustain us and protect us.

That is what this blog is about. For a long time I've felt the need to put something out that lists our specific prayer needs. I'll also give answers as they come.

So I just ask--Please pray:

• Pray for our health--It seems we battle sickness in our family every winter in Moldova and that battle has already begun. Pray that we have a winter with little sickness and great health.
• Pray for Andy--He is teaching a class on the book of John at the seminary right now. The class meets every evening for 3 weeks. It is a tiring schedule for him.
• Pray for our schooling--I home school the girls. I love the opportunity to be with my girls in an intense manner, but it isn't always easy to be mom and school teacher. They are doing well, but pray that God gives me creative ideas and energy to keep up with them!
• Pray for safety in travel--On Sunday, November 13, Elissa and I will travel to Kiev where she will take the Iowa Basics Test. We covet God's protection as we go.
• Pray for housing while we are in the states--We will be back in the states in 7 months for our year of itineration. We would like to find housing somewhere near our family, which is in Maple Grove, MN. Nancy's parents are getting older and we are feeling like this is the year to take near them. Maple Grove has become a very expensive and we need to find something in the area for a reasonable amount. I know if we begin praying now, God can work this out.

Thanks for your prayers. I will try to update each week.

Blessings to you.
Nancy