What sobering days! Witnessing the events of Hurricane Harvey, my mind goes back to this same week in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina also hit the Gulf Coast. The Lord granted the opportunity to be part of the First Baptist Church team that traveled there to help. I’ve never forgotten the horrific devastation, nor the joy of serving with the team, nor how the Lord worked to soften hard hearts. Many were saved. I’ve never forgotten the lesson . . . how desperately we need the Lord’s presence, loving favor, and blessing and how He provided these in answer to prayer over and over again.
What has God been doing these two months in response to your prayers and ours?
1. In July, we held our annual Candidate School. God provided eight new missionary candidates, individuals and couples. It was a joy and privilege to teach eight sessions. Since then we’ve been working with them to complete their requirements, leading to appointment and to launch them on the “deputation trail.” Lord willing and enabling, they will serve in Thailand, Myanmar, Ghana, Uruguay, China, Turkey, and Kenya. God is still calling, and men are still responding!
2. That same week we helped with the annual Youth Conference at First Baptist Church. God answered months of prayer and led over 150 churches to send teenagers (30 churches for the first time), and attendance was up by over 290. The final evening, the altars were flooded. God still convicts, and teens still make life-changing decisions!
3. In August, we helped with Vacation Bible School, and once again God answered prayer, with great attendance and receptive hearts. Each day someone would give their testimony, and then the children who expressed interest were directed to our group of workers to thoroughly and patiently present the Gospel to them. During the three days, I was privileged to lead eight to Christ. People still respond to the Gospel and get saved if we tell them!
4. Later that week I was invited to visit Agapé Boarding School in Missouri to preach in chapel. God directed to a message that addressed a situation that was unknown to me. Many responded. Broken and wounded hearts still respond to the preaching of God’s Word!
5. Our annual FBMI Leadership Retreat soon followed. God blessed with direction and vison for the year to come. God still renews, leads, and unifies His servants for the work at hand!
Please continue to pray . . .
1. For complete healing from the fracture and for continued health and effectiveness.
2. For discernment and direction as we minister to hurting missionaries, physically and otherwise.
3. For journey mercies and Spirit filling for the missions conferences this fall.
4. For God’s direction with regard to which missionaries to visit next on the field.
5. For God’s provision for the Continuing Medical Education renewal and other expenses.
That all might hear, everywhere,
Dan and Lana Siemer