Weary in the deep valley

It is amazing what a good dose of perspective does for you. I just got home from a funeral for a 15 year old boy. Kevin McGhee, a classmate of Rachel who sat behind her on the schoolbus. I realised that but for the grace of God it could be us grieving the death of one of our children.
This morning I was informed that we had only received $50 in support over the past month therefor we would not be getting a paycheck for the month of April.

Today would be a real bummer of a day if not for my knowledge that God is sovereign and faithful and today did not surprise Him. He knew before creation that Kevin would die from a brain aneurism last Tuesday and He knew that we would have our faith tested once again with finances.

God promised to meet my and my families needs so I trust Him to do that. So I'm off to gather a few smooth stones.

On the Road Again

Well I(Todd) am sitting in the Albany airport awaiting my flight. I am headed to Georgia for the week to work for Signature Research Inc. We will be working on a big challenge course project. It will be nice to work with those guys and to get paid but I long for the day when we have enough support coming in to focus solely on Climbing for Christ! Will you join me in praying towards that end? Also pray for Kristen and our children while I am away. We were able to make the early service at church today and received a good challenge from Colossians 2:7 that everything we do should be done to the glory of God! I pray that I will be successful in doing that this coming week.

The Paris family spring break adventure!

Wow, what an adventure! We left our house on Saturday and headed to Western NY to spend the weekend with my brother Mike and his family. After a awesome weekend of celebration of Christ's resurrection and a meeting on monday with Climbing for Christ pres. Gary Fallesen in Rochester we packed up the van again and headed further west to OHio. We made it to Mike and Katie Eatons house with out incident. I (Todd) was there to help Mike facilitate a wilderness retreat for his Youth group. While Mike and I were ministering to the teens, the rest of the family spent time with Katie and new baby Lucy. After an awesome Sunday morning sermon by Mike we packed up the van and headed for home(into a late-spring nor-easter). Thanks be to God the roads were not that bad and after a layover at Mike and Sue Paris' house again we made it home to one foot of wet snow in the driveway and no power/heat in the house. The snow is melting, the power is back on, the kids are back in school and everything is back to "normal".

Gary Fallesen just got back from a C4C mission trip to the church in Haiti you can read the dispatches here.

Praying Big Prayers

Pray Big

Let's pray some huge prayers for billions of lost people and thousands of peoples in the "10/40 Window." Paul said, "Pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you" (2 Thessalonians 3:1). Use the prayer guides you receive on Sunday, September 26 (or get one at the Missions Corner in the Commons), and pray some huge, sweeping prayers for the peoples and the missionaries of this vast region: "Lord cause your Word to run and triumph among millions of people this year in [name some countries or peoples]." Here are some facts to help you up to speed:
The "10/40 Window," extends from West Africa to East Asia, from ten degrees north to forty degrees north of the equator. This specific region contains three of the world's dominant religious blocs. The majority of those enslaved by Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism live within The 10/40 Window - billions of spiritually impoverished souls. It is home to the majority of the world's unevangelized people.
While it constitutes only one-third of earth's total land area, nearly two-thirds of the world's people reside in the 10/40 Window, with a total population nearing four billion. Of the world's 50 least evangelized countries, 37 are within the 10/40 Window. Yet those 37 countries comprise 95% of the total population of the 50 least evangelized countries!
Of the poorest of the poor, more than eight out of ten live in The 10/40 Window. On average, they exist on less than $500 per person per year. Although 2.4 billion of these people live within the 10/40 Window, only 8% of all missionaries work among them.


By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.

Spring Break Road trip

The Paris family is about to head out on the road! The Kids had off all next week from school so we are going to Ohio. First we will stop in Wyoming NY and celebrate the Ressurection with Mike and Sue and the cousins. Meet with Gary Fallesen (president of Climbing for Christ) on Monday for our weekly conference call. Then head to Ohio on Tuesday. Mike and Katie Eaton are youth pastoring at a church there. I(Todd) will assist Mike on a youth retreat and Kris and the girls will visit Katie and their new baby girl Lucy. Sunday we head for home and hope to stop and visit Craig and Tricia Fee, friends who just recently moved to Ohio.

Ministry News: Gary heads out with a team to Haiti on Tuesday. Todd is planning a roadtrip to West Virginia for a climbers gathering at the New River Gorge. Jim is finishing up details for his trip to Denali in June. All three os us only received half salaries again for the second month in a row. Pray for God's provision.

Begin weaving and God will give the thread

http://blog.keepbelieving.com/?p=601 I have been greatly encouraged by posts on Ray Pritchards blog lately and the Holy Spirit used him today to deliver the very words that I needed to hear. Thanks Ray and God! I am posting the link in case the Holy Spirit thinks that it could benefit you as well.

I was playing with new backgrounds and deleted all of my custom stuff in my sidebar so it may be a couple days before I figure that out.