Prayer: IFM North Jan 16th

Today our gathering was short due to various factors, however, it was good to be able to rest in God and seek His heart and wisdom.

As you will see from the links on the IFM blog site there is still desperate need for prayer regarding the people of Ciudad Juarez. The violence continues unabated and we would ask you to pray for Gods hand to hold back the men & women of violence. Please pray that the love of Christ would be paramount in the city and the people of God would be empowered, by the power of the kingdom, to be catalysts and influence's of change. Pray for the IFM team on the border and in Mexico that they would be cocooned in Gods protection.

Other areas we sought Gods wisdom and intervention were:

• For the IFM board as it meets this weekend and part of next week. We would ask for wisdom and insight so that IFM may move forward as God intends.
• Relating to Mark, Candy and family as they are currently in Utah were they are visiting friends and facilitating an IFM training session for the local church. Early next week they will travel back down to Fabens, stopping at Colorado on the way. Pray for safety as they travel, there has been some severe weather over these last few months, it would be great if they could have safe and simple journey back to the border.
• Regarding the IFM North office as it is still being impacted by health issues; continued prayer for health and healing would be appreciated.
• In continued prayer for Grace, that they could obtain additional long term contracts and would garner the required additional staff and financial strength in this current economic environment.
• For the continued needs of the outreach area of IFM as it looks to provide a substitute for Linsey, when she leaves in April. Also that Shirin, Kathy and Linsey would be able to facilitate the upcoming outreaches in timely manner.
  They have been encouraged at the way the process is currently progressing and thank you for your prayers.

Prayer: IFM North Jan 9th

As the North Team gathered for prayer we were struck by the wonderful provision of God over the preceding weeks. There had been very specific financial needs that the Lord met in wonderful and encouraging ways that empowered the team to move into the challenges of 2009.

Therefore, thank you very much for your prayers and provision that has been such a blessing to this ministry.

So as we launch into January 09 we would ask you to join us as we seek Gods creative intervention for the following:

Grace Coach lines have had some significant gifts that have helped it over these last couple of months and we would ask you to pray for:

• Additional support but also that Grace would be able to access consistent ongoing contracts. Grace has various contracts in the coming months but additional work would be helpful.
• The protection of the drivers and all who use the Grace Coaches.
• That there would be technical and mechanical protection for the busses
• Jimmy as he has moved onto another employer. Jimmy has done a great job at Grace and will be missed. It was good working alongside him and we pray that the Lord will give him favour in his new role and that Grace would be able to get someone as good as him. Please also join us in praying for Jimmy’s niece who has glaucoma

With regard to the 09 outreaches please pray for Kathy, Linsey, Shirin and the various volunteers who help IFM. Due to the unique nature of the last six months at IFM there is a lot that these folks are trying to catch up on. Plus Linsey will be completing her time with IFM in April and there needs to be a replacement or replacements incorporated before she leaves.

Some teams are looking at rearranging their outreaches which, possibly, gives an opportunity for others to take up those slots. However, this can also cause an administrational and logistical knot to unravel and as this is alongside the normal administration activity of arranging the confirmed outreaches, please pray for health and well being for the team at IFM.

The IFM team has been significantly impacted by various health issues and a former colleague, Mike Hutchins, is also having some medical tests and we would ask you to pray for Mike, Laurie and the family as well.

Please pray for the board members of IFM and their families:
Kathy recently released an up date and the following is a portion of that communiqué.

“We have great news from Joe's lab results to share with all of you.
We had basic blood work done to see how his systems are faring among which we tested for anemia, any infections still lingering, his ability to absorb nutrition, his liver functions and his pancreatic functions - all of which were dangerously out of whack before. We received two pages of lab results and (drum roll)... everything was within the normal ranges! Our doctor said the results were "amazing" and had improved much more rapidly than one would ever expect. Yay!!!! Thank you all so much for your prayers!!!
We also got the tumor marker test back. This test picks up tumor activity in the bile ducts or pancreas. Normal range for the test is 0-39 or 0-55 depending on what source you read, and it can go into the thousands. Unfortunately it also picks up obstructions so the number can be artificially high b/c of an obstruction like Joe had. Joe has had the test done twice before - the first time was 450 and the second time it was 1000. This time his number was 50!
Such encouraging reports! We are grateful for this gift of greatly improving health from the Lord!!
One of the significant things God has pressed into us during all of this is our dependence upon the Body of Christ. So, please rejoice with us. This is ALL of our celebration! This is definitely a group project :-) We are staying the course and looking to the Lord for all things. We will keep you updated. “

Praise God for his provision and pray that all the families of the leaders of the IFM ministry would be protected and be given the practical, physical and spiritual resources of the Kingdom for the needs that they face.
Pray that wisdom and insight would be given to them as they lead and direct the IFM ministry in 09.

Over the last couple of months Kathy daughter, Greta, has been living with her and helping her, however, on the 11th Jan Greta and her family returned to Scotland. Pray for peace for Kathy, Greta and family as they get used to being apart again; Cameron, Greta & Keith’s son had pains in his leg just before they returned home and we would ask you to pray for him and the rest of the children as they too settle into Scotland after thier adventure in the Colorado.