lapses in faith?

None of the “heroes of the faith’ described in Hebrews 11 was perfect. They all had lapses in their faith…When we realize our faith is faltering, we need to go back to our Bethel, to our place of commitment, and call on the name of our Lord.

The Christian statement George Muller was a spiritual giant, but this is what he once said about his faith:

“My faith is the same faith which is found in every believer. It has been increased little by little for the last 26 years. Many times when I could have gone insane from worry, I was at peace because my soul believed the truth of God’s promises. God’s word, together with the whole character of God, as He has revealed Himself, settles all questions, His unchangeable love and His infinite wisdom calmed me. I knew, ‘God is able and willing to deliver me.’ [Romans 8:32].”

~ Dr. David Jeremiah

Prayer Requests

Hello all! I hope you had a wonderful Easter. I celebrated with 9 others by having a potluck lunch and sharing how God has been ‘real’ to us the past few years. Also, what made my day was when I had the opportunity to sing the Hallelujah Chorus up front at church. I just wanted to share with you a few things you can be praying about:

1) There is a kid in my class that could use prayer. His name is Hamin. He needs a change of heart. He’s been bullying some of the others kids and thinks that if he says he’s sorry that he can do anything he wants. I hope I can guide and direct him, but more importantly I pray he will see for himself that he shouldn’t be treating others like he does. He’s a smart kid and when motivated and focused does awesome in reading and writing. He also helped illustrate a book we made as a class. Pray I can work with his parents and that we will start seeing a change.

2) We just elected a new field director for First Love here in the Philippines (the previous was someone serving as an interim field director). We (all the First Love missionaries here) are also going to start meeting together once a month to share what we’ve been doing in our ministries and to encourage each other. I’m hoping this will help us to grow to be more of a team and that I may hear of opportunities to help the other First Love missionaries occasionally with their work.

3) Pray that God would raise the support I need for next year, whether it’s through a renewal of the monthly commitments I have this year, or God bringing about others to support my ministry here.

Well, thanks for your prayers,

Betsy

Hello!

I wanted to let you know how I’m doing and what’s been going on lately.

This past week has been a little stressful. My kids and I were preparing to present in chapel yesterday, the 7^th. Our theme was dependability and how we can be dependable to others: our parents, our teachers, and God. As I was thinking about the different stories we could tell from the Old Testament, Hebrews 11 came to mind. I used that chapter as my overarching theme.

 

It is through having faith in God and doing what he asks us to do, that we can be dependable servants of Christ.

 

“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household” ….

 

“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going” ….

 

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they marched around it for seven days”…

 

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets.” Hebrews 11:7, 8, 30, 32

We had a skit to tell the story of Noah and Samuel, then sang “Arky, Arky”, “Father Abraham”, and “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho”. It was a lot of fun, but stressful because at the last minute my best actor was not able to be there for chapel. So the day before chapel I had to teach his lines to another little boy. Which, on the day of chapel I had to feed him his lines, but he was cute. Another boy had a high fever the day before chapel (he was narrator), but he came for chapel the next day after all. I’ll have to post pictures when I have them.

 

I’ve been thinking more and more about coming back to the Philippines next year. After praying about it and talking to my parents and others, I’m feeling more and more at peace at coming back next year. I feel God would have me here again next year. I definitely found a place in ministry here – that’s my life here. I’m growing a lot spiritually, in my teaching, as an adult (in living away from home and doing my own cooking, etc.). This has just been a great experience. I love how I’m using my ability to help the missionary community and how I can be involved here. Also, I think it would be wise to do my second year of teaching in the same place instead of going somewhere else and having to start all over again.

 

I want to commit to another year of teaching here at Faith Academy. After my second year, my plan is to return home to the states. In order to teach here another year, I want to ask you all to commit to supporting me for another year here. Please start thinking and praying about it.

 

“For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You.”

1 Chronicles 29:14

 

God bless,

 

Betsy