Pray BFF Letter #244

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

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He will make your paths smooth…

Dear Prayer Partners,

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6).

Smooth

The word ‘smooth’ is a better translation than ‘straight’ or ‘level’. After all, we have no problem curving along highways that go around high mountains. Straight is not always the best! A smooth ride, however, conveys an overall better experience. Looking back, we can say things went quite smoothly.

Most on our minds, right now, is not Peru but Linda’s health. Last Friday, Linda decided to make a doctor appointment on our weekly afternoon out. Well, things turned out different from our original plans. When the doctor confirmed her breathing problem was not an asthma flare-up but a possible heart problem, we went straight to the hospital from his office, skipping a nice Chinese meal together.

Linda came home Monday afternoon after her final test showed her arteries were clear. We are not quite sure why her heart is enlarged and improperly pumping (at a 40% level), perhaps due to a previous virus. Anyway, she will be on medicines for the longterm unless her heart improves, which can happen and is our prayer.

We are glad the doctors and hospital staff were there to identify the problem and resolve its complications. Praise God for this not happening when I was away. No one likes a car breakdown (like before my trip) or ‘heart’ breakdown (after my trip), but the timing and location allowed us to get ‘broken’ things fixed with few complications. Linda has no physical restrictions but must pace herself and rest when feeling fatigued.

Peru

The four seminars went well but were affected by Easter vacation, but generally had a 30-40 person attentive audience. I was wondering if the pastor seminar in southern Peru would be of any real help as the attendance was low, about 15-20, but it increased as the seminar went on. The transformation in the attendees and thankfulness of these pastors and wives again reminded me of the power of God’s truths. Moreover, it restores the unity that is desired and purposed by our Lord.

God wonderfully sustained me. I ended up speaking 6 messages on several days, more than I planned. My translator did a wonderful job, not only keeping up with the rigorous schedule but always accompanying Kathryn and I, and sometimes pastor and friends, to various restaurants. If I was by myself, I would have found one meal I liked and regularly select it as my Spanish is inadequate.

It was wonderful to have Kathryn along. Her testimonies helped people see the genuineness of our parenting messages and waken up the youth to another perspective on the Christian family. She hated to leave and just loves the people there.

Lima was a whole different setting. One big seminar squished into three eveningtalks, though later extended into Sunday’s service. But this required lots of last minute tinkering with the talks to fit in the allotted time. I started speaking at around 8 pm, and yet, around 250, largely young people, regularly came out.

Our Strategy

Thankfully, the impact of the messages goes beyond the immediate work. We hope that the bilingual Spanish resources from two of these seminars with translated handouts will join our other online Spanish library resources, provide the Spanish world access to God’s life changing messages. For example, in just the first 4 days of May our Spanish 2 Timothy discipleship page has been accessed 30 times. It was interesting to see the translator’s mother, who couldn’t attend, view the discipleship messages from the year before on her computer!

Praise!

Thank the Lord Linda is home and her life extended with medicines.
Praise God for a great Peru trip and that all went well.
God blessed Kathryn from the trip and used her on it.
God held up Diana’s sore throat during the rigorous translations.
Good health for Kathryn and I.
Fully funded! - Thanks to you!!
Paul was able to finish his business taxes upon his return.
Thank the Lord for a smooth ride through some difficult times.

Join Paul on Twitter! @PaulJBucknell

Pray!

Pray for good transition for Linda back into regular life and adjustment to medications.
Paul is speaking, mostly in Chinese, in Iowa at a Chinese church retreat on Memorial Day weekend. In faith….
Allison’s graduation from Union University coming up on May 16th! Pray for her transition. Looking for a place to live in Brooklyn near PACE.
Daniel finished his first semester at a local college and is looking for a summer job.
Pray for Paul to keep at the editing of the 20+ Spanish audio/videos.

Thanks so much for your prayers!

Paul

Rev. Paul J. Bucknell, President and Instructor

Biblical Foundations for Freedom

____________________________

Email: pb@foundationsforfreedom.net
Phone: (+1) 412-398-4559 (Mobile)
3276 Bainton St, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 USA

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