Pray BFF Letter #257
Fri Apr 17, 2015
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Can I really?
“Stand firm!” (Eph. 6:14)
Dear Prayer Partners,
So what is it like to prepare to go on a mission trip? It is like a whirlwind, many scattered objects – varying responsibilities – flying wildly from every direction towards you, some big, some small, all demanding to be handled in a timely manner. This is the way it has been in the last weeks. I always feel overwhelmed. I truly feel that I cannot handle it all, but I must say I have had a lot of training for this over the years. I tell Linda that this is the way it is, “God will work it out in His way at just the right time!” “Stand firm” implies that all is okay; just don’t step backwards. Don’t give up or retreat. God will timely help.
We have been doing cross cultural work for all our ministry, but these pastoral training seminars started leading me into many more challenging scenarios. I won’t say they don’t give me alarm, but that they happen with such regularity, that I have seen how the evil one tries to undermine my courage and make me give up on my plans.
For one, it is hard to plan on speaking so many times, often four times a day. This has only gotten worse for me because my memory only allows me to remember what I have very recently put on my mind. It is like a very limited hard drive. I need to take things off the platter to make room for other things. Fortunately, I can put things in my mind very quickly (by God’s grace and with the aid of the computer). So I can identify with the apostle who admitted overwhelming circumstances, “For indeed in this house we groan” (2 Co 5:2), but made his stay the Lord’s grace (2 Co 11:10).
But due to your prayers and secured grace, I can testify the Lord really has helped us. I was sick for over a week and during my worst day, I got two huge things completed: the 990 form which consumes many hours of work (the government’s way to keep us accountable - so not all bad) and the small book that God led me to write during these last 3 weeks, a takeoff from a chapter I was teaching on Romans, Life Transformation: A Monthly Devotional on Romans 12:9-21. There are numerous other things we still need to trust the Lord for such as my back being on the verge of giving out. I thought for sure it was going to go bad yesterday but it didn’t.
Missions Trip (Wed, April 29 - Thurs, May 14th)
Sorry for not giving you dates last time. Linda and I are getting ready to leave in less than two weeks to teach two seminars in Taichung and Yangon, about ten messages in each country: the first on parenting, the second on marriage. I am so glad that Linda is accompanying me for these family messages. She has so much to share. Linda is working on home, food and homeschooling schedules while I focus on the messages.
Praise!
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Praise the Lord for a new book, Life Transformation!
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Thank the Lord for getting all my taxes and the 990 business form done even while sick!
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My last preaching/teaching before we leave went well, so now I can focus on what is ahead.
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The Chinese translation for our Premarital Counseling book came in and ready to come off the press! Thank the Lord for the brother who helped in the translation work!
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Several of us were sick but all better now. Two close relatives are better now from surgery.
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Visas arrived!
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Daniel got accepted into the Physical Therapy Assistant’s course starting in the fall and is now seeking a job.
Join Paul on Twitter! @PaulJBucknell
Pray!
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Continued prayer for the Burmese translation. The “Building a Great Marriage” book is being translated rather than just handouts. We are trying something new and give the pastors/wives something to keep learning from.
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Paul is renewing his Chinese language skills in several ways for the upcoming seminars and church messages.
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Some issues for the greater family have been resolved (healing), but others still need resolution.
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Allison is seeking a paid summer internship in NYC; Kathryn is still waiting for college/financial aid before making a final college decision.
As always, thanks so much for your prayers!
Paul
Rev. Paul J. Bucknell, President and Instructor
Biblical Foundations for Freedom
____________________________
Email: pb@foundationsforfreedom.net
Phone/text: (+1) 412-398-4559
(Mobile)
3276 Bainton St, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 USA
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