Another great month! We are on a roll :)
Highlights.
- Over 40 students attended our Fall camp with 5 decisions for Christ :) Thanks Lord!
- 13 FLC students came to my Halloween party and we had a great time sharing food from everyone's country and just becoming friends. Everyone wore great costumes (see Pics under Links, below) and we talked about the meaning of Halloween and how it relates to eternal and supernatural things mentioned in the Bible. All the students believe in God and a heaven and hell.
- FLC Talk Time attendance has remained strong with 8-10 students from Iran, Iraq, Ukraine, Russia, Denmark, Mexico, South Africa and Haiti.
- CSUS Talk Time also remains strong with 10-14 students from Asia, Russia, Malaysia, Mexico, China, India and Moldova. All of them are staying the second hour for Bible Talk Time.
- I was a greeter at church Sunday and I met Diana who has been a wonderful faculty advocate for our club at FLC. I did not know she was a Christian and went to my same church :).
- I spoke at our Friday leadership on Worry (see Worry under Links>>My Talks, below). It went way better than I had hoped. Thanks, Lord.
- Our financial support continues to meet the needs of the ministry, even the monthly dinners we have just started. God has really been faithful. Every time $ was running low someone gave a gift to meet that amount 2-3 weeks before I needed it.So far, I have not even had to make any financial need known this year. I think I mentioned this in the last newsletter- I have always known I need God to do His work but I like how I am now learning more deeply how I need God's people to do His work.
- I made a summary chart of Jesus' letter to the churches in Revelation. Check it out and see where you fall :)
Lowlights.
- We made way too much food for our Halloween party and have tons of leftovers. Wait. That should be a Highlight ;)
- I had to scrub all the floors and bathrooms on my hands and knees to get the house ready for the party. I couldn't find the mop.Good thing Jesus mentioned that servant thing.
Story 1 - Guelta
I am excited to talk about Guelta this month. She is quite a special young woman who has started coming to FLC. She is a Christian (which is almost an understatement) from Haiti. I call her my secret weapon. She is very strong in her walk with the Lord and speaks so boldly, yet gently, about what she believes about God in every Talk Time and I know the students listen to her every word. Heck, I listen to her every word. She convicts me! Seriously. She gets up every morning at 6:00 am, 6 days per week, to pray with her fellowship group in Haiti. After my talk last Friday she told me- you said good things about why we should not worry and what Jesus said about seeking first the kingdom of God but I think the students need to know how they can accept Christ right now so they can seek His kingdom. She said- I am going to start praying for that every morning in my prayer times with my fellowship group. I really appreciated what she said and had been feeling the same thing. My wife and I were going to deal with that in personal 1/1s with the students but now that the fields appear to be ripe we need to mention it clearly at the end of all of our talks.
Links
Metrics: http://isiervthomas.weebly.com/metrics
Nations in the US: http://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Document/2015/by-the-numbers.pdf
CSUS Club: http://sites.google.com/site/csusweave/
My Talks: http://isiervthomas.weebly.com/my-talks.html
Pics: https://plus.google.com/photos/+ervthomas/albums/6053038271389882641
Prayer Requests
- That our charter/constitution is accepted and we are an official club at CSUS once again. Our renewal request was approved which is a very good sign but we still have one more hurdle. If it is not God's will that we will all accept their decision graciously. <<I believe it has but I am still waiting official word>>
- We have our Fall Camp coming up Oct 9-11. Pray that God will put it on many students hearts to come and hear about Him and then entrust their lives to Him. <<Yes! 40+ attended with 5 saved :)>>.
- Wisdom if I should pour all of my energy into FLC or continue to do both FLC and CSUS. Wisdom for my wife as to how much she can help me at FLC. <<My wife has jumped in and is a perfect fit. I will decide this month if I should just focus on FLC. I am leaning that way after the Halloween party>>
- More ministry opportunities at FLC. I sense something special about the new group that is forming there. I think if I did a weekly dinner and Bible study in my home many of them would come. They all seem to care for each other and are interested in the things of God. I know I need to do more for them. <<My wife and I have decided that our next step is going to be individual 1/1s with each of the students this month and ask them if they would like to know how to become a Christian and if they would like to be part of a small discovery Bible study>>
- Our Thanksgiving dinner for the FLC students. That we have a good turnout and we are able to share the gospel clearly and effectively through the Thanksgiving historical story.
Admonition
“Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent"
- Rev 3:2,3