The U.P call has been praying for church services, and for ministers. I am amazed (oh me of little faith!) at what happened yesterday in our church service. Curtis was preaching on pride - universal topic to apply to all of us. A relative came, unannounced, whom we have prayed for several years. A family that a number of people in our congregation know also came, unannounced, to visit. We have prayed for them, and met with them - one of the older children went and met with them even this past week. And a friend that we have prayed for for a long time and who has been on my mind for the past several weeks also came, unannounced. We have almost begged her to come at different times - she said she had tried for three weeks to come, and she was not missing the point that it wasn't "chance" that kept her from coming. I was startled to a standstill when I saw her. I started inviting her to come to church almost ten years ago! She came from a very limpid, mainline sort of situation - the kind of church meeting designed on purpose to not offend anyone or question any belief. She said she read in Hebrews recently "Do not forsake the assembly...." and she had been at home for a year on Sundays. She was compelled to come. We are planning to meet in town on Tuesday. They have had an awful family situation involving the theft of a farm by a sibling, and it requires much forgiveness. Forgiveness and justice both are prayer requests here. So, as the Lord brings this to mind, please pray as He leads you. What a marvel, that she came.

Last week Monday, I had to report for jury duty and I was chosen to sit on the trial for a criminal trial. It was gut-wrenching – two children, girl and boy, 12 & 13, were being sexually abused by their older sister’s husband (their brother-in-law). Both of them took the witness stand and testified in sickening detail what he had done to them. They were homeschooled and living in a Christian home. Their sister had even met her husband at a Christian family camp. On Tuesday, after they had testified, I had to take the court recess for lunch and drive out to the lake park outside of town and sit in the car where I wept bitterly and prayed. Oh, the pervasiveness of wickedness that is infecting our culture. I was chosen jury foreman and we found him guilty of both charges.

The hand of God was evident in that trial as He was determined to see justice served through our court system. From a human perspective, I should have been struck from the jury by the defense attorney. I had to answer questions that pointed to the fact that I fit nearly the same demographic of the abused children’s father: homeschool dad with many children. Additionally, one of my best friends is a deputy on the County Sheriff’s Department – he actually works the courthouse and sits in every trial. He was sitting there in the courtroom when I had to identify any close friends or relatives in law enforcement. But, I was supposed to be on the jury. “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” – Prov. 16:9

Last week there seemed to be a considerable amount of prayer focused on the power of the Holy Spirit and prayer for preaching and churches and this sunday we had a mighty answer to prayer. A visiting pastor came and preached on Mark 9:14-29 on, This kind only goes out by prayer and as he preached the Spirit was with him in a mighty way, there was such silence in the church as he called our church and denomination to start praying for revival and encouraged us how in his church he had been praying for revival. As a direct result of that sermon the pastor has now decided, with encouragement from other members and staff to start a weekly prayer group, "earnestly and humbly seeking for revival". This is such an answer to prayer I cannot but praise God and thank Him and everyone who is praying on this call. Let's keep praying for more ministers to be filled with the Spirit and for it to spill out in their sermons to create real everlasting change!