PRESTON’S PRAYER POINTS FOR JANUARY 2009

Happy new year greetings to you all from Spain. We trust that the Christmas season has been a special time for each one, celebrating our Saviour´s birth, and that the new year has begun well. We have just finished a few days break for which we are very thankful. It was good to have time alone to unwind and not get up each morning focussing on work related issues. But today we are back into it and looking forward to what the Lord has for us and the ministry here in Spain in 2009.

POINTS OF PRAISE:

• The arrival and settling in of our newest workers, the Vernon family. They came mid-December and have learnt how slow bureaucracy can be here in Spain! But things are beginning to come together and they are getting more settled in their flat. Pray for this adjustment as their 3 little girls have gone from a house with plenty of space and no neighbours close by, to a flat surrounded by people just a thin wall away! This month two of the girls will begin school and the parents will start the language learning process. Pray for them as they experience all these new things in a new language.
• For the fellowship days the field enjoyed in the north of Spain, in early December. It was a good time to be together and share with one another. Pray for the workers as they start up for the new year after Kings Day on the 6th January. Pray for refreshment and enthusiasm to embrace all that the Lord has in store for each one.
• For a good time over Christmas with workers and friends as well as a few days off at the end of the year. We were able to spend some time reflecting on the past year and setting goals for the new one...a helpful process for Coralie which Steve admirably participated in! Pray for us in these coming months as our lives change significantly with the arrival of our baby late March. We praise God that the pregnancy continues to go well and there is plenty of movement from this little life. Pray for Coralie regarding sleep. She is suffering the common complaint of insomnia for pregnant women!

POINTS OF PRAYER:

• For our coming new workers who are waiting on papers and residence approval. As mentioned previously, bureaucracy is slow here. Steve is getting to know all the government offices in Madrid quite well now! Please pray for wisdom as we learn about new laws related to residencies and visas so that we can see more workers arrive without delay or problems.
• For Steve travelling to London next week for meetings at the WEC International HQ´s. Pray for smooth travel and a productive time. He will also be able to attend the commissioning service of future workers who hope to arrive in February. Pray for Mat and Eluned as they go through the packing, sorting and organising process to leave England. Pray too that their commissioning service will be a special time of confirmation and strong links with their home church.
• For our own church involvement this year as we are decreasing our load with Usera and also hoping to connect a bit more with our friends outside of the mission, something we recognise we didn´t do well last year. During our time of reflection on the year we realised we do need to work at a more balanced life style rather than be totally consumed by work.
• For the effect the economic crisis is having on many of our mission workers as well as our friends here in Spain. Spain´s booming economy based on building has come to a grinding halt, unemployment is at it´s peak and Spain has been one of the hardest hit out of the EU countries with prices rising in most areas. Pray that in the midst of all this we will be able to share about the firm foundations of our own life, built on Jesus.

Thanks for your continued prayers and interest.

With our love,

Steve and Coralie

PRESTON’S PRAYER POINTS FOR DECEMBER (plus their 'Hot off the Prest ...ons here)

The end of the year is upon us and we want to take this opportunity to thank you for your prayerful support of us and the work here over these past 12 months. It is hard to believe another year is nearly over and we trust that during this Christmas season you will be able to spend time remembering and thanking God for the wonderful gift He gave us through His son, Jesus. We will be thinking of many of you, celebrating in the warm weather while we appreciate a very different scenario here in the northern hemisphere!

POINTS OF PRAISE:
- An encouraging time with a member of the Australian WEC leadership team who came for a visit. We appreciated the contact and the input from Dion and of course it helps us to feel more connected with the Australian base as well.

- For the provision of a great flat for our new workers who will arrive on the 17th of this month. With just 5 days to find something suitable, we were wondering if it was possible. However, we thank the Lord for his provision, the last flat that they looked at which was just what they wanted! Please pray for Tom, Christine and their 3 little girls in these final two weeks as they pack up and say goodbye to their friends and family in Scotland. Pray too for wisdom for us as we help them adjust and settle into their new home here in Madrid.

- For the testimony left by our Brazilian friends, Ademir and Miriam, who have now returned to their home country after 3 years of living in Spain. During their time here they lived in the residence and attended the church there which we are also involved in. During this time the Lord really changed their lives and grew their faith and commitment in Him. They will be greatly missed but what a wonderful legacy to take back and share in their own country!

- For a positive 20 week pregnancy scan. All is normal and at this stage the baby is looking fine and healthy. Coralie is also doing well and finding the balance of rest and work a little better than earlier on.

POINTS OF PRAYER:
- For the WEC Spain team as we gather together for our annual 2 day Fellowship Days next weekend. Pray for safety in travel as the weather has not been good with snow covering parts of the north where it is due to be held. Pray too for great encouragement and time to "recharge the batteries" as well as some good weather to get out and appreciate that beautiful part of the country.

- For the DVD project we mentioned last month. We praise God for Lisa, the short termer who came to prepare the script and for her willingness and availability. Much progress has been made and now the finer details are beginning to fall into place. Please continue to pray for the successful completion of this resource as there is a lot to consider and do in the coming months.

- For the Lord´s help in how we go about decreasing our involvement at the Usera church in the new year. Pray for wisdom as we explain this to the leaders and church folk and for their understanding. Our desire is not to abandon them, however we recognise that Steve particularly needs to lighten his load a bit which has become considerably heavier this year. Pray for more workers to fill the gap.

Thanks again for your support and we trust that you have a wonderful celebrtion of this Christmas season.

With love,

Steve and Coralie

PRESTON’S PRAYER POINTS FOR NOVEMBER

Here in the northern hemisphere winter seems to have arrived. Snow has hit the northern areas of Spain and we´re definitely now into the winter wardrobe. However, this doesn´t appear to have slowed down the pace for ministry and life generally for all except Coralie. Her life seems to have found a new and hopefully temporary pace all of its own! We´d love to share with you about the past month and what´s coming up in the future for your prayers. Thanks for joining with us in this.

POINTS OF PRAISE:

• A healthy pregnancy to date. We were quite overwhelmed and so encouraged to hear from many of you after last month´s news. Thanks for your support and prayers. At the end of 18 weeks things appear to be fine with a 20 week scan coming up in a couple of weeks time. Coralie is constantly tired although we understand that this isn´t too abnormal. But she has had a hard time adjusting to a changed lifestyle and is slowly accepting that she is not able to be involved in everything she would like to!
• For safety for Steve this month as he has travelled up to the north, to the Basque Country, to meet with team members there, and also to the WEC International HQ in London as part of an organising committee for a big international conference in 2010. Both trips were very profitable times of connecting and encouragement, as well as fruitful in terms of the way forward.
• For some good times over this past month with friends. We mentioned last time that we had been so focussed on dealing with team things that we had hardly connected with friends outside of the mission. This past month it has been good to spend some quality time with friends, both new and old, getting to know one anther on a deeper level.

POINTS OF PRAYER:

• For the WEC Spain team as they minister in their respective areas. Over these next two months we will be coming together for both a prayer day and our annual 2 day Fellowship Days. Pray for the preparation involved and also that it will be an encouragement to spur one another on in our goal of seeing God´s Kingdom grow in Spain. Pray for safety in travel for the Fellowship Days as it will be held in the north this year as one of the teams takes responsibility for it.
• For the arrival of Tom, Christine and their 3 little girls who will be joining the field from Scotland towards the end of this year. Tom arrives for a week on Monday to try and find accommodation. Please pray for a smooth transition and the availability of the right flat in the right area.
• For our current short termer Lisa who is here from the States. She has come with the task of preparing a script so that we as a field can produce a promotional DVD. She has been travelling around to the different regions and has been a great encouragement to us. Pray for her as she develops the material over this month and puts everything on computer. This has been a long desired project of WEC Spain for some years so please pray that there will be no further obstacles as we look to see it finished in the new year.
• For Steve´s involvement in the 2 churches and also preaching engagements he has in other places. These crop up fairly frequently so pray for him as he regularly prepares his messages, for freshness and inspiration from the Lord as to the appropriate message for each place and situation.

Thanks again for being involved in our lives and the work here, as well as the contact we´ve had with many of you. We always enjoy catching up on your news as well.

With love,

Steve and Coralie