Dear Friends & Family,
We are truly thankful for your ongoing prayer support and financial partnership in the gospel! We are praying for you that the Lord would meet with you and with us as we prepare to celebrate His birth.
We recently had a Christmas Outreach with a Children's Nativity Play, a 'Christingle' Gospel Presentation, and then a veg curry meal. Pray for the Lord to work in the hearts of those who were there.
Please pray along these lines from 2 Cor 2:9b-11 which jumped out at us a few days ago: "But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."
Pray also along the lines of Isaiah 51:3 which also jumped out at us recently: “The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.”
Please join us in thanking God for some great opportunities in recent weeks - fruitful street outreach, a ladies’ craft night, a Thanksgiving outreach meal, lots of little gospel conversations.
We are thankful for our teammates that we have the privilege of serving alongside. Our team has been experiencing lots of sickness, so please pray for healing and refreshment.
Please keep praying for the church plant for 1) the Lord to raise up younger leaders to replace the original core group who has started to retire and 2) for people to come to Christ through the many ongoing outreach opportunities. These are always ongoing prayer requests!
FAMILY/PERSONAL CORNER:
**Malachi came back from university for Christmas break a few days ago and so nice to have the five of us under one roof for a few weeks. Please join us in praying for some good family times of encouragement while he is back.
We are asking for the Spirit to refresh us and give us energy and his presence even amidst a lot of things on the "to do" list over the next days. We need grace and encouragement in the midst of all of this. Pray that we would have times to stop and just simply enjoy His presence.
Please be praying for Jenn's Mum as she experiences some ongoing health issues and for her Dad as he is on the front line of care. Pray for the Lord's provision in various ways both short term and longer term.
With love in Jesus,
Matt for the Irvines
(from the 17 December 2022 update, edited by Joan Beinetti)