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September 25, 2011 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

 

“The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. ”  Proverbs 15:29

We are so thankful that we have so many of you that desire to be a part of our prayer support team.  We need righteous people lifting up us personally and all the different requests that we send to you.  James tell us in chapter five, “…the prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.”  We believe this is true! Therefore we send our prayer requests and praises to you to lift up to the Father in heaven.  You in turn, because of your faith in our Father, pray in faith, believing that He does hear and will act according to His perfect will.  We then see God do marvelous deeds.  Join with us in praising our Father for His answers to our prayers.

 

We praise God that Philip, Bethany, & Juliet are doing well.  We are especially grateful for the healing that God has given to Bethany.  She is still with us only due to His grace as God’s people in many places were praying for her.  We truly believe this.  She had an extremely high temperature before having the D&C.  Cheryl was told by one of the surgical  daycare nurses after the procedure that they had lost patients with lower temperatures before getting them to surgery.  We keep praising God for this great blessing of healing.  We are praising Him as well that through it all little Juliet has been very healthy.  We also are praising God that Philip has been very helpful to Bethany and has been safe at work though very tired.  Please continue to lift them all up as they grow together as a family.

 

Cheryl and John’s mom, Judy, returned safely home on Friday after being with Philip, Bethany, and Juliet for two weeks.  They were very glad to have been there to help, but are also glad to be home.

 

Please continue to pray for the Chris & Samantha Sanford as they prepare to serve in Taiwan.  They are still raising funds for their budget.  They have a target date of December of this year to be in Taiwan.

 

Dave and Jeanay Stiles are very busy in Taiwan working with an English speaking church ,taking care of our bills, and several other things as well.  They presently are considering beginning three new bible studies: one in an apartment complex, one at a university, and a third at city hall.  Please pray for God’s guidance for them as they make decisions.

 

Thank you again for your prayers.  Your prayers do make a difference.

 

God Bless,

 

John & Cheryl

 

 

 

1. Let us praise God for answering our prayers.

2. Praise God for healing Bethany.  Please pray for Philip, Bethany, and Juliet.

3. Praise God for giving Cheryl and John’s mom a safe trip home.

4. Please pray for the Sanfords as they prepare to serve in Taiwan.

5.  Please pray for the Stiles as they prepare to begin new Bible study groups.

 

 

 

 

Posted on September 28th, 2011 by dunns
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September 19, 2011 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

 

Throw your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you.  He will never allow the godly to be upended. Psalm 55:22

And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.  IPeter 5:6-7

 

We all must learn to share our cares, concerns, burdens, and anxieties with our Lord.  If we don’t we become weaken by the strain of trying to deal with them ourselves.  Plus, we can take care of everything, but God can.  May all learn that to accomplish more we must call upon Him more.

 

Please pray for Bethany.  She came down with a high fever in the night.  They went to the emergency room.  An ultrasound showed that most likely a piece of the placenta did not come out at the delivery.  Most likely she will be having a D&C to remove the rest of the placenta.  Bethany is a little anxious, because she has been through a D&C before and knows it is uncomfortable.  Please pray for Bethany, Philip, and Juliet as they continue to adjust to each other as well.

 

Please pray for Cheryl and John’s mom, Judy, as they return on Friday.

 

Thank you again for lifting us up in your prayers.

 

God Bless,

 

John & Cheryl

 

 

1.  Please pray that we learn to always and quickly cast our cares upon Him.

2.  Please pray for Bethany as she battles the infection and most likely goes through a D&C.

Please pray for Cheryl and John’s mom as they return to the midwest on Friday.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on September 19th, 2011 by dunns
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September 11, 2011 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

 

“Do not enter the path of the wicked or walk in the way of those who are evil.  Avoid it, do not go on it; turn away from it, and go on. Proverbs 4:14-15  “For we too were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another.”  Titus 3:3

This Sunday we remember the many people that lost their lives 10 years ago.  We also honor those that worked to save lives and have helped to rebuild lives.  Let us not be led down the path of the wicked to hatred as some who have us do, but let us learn to love as our savior has loved us.  We cannot truly honor these people with hate, but only with love.

 

Today, John will be teaching Sunday School for an adult class at Parkview the main text comes from Proverbs 4.  Please pray for John and the class as the seek to discover the truth in this passage of scripture.

 

Jeanay Stiles will be traveling back to Taiwan this week.  She will arrive in Taiwan on Thursday.  Please pray that the time she has spent here in the States ministering to her family will have lasting affects.  Please pray for a safe trip as well.

 

This coming Saturday there will be a missions fair held at Boyd Christian Church.  John will be there to present the work God is doing in Taiwan.  Please pray that God will work in the hearts of the people there to bring about more involvement in global missions.

 

We continue to rejoice that our granddaughter, Juliet Rose White, has arrived.  The delivery went very well.  She was born at 2:08 p.m. pacific time.  She is 7 lbs. 1 0z. and is 21 inches long.  Cheryl and John’s mom will be staying with them until Sept. 23rd.  There is a picture attached to this e-mail.  Please pray for Philip & Bethany as they begin raising Juliet in the way of the Lord!

 

Thank you for all the wonderful blessings that we have received.

 

God Bless,

 

John & Cheryl

 

 

1.  Please pray for those that have suffered loss due to the events of Sept. 11, 2001.  Please pray as well for our nation as a whole to be healed through the power of the love of God, displayed by His people.

 

2.  Please pray that the Spirit will use the lesson John teaches today to change the hearts of the class.

 

3.  Please pray for Jeanay Stiles as she travels and her family that she has been ministering to.

 

4.  Please pray for the missions fair at Boyd Christian Church that John will be a part of this coming weekend.

 

5.  Please pray for Philip, Bethany, & Juliet Rose.

 

 

 

 

Posted on September 11th, 2011 by dunns
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September 4, 2011 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

 

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  I Cor. 15:58

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  I Thessalonians 1:3

 

The coming of the Labor Day weekend in the U.S. caused me to think of the above scriptures.  As many of you take a rest from your labors here on earth, remember that Christ is the rest we look forward to after our work for the Lord here is done.  So join us in resolving again to do all that we can in the name of the Lord that He might be glorified through our labor.

 

Thank you for praying for Taiwan last week as the typhoon hit.  There was some flooding, but not as bad as in recent years.  Please pray for the churches to reach out to those in need.  Please continue to pray for protection as other storms develop during this typhoon season.

 

Taiwanese schools are starting up again and so are ministries to students of all ages.  This month the Eternal Light congregation will begin their Wednesday afternoon tutoring program again.  They will also begin a Saturday morning program for elementary students.  Paul will soon begin counseling again with both elementary and jr. high students.  Many of our fellow missionaries and their congregations will be starting ministries as well.  Please pray that these students will receive a good amount of love and the truth through these ministries.

 

Some of you caught the typo in the last sentence of last weeks prayer note.  It made it sound like Bethany was expecting twins, but she is not.  We are still waiting for baby White’s arrival.  Cheryl and John’s mom will be leaving this coming Friday to be with Bethany, Philip, and eventually the baby if she has not already arrived before they do.  They will be in Canada for two weeks, so she should arrive before they return.  Please join us in praying that the baby arrives at the proper time and that all goes well.  Pray for John and the children as they struggle through without Cheryl.

 

Thank you for praying.

 

God Bless,

 

John & Cheryl

 

1.  Thank you Lord for being our true rest.  We commit ourselves to glorifying you through our labor for you here on earth.

2.  Praise the Lord for the protection for Taiwan from the recent typhoon.  Please pray for continued protection.

3.  Please pray for the ministries to school aged children and youth that are beginning again in Taiwan.

4.  Please pray for our family as Cheryl travels to Canada and we wait for the baby’s arrival.

 

 

 

 

Posted on September 3rd, 2011 by dunns
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August 28, 2011 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

 

When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.  And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.  And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!”  He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.  The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Matt. 8:23-27

The disciples responded in the the midst of the storm like most normal people.  They were afraid of what they could not control and what could take their lives.  Jesus, on the other hand, was not concerned, not only because He could control the wind and the waves, but because He knew that His purpose, and theirs, was not yet fulfilled.  He acted in the knowledge that His faithful Father would bring all things to completion that were intended for Him to do.  We need to learn to continue to not worry so much about the havoc around us when we know we are doing the Father’s will.  If God still has work He wants us to do He will see us through.  If He has another plan then He’ll change our situation.  If it is time for us to go to our heavenly Father, then what is there to fear.

 

Please pray for our fellow missionaries, our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as all the people of Taiwan as typhoon Nanmadol is now bringing rain to Taiwan.  Please pray that the Typhoon will move over quickly so that there will not be a repeat of the type of flooding that Taiwan has seen in recent years.  Please pray for the US east coast as hurricane Irene continues to move northward.

 

Praise the Lord that Paul Pan was able to come home from the hospital this past Tuesday.  He has spent most of the week at home resting.  He was able to go to cell group on Thursday and preach today.

 

Please continue to lift up Dave & Jeanay Stiles.  Jeanay will be in the States about another week with her family.  Dave has been very busy with ministry while Jeanay has been gone.  Please pray as well for Chris and Samantha Sanford as they continue to prepare to join our team in Taiwan in Decemeber.  They are still in need of about 20% of their budget.

 

Bethany is still waiting to deliver her baby girl.  Her due date is Sept. 4th, so it could be anytime.  Please pray when the time comes that the delivery will go smoothly.

 

Thank you for praying.

 

God Bless,

 

John & Cheryl

 

 

1. May we learn to live by faith in the midst of the storms of life.

2. Please pray for Taiwan and the US east coast as they experience storms.

3. Thank you for lifting up Paul Pan.  Praise God he is at home and was able to preach.

4. Please continue to pray for Dave & Jeanay Stiles as Jeanay continues to be in the States with family.  Please pray for the Sanfords as they prepare to move to Taiwan.

5. Please continue to pray for Bethany as she prepares for the babies arrival.

 

 

 

 

Posted on August 28th, 2011 by dunns
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August 21, 2011 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

 

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.  For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”  Matthew 18:19-20

Jesus emphasizes the power of prayer and the willingness to answer prayer by our Father God in this passage.  We are praising God that Paul Pan’s toes have healed so well so quickly.  If the skin graft continues to heal well he should be able to go home on Tuesday.  Praise the Lord!  Join us in praising God, but also praying that our Taiwanese brothers and sisters will learn to pray about many more things like this, believing that our Father in heaven will hear and answer.

 

Please pray for the Taiwanese students that were at Sports and English camp this summer as many of them prepare to start school on August 30th.  Please pray that they will be light in the darkness on their campuses.

 

One of the greatest strongholds that Satan has on the Taiwanese is ancestor worship.  It is largely based on fear and shame.  Please pray that all Christians in Taiwan will have wisdom from the Holy Spirit to present the truth and freedom of the Gospel in such a way as to bring down this stronghold in people’s lives.

 

Thank you for praying for our family.  Cheryl’s mom’s test concerning her lungs came back better than expected.  We pray that the doctor’s decisions on treating her asthma will help her.  Cheryl’s grandmother’s health has stabilized again as well.  Both Andrew and Moriah have had good starts to the school year.  Nathanael is learning the ropes of being a resident assistant in the dorm at Johnson.  Bethany is still doing well as she waits for baby girl to arrive.

 

Thank you so much for praying.

 

God Bless,

 

John & Cheryl

 

 

1.  Praise God for Paul’s healing.  Pray that our Taiwanese brothers & sisters’ faith will grow due to this answered prayer.

2.  Please pray Christian Taiwanese students as they will soon return to school.

3.  Please pray for the stronghold of ancestor worship to come down in Taiwan.

4.  Thank you for praying for our family.  Please pray for continued progress.

 

 

 

 

Posted on August 21st, 2011 by dunns
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August 14, 2011 Prayer

Dear Family & Friends,

 

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”  Micah 6:8 NASB

This passage of scripture was John’s text on Friday evening for the Senior’s banquet at Latona.  This text tells us what God expects of us as we live out our lives.  It is very similar to other passages such as where Jesus tells what the greatest commandment is in Matt. 22.  The emphasis is on our relationship with God and with others.  We are charged to live for God and others rather than ourselves.  Selfishness must die if we are live a God pleasing life.  Please pray with us as we desire live for God and others rather than ourselves.

 

This is the middle of “Ghost Month” in Taiwan.  People believe that during this month the spirits are allowed to roam freely causing havoc.  Please pray that Taiwanese Christians will take advantage of this time to share their faith with their family, neighbors, and friends as to why they do not fear this time of year.

 

Please pray for Paul Pan as his foot continues to heal.  The doctors are certain that his toes can be saved!  They will be doing a skin graft on Tuesday.  He will still be in the hospital for about two more weeks.  Last

Sunday they used Skype for Paul to preach, but this week he was able to leave the hospital for worship.  PTL!

 

The VBS at Eternal Light went very well.  There were 60 children in attendance.  The church is making plans to begin a Saturday morning children’s program that will begin at the end of September.  Their hope is to bring these children and their into the Sunday morning worship and Sunday School.  Please pray as they continue to serve the community.

 

Please pray for our children as school begins this week.  Nathanael will be heading back to college on Tuesday.  He will be a resident assistant this year in the dorm.  He has to return early so as to be prepared for the new students as they arrive.  Andrew and Moriah will begin school on Thursday.  They both have been meeting people in their grade, but they do not yet know which class or homeroom they will be in this year.  Bethany continues to do well as she & Philip await the arrival of baby White.

 

Thank you for continually praying for Taiwan and our ministry together there.

 

God Bless,

 

John & Cheryl

 

 

1.  Please pray with us to become less selfish and more of a servant of God and others.

2.  Please pray for Taiwanese Christians to witness during “Ghost Month.”

3.  Please continue to pray for Paul Pan as he heals.  Praise God that his toes can be saved.

4.  Pray for the Eternal Light Congregation as they plan for a new children’s program in September.

5.  Please continue to pray for our children as they prepare for changes in their lives.

 

 

 

 

Posted on August 21st, 2011 by dunns
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August 7, 2011 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

 

But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.  Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.  II Cor. 12:9-10

It seems so strange to us to think that our physical weaknesses can actually become a means of strength, but that is what Jesus tells Paul.  It is so easy for us to do things out of our own strength.  I believe we, and those we would serve, miss out on a blessing when we don’t rely on the power of Christ.  Please pray that the church in Taiwan, and we personally, learn to rely on the power of Christ in ministry and not on our own strength.

 

Please pray for Paul Pan and the the Eternal Light congregation.  Paul has diabetes.  After returning home from Sports and English camp he had to be admitted to the hospital due to an infection in his foot.  His condition has since improved greatly.  He will most likely be in the hospital for about a month.  Tomorrow is the first day of VBS, and  Betty, Paul’s wife, has become the director of VBS in his absence.  She needs our prayers of encouragement.  Please pray that our brothers and sisters will lean on the power of Christ that dwells within them to accomplish the task before them.

 

Cheryl’s week of Kairos, and then the following two days for facilitators training that we both attended, went very well.  It is our hope to be able to mobilize some of our supporting churches to host a Kairos course.  This course is all about mobilizing the churches to bring glory to God by declaring His name among the nations through missions and evangelism.  Please pray that churches everywhere will understand their part in fulfilling the great commission.

 

We rejoice that Moriah was baptized on Friday evening at the end of her week of camp.  She has talked with us many times over the past two years about baptism, so this did not come as a surprise to us.  John had the privilege of baptizing her, while several of John’s family were able to witness it as well.  Please rejoice with us and the angels in heaven.

 

Summer vacation is almost over.  Nathanael finishes his internship today and will return to Johnson University for his senior year in about 1 1/2 weeks.  Andrew and Moriah will begin school on August 18th.  They both have expressed some nervousness about beginning school in the states.  They have also experienced some homesickness for Taiwan this summer.  Please pray for them to make friends quickly as the school year begins.  And last, but not least, pray for Bethany and Philip as Bethany’s due date quickly approaches.  They are both looking forward to their new arrival, as are all the grandparents.  Please pray for a smooth delivery, quick healing, and quick adaptation to the new, long awaited life change that is quickly coming.

 

Thank you for your prayers.

 

God Bless,

 

John & Cheryl

 

 

1.  Please pray that the church in Taiwan and all of us learn to rely on the power of Christ in our lives.

2.  Please pray for the Paul as his foot heals.  Pray for the Eternal light congregation as they have VBS this week.

3.  We are grateful for training we have received through the Kairos course and pray that we may help mobilize many churches to be involved in carrying out the great commission.

4.  Praise the Lord for Moriah’s baptism.

5.  Please pray for Nathanael, Andrew, & Moriah as they begin school and for Bethany and Philip as baby White will be here soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on August 21st, 2011 by dunns
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July 31, 2011 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“But for this purpose I have caused you to stand: to show you my strength, and so that my name may be declared in all the earth.”  Exodus 9:16

God’s great desire is to have His name glorified throughout creation.  This happens as we choose to be obedient to His Word.  This is especially true when we share the Gospel message with someone and they choose Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Join us in praying that Christians everywhere, including ourselves, will share Gospel more and more.  Please pray for John as he speaks this morning at Christ’s Church in Effingham, IL.

This past weeks Sports & English camp went very well.  There were several campers that did not show, so there were only 112 campers.  There were a total of 15 decisions for the week.  Please pray that these campers will remember that “Victory is in Jesus Christ!”

This week Moriah will be in church camp at Hilltop Christian Assembly where John went as a camper.  She will be attending with two of her cousins.  She has expressed some concern about being away from home for a week, so pray her.  John and Cheryl will be in Louisville again this Monday & Tuesday for training to be facilitators of the Kairos course.  This course is not just for missionaries.  It is a great tool to awaken Christians to their responsibility to be involved in glorifying God through evangelism and world missions.

The Eternal Light congregation has one more week to prepare for VBS.  There are 65 children registered to attend.  Please pray for everyone involved, both workers and students.

Bethany is entering her last month of her pregnancy.  She is doing well, but feels tired more easily.  Please pray that the final few weeks will go well and that baby White will come at the proper time.

Thank you for your prayers.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Please pray that Christians everywhere will become active in sharing the gospel.  Pray for John as he preaches.

2.  Praise God for a good S&E Camp and pray for those that made decisions for Christ.

3.  Please pray for Moriah as she is in camp and for John & Cheryl as they will be in Kairos facilitators training.

4.  Please pray for the VBS at Eternal Light that begins August 8th.

5.  Please remember Bethany as she enters her last month of pregnancy.

 

 

 

Posted on July 31st, 2011 by dunns
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July 24, 2011 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

Let no one look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in your speech, conduct, love, faithfulness, and purity.  I Tim. 4:12

The above scripture was part of the memory work for Niners week at Oil Belt.  The faculty challenged and encouraged the campers to enter into a right relationship with Jesus and then to serve in the kingdom of God.  Let us all remember to be examples for those in our fellowship of believers in our speech, conduct, love, faithfulness, and purity.

Niners week went very well.  There were six decisions for Christ.   Five of those were baptized at camp.  (My figures could be off by one.)  There were almost 20 other decisions of public repentance of sin or of wanting to be better witness for Christ.  We have hopes that a more few of these campers will become full-time servants in the God’s Kingdom work.

Sports and English camp has already begun in Taiwan.  Please pray that the week is off to a good start and will affect many hearts for Christ.  Please pray for the Holy Spirit to break through to these young people with the message of hope & salvation in Jesus Christ.

The Eternal Light congregation is preparing for Vacation Bible School the week of August 7th.  Please pray for the members as they prepare and for the hearts of the children that will attend.

Cheryl is going to be in Louisville, KY at Team Expansion’s campus, Emerald Hills, attending the Kairos course.  It is a course that is designed teach and motivate Christians for the world missions.  Lord willing, John and Cheryl will take the facilitator’s training on the 1st & 2nd of August.  Please pray for all those taking the course to then influence others to be involved in world missions.

Thank you for praying!

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Let us pray to pray to be an example to other believers.

2.  Please pray for the campers from last week as they go home to remember their commits they made to Christ.

3.  Please pray for the Sports & English camp this week in Taiwan.

4.  Please pray for the VBS at Eternal Light in August.

5.  Please pray for the Cheryl and the others in Kairos training this week.

 

 

 

 

Posted on July 31st, 2011 by dunns
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