Preaching in Spanish

hey everyone, how are you? i'm preaching in spanish for the first time in my life tomorrow, so if you could pray for me it would be swell. 11am EST.

say, if you don't have a prayer journal, you should keep one! this week evan bambrick (the oldest of the three boys whose family came to the evangelistic meetings and some of the last ARISE classes) showed me that i really needed to get back into mine. (by the way, for those who remember him, he gave his heart to God in this last month!! He's oN FiRe!!) I basically write what i read and learn in my devotions, what's happening, what/who i'm praying for, and how God is leading in my life. it's really great to keep yourself accountable to God, and it's really important for later on to see how God is truly active in your life. i hope you're all doing well! God be with you! don't forget His promises!

-David Fernandez

Psalm 32:8- "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

Prayer request

I also have a prayer request - Satan really seems to be attacking the members of our team at the moment - there have been muggings, road accidents and other issues both physical and spiritual to deal with, and we really need God's protection and strength.

Miracle in the middle of the street

I looked up from preparing supper out my open door, wondering why on earth there were so many people congregating the middle of the main road.
"Hey, I think something's wrong!" I called to one of my housemates. I could already see two other members of our team jogging over to join the group, so I sprinted out into the warm evening air - and my stomach almost flipped at what I saw. A man lay sprawled awkwardly in the middle of the street next to a motorbike, a puddle of blood around his head, his mouth slightly open and his eyes shut. "I think he's dead," my team mate Dan (names changed) said as I came up to him. "I think so too," I replied. "It looks like his neck is broken." From what we could pick up from the other people, they agreed with us.
Another team mate, Brianna, bent over the man to check his pulse. "I think...I think maybe he's still alive...I can hardly feel a pulse though..." she called. The accident victim didn't stir as she touched him, and individually we three started to pray: "Lord, return this man's spirit to him! Lord, please don't let this man die."
Brianna reached out and touched the man again - and he twitched, and opened one eye. Then he began to close it again. "God, please no!" And this time, the man twitched again, lifted his head and tried to sit up! A collective gasp went around the circle of onlookers.
"Someone tell him to stay down," Brianna instructed. "Lynette, go get my first aid kit." She treated his wounds, sticky with blood, while I tried to sort through what had happened! Silently I praised God for returning life to the man... He had answered our prayers with an amazing miracle! Truly, there is power in prayer!

How God leads - just wonderful! :)

Hey siblings,
how are you doing? I'm praying for you and hope we will all see again soon - hopefully united in heaven, at Jesus side!!


I had an awesome day yesterday. There is this lady, Gudrun, we had one bible study together like 2 months ago or so, called me yesterday and asked me to come over because she wanted to introduce me to someone.. so I went there, and there was this girl, Sarah from Kenia, and she is Gudrun's sister's Au Pair (nanny) :) A really nice young lady, 24 years old.. so we started talking (english - yesss) and pretty soon I told her about ARISE and I told her about the Bible and what we studied. And then she asked me: Do you know for sure that you are saved? wow, it was so amazing, she is reading her Bible every day and memorizing verses, praying (and the family she is in is atheist!!) and yeah, she really misses going to church, cause she hasn't found one yet. so I told her about our church and invited her and - by god's grace - she'll come in 2 weeks. cause this weekend i'm not here..
I'm still so excited, we want to study now and meet every week (english bible studies *praisegod*) and pray together, sing and just get to know each other a little more..

Isn't it wonderful how god leads? I love working for him.

And at night I went to a faaaaraway town, cause one of my friends asked me to present the books there (the 10!!) and both of his friends took them, so I earned quite a lot yesterday - praise God, I really needed it..

God is working in our lives, ARISErs. He is in control - always and every day. TRUST him!!
Please keep Sarah in your prayers,
love you all
God bless

Prayer Request

Tomorrow starts my first evangelistic series. Please keep me in your prayers. I'm tempted to be anxious. Thanks ahead of times.

-Ben J. Man

Lessons in Manure

"God, why don't you just kill me?!" he shouted through his tears, "This isn't fair. Just kill me!"

The 16-year-old boy leaned in pain over the broken wheel barrel full of manure. He was tired by a chain of consequences for his own actions. He was the one who played instead of working. He was the one who put the prong of the pitchfork into the wheel barrel tire. And he was the one who now had to finish moving all the manure with the broken wheel barrel before he could eat supper. He had tried time and time again to pull it, but all his efforts were to no avail. More often than not, the wheel barrel would tip over and he'd have to begin his task again. Dragging the wheel barrel along was literally back-breaking work. His frustration led him to verbally express a desire to cease to be in the land of the living.

I called his name. I walked to where he was and looked into his tear-filled eyes. "Can you do this alone?" I asked.
"No! I can't!" He cried out.
"Then why don't you admit that you can't do it and ask for help?"
"Because I don't think anyone would help me."
"You'd be surprised if you asked."
He paused for a moment and then asked, "Would you help me?"

Without a word I took hold of the wheel barrel full of manure and dragged it to the far end of the garden. By the time I'd gotten there my back was asking me, "Why are you doing this? This isn't your problem." True. It wasn't my problem. But then again it was.

Seeing that I was doing all the work myself, and perhaps feeling a little guilty that he was doing nothing he said, "Maybe we can carry it." We returned again to the manure pile and filled it again. I took hold of the handles and he took hold of the wheel as we started towards the garden again. Within 25 paces he dropped his end and cried out, "I can't do this! It hurts too much."

Without a word I walked to the other side of the wheel barrel and picked up his side so he could have the lighter end of the load. Again, this time more swiftly, my back questioned, "Why are you doing this? This really isn't your problem!" Then my mind began to more clearly see what I was being Jesus and this boy was being me. Now I knew I couldn't quit, no matter the cost.

Time and time again we made the tedious trip to and from the garden. Each time my bodily agony grew stronger as my muscles grew weaker and my prayers for divine help grew more fervent. And then at last the final trip was made. I looked at my hands that had so eagerly awaited supper. They were covered in manure. My once clean jacket had fared even worse. My body ached, and I feebly attempted to straighten myself from the deformed posture to which I had accustomed myself.

The boy walked away to eat his supper, apparently unmoved by my act of benevolence. He never said thank you. I was tempted to feel outraged, but then I thought of the Son of God who came down from a kingdom of indescribable glory to help resolve a problem He didn't create. He endured all the abhorred, filthy elements of this world to save me. And after He'd carried my burden, and after He'd been covered in a different manure, I walked away unmoved by His act of benevolence. And I'm the one who didn't say thank you. The story repeats itself time and time again as I continue in sin, crucifying Christ afresh--putting Him to an open shame.

Walking away from the garden, I learned the lesson. I can only hope the boy did too.

prayers

Hey guys,

how are you all doing? It's just so good to have something to stay connected with you all and to read what's going on in your lives. I pray for you, my ARISE family, and I really hope we meet again soon... Let's pray that the Lord may come soon, and let's hasten his coming by working more and more and staying focused..
Please (really selfish) pray also for me, I'm not quite sure if I should stay here as a literature evangelist or go abroad again, I'm still praying to really see God's will, cause only when we are centered in his will we will be truly satisfied.
Love you all,
God bless
your Austrian sister in Christ =)