American Baptist International Ministries

God is stronger than cancer! Please keep Luke and his family in your prayers!
God is stronger than cancer! Please keep Luke and his family in your prayers!

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Spring Prayer Update - April 2015

The process toward mission service can be long, but God is faithful, and everything is in His hands. I have been encouraged by the way God has prompted people to support the ministry, and impressed with the plans the Baptist Convention of Zambia has for their women's ministries. Below is a prayer update related to my mission activity. Please read on for a special prayer request for a member of my team.

Praise God for:
* Encouragement as people are led to support the ministry

* Donors who provided $170,000 in matching funds and for a good start to the Matching Gift Opportunity

Pray for:
* The Spirit’s leading as the Baptist Convention of Zambia continues to plan for outreach to women

* God to lead me (and me to follow) to opportunities to share about the ministry with individuals and groups

* God’s timing in the process of moving forward toward ministry in Zambia

Special Prayer Request:
If you have been receiving my updates for a while, you may have heard from Pastor Ryan a couple of times. Pastor Ryan is the Prayer Advocate on my Mission Partnership Team (the group of people that supports me in the process of beginning and sustaining international ministry). Pastor Ryan’s role on the team is to communicate praises and prayer requests as they relate to the missions ministry. He has been an asset to the team and an encouragement to me personally in the process of building a network of support. Normally, you would be receiving this update from him. However, at this time, Pastor Ryan and his family need our prayers.

Pastor Ryan and his wife, Nikki, have 3 sons, Luke (10), Caleb (9), and Eli (7). Their oldest, Luke, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2011. Luke underwent 3 years of chemotherapy, and celebrated his last treatment a year ago. Pastor Ryan and Nikki just learned that there are leukemia cells present in Luke’s body again.

Luke has been accepted for treatment at Dana-Farber and began the process this week. Would you lift this family before our great God in prayer? Below are some ways that you might pray for them specifically:

* For Luke’s body to respond well to treatment, for complete healing, and for minimal pain and side effects associated with the treatment

* For God’s grace and strength for Pastor Ryan, Nikki, and their family as their hearts hurt for Luke

* For Luke’s younger brothers, as well for as extended family that includes grandparents, aunts/uncles, and cousins who are both concerned about and will be away from Luke for much of the first month

* For steadfast and strengthened faith for Pastor Ryan, Nikki, Luke, and their family

* For the entire family to sense God’s presence with them, and to experience His love, peace, and power

* For God to be glorified in this process!

Luke (bottom) with his younger brothers

Pastor Ryan and Nikki
at an 80s night

Luke after sporting some dance moves

Luke after sporting
some dance moves

"But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

1 Corinthians 12:24b-26, NKJV

On behalf of Pastor Ryan, Nikki, and our MPT, thank you for your prayers!

Kathy