A blog by Winston Lawrence of Lifepointe. http://myflock2.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=31&blog_org_id=church3578 http://myflock2.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=31&blog_org_id=church3578 Father, please bless our Summer Celebration this Sunday.  Bring those people to this event that need to be there.  Help us to welcome them, to see their needs, to show them Your love.  Thank you for all who have put in hours and miles making the arrangements and gathering the supplies.  Thank you for giving us this opportunity to shine Your Light into this valley. http://myflock2.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=31&blog_org_id=church3578 Just in case you're wondering... Forty-four verses will be translated for the Ning people as a result of our partnership with the OneVerse company.   Thank you to all who gave money or are committing to fund the translation.  Special thank you to the KIDZ and youth who gave enough to fund two and one-third verses!! http://myflock2.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=31&blog_org_id=church3578 It has been encouraging to me lately to have some of the kids upstairs be willing to pray.  And it's not just sharing requests, but also praise and thankfulness for requests we've prayed about previously.  Some of their requests are so "heavy".  And to have a group of seven to ten kids agree to pray during the week for someone else who is hurting...that says a lot about our kids. Prayer is such a vital part in our communication with God.  I've been feeling the need lately to work on this with the kids, my own and the ones upstairs.  To ask them... http://myflock2.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=31&blog_org_id=church3578 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.  When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray...'  -- Luke 11:1a      "Jesus had just finished praying.  And the disciples had been watching Him.       "Their observations led to curiosity, and curiosity created a desire to learn, to grow, to   experience what Jesus experienced.  So they asked Him to teach them -- to train them -- to pray."1 And so He did.  The disciples wanted so desperately to know how to pray;... http://myflock2.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=31&blog_org_id=church3578   This week, as you finish up the Blank Bible Challenge videos and think about your part in helping the Ning people have a Bible of their own, enjoy a Tanzanian meal.  Here are some suggestions... Chick-Peas in Coconut Milk  [Kunde na Nazi (KOON-day nah NAH-zee)] Combine in a saucepan: 2 c. cooked or canned chick-peas (garbanzos), drained 1 tomato, chopped 4 whole cloves or 1/8 tsp. ground cloves 2-3  cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 c. coconut milk 1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric 1/2 tsp salt Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer... http://myflock2.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=31&blog_org_id=church3578 Tanzania is located on the eastern side of Africa.  It is the 31st largest country in the world – about twice the size of California.  It is home to familiar landmarks such as Mount Kilamanjaro; Lake Victoria (Africa’s largest lake); Lake Tanganyika (Africa’s deepest lake, known for its unique species of fish); and the Serengeti National Park.  If we were to take a trip to Tanzania, we would find the Ning people there as well.  Many generations ago, most Ning people joined another major religion to avoid being enslaved.  Since that time, elders... http://myflock2.com/blog/index.php?blog_id=31&blog_org_id=church3578 You know, I had seen some of these videos before, but I hadn't read through the questions.  I don't know about you, but some of those questions are, shall we say, thought-provoking and convicting.  There is one in particular that keeps nagging me.  A recent incident in my life made this question even more relevant.  Ouch. Having God's Word in our heart language:  We've been hearing about that lately and how important it is for all of us, but especially those people groups who don't have it.  I have read that particular story, how many...