This morning’s verse in my daily reading spoke to me:  “Brethren, pray for us.”  (I thess 5:25)   Or perhaps a bit more updated: Friends- please pray for us!  We are feeling the need for prayer up here on many levels.  I would like to write on a personal level because I have realized this past year that those of you who are reading here regularly really are praying for us!

**Most urgently, perhaps, I would like you to pray for one of our friends up here.  In just interacting and investing in the lives of those we meet, we become privileged to know of their struggles.  One of my friends is dealing with a lot of pain, discouragement, and depression right now. Today as she shared with me some of these things, I read Jeremiah 29:11 and prayed with her that she will believe that it is true:  that God does have a special plan for her life.  She needs to believe this is true – a lot depends on this.

**New ministry opportunities:  This morning before 6 am Eric and Chad went to survey and pray a home that is potentially being offered to Be One as another ministry base. It has great potential, but would also need a lot of work and focus.  We also had a meeting with a support ministry about ways they could be involved in what we are doing.  We talked more about the jewelry project – and are realizing it may need a staff person who can really focus specifically on this.  Then another local contact showed Chad another property that is a possibility for a coffee house or the jewelry or — who knows?  We need to be listening carefully and obeying diligently as God brings opportunities.  And I have been thinking how we need to keep praying for God to send more workers to the harvest!

**Prayers for me as a mom – this has been a really really tough week since returning from Sanda.  We have had two kids sick each day since we got back;  mornings and getting those who aren’t sick off to school have been incredibly stressful.  I don’t know why this has been!  Two of our children have had morning meltdowns and insisted that they don’t need to/want to go to school.  And I have not handled these very well!  I haven’t been proud of my own little meltdowns in the midst of these things.  God needs to work in me a lot!  Yesterday I read Genesis 21:7, 8 – the story of Hagar in the desert with her son.  An angel comes to her in her despair and said, “come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand…”  This is a good verse for me!  I need to lift up each of my precious children before the Lord and hold them fast.  I hope that I can find some time to get away in the coming days to just pray over these things, but especially for each of my children who are in need of a mom who holds them up regularly before the Lord.

So my friends – pray for us!  Thanks.