Last week’s Portuguese new word for us. It means ‘amazed’ or stronger than that, ‘astonished’, or maybe even stronger. We hadn't learnt it before. So it was our Friday night prayer meeting and we were just sharing personal stories from the week, and it just seemed that, one after another, we kept using that word. Pedro started it off -
Pedro : I’m just astonished since the summer team were with us in July, how God has made such good opportunities with some of the young guys we met in the Park - Tiago, for example....”
Maria : “I managed to speak to me sister this week ... we haven’t spoken in 8 and a half years --- It was astonishing ... God is good”
Raquel :”.. since I’ve started coming to this fellowship, I’ve just been astonished at what God has done for me. This week, I just can’t keep up with him ... an apartment to live in ... fully furnished ... a project to get involved in ...”
Marcus : "I’m astonished this week by what God has done in my life. The interview with ECM went well...I feel God is directing my life for the future...”
Anna : "..we were astonished by our visit to Liliane and Armando this week ... to see such joy that God has brought into that home. It was Armando’s birthday the day we visited .. Armando said it was the best birthday he could have had, to have two people drive out from Lisbon to do a Bible study with him. We feel humbled...”
Peter : “You know what was astonishing for me this week. I discovered money in the Bank I didn’t know we had. I was just checking to see there was enough to cover the rent, and .... someone had mysteriously transferred money into our account... astonishing!
Sometimes God likes to surprise us with his love and care. With all this praise and thanksgiving, we’d also like you to pray for :
Marcus : He has been accepted as a new missionary from Brazil and will be working with us, particularly in the area of sports evangelism. Pray for us as we help with his orientation to life in ECM, and also that God would help him develop his financial support base in Brazil
Raquel : She’s from Macau, where she successfully set up a Language Centre business with her sister, and is interested in helping us with our Business Project here. Pray as we talk and plan with her, that the Lord would guide us with the resources we need to get the Project of the ground.
Liliane and Armando : and their four children - new Christians who are so keen to grow and read the Bible with us. pray for them and for others who are on the road to faith in Christ.
We serve an astonishing God, and it’s good to be able to share these good things with you, in the midst of all the pressures that we face
