Dear Friends, Family, and Prayer Supporters –
The time since our last prayer letter has not been very easy for Paula and me. We had been sailing right along getting our house ready for the property manager to come and take pictures. We had been doing the usual things like changing address, stopping our mail, setting up with the utilities to have them shut off, packing and repacking our suitcases . . .
On Thursday of last week, our mentor for our time at the Apprentice Learning Center in Germany called. Our 45 minute conversation was great until the last few moments. David told us that he had some difficult news to deliver to us: we could not bring our two beloved 12 year old poodles, Pancho and Salsa, to Germany with us. Only by the strength of the Holy Spirit were we able to get through the next few days. And God was in it with us.
On Wednesday, Paula went to see our dentist because she had chipped one of her crowns. The crown wasn’t just chipped it had failed structurally and needed to be replaced in the few days remaining before we got to ILC. In my last Prayer/News Letter, I asked: "Pray for us that we will seek and see more "Divine Coincidences" as we are getting ready to go to the International Learning Center (ILC)." Paula will have her crown replaced before we leave for ILC! Once again God has His fingerprints all over the circumstances.
Over the past 14 days, we have learned the practical side of GOD IS GOOD all the time, NO MATTER WHAT! God’s timing is perfect and He is worthy of our praise, even when we are in the midst of spiritual warfare.
Pray for us as we are commissioned by our home church, First Baptist Church,
Copperas Cove, TX this Sunday, July 19;
Ray and Paula MilburnPray for us as we drive out to the ILC. We will leave on Thursday, July 23 as soon as Paula is done at the dentist;
Pray for us as we will be part of the more than 260 adults and 115 children for training at the international learning center for field personnel orientation from July 27 through September 24 and for our travel arrangements to Germany immediately following our time at the ILC
Pray for my friend LT COL Tim Karcher. Tim is still at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. There is still a long way to go for both he and his wife, Alesia. Read the latest update: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/timkarcher
I challenge each of you to Pray that our hearts will become right before the Lord regarding reaching the lost of this world. I read recently that only 2.5 percent (not quite $3 Billion) of all of the money collected by Southern Baptists last year (almost $12 BILLION) went toward supporting reaching a lost world for Jesus Christ through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program.
Jeremiah 29:11-14 I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. "When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen."When you come looking for me, you'll find me. I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."
What a beautiful letter of God's mercy...His grace and His perfect timing. I am so sorry about your dogs....praying for a place for them to go. (You WOULD have a dog named Salsa!)
ReplyDeletePraying for Paula's tooth and that she will bounce right back. Funny that we leave on the same day.....love you guys!