We have an addition to the Prayer Request page.  Barbara Lyons wrote a very encouraging post about prayer.  It’s especially for all the faithful ladies who have been on the prayer chain all these years, but it’s a great general encouragement for all of us to continue in prayer, and not give up.  Thanks for the boost, Barb!

In February, we had our first “Grandmother’s Valentine Luncheon.”  To read more about it, and to view pictures of the event and the  guests, please go to the event page.

God’s word says, “You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God; I am the Lord.”  (Lev. 19:32)  Hopefully, in some small way, we were able to show them the honor they deserve.  They are all beautiful ladies, and I’m thankful for the examples they are to me.

I started reading C.S. Lewis’ devotional for the new year, and this is what I came across on January 3rd:

The settled happiness and security which we all desire, God withholds from us by the very nature of the world: but joy, pleasure, and merriment, He has scattered broadcast.  We are never safe, but we have plenty of fun, and some ecstasy.  It is not hard to see why.  The security we crave would teach us to rest our hearts in this world and oppose an obstacle to our return to God:  a few moments of happy love, a landscape, a symphony, a merry meeting with our friends, a bathe or a football match, have no such tendency.  Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.”

Tonight I found out that Mary Barrett went to be with the Lord a week ago.  She was the worship leader at Calvary Chapel Merritt Island in Florida, and she often led worship at the Pastor’s Wives retreats.  I had the opportunity to hear her at the East Coast Pastor’s Wives Retreat for the first time in 1998.  She had visited Indiana several times.  We drove to Lafayette to hear her there, and she also came to Horizon South for an evening of worship.

She was one of those people who has a deep effect on you although you don’t know them.  She had the ability to disappear while leading people in worship, so that we only saw Jesus.  I’m sure her husband, her mother, her family members, and all those close to her at CC Merritt Island will miss her sorely.  Her going to be with the Lord is a reminder that life is a breath, that we are truly preparing for eternity.  She seems to have prepared well, and now has “entered into the joy of her Master.” 

In the words of one of her songs,

“It don’t matter where they bury me,

Cause I’ll be gone, and I’ll be free.

It don’t matter where I lay,

All my tears be washed away.”

It is almost Thanksgiving, which means the time for our Christmas Bazaar for our missionaries is just around the corner. 

Where:  Horizon Central Gym (1001 East Palmer St.)

When:  Saturday, December 6 from 10 AM to 1 PM.

It is a pitch-in brunch, with tea and desserts served afterwards.  All ladies age 8-98 are invited for a time of fellowship, worship, and prayer.  This event is to bless our missionary ladies.  We will have a special time of prayer for them, as well as tables with handmade (or homegrown) items to buy.  All proceeds go directly to the missionary ladies, to bless them with a special Christmas bonus.

RSVP by November 30th if you’d like to come.  All are welcome!

Two of our missionary families are home for a short visit.  Andrea Petersen and Laura Stilwell are here with their families to reconnect with friends and supporters.  It has been a pleasure to spend time with them.  Please pray that this time in the U.S. will be a refreshing and encouraging time for them, and that they return to their respective countries rested and recharged.

Thank you all for praying for the women’s retreat.  It was a refreshing time.  Coming up in mid-June is the Serving Our Sisters missions conference at Horizon Northeast.  It is open to any and all ladies, with the goal of helping us to better understand and care for our missionary ladies. 

Please pray for Tim and Shani Williams from Horizon south, as Ezra has open heart surgery today.  A scripture the Lord gave me for them is Lamentations 2:19.

“Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; Pour our your heart like water before the face of the Lord.  Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children…”

The annual Horizon Christian Fellowship Women’s Retreat is next weekend (May 16-18) in southern Indiana.  The theme for the weekend is “Satisfy My Thirsty Soul”.  Please pray for the various pastor’s wives who are speaking (including myself) – that we would handle God’s Word accurately, be sensitive to His voice, and share what He desires us to share.

I attended the discipleship training class this past Thurs-Saturday.  Josh Olson from Escondido, CA came to take us through books 1 & 2.  I really enjoyed it.  The materials were written by an Indian man who developed them by working w/ international students for many years.  It is simple, thorough, easy to understand and yet profound.  It gives a strong framework for the basic truths of the Christian faith, as found in the Bible.  I see it will be very useful to disciple people in our church, to make us more grounded in the truths of Scripture. 

One thing Josh said, which struck me, was that if our discipleship is weak, then our “winning” and “sending” will suffer for it.  If someone comes to Christ, they need to be grounded in God’s Word.  If someone is sent out as a missionary, they need to be able to disciple people.  We’ve tried various things re: discipleship at church.  One person uses one method, another person another study or workbook.  But this seems like it would be useful to all.  It’s called the Master’s Design for Discipleship.  I’m excited the Lord has led us to this material.  I pray He would use it to help us “make disciples of all the nations”.

There are some pictures from our Titus 2 meetings, taken by Cyndi Speelman.  Click on the Events page, and from there you can get to them.  Anyone involved in the Titus 2 meetings, please feel free to give us your feedback on that page.  Thank you to all of the ladies who contributed or participated in some way. You’re all awesome!

The Horizon Women’s Retreat is coming up in May.  The dates are May 16-18, and the topic is “Satisfy My Thirsty Soul”.  It is in southern IN, near Cincinnati.  The cost is $100, which includes lodging and meals.  If you are interested in going, please tell Cassie or Ginger, or leave a comment here.