summer of prayer, week three

Thank you for your prayers this week! Here's the update:

(1) I had the date wrong on the publisher's meeting :-) It was Wednesday and we haven't heard back yet. Please keep praying.
(2) The anonymous Bible study and journal go to print Tuesday!! Joel and I completed the first round of edits on the DVDs as well. Thank you for praying.
(3) Jona had an INCREDIBLE day at kid's college. It was amazing.

And a few new requests for this week:

(1) Please pray for Bear and two speaking commitments this week regarding re-entry training and networking for third-culture college students.
(2) Jona did great at kid's college but overall he is struggling in a new way with impulsivity. He even says, "Mom, I don't want to make bad choices. Why do I keep making them? Is it my brain? I feel so badly afterwards." Please pray for our precious son.
(3) Please pray over a few decisions being made by publishers and churches this week--that Father would grant favor in accordance with his will.
(4) Dear Cherri (my events manager) heads out to Colorado this week for her daughter's wedding!!! Please pray for safe travels, smooth details, and great joy.
(5) In case I don't get to blogging in time, on Monday July 7th, we take Louie in for a speech evaluation. Little buddy only has 1-2 words at 18 months. We would appreciate your prayers.

new series, summer of prayer--week two

Thank you so much for your prayers last week! The process of walking through the car accident has been very smooth. The bible study is nearing completion. And the weekend of ministry at UPBC was an absolute delight!

For this week I would appreciate your prayers for the following:

1. Today a publishing house meets to consider a proposal from one of their departments that would like for me to write a devotional for an organization. Please pray for favor in accordance with God's will.

2. This week the anonymous: Jesus' hidden years and yours bible study text and design will be finalized. Please pray for eagle eyes for editing Also, I will begin working with JoelT Media on editing for the anonymous dvd accompaniment! We were blessed to have an excellent team (The Broadcast Group) video-taping the ministry time at UPBC so I came home with all their tapes.

3. Please pray for our dear Jonathan this Thursday. He is enrolled in a "kid's college" class on animation. He's so thrilled but he has really been struggling in group contexts recently. Please pray for peace to rest on him and that he would be able to hear and learn. Listening in a group is truly a challenge for him.

new series, summer of prayer

Though I had intended to begin a mentoring series on, well, mentoring, I'd like to pause on that subject for a few months and instead take the next 8 weeks to invite you to partner in prayer with me over a few very specific issues.

Each week through mid-August, I'll update this blog with new requests. The summer is more full than usual for the Chole tribe and we REALLY could use your prayer support.

Specifically for this week, I would treasure your prayers for the following:

1. A dear woman ran a red Thursday and we "T-boned" her in the intersection. The kids are--thank God--fine. The car is toast. My back is somewhere in between. Bless her (I mean that sincerely), she confessed freely to the policeman so we don't have to wade through all the mess that sometimes accompanies accidents. Please ask God to encourage her and bless her 100-fold for telling the truth. Please pray for wisdom as we decide on a vehicle. Our car was 10 years old but ran great and was our primary vehicle.

2. THIS WEEK I need to finish writing the Anonymous: Jesus' hidden years and yours bible study. Pray that I think and write like the wind. Please pray for Kate as she designs like the wind as well.

3. On Friday Christie and I fly to Charlotte, NC to speak at a wonderful church on Anonymous. They are taping and are willing to give us permission to use the video to edit into a DVD accompaniment for Anonymous! Please pray for all the details from sound to taping to powerpoint. And please pray for me to be able to focus on the dear people and truly minister to them.

Thank you friends.

rest, part eight

8. when there is no rest

We have just returned from a 15 day family vacation road trip. My entries about rest ended the day we started packing :-). For the last two weeks, we have enjoyed long van rides, sardine-like sleeping conditions in hotels in between my snoring hubby and mom, the constant monitoring of baby Louie in not-so-kid friendly environments, the noise of big cities, the crowds of theme parks...you get the picture.

Rest? Not so much. Even my normal "sanctuary" of the bathroom was rarely uninterrupted! But in these crowded spaces of life, I attempt to rest internally by "doing every little thing for the love of God" as Brother Lawrence would say. Most of the time I'm simply strategizing how I'm going to clean Louie's last pacifier, but every now and then I remember that God is still profoundly WITH me and I exert energy to think with Him.

Sometimes I Scripture pray in those spaces. Sometimes I simply sigh and say thank-you. But I attempt to quiet my distracted mind and remember His nearness, His love, His attention. Those moments are like thick raindrops on my soul--refreshing and, yes, even restful.