Daily Family

Just checking in

2011-09-21T19:46:00.001+02:00

Dear Todd,

We're on for Friday afternoon, right?

Dave T.

Daily Update

2011-05-04T18:59:00.001+02:00

God is answering prayers! Thanks for bringing these items before the throne.

1. Erica has a summer job lined up in food services at FBBC – and a place to live.

2. Chris has a job option that looks like it will work – and a place to live.

3. Dawn is down to just one chiropractic adjustment per week.

At the beginning of next week, David and I will be heading to Schaumburg, IL with a work team from First Baptist in Creston to help with a church building project. It will be a great time of fellowship with the men and also an opportunity to “pay back” for all the groups that have come to help us with church building projects. It will be different to be on the other side of the work project, but I’m really looking forward to it. Dawn is going to California at the end of the week for a niece’s wedding.

Keep praying daily for the Dailys! Pray that we’ll make wise choices for our time, energy and other resources. Pray that we’ll spend time in the Word so that we can understand who God is and what He wants us to do. I’ve been reading the life of David and seeing his patience in waiting on God to place him on the throne of Israel. He didn’t try to rush God by killing Saul or creating an uprising with his followers. Instead he learned a lot about God in the time of waiting and struggles.

Erica and Chris are coming home for Mother’s Day weekend! They’ll be done with classes and finals, so we’ll have that to celebrate, too.

Thanks for your part in our lives.

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On Furlough in Creston, IA

Daily Update

2011-04-18T18:49:00.001+02:00

We had an excellent time Mon-Wed at Calvary Baptist in Mt Pleasant, IA at the Iowa Association of Regular Baptist Churches’ annual meetings. The work of the Word and the Spirit was great – and we had a great time visiting with friends from across the state.

Thursday, I was at Faith teaching a class about cross-cultural communications. The afternoon was spent with Chris in Ames looking at and thinking through some options for work and employment. Friday and Saturday were “work-at-home” days, getting caught up on finances and even getting back to my translation project. We had an excellent Sunday at First Baptist in Creston just attending like “normal” people! The day ended with a houseful of teens and sponsors as we hosted the SNAC. Most of those teens, including David, had been to Kansas City Friday and Saturday for fun and retreat. It was great to hear them share their personal spiritual goals for the week.

This week I’m going to try to finish up the translation project. I’m up to page 350 out of 375. The end is in sight! Dawn is speaking at a Mother-Daughter brunch in a few weeks, so she has that project to be working on. David is nearing the end of his school work, though it will be a couple more weeks until we really see the end. Catherine is not yet counting down the days, since she has school until the end of May. Erica and Chris are trying to decide what to do with their summers, as they are also finishing up the school year. They just have two more weeks of classes until finals.

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On Furlough in Iowa

Daily Update

2011-04-12T16:28:00.000+02:00

Greetings from the IARBC meetings in Mt Pleasant, IA! We’re enjoying a time of fellowship with a lot of people and great teaching and preaching. And we’ve just begun. Last night’s sermon from Duke Crawford was from Luke 8, the demon-possessed man. Jesus is sufficient to deal with all our problems, all the time, no matter how great they are! He changes us so that we can be agents of change. We’re looking forward to more great preaching and some excellent workshops.

Last week’s teaching assignments went well – no tests or quizzes and class got dismissed early, too – so I hope the students appreciated at least that much. I enjoyed being in chapel each day to be challenged by the Word. I’ll be in Ankeny on Thursday to teach a class on cross-cultural communications.

Another part of my trip to Ankeny this week will be to take Chris up to ISU in Ames, look at the campus, Campus Baptist Church and the Lighthouse ministry – and meet with the ROTC recruiter. We’re still working on the decision process by gathering information. Both Erica and Chris are looking for summer jobs. Any ideas?

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys! Time to get to prayer time!

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough in Iowa

Daily Update

2011-04-04T22:55:00.000+02:00

What an encouraging week at the FBBC & TS Missions Conference! We were challenged through the Word and encouraged by seeing some fellow alumni whom we had not seen since we our college days. It was a great reminder of the things that God is doing around the world.

We were also able to have some good conversations with future co-workers, or at least those who are seriously thinking about joining us in Germany when they finish their education. We enjoyed being able to talk about the various ministries in Germany and helping the students think through how God could use them to evangelize and to edify in Germany.

The highlight of the weekend was reporting to a faithfully-supporting church in Grand Island, Nebraska. It was very encouraging to see the auditorium quite full and to talk with people who were informed about and interested in our ministry. We were also able to spend time with my mom, grandma, aunt and uncle, so that was an added benefit.

This week we’re living in separate towns: Dawn and Catherine are in Creston, since Catherine is in school there. David is with me in Ankeny and we’re working on geometry this afternoon. I’m teaching a couple of classes and speaking in chapel at FBBC.

In the last two days, I’ve heard of two new churches that are interested in having us present our ministry.

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough in Iowa

Daily Update

2011-03-28T22:26:00.001+02:00

We’re rested up and the suitcases are re-packed, ready to set off on the next adventure! This week we’re heading to Ankeny to the Missions Conference at Faith Baptist Bible College. No speaking assignments, so it will be an opportunity to charge up our batteries and recruit some students to join us in Germany.

Our weekend travels will take us to Grand Island, NE for our last meeting to report to our supporting churches.

Please continue to pray for our support needs. Two churches increased their support at the beginning of the year, which covered the increase in the health insurance premium. Our outfit and passage fund is growing steadily to cover those expenses when we first arrive.

Thanks for praying daily!

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On Furlough

Daily Update

2011-03-21T17:30:00.000+01:00

One more day left of Arizona and then we begin the trek back to Iowa. We’re looking forward to getting back and not living out of suitcases – and thankful that we only do this for a month, not for the whole year of furlough!

This past week was spent in Ventura, CA visiting the Herme clan (Dawn’s sister’s family), meeting some of their friends and extended family, eating a lot, laughing a lot and seeing some of the sites of the area. Riding out into the very choppy Channel Islands Harbor was an adventure and we were even able to see some grey whales.

We had an enjoyable day on Sunday at Grace Baptist in Tempe and are enjoying getting to know their new pastor, Chris Leavall. He sees a lot of potential in the church and the location of the church – new Arizona State University and located in a stable neighborhood. It will be great to see what God does here in the next years!

In a couple of hours I’ll be meeting with a young man and his pastor about ministry in Germany. We have been corresponding by e-mail and now it will be good to meet him and answer their questions. Then we’ll visit a shut-in who housed Dawn and I when we were in AZ for the first time. The evening will be rounded out with supper with some of Dawn’s cousins. Early in the morning we’ll make our way home, probably getting there really late on Thursday or Friday sometime.

We’ll have the weekend to relax in Creston and then we’ll spend the following week at Faith Baptist Bible College’s missions conference. One of the speakers is Oliver Meyer, pastor of one of our sister churches in Erlangen, Germany. Our primary purpose at the conference is recruiting missionaries for Germany. Would you pray that we’ll have some good conversations with future co-workers?

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough in Arizona

2011-02-08T00:22:00.001+01:00

We put a lot of miles on both cars this weekend, but the Lord gave us protection from wild animals and snow. It’s great to be able to see God’s hand in the travels!

Dawn and I made a quick trip to Columbus, NE to speak at a senior citizens breakfast on Friday morning. We were encouraged by the GPS that told us it was only 3 hours, and it really was! We were planning on four hours each way, so that gave us two extra hours that we weren’t expecting.

Early Sunday morning we headed to Monroe to report on our ministry at First Baptist Church. The church has been a faithful supporter for close to 20 years. Their new pastor is full of ambition and ideas for spreading the Gospel and strengthening the believers.

The big event of this week will be the arrival of Florian Batz from Bad Heilbrunn. We’re all looking forward to having Flo with us for a month, reporting to churches, visiting FBBC, traveling and seeing the sights of Iowa and Arizona.

Dawn and I will be attending the Couples’ Retreat on Friday and Saturday, then we’ll travel to Forest City Saturday evening. After spending the morning service with the folks at Calvary Baptist in Forest City, we’ll head south to be at the evening service at Slater Baptist. A lot of traveling again this weekend – but what’s new about that?

Thanks for praying daily for us!

Todd Daily

BMM- Germany

On Furlough in Iowa

Daily Update

2011-02-01T16:18:00.001+01:00

The kids are home from school today in anticipation of a great storm that will be passing through here. The DOT is reporting that the roads around here are 100% snow and ice covered already with snow and high winds are their way. Winter in Iowa! I think I’ll be spending a lot of time working on my translation job today.

We had a great time this weekend in Chicago with the Fil-Am Church – another faithful supporter that has been on our team for close to 20 years. The church is actively reaching the Filipino community in Chicago and suburbs and in the Philippines. We’re glad to have this church working beside us to reach the world for Christ.

The weather forecast seems to indicate that we’ll have clear roads for the upcoming weekend. On Thursday Dawn and I will travel to Columbus, NE to speak at a Friday morning breakfast gathering. Sunday morning we’ll be meeting the new pastor and his family as we minister at First Baptist in Monroe, IA.

Erica and Chris seem to be in full swing in their new semester at FBBC. Chris has been applying for jobs and had an interview last week at Hy-Vee grocery store. Erica is working in dining services on campus.

Thanks for your prayers!

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough

Daily Update

2011-01-24T19:02:00.001+01:00

Every day of winter is a day closer to spring! We’re not used to this cold weather, but are grateful that it’s not really as bad as it could be. The Lord has really been giving us great travel conditions the last six months.

Yes, it’s been six months since we left Germany! It is amazing to think of the places we’ve been, the meals we’ve enjoyed, the friends we’ve visited and the blessings that we’ve received. God has indeed been good to us. The calendar for the next six months is looking like it will be full of further blessings.

We enjoyed our time at Ankeny Baptist this past Saturday and Sunday. A brunch on Saturday started our time giving us opportunity to visit with some of the people and for them to ask us questions. With so many long-time friends and partners in ministry, it was hard for us to get into the service before starting time, and hard to get out the door in the evening. We’re thankful for their faithfulness to the work of the Lord in Ankeny and around the world.

This weekend we’ll be trekking east to Chicago to report to the Fil-Am Baptist Church in Chicago. This church has also been on our team for a long time and we’ve been able to see the church move from a storefront to their own church building and to starting another church in a suburb of Chicago.

Keep praying and asking questions about our financial situation. We are short about $700 per month, which divided by our 20 supporting churches is an average increase of $35 per month. That does not seem to be quite as big of a chunk that way.

Thanks for praying with us!

Todd Daily

BMM- Germany

On furlough

Daily Update

2011-01-17T18:57:00.001+01:00

It was great to begin our new round of meetings with the great people of Grace Baptist in Harlan, IA. We enjoyed the morning, a great carry-in meal and fellowship around the table with these newest members of our support team. This Saturday and Sunday we will be with our friends at Ankeny Baptist.

I spent a lot of time this last week trying to organize the logistics of our trip to Arizona. It will be a great time, but I’m glad that the majority of our meetings are just day trips across Iowa. We’re really thankful that we’re not traipsing back and forth across the country for months on end like many missionaries. Thank you Iowa churches!

Keep praying with us about our support needs. Some churches have indicated that they won’t be able to increase and others will be deciding in the next few weeks. We are about $700 per month short of being at full support.

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough

Daily Update

2011-01-11T18:57:00.000+01:00

We’re enjoying an Iowa Winter tradition – a snow day! I think we’ll be headed out this afternoon for sledding. It’s a lot colder here than it is in Germany in the Winter, so it’s a bit of a shock for us to go outside. We were able to get Erica and Chris warmer coats and boots, which I’m sure they are appreciating today as they trudge through the snow to classes at FBBC. I’m wondering why we’re not in Arizona yet…

Dawn is traveling to Des Moines three times a week for her chiropractic adjustments and it seems to be helping. My grandma has given us her car, which makes it easier to deal with these extra appointments. My mom brought the car to us this weekend and got snowed in with us for a few extra days.

This Sunday we’ll be heading up to Harlan, IA to Grace Baptist Church to report on our ministry. It’s been almost two months since we were on the road, so I think we’re refreshed and ready to be in the churches again. This church is our newest supporter, so Dawn and the kids haven’t been there yet since we’ve been added to their team.

Our itinerary for the next few months looks like this:

Jan 16 – Grace Baptist Harlan, IA

Jan 22-23 – Ankeny Baptist, Ankeny, IA

Jan 30 – Fil-American Baptist, Chicago, IL

Feb 6 – First Baptist, Monroe, IA

Feb 13 – Calvary Baptist, Forest City, IA

Feb 25-26 – AZ Youth Retreat, Prescott Valley, AZ

Feb 27 – Open Door Baptist, Prescott Valley, AZ

Mar 2-6 – Missions Conference, Calvary Baptist, Mesa, AZ

Mar 13 – Sahauro Baptist, Tucson, AZ

Mar 20 – Grace Baptist, Tempe, AZ

Mar 28-Apr 1 – Missions Conference, FBBC

Apr 3 – Grace Baptist, Grand Island, NE

Apr 4 – 8 – Teaching Missions Classes at FBBC

June 6-10 – VBS First Baptist, Creston

Thanks for your prayers!

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On Furlough in Iowa

Daily Update

2011-01-04T19:32:00.001+01:00

Our trip to Texas and back was filled with great times with the Dawn’s family. The memorial service for her father was a good reminder to be faithful to the tasks that God has called us to do. Spending time with one another around the table, walking through the neighborhood singing Christmas carols, seeing some sights, playing games made for an enjoyable time for all of us. The drive down there and back wasn’t even all that bad – clear skies and roads all the way. We only saw one bobcat cross the road in front of us, which is pretty good considering the number of deer that are roaming southwest Iowa.

David and Catherine are back at school and Erica and Chris will be heading back to Ankeny on Sunday. Dawn has started her chiropractic therapy and I’m getting back to the routine of contacting pastors, Bible studies and whatever else needs to get done. It appears that vacation time is slowly winding down.

We’ll be back on the road Jan 16 at Grace Baptist in Harlan, IA, starting a series of 10 weeks in different churches. Four of those weeks we’ll be in Arizona, so there is some extra organizing to do for that time. Thanks for your prayers as we are on the road telling about the great things that God has been doing in Germany and what we think He has in store for us when we return.

News from Bad Heilbrunn:

1. Sophie, a teenager got saved in the last couple of months. She needs wisdom in dealing with her very strong Catholic family.

2. A young man in Sepp Gerl’s family was killed by home-made fireworks. The funeral is early this week. Pray that Sepp and Reini will have opportunity to witness to someone in the family.

3. Esther is working at a nursing home, bringing in the needed finances for their family, but adding to her stress.

4. Joachim’s mother is frequently in pain due to osteoporosis.

The Winter Retreat last week was well-attended in Bad Heilbrunn. The topic was witnessing to Muslims. On one evening a former Muslim shared his testimony of saving faith. As the teens return to their schools this coming week, will you pray that they’ll have opportunities to witness to their Muslim friends?

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys.

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough

2010-12-06T22:09:00.000+01:00

We enjoyed an excellent concert at FBBC this weekend and are looking forward to the other Christmas activities that we have missed while in Germany. We picked up some German Christmas goodies at Aldi, so can enjoy a bit of both traditions this year!

For your information and prayers, we want you to know about our financial situation. We cut back and adjusted our support level to reflect returning to Germany with just two children instead of four. A disadvantage of that is that we are losing about $450 per month in government child support because they have turned 18 and are not living at home. We need $7315 per month and have $6555 committed, a shortfall of $760 per month. It’s BMM policy that we have 100% to return and since we have cut it back, we really don’t think we can adjust the numbers any lower. At this time of year churches are evaluating their budgets for the upcoming year. We know that God will provide so that we’ll be able to return to Germany this Summer.

Erica and Chris are taking finals this week and will be home on Friday afternoon! We’re looking forward to having the whole family around the table together for the Christmas break.

Thank you for praying daily for the Dailys!

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough

Daily Update

2010-11-30T20:10:00.000+01:00

Thank you for all your prayer support for our family during this last week. We will be heading to the airport in a couple of hours to pick up Dawn, who has spent the last two weeks in Texas with her parents. It is great to see how God worked out the details in advance so that she could be there for her father’s home-going. We will travel to Texas to spend Christmas with Dawn’s mom and her sisters at which time a memorial service will be held.

The kids and I traveled to Columbus, NE to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with my mom and grandma. We have missed being together with family for holidays, so are taking advantage of it as much as possible this year! Staying up late and sleeping in late, good food and just spending time together made for a very relaxing weekend.

I recorded the last two lessons for the Bibliology class and we are not scheduled to be in churches again until Jan 16. I have some projects and quizzes to grade as the students complete their work and other ministries will continue. We’re looking forward to soaking in the American Christmas traditions this year.

Thanks for praying daily!

Todd Daily

BMM - Germany

Daily Update

2010-11-27T03:22:00.000+01:00

This came from Dawn Friday morning:

About 2 AM, Mom and I were both resting in Dad’s bedroom when Nurse Karen alerted us that Dad was very close to dying.

Mom asked me if I knew the words to the song, “Finally Home,” and so I asked the nurse if it was OK to sing to Dad. She said he probably would only take one or two more breaths, and she could barely detect a heart beat, but to go ahead. After I had sung the first line, she put her stethoscope to his chest and nodded and said, “He hears you.” As I continued singing somewhat brokenly, he took two breaths, and a tear started to trickle from his left eye, closest to me. His eyes opened very, very slightly, not enough to see his pupils. When I finished singing, I told him “We love you, Dad” and told him he was finally going home to heaven. Mom sang the last few words of the song with me, and also told him that he was going home to Jesus. He may have already slipped away at that moment, but perhaps after I started crying. I don’t think I had cried here before then. It was just such a incredible treasure to me, because I felt like he held off going to heaven until I was done singing. It was so touching to see Dad die so gradually and peacefully. Thank God for His mercy!

++++++++++++

Thank you for your prayers for our family during this time. Dawn will be coming home on Tuesday evening. A memorial service is scheduled for December 26 in Texas when the family will be together for Christmas.

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough

Thanks from the Dailys

2010-11-24T17:19:00.000+01:00

Dear Friends,

I made a list yesterday of 100 reasons to give thanks. The majority of my list consisted of people who have had or are currently having a part in our lives. And I didn’t even get around to listing individually all the people who are praying daily for the Dailys.

We are thankful for your faithful prayer support. We are thankful for your faithful giving. We are thankful for your involvement in our lives and ministry. That sounds so easy, but as I go through the list of people who have been teaching us, who have ministered to us with housing, meals and transportation, who call or write with encouraging words, who have been praying for us, who have been putting money in the offering plates, who have been working alongside us, who have been a part of our lives, I am amazed at the body of Christ. God is great!

Could you do me a favor? If your church is gathering this evening for a thanksgiving service and you have opportunity to share reasons for thanksgiving, would you pass our thanks on to your church?

Thank you,

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough

Daily update

2010-11-22T06:00:00.000+01:00

Thanks for your prayers this past week. It’s been encouraging to be reminded that many of you have walked this same path. Dawn has been in League City, TX with her parents since Monday evening and plans to stay there until her father has been called home to his Savior. The week has been very emotionally draining, although she’s been enjoying the precious time with her dad and mom. Pray for their strength and pray that the Lord would take Arlen home soon.

We’re doing fine here on the home front. When I went to Faith to speak in Seminary Chapel, I discovered a sick Christopher. The doctor determined that he has tonsillitis and prescribed antibiotic and rest. I brought him home so he could get a bit more rest than he would in the dorm over the weekend. He’s doing well enough, and has a couple of tests to take, so he’s back on campus for the week. We did some research and talking about options for next year. Pray that he’ll make wise decisions and use his time wisely.

Monday morning I’m heading back to Ankeny to speak in College chapel and then to a home school group in the afternoon. It will be a long day. I’m grateful for good friends here in Creston who are jumping in to watch David and Catherine until I get back to town.

If the weather cooperates, and it looks like it will, I’ll be heading to Columbus to my mom’s with the kids. We’re looking forward to spending time with family for the holiday.

Thanks again for your faithful prayers, giving and notes of encouragement!

Todd Daily

BMM - Germany

Daily Update

2010-11-20T18:01:00.000+01:00

Dawn flew to Texas on Monday to spend a week with her parents. Her dad, Arlen Carlblom, was diagnosed with lung cancer in the Summer and Dawn wanted to spend his birthday with him. Since Dawn arrived, he has deteriorated rapidly. The hospice nurse said that it’s a matter of hours or days until he is with the Lord. Dawn has decided to stay with her parents for the duration, rather than returning on Tuesday as scheduled.

Would you join with us in praying that God would take him home quickly?

Thanks for your prayers for the entire family.

Dawn does have e-mail access and I’m sure she’d appreciate a note of encouragement: dawndaily@web.de

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough

Daily Update

2010-11-15T17:51:00.000+01:00

This past weekend started with a fun time of reminiscing about our first missions trip in 1991 to Jamaica with a group from Slater Baptist. We had a lot of laughs with each other about the cultural differences that we experienced and were reminded of the decisions that were made during that week of VBS. It was also encouraging to see that the team members and their families are all active serving the Lord in various local churches.

Sunday morning we traveled to Rapids Street Baptist Church in Adel, IA, which was just 30 minutes from Ankeny. How nice to have a short trip! We spent the morning challenging the people for ministry and updating them about what the Lord has been doing in Germany. We’re grateful for this church and their faithfulness in supporting us for many years. Since we were just there for the morning services and turkey dinner, we were home at 2:30 in the afternoon. That was a welcome change.

In a couple of hours, we’ll be heading to the Omaha airport for Dawn to board a flight to Houston. She’s planning to spend 8 days with her parents, to celebrate her father’s 75^th birthday on Sunday and be an encouragement to them during this time. Arlen, Dawn’s father, is getting weaker and is now receiving oxygen to help him breathe.

I’ll be managing the home front and it seems like we have an extra load of activity this week – but maybe that’s just because I’m managing it on my own! David and Catherine each have physicals. I’ll be speaking in seminary chapel at Faith on Thursday. The homeschool group will be celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday and we’re signed up to bring three pies. Nothing insurmountable, just enough to keep me busy and make the week go by quickly.

Thanks for being a part of our ministry through your prayers.

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

On furlough in Creston, IA

Daily Update

2010-11-08T15:07:00.001+01:00

Last night as I was driving home from Waverly, IA I rehearsed the many blessings that we have experienced since we’ve been back in Iowa. Here is a list of some of them:

1. 1000’s of miles traveled without accident or car troubles. We’ve seen several deer and had a lady in a red car pull out in front of us, but so far have only hit one raccoon.

2. Plenty of good food.

3. Many people reminding us that they are praying daily for the Dailys and have been for almost 20 years.

4. Good health. Some colds, but nothing that has put us out of commission.

5. Opportunities to serve at First Baptist in Creston, IA, during the week.

6. Good fellowship with God’s family.

7. Smooth adjustment of all of the children into their new schools and new life.

8. Excellent weather for traveling. I don’t think that we’ve even had to drive in the rain, let alone snow.

9. Seeing faithful pastors and church members who have weathered the storms of church life and are still there.

10. Opportunity to get spiritually refreshed at the FBBC Bible Conference.

God has indeed been good to us!

This weekend we will be heading to Adel, IA, which is not very far from home this time. We will be there for the morning services and a thanksgiving dinner with the church family. We’re looking forward to being with these believers who have been on our team for many years…and I’m sure we’ll get some good food, too!

Last week we purchased tickets for Dawn to fly to Texas to spend a week with her parents. Her dad will be celebrating his 75^th birthday on the 21^st, so she’ll be down there for that. He is getting weaker, but seems to be in good spirits, looking forward to being with his Savior!

Pray for Christopher who is trying to make some decisions about his life, education and work. Now that soccer is over, he’s looking for a job. He’s also thinking through options of what he’s going to do after this school year. He’s also going to physical therapy because of a knee injury sustained during the soccer season, and we’re scheduling surgery to get his deviated septum straightened out – also a soccer issue.

Thanks for standing behind us in prayer!

Todd Daily

BMM - Germany

Daily Update

2010-11-01T14:47:00.001+01:00

We had an enjoyable time at the missions conference at Calvary Baptist in Ottawa, KS. It was great to have an extended time to get reacquainted with these fine people who have been supporting our ministry through prayer and finances for close to 20 years. The other missionaries participating encouraged us and challenged us to their areas of ministry. Catherine was even brave enough to eat a Thai delicacy – a cricket.

My mom will be arriving in a few hours to have some grandma time with David and Catherine. Dawn and I are heading up to FBBC to attend the Bible conference, looking forward to being challenged from the Word and fellowshipping with friends – and spending time with Erica and Christopher!

On Saturday evening we travel to Waverly to spend the day at First Baptist Church – another church that has been faithfully supporting us since the early days!

Thanks for your prayers for us

Todd Daily

BMM - Germany

Daily Update

2010-10-26T05:22:00.000+02:00

A long weekend followed by a few days at home then we’re on the road again. Quite a few things to get done these two days – one of them letting our prayer partners knowing how to pray for us.

I attended a round table discussion in Minneapolis about deputation and raising support. The day was stimulating and a good opportunity to rub shoulders with men who are involved in the process of getting the Gospel spread around the world. Various alternatives to our traditional method of deputation in order to raise financial support for missions were discussed. The conclusion: there is no one ideal way for missionaries to raise support. Each of the methods suggested had advantages and risks and none will work in every situation. Some interesting issues for managing some of the risks were brought out from the side of the missionaries and that of the churches. If you want to know, we can talk about it sometime.

Saturday and Sunday were spent in Mankato with friends from Grace Baptist Church. It was great to see old friends and to see a lot of new faces in the church. On Wednesday we head south to Ottawa, KS for a missions conference for the rest of the week. David and I are fighting the beginnings of a cold and need to get that through our systems in the next few hours.

Thanks for your prayers!

Todd Daily

2010-09-27T16:35:00.000+02:00

We enjoyed our day here in Creston - another great day preaching the Word and reporting about God’s work in Germany! It’s great to be able to challenge people to make disciples. Perhaps some will come to make disciples in Germany with us.

Christopher got hit in the head with a soccer ball during a game on Friday and has a slight concussion. He’s had a headache since then, but it hasn’t caused any other side effects. He’s supposed to get rest and not run or do anything that gives opportunity for getting his head hit. An appointment to a nose specialist about getting his nose straightened out will be made, too.

This week we’ll be at the Christian school in Creston and in chapel at Faith on Friday. Sunday we’ll be at Calvary Baptist in Mt. Pleasant – heading there on Saturday evening and returning to Creston late on Sunday. We’ll have some Bible studies through the week and that will fill the schedule.

Dawn and I finally took the time to adjust our support estimate this past week. We cut some categories back, since we’ll probably be returning to Germany with just two children. That put our current support level at 91%, lacking $658 per month to be at full support. We’re constantly amazed at how God provides for our needs so that we can be in Germany. Thank you for your part in this ministry – praying and giving.

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Todd Daily

BMM - Germany

Daily Update

2010-09-20T17:48:00.001+02:00

We had an enjoyable time in Ankeny at FBBC this weekend. The soccer game got cancelled due to lightning, so we didn’t get to see Christopher play, but we were able to spend some time just relaxing with the whole family together on Saturday evening. Early Sunday morning we left Ankeny for Eldora to report to the folks at First Baptist Church. It was good to see a lot of familiar faces and some new ones in the group. An afternoon service right after lunch allowed us to get back to Creston just in time to pop in for the evening service. This weekend we will be spending the day in Creston, preaching and presenting for the day.

So far, only one person has signed up for the online Bibliology course, but perhaps a few more will be joining this week. They have to get busy with their assignments this week and I need to start working ahead, so that I’m ready for their next lessons. I’ll also start meeting this week with two college men for Bible study and prayer. It’s great to have plenty to do.

Christopher has a job interview on Monday at 2:30. I’m not sure how he can squeeze any work hours into his schedule right now with soccer, but maybe they’ll find a few hours a week that he can work. Pray that he’ll find a job that will fit around his schedule and provide for his needs.

Thanks again for praying daily.

Todd Daily

BMM – Germany

Daily Update

2010-09-13T20:33:00.000+02:00

We made it! The power points for the sermons were finished on Thursday, the presentation arrived in the mail on Friday, the display was finished on Saturday, and Dawn was feeling much better after fighting a cold all week. Saturday we had to make a late night trip to WalMart to get a shirt and tie for David, since he had outgrown the shirt that we brought with us from Germany, but we were ready to leave the house early Sunday morning for Slater Baptist Church. We had a great day of visiting our home church, challenging people to ministry, and updating them on what God is doing in Germany. Arriving back late in Creston, we all headed straight to bed, and we’re running at about half-speed today.

The family news from last week is that Dawn’s dad was diagnosed with lung cancer in stage 4. Please pray for Arlen and Kathy and the rest of the family in the upcoming months. They will be physically and emotionally draining, but can be spiritually strengthening for all of us.

This week I’m going to start a series on Wednesday nights about spiritual growth, trying to encourage the people to keep growing. It will be interesting because some of the people who will be there were my Sunday School teachers and youth group leaders. But we all need to keep growing!

This Sunday we will be at First Baptist in Eldora, IA for the morning and afternoon services. An afternoon service will allow us to get home in time to get a good night’s sleep before Monday morning comes.

Thanks for your prayers for us.

Todd Daily

BMM-Germany

Daily Update

2010-09-07T05:42:00.001+02:00

We’re down to the last days before our first furlough presentation. Is everything ready? No, but it is only Monday evening. The biggest concern is the arrival of our video presentation. They have been working on it in Cleveland, but ran into a few hitches along the way. They’re pretty certain that they’ll get it to us by the end of the week. Would you pray that it arrives in the mail by Saturday? Other items to accomplish this week include putting the finishing touches on the sermons, finishing up the table display and making a trip up to Ankeny to speak in chapel. (The car is loaded with a couple of suitcases of clothes and things for Christopher.)

Dawn picked up a scratchy throat this weekend and is lying low for a couple of days. She’s hoping to be at Clear Lake for the Ladies’ Retreat Friday and Saturday. David is getting started in school this week finally and Catherine is really enjoying her time at the middle school. We got a bit of small town culture this weekend by attending the high school football game on Friday.

News from Bad Heilbrunn: Andreas and Nadine Huber gave their testimonies for membership last week. Georg and Desiree Hannig will be giving their testimonies in the near future. Florian Batz has moved to his new internship location in Munich. It’s great to hear how God is continuing to work there.

Some ministry opportunities have opened up for us in Creston. We’ll be involved in discipling some of the students at the community college. Dawn is helping in AWANAS and I’ll be leading the adult Bible studies on Wednesday evenings for a few weeks. It’s great to be able to get involved.

Thanks for your prayers! Remember to pray especially that our presentation will arrive on time.

Todd Daily

BMM

Germany

Daily Update

2010-08-30T05:42:00.001+02:00

Two weeks from today we’ll be at Slater Baptist Church for our first meeting. The presentation was worked on the beginning of this week and we’re hoping to get a proof of that this week sometime. We pulled out our display board and need to get some new pictures printed to update that. Then I think we’ll be ready. I’m looking forward to getting out and seeing some of you people who have been actively behind our ministry for many years through your prayers and giving. We have some exciting news to share with you about what God has done and what we anticipate in the next years of our ministry. I’ve put our itinerary in this message so that you can see when we’ll be in your church – or a church in your area. I hope to get in touch with the pastors in the next week or so to nail down the details for the Fall meetings.

This week we were able to Skype with Florian and Georg and Desiree and got a lengthy e-mail from Claudia from the Bad Heilbrunn church. They filled us in on what was going on in the church and gave reports of camp. Flo is doing a pastoral internship with several pastors in Germany through the Summer and was just getting started with that. Pray that this Summer will help him determine God’s will for his life. Georg and Desiree had spent a lot of time at our house the last few months since they just moved to the area the beginning of May. They are looking forward to becoming members of the church and getting involved in the ministry. Another couple, Andreas and Nadine, gave their testimonies for membership today. It’s great to hear the good news from the church.

Everyone seems to be adjusting well to school and college. Erica has found a job in food services on campus. Christopher needs to find a job, for at least a few hours a week, but will have a hard time finding something with his busy soccer schedule. David has started practicing with the high school golf team. Catherine is loving being in school with so many other kids. Thanks for praying us through these months of decisions and transition into a new life here.

Here’s our itinerary:

Sept 12 – Slater Baptist, Slater

Sept 19 – First Baptist, Eldora

Sept 26 – First Baptist, Creston

Oct 3 – Calvary Baptist, Mt. Pleasant

Oct 10 – First Baptist, Grundy Center

Oct 17 – Hagerman Baptist, Waterloo

Oct 24 – Grace Baptist, Mankato, MN

Oct 27-31 – Calvary Baptist, Ottawa, KS

Nov 7 – First Baptist, Waverly

Nov 14 – Rapids Street Baptist, Adel

Nov 21 – First Baptist, Monroe

Dec 5 – Calvary Baptist, Forest City

Jan 2 – Grace Baptist, Grand Island, NE

Jan 16 – Grace Baptist, Harlan

Jan 23 – Ankeny Baptist, Ankeny

Jan 30 – Fil-American Baptist, Chicago

Feb 27 – Open Door Baptist, Prescott Valley, AZ

Mar 2-6 – Calvary Baptist, Mesa, AZ

Mar 13 – Coronado Baptist, Tucson, AZ

Mar 20 – Grace Baptist, Tempe, AZ

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Todd Daily

Daily Update

2010-08-24T04:54:00.001+02:00

Could it be that we’re getting settled in? Erica and Christopher seem to be making friends and doing well at Faith Baptist Bible College. Catherine started 7^th grade in Creston and we’ve got the suitcases stashed for a while. We saw a lot of family, friends and highways and are looking forward to a couple of weeks at home.

We won’t be just sitting around, but getting ready for our meetings in our supporting churches. Our first meeting will be September 12 at Slater Baptist. From then on we’ll be in a different church every Sunday until the beginning of December. To get ready we need to proof our DVD presentation which is being produced this week in Cleveland. A display table, a couple of sermons and a Sunday School lesson need to be worked through.

I also need to get busy with preparations for an online theology course that I’ll be offering for some students in Germany. And Dawn and I are anticipating getting involved in some of the ministries at First Baptist in Creston.

Okay, so I guess just the wheels of the van will be slowing down! It looks like we’ll be keeping ourselves busy!

Thanks for praying for us.

Todd Daily

BMM - Germany

Daily Update

2010-08-16T00:33:00.001+02:00

Three weeks ago we were packing up the last few things in Bad Heilbrunn and today we are finally at our home for this year of furlough. It’s been a busy three weeks and I’ve finally gotten all the technology and time together to write an update. Thanks for your prayers for us, in spite of the lack of communication.

Our flight went well, actually better than expected. We arrived at the airport late and our seats had already been given to other passengers. The ticket counter had to be reopened and the only available seats were in Business Class. The Lord gave us a short vacation, pampering us with all those extras that usually cost quite a bit more money. Thank you, Lord! Catherine had no problem with the flight and was able to have her stitches removed the first day in Iowa.

Since we have been here, we have traveled to Nebraska to see my mom and grandma. Then we were off to Cleveland, Ohio, to work on our presentation to the churches and other items in the BMM office. We went to the other side of Lake Erie to a north Detroit suburb to spend the weekend with Dawn’s family who had traveled in from Texas, Indiana and North Carolina to celebrate her parents’ 50^th wedding anniversary and have fun together as a family. On our way back to Iowa, we spent a few days with Kevin and Carla Mungons in Chicago. It was a busy 10-day trip, but we enjoyed it. Driving I-80 got a little boring, but the rest of the trip was fun!

Tomorrow morning I’ll be heading to Ankeny with Erica and Christopher. Christopher will be starting soccer camp in the evening, so we’ll get him moved into the dorm and a bunch of other stuff – banking accounts, looking for jobs and stopping in the financial aid office, among other things. Dawn and I will go with Erica on Thursday for orientation with the other incoming students and their parents.

Thanks for praying daily!

Todd Daily

BMM

Creston, Iowa

Daily Update

2010-07-25T22:34:00.001+02:00

The suitcases are downstairs ready to be picked up in the morning. The last items are getting stored in the attic. My last project is to copy files to the external hard drive and pack away the computer. I think it must be getting close to departure time.

We had an excellent day with our church family, celebrating what God has done over the last eight years. We were given an album and some of the families put in pictures of them in 2002 when we arrived along with a recent picture. What a change! And it’s great to know that there have been some spiritual changes that have taken place in those eight years, too. We are leaving with a good conscience about the work that we did and excited to see what God will continue to do with this faithful group.

Catherine made it home from the hospital on Friday evening and has been doing just fine. She’s been eating, sleeping and joking as if nothing had been wrong with her. We weren’t able to get in to get her stitches out, so that will be one of the first things we’ll have to do when we get to Iowa. She wasn’t brave enough to let me do it for her. Thanks for your prayers through this turbulent week and the last couple months of transition.

We’ll get picked up at about 8 a.m. tomorrow and will arrive in Des Moines at 6:34 p.m. with United from Chicago, if all goes according to plan.

Here’s our address:

1203 N. Oak

Creston, IA 50801

641-782-2482

E-Mail addresses will stay the same.

Todd Daily

On the way to Creston!

Daily Update

2010-07-23T07:16:00.001+02:00

A quick update of good news before the festivities and packing begin.

Dawn came home Thursday evening so that she could be at Christopher’s graduation this morning. She’s glad to be here and we’re glad to have her here!

This afternoon, I’ll go back to the hospital to pick up Catherine and bring her home. She’ll go to the local doctor on Sunday to get her stitches out. Unless something happens, we’ll plan on flying together on Monday – we just aren’t going to ask any more doctors for their opinion.

I had a great hike yesterday with Guenther. It was a pretty strenuous hike, but worth it for the view and the conversation. He said that he’s still thinking through the things that we have talked about and hoping to have some down-time soon. He has the information he needs and the Holy Spirit can work in his heart even if I’m not around. Keep praying for him!

Todd Daily

BMM

Bad Heilbrunn, Germany

Daily Update

2010-07-21T05:58:00.001+02:00

The good news: Catherine has no more tubes in her and she ate solid food on Tuesday!

The frustrating news: A different doctor made rounds on Tuesday morning and he had some lab reports. The diagnosis is that Catherine had a bacterial infection which was causing the problem. The appendix, among other organs, was infected, but not the cause of the infection. The lab tests however did not determine the source of the infection. The lab reports of the appendix have not come back yet.

This doctor said that flying on Monday is out of the question because Catherine wouldn’t be able to lie down and would be quite uncomfortable. Since that is a different answer than what we received earlier in the week, we are not sure which is the better answer. Are there risks involved in travel, or is it just uncomfortable? If she flew to Iowa, would we need to put her back in the hospital right away anyway, thus changing our travel plans to visit friends and family?

There are major events scheduled for this weekend. Christopher’s graduation is Friday morning and he would really like to have his mom there. Sunday is a farewell dinner with our church family and it would be great to have our whole family there. The simplest solution would be Catherine’s release from the hospital. But it doesn’t look like it’s going to be that simple. Perhaps there is another solution.

The uncertainty of the situation is stressful and draining on all of us. Pray that we’ll relax and trust God. We know that He is in control and already has a solution, but sometimes in the moments of tension and indecision, we forget.

Thanks for your prayers.

Todd Daily

Daily Update

2010-07-19T14:54:00.001+02:00

I just got off the phone with Dawn and she and the patient are doing quite well. Catherine was allowed to drink on Sunday and got some light food today. The doctors are content with the progress that she’s making. Catherine is looking forward to playing Monopoly this afternoon with Dawn – so she seems to be getting back to her normal self. No word on when she can be released, but the doctors think that it shouldn’t be a problem to fly on Monday as planned. Thank you to the many who were praying for her and the rest of us the last few days.

Just before lunch today, I took the last box out of our apartment. Erica needs to get over there and empty her aquarium and we’ll really be moved out. The car sold on Wednesday, so we’ve been seeing answers to prayers every day!

David is still in school until Thursday, but only until 11:20 every morning. Friday is Christopher’s graduation. Throw in a few farewell parties along the way and the week will get filled up.

Thanks for your prayers for us!

Todd Daily

BMM

Germany

Daily Update

2010-07-17T13:58:00.000+02:00

Flo and I left early this morning to get to the hospital before the doctors made their rounds. Catherine had just gotten ready for the day when we arrived. She was looking pretty good, but still had a hard time keeping her eyes open. She was able to joke with us and seemed to be in good spirits.

Two doctors came through and they were encouraged by the improvement. Her stomach wasn’t hard anymore and the pain had subsided considerably. She hasn’t been able to eat anything since Thursday at breakfast, but may get some liquids on Sunday.

The lab results won’t be definite until Tuesday or Wednesday, but the doctors said that wasn’t the primary concern right now. She needs to just recuperate from the surgery.

I asked about flying on the 26^th and the doctor said that shouldn’t be a problem. As long as the incision heals properly it won’t matter whether Catherine is sitting in a plane or at home. Pray that it will heal quickly!

Catherine needs to stay in the hospital for about a week and Dawn will stay with her.

We are thankful for many things, especially for your prayers. I told Catherine that a lot of people had been praying and she said, “No wonder I’m feeling so much better!”

Todd Daily

Daily Update

2010-07-16T23:47:00.001+02:00

No lab reports back yet and Catherine seems to be recovering. A lot of sleeping and resting. Dawn has been kept pretty busy holding her hand and wiping her brow. She’s not sweating because of fever, but because the hospital is so hot. It rarely gets this warm, so most buildings don’t have air conditioning. With temps in the 90’s every day for almost two weeks, it’s quite unbearable. It cools off in the evenings, making it pleasant for sleeping, but would you pray that the heat wave would break?

Flo will be driving me to Augsburg on Saturday morning, hoping to get there before the doctors make their rounds, so I can get in on the lab reports. I’ll be able to drive back the borrowed car, so that we can have transportation. The nurses have told Dawn to plan on being at the hospital for a week.

I did manage to get the ground floor of the apartment emptied, leaving just a few cupboards to take apart in the upstairs bathroom. The sorting and packing room at the church is filling up, so it looks like I’ll have some work to keep me busy after all!

No decision has been made about our return flight, but it may be that I will fly back with the three older children and Dawn and Catherine will come back later. Perhaps we’ll know better tomorrow.

Thanks for the many people who have written reminding us of their prayers.

Todd Daily

Daily Update

2010-07-16T10:12:00.001+02:00

Catherine had her appendix removed because it was infected, but not punctured. She has infection throughout her abdominal area from somewhere. Lab tests haven’t come back about the cause of that. She is receiving antibiotics, fluids and has a catheter, but seems to be doing well.

Dawn has been admitted as a patient, so that she has a bed and gets meals with Catherine. No word yet about the length of the stay, or if she can get transferred to a local hospital.

The final decision has not yet been made about travel to the US, but the doctor told Dawn that we shouldn’t even think about the flight with Catherine. We’ll know better in a day or two when they figure out the cause of the infection and see how the antibiotics are working. But she also has surgery recovery, not just the infection.

It cooled down very nicely in the night, so all of us slept better – here and in the hospital. I have two piles of stuff that needs to be taken to the garage and then the move will be completed. That needs to be done by noon, so that the work can get started on ripping out the old kitchen. That will be a relief to have that done!

Thanks for your prayers.

Todd Daily

Daily Update

2010-07-15T22:05:00.001+02:00

We were busily packing and cleaning when the phone rang. Catherine called from music camp to say that she had a stomach ache and wondered if I could come pick her up. I tried to figure out what was going on, telling her to get some sleep and drink a lot of water.

About 30 minutes later her teacher called and said they would be taking her to the doctor. The next call came from the teacher who had taken Catherine to the hospital asking one of us to come there. They weren’t sure what the problem was, but she would be staying overnight at the hospital.

Dawn packed together some things and traveled the 90 minutes to the Augsburg Children’s Hospital. She called a few minutes ago to say that Catherine would be having an exploratory procedure done to determine what the problem is. The doctors think it might be the appendix, but it could be something else, so they want to be sure before they operate. They seemed confident that some type of surgery would need to be done yet tonight.

Pray for wisdom and skill for the doctors.

Pray that Dawn will get some rest – she was tired before she left.

Pray that Catherine will get some relief from the pain. The pain medicine was working to relax her muscles.

Pray that we’ll have wisdom for making further decisions. This may affect our flight plans.

Some praises to end this on a positive note:

The car sold and was picked up on Wednesday! A decent price, paid in cash, brought immediate relief to me. We’re able to borrow a car for the rest of our time here.

Our apartment is just about empty. We had two very hot – but dry – days for taking apart the furniture and storing it in the garage. We should be able to finish up the rest on Friday.

Thanks for your prayers. I’ll send another message when I know more.

Todd Daily

BMM

Germany

Daily Update

2010-07-12T17:06:00.001+02:00

Early this morning I started packing up the kitchen and the cupboards are bare! Three of us have our closets emptied and suitcases packed and the other three are busy following suit. We’re going to move next door to the church on Tuesday and start moving the furniture out of our apartment. Once we get that done, it will be like being on vacation! We have several farewell gatherings the next couple of weeks, which will give us a change of scenery from the packing and cleaning.

Christopher got his grades from his final exams and he did a great job! He studied hard and was able to finish his schooling with solid grades. Graduation isn’t until the 23rd, but he’s done and that’s what matters!

No interested buyers made an offer on our car. On Saturday, I’ll be taking it to a car flea market in Munich. Pray that we’ll be able to get a good price for it. It’s been a good car for us, but it’s getting too old to store for a year.

Pray that Guenther will take the time for a mountain hike with me. I’d like another chance at talking to him about his spiritual condition. The last time we talked, I left it in his hands to call me to schedule a day for our hike.

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers during these last weeks here in Germany. Lots of decisions to make, farewells to say, suitcases to pack, meals to cook. I think we’ll keep busy!

Todd Daily

BMM

Bad Heilbrunn, Germany

Daily Update

2010-07-05T10:18:00.000+02:00

Three weeks from today, we’ll be standing in line at the Munich airport. Packing and farewell parties will pretty much fill up the next weeks. We seem to be well ahead of schedule with the packing, but will be making a big push this week so that we can be out of the apartment by the 15^th.

Erica is having a great time in Bordeaux, France with the Christy family. She’ll be returning on Friday. Christopher finished his comprehensive exams last week, so he’s finished with school! He’ll get the results this Friday, but thinks he did pretty well. He studied quite a bit the last few months to prepare for these tests and is relieved to have them completed. Graduation is July 23, but it’s not the big deal in Germany, that it is in the US. David is trying to line up an internship for next week and Catherine will spend three days at a music retreat next week. Life keeps on moving while we’re moving!

Flo and I took our last hike until we return to Germany and chose the highest mountain in the Karwendel range, the Birkkarspitze. At over 2600 meters above sea level, snow and steepness at the end, reaching the top was quite a challenge. A two-day memory-making trek filled with beautiful scenery and physical challenges provided several opportunities for great discussions. I’ve posted pictures on my facebook account.

Our car is listed in a couple of internet used car lots. It would be great to not have to store it for the year, and it would be great to sell it before it starts needing major repairs. Would you pray that it would sell? And if you know someone in Germany looking for a mini-van, let me know.

Thanks for your prayers.

Todd Daily

BMM

Bad Heilbrunn, Germany

Daily Update

2010-06-28T08:43:00.002+02:00

After several busy days in a row, it's nice to have a quiet morning to get the to-do list whittled down. Somehow, the list gets longer as I sit here at the desk, but maybe by the end of the day it will start getting shorter.

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Daily Update

2010-05-24T09:17:00.002+02:00

After five 10-12 hour days at the construction site last week, I felt like I was going through jet-lag this weekend. A good night's sleep and I'm ready to roll today.

It's a good thing, too, the FBBC Chorale will be here this evening for the next three days. Most of the prep work is done, but there are some little details that need to get finished up today. We're thankful that the sun has come out so that we'll have nice weather for our mountain hike on Tuesday. The concert will be Wednesday evening. It's school vacation, so two of our church families and a lot of other people are gone, but we're hoping for a good turnout for the concert. If you'd like to hear a few songs from a concert in the Netherlands, go to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1cZFJyF6Hs&feature=related

I had a couple of good conversations about the gospel with Guenther this week. The important lesson of which I was reminded in this situation is that God is the one who does the work. I can feed Guenther the information, answer his questions and pray for him, but God is the only one who can change his heart.

Thanks for praying daily!

Daily Update

2010-05-16T21:47:00.002+02:00

It seems like the weeks keep zipping by, but this week was extremely busy. I spent three-and-half days at the building project and three evenings of special meetings - that made my time at home pretty short.

Keep praying for Guenther. We had a good discussion on Wednesday about the gospel and his understanding of it. He seems to understand it but is struggling with the fact that salvation is free for the asking. I'll be spending a lot of time with him again this week. Pray that we'll have time to talk about salvation and that I'll be able to answer his questions.

The evangelistic meetings with Dr. Gitt were well attended and we received report of one salvation decision - a lady who came with friends from a sister church. The last evening of the meetings, there was a handful of local guests that heard the gospel clearly presented. Several people bought books and CDs, taking the Gospel message with them!

This week starts "tourist" season - one group after another will be with us starting Friday for about four weeks. It's always fun to have guests and it's usually these four weeks that are the busiest!

The FBBC Chorale is in the Netherlands and will be heading into Germany on Thursday. I'll be meeting up with them on Saturday for their concert in Munich and they'll be here in Bad Heilbrunn the following Monday for three nights. Should be fun - and I'll be wearing my missionary recruiter hat while they're here. Pray that the Lord will open the eyes of these students to join us here.

We had our family picture taken last week for our new prayer cards. The clock is ticking for that project and a hundred others that need to be done in the next 10 weeks.

Thanks for praying daily!

Daily Update - Midweek edition

2010-05-12T17:37:00.002+02:00

Since many of you will be meeting this evening for prayer time, I thought I'd give a brief update of the special meetings. We will be having our prayer meeting in a few hours, too and I'm sure there will be more information from the others.

We had a good turn out each of the three evenings - I would guess about 50-60 people each evening. Many were familiar faces from sister churches, but there were also several local people there. Teachers, co-workers, neighbors, parents, friends - everyone who was there heard a clear presentation of the Gospel and were invited to meet with the evangelist. A few did and it was reported that a lady, who was a guest with others from a nearby church, trusted the Lord for salvation. Praise the Lord!

Guenther took a break from his building project and came to the last session. He listened intently and commented that the speaker explained everything simply enough that even he could understand it. The topic dealt with time and eternity, using your time wisely on earth to prepare for eternity. Today while he and I were working on drywalling, we talked about the Gospel for at least an hour, and then for another 30 minutes on our way to pick up supplies. The speaker had written a tract that clearly presented the Gospel and the need to make a decision, so I read that to Guenther while we were driving.

He struggling with the concept that salvation is free for the taking. It's a completely different concept from what he has learned from the Catholic Church, and I keep pointing out verses in the Bible that clearly state that it's through grace, not works that we gain entrance into heaven. Often he said, "I really want to go to heaven and I hope that God will let me in when my time comes. I understand that I am a sinner and can't get there on my own." Pray!

Daily Update

2010-05-09T22:00:00.002+02:00

Thanks for your prayers for the past week. I spent a lot of hours helping Guenther with his house and Dawn and the kids managed just fine without me. God had His hand on us and kept us from major problems.

Guenther and I read in an evangelistic devotional the four days that I was there. He is having a hard time accepting the fact that salvation is free and can't be earned. I picked up an evangelistic tract tonight at our special meetings and plan to read that to him tomorrow for our spiritual break. It clearly explains the way to heaven and challenges the reader to make a decision, not just know the facts. He is very concentrated on getting the projects in his house done, but also willing to take the time for a spiritual discussion. Pray that we'll have time to work alone on a "mindless" project so we can talk without interruption. Pray that I'll have the courage to grasp the opportunities that are there. I'll only be able to work with him for the next two weeks and I want to be able to give him as much of my time and of the Word as possible.

The first of our three special meetings were tonight and we had a good crowd. It appeared to me that just about everyone there came for sister churches in the area. None of the guests that our church people had invited were there. Dr. Werner Gitt did an excellent job of arguing for the credibility of the Bible and what that means for a relationship with God. Tomorrow's topic is: Man - a product of chance, or special construction? And Tuesday evening: How can I plan my life? www.wernergitt.de is his website and there are some articles in English and other languages if you'd like to learn more about him. Although the sessions are good for believers, the target group is unbelievers. Would you pray that some would come tomorrow and Tuesday?

Thanks for your prayers!

Daily Update

2010-05-02T21:37:00.003+02:00

Major prayer requests: I'll be helping Guenther with his house project Monday-Friday for the next three weeks. He's looking forward to having my help, but also that we'll have time to talk with no one else around. I'm going to suggest that we start each day with a devotion and prayer and have an evangelistic devotional book selected. Pray that I'll have the courage and the right words. Pray that he'll have an open heart. Pray for Dawn who will be managing the household alone while I'm gone. Pray daily!

We had an enjoyable time on Saturday with about 150 others gathered for the annual Fellowship Day with our sister churches. Two Bavarian men shared the stage for the message, each giving excellent testimonies of how God worked in their hearts to bring them to salvation. And there were a lot of unsaved guests there. Pray for those who heard the Gospel presentation and praise the Lord for His work in the lives of the two men.

Next Sunday evening is the beginning of our evangelistic meetings with Dr. Werner Gitt. He'll be speaking Sunday through Tuesday evenings on the topic of "Science and the Bible." Our church people are busy inviting and hanging up posters and praying that God would bring in people for the sessions. Thanks for praying with us.

We're looking forward to seeing what the Lord will do this next week.

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Daily Update

2010-04-27T08:15:00.003+02:00

I woke up this morning and realized that I hadn't written the update on Monday! I started to write it in the morning, but then the speed of the day picked up and it never got finished.

Yesterday was the three-month mark: in exactly three months we'll be in Creston, IA, starting our furlough. When we looked at the church calendar for May and June, Erica said, "It's all coming too quickly!" A lot of church, school and family activities, plus packing will need to get done in the next three months. It's bound to provide for some pretty intense times. Pray that we'll stay focused and cool.

Today we are expecting the arrival of a young couple, Georg and Desiree, who are moving here from northern Germany because of work. They visited the church a couple of times while they were looking for an apartment and are excited about finding a church that is like the one they are used to at home. Pray for wisdom and patience in the next months as we get to know each other. Pray that our church family will welcome them and help them adjust to the southern life!

Last week I spent a couple of days working on details for the Faith Baptist Bible College Chorale tour in Germany. They'll be here the end of May and I think I turned in all my assignments yesterday. It will be a great time of fellowship and evangelistic outreach with these young people.

Friday and Saturday our young people and I were at a youth rally in Erlangen. Bible studies, workshops, singing at the book table in Erlangen and playing capture the flag in the beautiful weather made for a great time.

The project that will get the most attention this week will be online Bible courses for leadership training. The idea is ripening, but some technical difficulties are coming up. Not with the computer, but with the user!

Keep praying for Guenther. Friday is his last day at the fitness center and then he'll have time to work on his house. I've offered to work with him every day for the first three weeks of May, so that we can have time together. Pray that the Lord will make it possible and that I'll be able to concentrate our conversations on the Word and his spiritual needs.

Thanks for praying daily!

2010-03-28T22:00:00.002+02:00

Today we were reminded of God's character in our morning Bible study and then the sermon was from Psalm 27 - trusting God in the changes of life. When we consider how great God is, we really have no reason to fear in those inevitable changes!

One change this week was a change of residence for Lisbeth Berndt. The Lord heard her prayers and released her from her earthly body into His presence, quietly in her sleep. The funeral will be on Monday afternoon and the message of salvation through Christ alone will be clearly presented. There will be many there who have not heard that joyous message.

I had a long talk with Guenther on Wednesday during our hike and then several short talks through the week. It appears that the Lord is dragging him through some rough waters again. I think Guenther realizes that God is trying to teach him something, but he's not really sure what. Would you pray that the tension would get so great that he can't do anything but run to God? Pray also for me that I'll have the right words of encouragement and challenge to help him see his need of a savior.

Susanna Kesslinger was able to witness to a piano teacher who is having difficult problems and looking for help. Susanna recommended that she start reading the Gospel of John and call if she needed help.

Joachim spent a lot of time this week dealing with the paper work following the death of Ursula. That took time and energy from him. Pray that he'll have the necessary wisdom and be able to get through the remaining issues soon.

Christopher will be having surgery on Tuesday to remove the plates in his arms from the snowboard accident a year ago. Pray that the operation will go well and that he'll recover soon - and maybe learn a few things along the way, too.

Thanks for your part in our ministry!

Daily Update

2010-03-21T14:47:00.002+01:00

Thank you for your prayers this week. Ursula's funeral on Wednesday was an opportunity for a clear presentation of the Gospel at the funeral and again at the graveside. There were a handful of guests from a senior citizen's group in which Ursula had been active. They were able to hear the Gospel message about the security of eternal life in Christ - most of them probably heard it for the first time in their lives.

This morning we were informed that Liesbeth Berndt is failing quickly. Her kidneys have stopped functioning and she has refused dialysis. At 94 years of age, she has lived through a lot of history in Germany and has experienced a lot of God's protection and direction. Although Liesbeth has been longing to be with her Savior for many years, her daughter and granddaughter are coming to grips with the reality of Liesbeth's imminent homegoing. Neither of them are believers and have only had limited contact with our church family. Pray that we'll be able to have a positive ministry with eternal values in their lives over the coming weeks.

Flo's dad will be having heart surgery on Monday morning to repair a heart valve. Although the doctors are certain that there will be no complications, please pray for them. Pray that God will work in his heart, not just to heal the muscle, but to help him to see his need of salvation.

Put Günther back on your prayer list. We had a lengthy talk on Friday and he's sinking into the problems that were weighing him down in December. This is good news! I was able to remind him again that he'll never be able to solve those problems without God's help. I offered again to start meeting with him for Bible reading and prayer.

Thanks for your part in praying daily for the Dailys!

Daily Update

2010-03-14T19:52:00.002+01:00

The week was full of unexpected events for us and our church family. The biggest news was the homegoing of Ursula Schuldt, just a few days after her 88th birthday. The Lord took her peacefully on Friday. Her funeral will be on Wednesday afternoon and since she has no family to care for the arrangements, the church people have jumped in to take of all those details. Joachim has power of attorney, so he has an additional load with the legal aspect for the next couple of weeks. It will be his first funeral and he's getting a lot of experience. Pray that the funeral will glorify God and that the unsaved will be challenged with a clear presentation of the gospel.

On Friday, Liesbeth Berndt (94) was admitted to the hospital because of water retention. She had stopped taking her heart medicine because it upset her stomach and she really would rather just go home to the Lord. Her daughter is pretty distraught about the whole situation, but Liesbeth would be content to just move on to her eternal home. Her daughter and granddaughter live in the area and do a lot of things for her. Neither of them are saved and don't have the confidence of seeing her again in eternity. Pray as we have opportunities to minister to this family.

Last week, Reini had surgery to repair tendons that were torn in a skiing accident. This week, Sepp, her husband sliced the tip of his thumb in the circular saw in his carpentry shop. They make a perfect pair: she has her left hand all in a cast to her elbow and he has his right hand wrapped up. They can at least still hold hands!

Saturday was my last Bible school teaching assignment in Bad Heilbrunn. The students have projects and a test yet, but I just need to correct them. This past week I started working intensively on the next teaching assignments in Ingolstadt. We're trying to work out some possibilities for online courses while we are in the US during the next school year. I need to get them ready before we leave, so that I have the right books and notes in my suitcase! I'm excited about this change in ministry and the new challenges that it will bring.

Today Flo had his premiere preaching opportunity in Bad Heilbrunn. He did a fine job and is willing to learn how to do it better. It will be great for Joachim to have someone else who can preach to help him in the ministry here.

Please pray for us as we go through this week of extra ministry responsibilities with our church family.

Thanks for your prayers.

Daily Update

2010-03-08T11:21:00.002+01:00

I was shocked today when I walked up to the fitness center. Clear blue skies made me think it would be warm outside, but it was cold with a nippy wind. I guess Winter isn't quite over! We got a fresh layer of about 8 inches of snow on Saturday, which caused some travel complications. Claudia was driving the Tim, Markus, Joel and Catherine to a children's rally in Ingolstadt early Saturday morning. They got about half an hour from here, slid onto the shoulder and in returning to the highway got hit in the driver's side by an oncoming car. No one was seriously hurt and the car is still driveable with about $3000 damage. We're thankful for the Lord's protection! Claudia was pretty shook up from the accident on Saturday morning. Pray that God will calm her nerves and help her to look to Him.

The health issues that I mentioned last week in the update need to be updated:

Flo's dad is still in the hospital, but they only thing that's keeping him there is that his swallowing reflex hasn't kicked back in. It doesn't appear that there was much damage from the stroke, but he has to be fed via a tube until he can swallow on his own. Flo was able to visit him this weekend.
Reini's surgery on Friday went well and she's now in the recovery stage. She didn't come to church on Sunday because she needed to keep her hand rested and iced.
Ursula was moved to hospice on Friday. She decided that she didn't want to continue the chemo and that she's ready to go home to the Lord. She's an only child that never married, so her church family really is her family. Pray for us as we go through these last days with her.

We were able to entertain Dr. John and Martha Hartog and Emanuel Seewald on their way through here on Saturday and then again Sunday evening. Actually, I think they entertained us more - we just put food on the table! It was good to have them here.

A young couple was in church yesterday for the second time and stayed for dinner with us. They are believers who will be moving here in May and are looking for an apartment today. They attend a church about the size of ours and have been active in the youth ministry. Pray that the Lord will give them direction about a church home and a place to live.

This week will be busy, but they all are. Plenty to prepare for the weekend of teaching. Catherine will be having a birthday party and a violin recital - though not at the same time! Erica is back at her course work: Western Civ II and Intro to Missions.

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Daily Update

2010-03-02T08:16:00.003+01:00

Our plans for a youth activity got changed because of weather. We were planning to go on a snowshoe hike, but the snow has melted too much for that. Plan B turned out to be just perfect for Saturday! We spent the morning visiting Liesbeth Berndt (93) and Ursula Schuldt (88 and going through radiation for cancer). I was encouraged by the testimonies from these ladies and hope that the teens learned something also. After lunch at McDonald's, we spent the afternoon playing Frisbee golf. The weather was perfect and we had a good time. We were all pretty poor golfers and had very light Frisbees, so that made it even more comical!

Several people in our church family have health issues for which you can pray this week.

Reini fell while cross-country skiing and damaged her thumb. She's at the hospital now getting it checked out and will perhaps have surgery today.
Ursula will be receiving radiation for the cancer in her mouth for a couple of weeks. She's in good spirits, but it's painful.
Otto Batz, Florian's dad, had a stroke on Sunday which has affected his speech and some facial muscles. Pray that the Lord would use this to point out to him the brevity of life and his need to make decisions for eternity.
Claudia has been having various tests done over the last few weeks. Pray that the doctors will determine the source of the problem and possible treatment.

Here's an update from BMM about the personnel and ministries there.

Dear Mission Family,

Here is the latest update on the situation in Haiti and our personnel there. We would encourage you to send this on to your supporters so that they might be able to uphold the Shelpmans and the Pierre-Pierre Family in prayer.

Baptist Mid-Missions rejoices to confirm the safety of our missionaries in Haiti, Roy and Ruth Shelpman. In a January 14 e-mail, Dr. Shelpman reported that they had been in their home in Grand Goave (approximately 20 miles from the epicenter) when the magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck on January 12. Sensing that the building would not endure the severity of the ongoing tremors, they and the other residents of their dwelling vacated the house. At approximately 2:30 AM, a severe tremor occurred, and they heard the house go down. Exterior walls around their property and half of their sea wall also collapsed.

They are gradually digging out valuable items from their home.. Thankfully, Dr. Shelpman did not report of any personal injuries to the people in their immediate residence. They plan to remain in Grand Goave for the present time without attempting to travel to Port-au-Prince, because of the severity of damage to the national highway.

Baptist Mid-Missions also received information via e-mail from Pastor Maxime Pierre-Pierre, a Haitian pastor who lives in Port-au-Prince and serves as representative on behalf of Baptist Mid-Missions in Haiti. Pastor Pierre-Pierre informs us that God kept his family, their house, and their church building safe. He was teaching in a Bible Institute when the earthquake hit. The classroom and building where he was teaching suffered damage. Several students were pulled out of the rubble, but two were presumed to be trapped inside.

Pastor Pierre-Pierre reports that they are hearing stories of both miraculous protection and heart-rending loss. Difficulties with phone communication prevent them from being able to confirm the condition of others in their community. They have little access to food, water or fuel, and they have no electricity. Because of continual aftershocks, he and his family have been sleeping outside since Tuesday.

The Baptist Mid-Missions Crisis Management Team continues to gather credible information. Updates will be posted when available.

Please pray for all involved in addressing this catastrophic event. Baptist Mid-Missions has set up a World Relief project fund to offer physical and spiritual help to those affected in Haiti. Gifts toward this fund can be sent to BMM World Relief/Haiti. More information is posted at http://www.bmm.org/BMM/WhereWeServe/LatinAmerica/News/haiti+world+relief+2010.htm.

Karen Lea Beckman

Administrative Assistant

President's Office, Baptist Mid-Missions

Daily Update

2010-01-11T08:14:00.002+01:00

Although several were home with colds and bronchitis, we had a good group together for Sunday services. Several reported of the things that God had done for them and through them during the Christmas break and we were all encouraged.

Some of the highlights:

Reini has been encouraged through reading two missionary biographies and seeing their trust in God in spite of difficult situations.
The Bals Family saw God provide a computer repairman-friend who rescued some major school projects before their notebook crashed.
Flo was able to lead his sister, Anika, to the Lord.

Some prayer requests:

Pray for a location for special meetings with Dr. Werner Gitt in May. We want to hold them in Penzberg, but haven't been able to find anything big enough. Joachim will go to city hall this week to see if they have any possibilities.
Pray for those who are being slowed down due to colds and bronchitis.
Pray for the evangelistic contacts and for our perseverance.

Guenther will be returning to work this week and I'm hoping that we'll get back to reading the Bible together. I haven't heard from him since before Christmas, so I don't have any news to pass along. Would you pray that we'll be able to start meeting again and that God will keep working in his heart? I'm not certain if he is saved, so the Gospel message will keep coming through!

This coming Sunday we'll be having church at the pool. Andy Kesslinger (almost 13) will be baptized in the pool at a local hotel. He is praying that his unsaved grandfather and other friends will come to the service.

Thanks for praying!

Daily Update

2010-01-03T15:18:00.002+01:00

Thanks for your prayers! We had an excellent retreat with the teens and there was even enough snow on the mountain for those who wanted to go snowboarding and skiing on Monday. The rest of the time it rained, so that small bit of snow probably disappeared, too. The Lord has really put together an excellent team of workers for our camps and it's encouraging to see how they work to achieve great things for the Lord. Most of the teens are desirous to know God's Word and apply it to their lives, which makes it enjoyable to teach them.

On the last day the teens and leaders wrote letters to themselves about any decisions that they made during the retreat. Those letters will be mailed to them in a couple of months to remind them about the decision and to encourage them in their walk with the Lord.

Since most of our church people were gone we got together with Christoph Rüttgers and his family for New Year's Eve. The kids had a great time playing together and the adults enjoyed the time visiting. An advantage of living at the church is that we have plenty of room for guests to stay overnight!

Steve and Mia will be flying from Kansas on Tuesday. Robert and Claudia will return from the mountain vacation on Tuesday. Flo will be back to start his next semester on Thursday. School starts again on Thursday. Everyone will be back in their regular places and the routine will start up again. Saturday will be the first session of Bible school - Soteriology, the doctrine of salvation. Ten people are enrolled, including two from Ingolstadt, for this three-month course. This will be the last course that I'll teach before we go on furlough the end of July. The next months will fly by!

Thanks for praying daily for the Dailys!

Daily Update

2009-12-27T15:02:00.003+01:00

We did manage to have snow on the ground for Christmas, but it's pretty much gone for today's beginning of Winter Retreat. We usually don't have snow during this week, so it's not unusual. There may be enough of the white stuff left up in the mountains that there will be opportunity for skiing and snowboarding.

Almost 50 people will be arriving here in the next couple of hours. The topic for the three days is holiness and three of the men will be teaching different lessons. I'm speaking this evening on God's Holiness and Our Holiness from 1st Peter 1:15-16. We'll also have lots of opportunity for encouraging the teens around the tables and as we go to different activities. We are thankful that we can use the school gym for the boys to sleep and for games.

Some prayer requests from church:
1. The Gerls are spending the afternoon with the Lage family and are hoping to have opportunity to witness to them.
2. Reini has been invited to Karolin's for breakfast on Tuesday. Reini has been reading through the book "Stranger on the Road to Emmaus" with Karolin for a couple of years.
3. Tim Bals shared that he and his family were able to present God as the Creator to one of his school friends during a visit to a museum.
4. Flo had several opportunities to witness to his family during the time spent together for Christmas.

I did finally catch up with Guenther this week. He's been gone from work for three weeks and isn't planning to be back until January 11. He looked a lot better and had gotten some rest and time for himself during the last weeks. He also commented that he realizes that God is working in his life. Keep praying for him.

Thanks for praying for the Dailys!

Daily Update

2009-12-20T21:42:00.004+01:00

The air is staying crisp and we get a fresh layer of fluffy white snow every couple of days. Looks like we'll have a white Christmas. North of us a storm is wreaking havoc on the autobahn and train tracks, but it's nice and quiet here so far.

The highlight of today's church service was hearing the testimony of Robert Bals. Without going into the details, he told us how God has gotten his attention in the last months. He is wanting to follow Christ, after watching from the sidelines for 11 years. Praise the Lord for bringing this family together.

David injured his meniscus slightly last weekend and has his knee wrapped up. The doctor thinks it will heal on its own, since he's so young and it's just a light injury. He's not able to go sledding or play in the snow, which is quite challenging when it's so inviting.

Three more days of school and one week until the Winter Retreat starts. Close to 50 people will be here for three days of fellowship and studying in the Word. The theme for the retreat is holiness and I'll be teaching three sessions. One on the holiness of God as our motivation for holy living and two sessions on music. We're anticipating a great time! And anticipating that you'll be praying for us!

Thanks for praying!

Daily Update

2009-12-14T08:17:00.002+01:00

Winter arrived just in time. Almost 10 inches of fresh snow and temperatures just below freezing made it perfect weather for the Christmas Market on Sunday. Setting up the stand started at 8 a.m. and it was after 7 p.m. when the last workers left the church. Christian books were sold that will probably show up under Christmas trees and about 500 evangelistic calendars were handed out. God's Word went out and we know that He will work through that.

Bad news of the week: our car will be sitting at the mechanic's until January 11. The ordered part won't be delivered until the first of the year and the holidays and weekends make it not likely that it will be installed until then. Good news of the week: we're able to borrow a car from the Krauses instead of paying almost $1500 to rent a car for that long!

Some prayer requests from church:

Reini has been reading "Stranger on the Road to Emmaus" with a neighbor lady for almost two years. The conversations the last few times have become more intense and she is trying to understand what Jesus means in her life. Pray that these conversations will continue and that God will help her to understand His Word.
Claudia's father was released from the hospital and is planning to head to Tenerife for the Winter. Our church supports a missionary on that island and that missionary has just moved into the same neighborhood as where Claudia's parents will spend the Winter. Claudia is sending a care package that her parents will deliver to the Thomas family. Perhaps God will use this contact.
The school kids are facing a lot of stress, not just from the studies, but also from dealing with the ungodly attitudes and activities in the schools.
I haven't heard anything from Guenther this week, but will try to get in touch with him this week sometime to hear what God has been doing in his life.

Erica will be finishing up her online course on Tuesday and the other kids have school until the 23rd. Sometime someone needs to get busy buying Christmas presents.

Thanks for your prayers!

Daily Update

Daily Update

2009-10-18T16:17:00.003+02:00

Somehow this past week zipped right by. The day spent in Nuremberg at a pastors' meeting was great, but it through my mental calendar off for the rest of the week. All of a sudden it was Saturday!

Saturday was a great day. I was able to spend my birthday with some great people. The morning was spent teaching from Genesis to seven eager students at the church. Then the afternoon was highlighted by relaxing with the family. In the evening Joachim, Florian, Sepp and Guenther were here to celebrate with me. A great way to spend the day!

I was really excited the Guenther came to the celebration. I kept the guest list small, so that he would be able to get to know the men of the church better. He and Sepp talked about a lot of experiences and adventures that they had had, making me realize that I had had a pretty boring life, compared to theirs! At the end of the evening, Sepp and I each gave our testimonies about how we got saved. Sepp made it clear in his testimony that it isn't just knowing the facts about the death of Christ and the payment of sin, but making a decision to trust in that free gift. Pray that God will use that to work in Guenther's heart. I'll be meeting with him on Tuesday morning and hope to build on Sepp's testimony.

The big prayer request for this week is our evangelistic meetings Friday through Sunday. Last Wednesday at prayer meeting we made a list of the people that we had invited or would be inviting to the meetings. We came up with a list of about 50 people - individuals with whom contact has been on going for several years and some new friends, teachers and neighbors. Would you pray that these people would have the courage to come through the doors? The speaker is Joschi Frühstück who will do an excellent job of presenting the Gospel.

Some prayer requests from church today:

Sepp and Reini would appreciate your prayers for them this evening. They have invited a teacher to their home and want to invite her to the evangelistic meetings, and also witness to her today.
Claudia's father was released from the hospital and is at home on medications. The doctors will decide after Nov 1 whether the rest of his intestines need to be removed. Claudia is spending quite a bit of time helping her mother care for him, but is also able to have talks with her mother about eternity and salvation. Claudia's parents avoided her for at least 10 years after she got saved, so she is glad that she has opportunities to spend time with them and prays for witnessing opportunities.
Andreas' mother is in a similar situation as she has had a tumor removed. Andreas would like to have opportunities to witness to her again as she is faced with the consequences of cancer treatment.
Joachim had lunch with a former soccer coach from the Bad Heilbrunn team and was able to explain the Gospel to him. He was interested and may come to the meetings this weekend.

Thanks for praying for us!

Daily Update

2009-10-11T20:00:00.003+02:00

The Lord gave us an excellent 24-hour youth rally. We had about 45 guests at the church and everything went just fine. The ladies of the church did a great job of organizing the kitchen and keeping everyone well fed. Our church teens helped with some of the prep work and I worked hard to stay in my office and let the church people do the work. It was a challenge for me, but proved to be a good test for this church moving toward independence.

The topic for the Bible sessions was suffering and helping those who are suffering. On Friday evening, Joachim led the study about God's purposes in suffering. Saturday morning my study was on how to help people in a crisis situation. We trust that we were able to equip the teens and leaders to face some crises in their own lives and also be able to help others.

Some prayer requests from church today:

Reini is going to re-start her Bible study with Caroline on Friday. Caroline is anxious about starting again through the book, "Stranger on the Road to Emmaus."
Sepp spent several days last week with Ivan, a long-time friend with whom he has shared the Gospel several times. Sepp asked us to pray that there will be more opportunities.
Claudia's father is no longer in a life-threatening situation, but he may need to have the rest of his intestines removed. The doctors will decide this week. Claudia did not have opportunity to speak with her father this week, but had a good discussion with her mother. Claudia's parents would have nothing to do with her for over 10 years after she got saved.
Florian will not be going to the US for his internship in the Spring, but is looking for a position here in the area. Pray that he'll find something that will allow him to stay in Bad Heilbrunn and that will help him with his desire to witness and serve the Lord.

This coming weekend I'm planning a men's night for the men of the church to be able to meet Guenther. My birthday is the excuse and Guenther said he would come. He knows that I'm inviting him and the others with the purpose of him getting to know some other believers. Pray that it will provide an impulse to come to church!

Are you praying for our evangelistic meetings? They start in 10 days!

Thanks for your part in our ministry!

Daily Update

2009-10-04T21:32:00.005+02:00

I made it! The hike around Lake Starnberg (35.4 miles, 12 h 40 min) has been accomplished! The Lord gave us excellent weather and endurance. The last 10 miles Isaiah 40:31 kept going through my mind: "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not be faint." I was pretty tired and had blisters on my feet, but I made it.

Thanks for praying daily!

Daily Update

2009-08-16T16:21:00.002+02:00

This morning at church I sat between two boys and we worked to keep each other awake. Camp just drained the last few drops of energy out of us!

The week was an unusual week in that there were fewer problems that came up in comparison to other years. You were praying and God was working. It was encouraging to overhear conversations at Saturday breakfast: "What goals did you set? What are you planning to change in your life now that camp is over?" Those questions were coming from counselors and campers. Pray that God's Word will continue to work in their hearts.

Although most of the campers will return to Christian families and attend Bible-preaching churches, several of the campers do not have that benefit. Some have returned to families where they will not receive biblical instruction, or have godly examples to follow. Some have no church close enough to them for regular attendance. Some are attending a church with their family where the Word is not being clearly taught. Thank the Lord for those who have good situations, but pray also for those who may need to be creative in finding connections to other believers.

Some prayer requests from church:
1. Joachim will be traveling to his mother's on Tuesday to attend a funeral of her cousin. Pray that Joachim will have an opportunity to speak with his mother and other relatives about eternity and God's plan of salvation.

2. Reini was thankful for an infection that took away her voice for a couple of days. Her kids were at camp and she was able to spend the days at the desk getting caught up with paperwork. God's timing was great!

3. Florian is spending the next month at home and is hoping to have some discussions about spiritual matters with his family members and friends in the area.

We had cool weather all week at camp, but the drive home was very hot - and the first part of the week is supposed to be very warm, too. We're looking forward to having some warm weather fun - maybe swimming in the lake - this week.

Thanks for praying for us!