Praying for the Middle East...

We're reaching the last few weeks of our Perspectives class this semester, and it's been quite the ride! Thanks for those of you who continue to join in prayer each week. It's been such a neat investment with you all.

I ran across a prayer tool via CNN that I thought was well worth sharing if you're not totally current (like me) on what's going on across the Middle East and Northern Africa. I'd encourage you, as you're talking to people about their term papers and learning more about global issues to share this resource.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/world/arab-unrest/index.html

Please keep praying for the remaining classes, encouraging people to join us to visit and see what Perspectives is all about, and pray about being involved in coordinating future classes.

Thanks again for all the effort and time you've spent in prayer!

So far...

We've had some wonderful evenings together with powerful speakers, heartfelt moments and some transformative bible teaching. Praising God for what he's doing to refresh and teach us ALL through Perspectives.

Please continue praying for the Spirit to continue showing up and reaching us right where we are. Please pray for the speakers, the students, and those on the coordinating teams. Pray that as we learn and as hearts are stirred that God would show us individually where He wants us in this great calling to proclaim His glory!

Last night, Mike Dworak showed this video of dancing around the world. Although it's not a Christian perspective, it shows with a fun twist the worship of many cultures... and makes me so excited for worship in heaven with so much variety!

Matt Dance Around the World. Nice ! - Click here for more blooper videos

It's Starting!

Perspectives classes start tonight. Please be prayerful today, and over the next 15 weeks:

• for the first speaker tonight (the first impression!)
• for a big turn out of people prepped and hungry for God
• for a good representation of local area churches
• for humility and organization on behalf of the coordinating team
• for God's Name to ultimately be glorified
• Also, please be praying for Berne's start tomorrow night, and Ft. Wayne and Warsaw starting next week

And again, thanks so much for joining in preparation for the class as we've prayed this fall. Please continue to pray through this semester that hearts are stirred for a greater vision for God's kingdom. Keep tuned for updates posted here periodically throughout the class.

One More...

It's hard to believe that we're less than a month away from starting the Spring semester classes. As we're getting down to the wire, please pray with me for the last minute details, for people's hearts to be stirred as they register, and for the fullness of God to just come and surround this class. I can't wait to see where this semester takes each of us!

We've got one final prayer time reserved @ Hope. Please join me:

Dec 12 (Monday)

7:00 pm @ Hope's prayer room

-Meeting in prayer room for group prayer

-Prayer walk around the building if it's open.

Also, if anyone's asking about registering online for the class, refer them to this link:

http://class.perspectives.org/Class/Class_Home_Page.aspx?ClassId=421066

(The button to register is on the right column)

Please continue sharing about Perspectives and pray for God to direct people to the class!

Blessings,

Amber

Thanksgiving Prayers

We've officially moved into the holiday season with Thanksgiving this week. From here on out, I know things are going to get much crazier all the way around, and before we know it, we'll be in the middle of Perspectives! I'll try and keep this up with prayer requests, and we'll keep up with our monthly prayer times, but I do understand things are officiallygoing to be busy.

Pray with Thanksgiving...

Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise? Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. Remember me, LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise....

Save us, LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "AMEN!" Praise the Lord. - from Psalm 106

Keep Praying...

Keep praying that God's glory would be brought to all Nations, tongues, tribes and peoples. Keep praying that God would provide for this class, and for all in the area this Spring. Keep praying that God would use us as a prayer team, coordinating members, and believers to come together to invite others to learn with us. Keep praying for people to be stirred to take Perspectives. And pray that we'd keep a single-minded focus on the meaning of these holidays as we go through them...

Blessings,

Amber

How do you pray?

As I'm thinking about this coming semester and prayer, I'm always curious as to how people connect the best with corporate prayer. It seems that often people are uncomfortable praying in groups, and for whatever reason, find this time during each class difficult- even stressful. While I hope that Perspectives offers a lot that makes you UNcomfortable, I also want to approach prayer in a way that grows us together. And, I've been thinking...

If you've got a few minutes, think through these questions from a personal level...

• What do you most appreciate/grow through in corporate prayer?
• What did you most enjoy during the prayer times with Perspectives?
• What makes you step out of your comfort zone when praying with other believers? Did Perspectives change any of this? (If so, did something specific foster that change?)
• What stretches you (both good and bad) in both individual and group prayer (in general)?

I'm answering those questions myself honestly, and finding at every turn how God's wanting to challenge me through this whole process. I pray that as we're honest with ourselves that it promotes change in us as we pray. And as always, thanks for joining me in specific prayer for this class.

Comment below with thoughts, or feel free to shoot me an email at amb_live4him@hotmail.com.

And finally, a reminder:

Monday, November 14

7:00 pm

Prayer @ Hope's Prayer Room

Our Hearts Together for Prayer...

"Remember that prayer is not something to do, but someone to talk to.

Prayer stirs faith in us to believe that when we talk to God, He responds."

Well, thanks for being patient on the updates. I know it's hard to remember sometimes to pray for things in an ongoing capacity, but I hope that this prayer blog serves as a good reminder about Perspectives. I know that it's not always on the forefront of my life, and yet... what Perspectives offers is a foundation for a lifestyle change in each of us right where we are. And that's something I hope none of us lose or forget, even as life moves on.

Above all, lets remember WHAT we are doing as we commit to pray for the upcoming Perspectives class. We're not just praying for a full class, or for really powerful speakers. We're praying for the Spirit of God to come and move people in our community to spread the GLORY OF GOD through the world. We're praying in essence, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." We're praying for the families of the world like you see in this picture who haven't heard about this beautiful kingdom that is today, and a better one yet, that is to come. We're praying for ourselves too... that we wouldn't forget the beauty that God has placed in our hearts.

Some upcoming dates:

If you're able, please come to a Perspectives Prayer Strategy Meeting @ LSM's conference room on November 10, 7:00 pm. I want to hear from your hearts about what you think is beneficial and moving in the prayer times at Perspectives. If you've not made it to any of the prayer meetings so far, this one would be really beneficial to have you at so we can look at this spring's class specifically.

Also, we're meeting for our monthly gathering at Hope's Prayer Room on November 14, Monday, at 7:00. Please join us if you can so we can pray for the Spirit to be moving in Bluffton together, remembering that where two or three of are gathered, God's here with us.

Thanks for praying and joining in this vision for Bluffton. Praising God with you for the work He's already done.

Amber