Aug. 16, 2022 — The Irvines

“Brethren, do pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may speed on (spread rapidly and run its course) and be glorified (extolled) and triumph, even as it has done with you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1 AMP 

Thank you for your prayers. 

Please continue to pray for those who heard the gospel in various ways during LEAP (London Evangelism and Prayer) week and through other recent outreach encounters we've had. Pray that the gospel would run rapidly in their lives and ours. Praise God that our oldest two kids had finished exams and were off school, and chose to get involved in LEAP week along with a couple of their high school friends who are believers. 

It was personally renewing for me and our team to reflect on the centrality of prayer in evangelism, our weakness in both, and the Lord's grace in helping us in our weakness.

After doing a teaching on a "basic gospel outline" as part of the training we were giving, I actually had the chance to walk through this more complete gospel summary with several people on the street. Sometimes we get to have brief conversations, but this kind of more complete conversation doesn't happen all of the time. 

Please continue to pray for us, that the Lord would continue to align our hearts/vision with King Jesus' heart/vision, that we would continue to sense our weakness in and need for prayer, boldness in witness, and hearts full of faith, and that the Lord would continue to renew us in prayer, in witness, in faith. We need the Lord to pour his Spirit into our hearts more and more. 

Pray for healing for those who are struggling with health challenges and peace for those struggling with family tension challenges in our midst.

Pray for our team that the Lord would encourage and minister to each of us where we have needs and would renew us and provide for us.

Pray for our youngest, Luke (12). He just finished year 7 (i.e., USA 6th grade). Long story, but the school he is in seems to be struggling to deal with the classroom behaviors of many students. Luke is discouraged as he watches this and we feel like educationally it would be a good thing to move to another school to which we've applied recently. However, he is 11th on the waitlist. If this would be a good thing, pray for the Lord to open the door very soon, even by the beginning of school in September. If this isn't the right thing, please pray for the Lord to provide for him where he is.

Please pray for our family to have some moments of good healthy family bonding and rest and enjoyment as we prepare to send Malachi off to a yet-to-be-decided next step later in September. 

"The whole idea of prayer is that we call on the name of the invisible God. To come in prayer is to abandon everything, to claim God's promises, and to know God, not to know what we have to bring ... when you pray you stand on holy ground, and God alone has a right to set the terms of that meeting." The Pastor-Evangelist (ed. Greenway), p. 39  

So grateful for you.
Matt