The other side of prayer

I’ve always loved the verse about Enoch in Genesis 5:24: “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Years ago, this verse spurred me on to begin literally walking with God. I think I’ve mastered the ability to read Scripture while walking without any major spills to date. About eight months ago, I was walking with God, reading Scripture and thinking about some of our family needs. At that time, it was very clear to us that Kira was wilting from anxiety and burdened with her school situation. Sharon and I were convinced that Black Forrest Christian Academy would be a place where she may find the best hope of reviving through the strong support from a Christian school and community. But there was one BIG problem. For us, It was a shockingly large amount of money that made things continue to feel impossible.

As I continued to walk and read through my yearly Bible reading plan, I came to 2 Chronicles 25. I began reading the story of Amaziah who had just spent a serious amount of money to hire 100,000 mighty men of Israel to join him in battle. Then God sends word to Amaziah that he not allow Israel to go with him in battle. Amaziah is thinking, “I just spent a bucket load of money to hire Israel. This makes no sense!” Actually Scripture records Amaziah saying, “What shall we do about the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?” Then God, on that long walk, brought encouragement to my spirit as I continued reading: “The man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.” The Spirit reminded me in that moment of the lavish generosity of God. He reminded me that God has all the resources needed to provide much more than we ask or imagine for Kira’s need. Like Mary, I treasured up these words and pondered them in my heart. “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”

A few months later, we were blessed to be back in the US with many of you sharing life, sharing stories of God’s work in Hungary and also sharing our need for Kira. We were months into our furlough and we still had not made a final decision as to whether we would move ahead with sending Kira to Black Forrest. We just didn’t have enough. Sharon had it in her mind that if we were able to reach 50% then we should go ahead, but God challenged her thinking one day while she was worshiping at BVBC. He encouraged her to step out in faith in His presence and power to provide instead of basing her trust in a certain amount of money being raised. After sharing with me what had happened, we decided to move forward while I continued to remember: “The Lord is able to give you much more.” Today, we are on the other side of those prayer requests. We are looking back with awe and thanksgiving, that God truly provided for Kira with amazing generosity through many of you! It is such a joy to be ‘on the other side’ of a prayer request, but the potential for faith to grow happens before reaching ‘the other side’. We are still praying and asking God for things that are impossible and wait with hope that these requests will also one day become praise and thanksgiving to God who answered by giving more than we could even ask or imagine.

As our church in Hungary enters into the season of Advent, I recently preached on the life of Elizabeth and Zechariah. This couple, that God declared to be righteous had grown old together without receiving a desire of their hearts to have their own child. I wonder how many years they prayed and waited and there was no answer while their neighbors and friends with whom they grew up with had homes bustling with children. They remained faithful to God not allowing this unfilled desire to move them away, but rather they pressed in all the more to love God. And little did Zechariah know that one day in his old age, he would enter the tent to fulfill his priestly duty and be on the “other side” of his prayer. “For your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” (Luke 1:13) There is great joy in being on the “other side” and seeing the generosity and power of God bring amazing answers. But there is also amazing work happening in our hearts in the time of waiting and praying. This is God’s greenhouse where faith has the most opportunity to grow!


Above: Kira was able to come home for a few days on break after adjusting to student life at Black Forest Christian Academy in Germany. Thank all of you that generously provided. We have already seen tremendous change academically (A's and B's), emotionally (good friendships and supportive teachers), physically (she's on the basketball team) and spiritually (she's planning on going on a summer missions trip to Kenya!).

Immanuel

Even with Hungary’s inflation and energy restrictions, Christmas season comes with houses covered with colorful lights and decorations. It seems as if these decorations go up earlier and earlier each year, as people seek to extend the beautiful environment and good feeling of Christmas. At the same time, I am reminded that this is a season of great difficulty and trials and all the lights and Christmas decorations cannot wipe away the pain and grief that many are experiencing today. In our own congregation, one elderly woman remembers the year anniversary of her son passing away after years of alcoholism and drug use. I know wives in our church that are suffering as they see their husbands destroyed by alcoholism. Another church member has just found out that she has a cancerous tumor that cannot be removed. And one of our oldest members, Gizi (pictured below) is commuting from her retirement home by bus to visit her husband in the hospital who is in his last days suffering dementia.



Gizi shared the following testimony recently: “Misi and I have spent 48 years together, and yet he is now in such a condition that he doesn’t even recognize me. When I am there at the hospital with him, he calls my name. And when I touch his face or shave his face, he begins rejecting me because he thinks I am a nurse at the hospital. After pushing my hand away again and again, he calls out my name. His eyes are open looking at me, but he cannot see that it is me. After leaving and waiting for the bus, I began thinking. This is the way I am, and many of us are with God. When He comes calling to us, or to lay His hand on our face, we turn away or push away His hand, His helping hand, because we don’t know who He is. We hear His voice. He speaks. Yet, we still don’t recognize that He is with us. It was as if God was saying to me, ‘Was it hard for you to experience your husband pushing away your hand and even cursing you and rejecting you. You do not recognize that I am speaking to you and that I am here with you. Do not fear.’ Every day God is with us. I feel I have been called to serve wherever God has placed me. Right now, I do that by helping people every day with sewing things for people at the retirement home. My eyes are really bad and even with my glasses I can’t see the end of the string or the eye of the needle. Time and time again, I say to God, ‘Lord, I can’t see the end of this string or the eye of this needle, but if we do this together, then I can put this through.’ And I push it through on the first try! God is there with us in the little things and the big things, but we often don’t recognize His voice." — Gizi

This is our hope in the midst of groaning in this world. Our God is with us in the little and the big things! Our God’s hand is present. Yes, the Christmas lights and decorations do bring a bit of cheer, but they will never be able to wipe away the tears of deep grief. But we know the day comes when ‘Immanuel’ will do just that!

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” — Revelation 21:3-4

Jesus: Let the little children come to me!

Emese (above) is one of the children that God gave us the privilege to share the Gospel with through puppet ministry and VBS camps. Unfortunately, we lost contact with her after her family had moved two hours away. Time passed and just recently, Emese, now a teen, reached out to our church asking if she could attend worship service. What a joy to see the seeds of the Gospel flourishing in her life. It was not family or friends that convinced her to come to worship service, but a desire that God put within her to get up early and find a way to commute.



After weeks of attending, Emese now a teen (Pictured with teammate Heidi above) shared with me this past Sunday that she would like to be baptized! God is raising up a new generation to glorify His name and continuing to use children’s ministry to direct them to Jesus Christ.

Above: Last week's puppet practice in our basement

Starting this Wednesday, we begin our Christmas Puppet Outreach where we’ll be visiting 28 public schools and sharing the gospel with over 2000 kids and many teachers. Would you partner with us by praying for this ministry with the hope that there will be many more like Emese who turn to Jesus to become children of God? I’ve created a prayer guide that you, your family or your small group can use as a guide to pray. You can download it here: Christmas Puppet Prayer Guide

Family News

Above: With Kira and Ellie no longer living at home, We are thankful for the ability to connect through video. Ziva has done well transitioning to being an only child at home, but still misses her sisters. Ellie is doing well in the big city, has found a local church and is also involved in a drama team. She has developed some good friendships and is enjoying her time at Moody. Thankfully, we'll all be together for Christmas this year. The countdown is on!


Above: Patrik and Anna (the daughter of our church planting partners Miki and Erika).
Our 'extended' family, Patrik and Anna, are expecting a child! This in itself is an answer to prayer as Anna has health issues that have been known to prohibit having children. Please pray for the child's healthy development and for continued direction for this young married couple who loves the Lord.


Above: We were thankful to be able to spend some time with Ben and his girlfriend Niki at a Thanksgiving gathering. Ben is taking a year off of school and continues to live and work in Budapest. Please pray for both Ben and Niki and continued opportunity to share Jesus Christ with them.

Thank you all for your continued support of our family and ministry in Hungary. We are continuing to raise support for a new vehicle and would appreciate any contribution toward this need. Every time we are able to visit the US, we are reminded how great a family we have in Christ. It was a joy to worship together with many of you at BVBC and Bible Fellowship Church! We look forward to seeing what God will do through our partnership together in this new season of life and ministry in Hungary. "The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." — Zeph 3:15, 17