Oct 23 2011
Houston Trip Report, four days in Colorado, M28 is gaining traction
We’ve had a couple of weeks of good ministry since our last post but also we feel some tiredness and spiritual warfare. But God, at just the right time, took me (Roy) to an ISI Regional retreat in Colorado.
During this time, God has answered prayers for Roy, Lisa and the kids that you all lifted up. We very much covet and appreciate your prayers. Lately, we have been putting more focus on prayer in our lives and ministry and I have heard and am experiencing that when one does, especially in areas that break new ministry ground that there is generally MORE spiritual opposition than less. So we need you all covering our backs especially now. You don’t know how much it means to us to know your all are behind us.
Here is a quick report of the last couple of weeks:
The Houston trip went very well. All the students went and came from Houston safely. We were concerned that there was no astronaut to speak to the students. It wasn’t a problem. The students truly enjoyed their time at NASA and afterwards they heard from a NASA team partner who arranges for HAM radio demonstrations with schools where kids get to talk to the astronauts up in the International Space Stations. There was a great “live-looking” video from the space station itself where we watched an astronaut give a tour and then talk to some HAM radio operators. The students really mobbed the speaker, taking pictures and asking for autographs. It was great. We also experimented with more students staying at each host home and it was a rousing success. I had a couple of Russian speaking students and family members in my car and many of the NASA people spoke Russian. The students felt so special because they could talk with the space program people in their native language. The students also attended churches and met even more NASA people there. No doubt they see that rational, highly educated people could be followers of Jesus too.
The week after the NASA trip, I was feeling very exhausted, with little enthusiasm and with several problems I had to deal with. (small things that the enemy often shoots our way). God blessed me as as we had our ISI Rocky Mountains and Plains regional retreat in Colorado Springs and He used it as a tool to heal and restore. It was incredible being up in the mountains. Normally, I am very social and stuff at these retreats – learning from other staff different things God uses to reach international students. This year, I spent a lot of time in my room. I rested some but also I was supposed to give a talk on the “Gospel of the Kingdom”, a HUGE theme in the gospels, the New Testament and much of the Bible. I spent much of the weekend immersed in the Word in the beautiful scenery of Colorado and it was just what the doctor (or Lord) ordered. It didn’t feel at all like work. Praise the Lord for times like these.- Praise the Lord that the M28/CPM project is starting to gain traction outside of the just the Metroplex and spilling into our region. Praise also for a wonderful Skype discipleship opportunity I had on Friday, filling in for Ron with a couple of former students who now live in East Asia. Wow, God is working powerfully in their lives.
The new school where Lisa works changes terms every 8 weeks. It is not always certain her classes would have enough students and she would have the classes she wants or if she will even teach. The second eight weeks started and she was concerned about teaching and and that she didn’t hear if she would have a class. At just the last minute, God provided and continues to provide enough classes for her to teach.- At UTA they had a 72 hours of prayer group effort and God blessed and God we still feel the residual effect of that ministry at our groups and events.
Wow your prayers were huge this week. The Tarrant County Space Weekend trip went well. Many of the Spiritual Warfare skirmishes were dealt with and God opened up some doors with students in surprising ways. Also, Lisa was on fall break at her work and we had a lot of time together. Praise the Lord.
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