


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