Lantern and Compass Project

Clarity and Direction

prayer

Road bump

Following our last camp in August of 2021, we were taken down a path that threw our lives off course for a season. Rusty was diagnosed with both prostate and kidney cancer and our lives suddenly revolved around doctor visits, traveling back and forth to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer hospitals in NJ and NYC, medication therapy, hospital stays, radiation treatments and lifestyle changes.

Rusty is still making adjustments and following a regimented treatment plan and we are believing for a complete healing. God has been giving us both courage and comfort as we face this unknown. What we do know is that God is faithful and will never leave us to navigate through this on our own. We have had a huge support team and community of believers that have been praying for Rusty and it has made all the difference in the world. We still covet those continued prayers and would ask that as we look forward that you join our support team as we trust and believe for the following for Rusty.

  1. That God would divinely heal him of cancer.
  2. That Rusty’s strength would be restored.
  3. That the medications side effects would be minimized.
  4. That when we return for a followup in December that the kidney cancer will have disappeared.
  5. That God will be glorified through all of this.

Anticipated Prayer

As a children’s pastor and missionary to children, I know the value and the importance of bringing children into a better understanding of prayer and the impact that it can have on their lives. For years, God has been stirring my heart to provide opportunities for kids to experience prayer in different and meaningful ways. It started nearly 10 years ago at district camp. God was leading our team to emphasis prayer options following the evening chapel. That was the beginning of something absolutely beautiful. Over the years prayer during day camps, overnight camps, midweek services and Sunday morning classrooms have become the time that kids look forward to with great anticipation.

July 2021, “The War Room” was introduced at The Good Shepherd Ministries day camp. (The War Room is the name given to our prayer room) Pastor Kenny and I had talked in great length about the idea, the implementation and the expected outcome but I couldn’t articulate exactly what that would look like in a real setting. We might not have known the particulars but Holy Spirit knew exactly what needed to be done to draw these kids into a spiritual realm where they wanted to be and expected to meet with God himself.

The week began with 30 minutes in The War Room. We entered into the presence of God with reference and respect and left after having a meaningful encounter with God. By the end of the week each group was spending upwards of 60 minutes and wanting more time in the War Room with Jesus. They had experienced just a touch of God and were craving more.

Our kids can be drawn into the spiritual realm and have an intimate relationship with Jesus. Are we providing them with the opportunities that they need to draw into that relationship? Are we allowing them time to practice their skills in hearing God’s voice? Are we giving them a variety of ways to enhance their time with Jesus?

Our children aren’t lost because they don’t know who Jesus is, but they don’t know him personally

Tragedy Humanized

For the past 48 hours I have been praying for six Afghan Christians as they made efforts to leave the country to escape the violence, persecution and certain death for following Jesus if caught at any of the checkpoints as they made their way to the airport. I am ashamed that it took a prayer request from a friend, that had direct connections to this group of people, to humanize the tragedy that is taking place in Afghanistan. As events unfolded, I received updates of their progress, their setbacks, and their uncertainties. As more people joined together and prayed for them to make it safely through airport gates and onto a departing plane, God provided. After two days we received report that they had boarded a plane in Kabul to begin their journey to the states where a community of believers are waiting to receive them into their family.

Photo represents the urgency to leave the country and not a picture of the six described in this post. It does represent many others that need our prayers.

How must God have felt during this tumultuous journey? How sad must He have felt that His children had to endure such suffering? How disappointed must He have felt that there were christians around the world that saw the news of what was happening and didn’t cry out for God’s intervention. What will it take to humanize the stories that we are hearing in the news media?

We have freedom in our lives and in our faith but are we taking it for granted? Are we looking at our freedom as an unconstrained opportunity to share the gospel with as many people as humanly possible or are we wasting the blessing that God has given us through this freedom?

“Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom.” 1 Cor 7:13

As we continue to journey through this year together, let’s not allow distractions to keep us from learning, growing, sharing and delivering the word of God to those around us. We must move forward, making Jesus the priority and urgently sharing His word with others. We don’t know the hour or the day that Jesus will return but we do have the good news of Jesus and how to guarantee eternal life with Him. How many will you reach with that good news?

Prayer Answered Because of Food

Food is a basic need for everyone and we have been blessed to be able to serve alongside The Good Shepherd Ministries to give a little food encouragement to the community through Drive-thru Food Box blessings. Over the 4 months we have been blessing people with food boxes we have seen how God is using that physical food encouragement to also provide spiritual encouragement.

During each event our team has opportunity to pray with every car that comes through to receive a food box. During one of those prayer times a young woman requested prayer that she would find a job. She returned the following month and shared that God had answered her prayer from last month and had provided her with a job. God’s answers to prayer are not always so obvious but we must remember that just because we don’t see how God has answered our prayers doesn’t mean He hasn’t. God ALWAYS answers prayer.

As we continue to provide opportunity for people to touch the lives of those in their community it is our prayer that everyone would be more open to receiving the message of God’s perfect and boundless love for us as He faithfully provides our every need.

We will continue to encourage people through our Community Food Box Blessing events and continue to hear how God is touching lives.

Making Connections

The box was filled!!! I gave one to a family down the street who asked about churches in the area. I have invited and sent online service links for their 5 year old. In God’s time. I’m already thinking about families for the next time.
Beth Reyes
TGSM family member