Dearest Friends,
Ireland
On Tuesday, August 7th, our team leaves for Ireland. Please hold us in your prayers. I have a wonderful team of young people going with me, but none of them are regular team members. They have great hearts and my prayer is that the Lord will give them great skills equal to their willingness to serve. We are all very excited to see what the Lord will do in and through us. Please pray for Colleen, Anna, Sara, Sam, and myself. We all want to see many children hear about Jesus and how He loves them!
Philadelphia
This is a wonderful story that happened as we were traveling this summer. There were too many stories to tell. God showed us His faithfulness across thousands of miles of driving through 10 states. One of our favorite adventures took place in a park in inner city Philadelphia. WE were working with a sweet pastor named Andy Kim and 8th Street Community Church. Andy is good at working with other believers and gathered many different groups of children and young people in the park. They listened so well. All of us could feel the power of God’s spirit surrounding us. This area is not the best part of town, but we all knew that the Father’s love surrounded all those kids and youth as they listened to the story of David and Goliath. I told them that there was no problem that was too big for God!They live in a place where they need to trust in God’s great power to deliver them from the evil that walks ther neighborhood. Please pray for our friends in this place and for all those who trusted in Jesus to have big faith!
Georgia
On Saturday, I traveled to Augusta so that I could see old friends and speak at their church on Sunday. I gave a mission report in both services and shared with all the Sunday School classes. I was by myslf and I really missed the puppet team. I was so blessed asDanny McGill, the pastor recalled the first time that he met us, more than 22 years ago. He remembered how Mike and I asked him to pray with Josh, Matt, Jeremy, and Jeremy because they wanted to start a puppet ministry.He told his congregation that he thought at the time nothing much would come of it, but he prayed anyway. After all, he thought, what could 4 little boys do for Jesus.I love an honest man! The Lord surprised all of us!He shared how those times we all spent together changed his life. Praise God! He also told funny stories about me and a large watergun. He said I had a great aim, but that is all I will say about that.
The church responded very enthusiastically to the puppet ministry and really blessed me. However, it was something Danny said that was the greater blessing. He spoke about Mike and how everyone could see that he was crazy in love with me. It was very sweet to hear these stories as our 39th wedding anniversary was last Friday. His memories comforted me and reminded me once again that being loved well makes you strong. God is so good!
Massachusttts
Our last show of the summer was at a Congregationalist church that lovinly supports the puppet ministry.Over the last 3 years, they have been so kind to us and it was very sweet to spend Sunday with them. We had a wonderful time. One little girl came up to me and said in a very grown-up way, "You have changed my life and how I think about Jesus". It thrilled all of us to hear that we had been used by the Father to be a blessing in her life. Please pray for these friends that their church will be a blessing to their community as they have blessed us.
In Jesus, Linda for the Summer team and the Ireland team