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September 19, 2018 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“Like a city that is broken into and without walls
Is a man who has no control over his spirit.”  Proverbs 25:28

As we begin making plans for discipling new contacts that we are making verses like the one above give us cause to evaluate ourselves.  Are we disciples worth replicating?  We can all think of times when we have not been in control of our temper or our tongue.  Satan likes to use these times to tell us that we are of no use to God and no one will listen to us or follow as we lead them to Christ.  The Bible is full examples though of people that made mistakes and God used them anyway.  We do need to learn self-control so that we are not vulnerable to satan’s tricks and schemes.  When we lose control satan is able to take something small and turn it into a much larger mess weakening our witness.  Join us in seeking to have self-control like Jesus.

Our team is working on some new tools to reach out to the lost in our area.  We will be using Facebook ads to attract people that are interested in finding true peace, studying the Bible, or discussing what is truth.  There are so many possibilities.  When people see the ad they will have the opportunity to go to our Facebook page and then a website.  We will then make initial contact.  These ads are putting us in connection with people that are more likely to be willing to talk about spiritual things and possibly Jesus.  Please pray for us as we work out plans to introduce these people to Jesus and disciple them.

Please continue to pray for Andrew as he makes friends and adjusts to college life in the US.  He seems to be getting along well after the first few weeks.  He has made some friends among the other missionary kids as well as other students.  His classes are keeping him busy enough, but not over the top.

Please pray for Moriah as she continues through this semester in the dorm.  She is going to service trip to Ipoh, Malaysia November 11-18.  The trip will concentrate on children and youth that are at risk through poverty and displacement.  Please pray for her and her team as they raise funds and prepare to serve.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Mara Keenan.  She continues to be in remission, but is still taking chemotherapy.  She no longer has to be in the hospital while she receives the therapy.  Please pray for continued healing and strengthening for Mara.  Pray for her family to have endurance as well.

Thank you for your prayers.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Please pray for us to be people that follow the example of Jesus and are self-controlled.

2.  Please pray for our team as we make new contacts and plans for discipleship.

3.  Please pray for Andrew as he makes friends and adjusts to college.

4.  Please pray for Moriah and her team as they plan to serve in Malaysia Nov. 11-18.

5.  Please pray for Mara Keenan as she continues to take chemotherapy.

Posted on September 19th, 2018 by dunns
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August 26, 2018 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“Don’t imagine that because you are part of the king’s household you will be the one Jew who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father’s household perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!”  Esther 4:14

God has placed us all in positions of influence.  We influence our family members, our co-workers, our bosses, and our friends.  The list could continue for quite sometime.  God even gives us the opportunity to influence strangers.  We don’t know what God might accomplish through our attitude toward a worker in a busy store, or an act of compassion toward someone in need of help.  We might be the catalyst for change in someone’s life because we took time to encourage, challenge, reprove, or help someone.  We might be the one God has chosen to be the last piece in the process of bringing someone to faith in Jesus.  Pray with us that we will consider how God is positioning us with influence today.

We asked that you pray for Mara Keenan earlier in the summer.  She was declared to be in remission during July!  PTL!  She is still continuing with chemotherapy for sometime in order to insure that all the cancer is gone.  She has terrible pain in her bones at times.  Please continue to remember Mara and her family in your prayers.

Cheryl’s family lost two people this summer.  We ask that you pray for her Aunt Marilyn Smithpeters’ family.  Aunt Marilyn passed away after fighting cancer for 20 years.  We also ask that you pray for the Wathan family.  Cheryl’s cousin’s stepson was killed in an accident while traveling to work.  He left behind a fiancé and a three year old daughter.

Andrew is all moved into the dorm at Liberty University.  He will begin classes tomorrow morning.  The past few days have been spent getting to know other students that are either from missionary families or are international students.  He has also been busy setting up his room, getting know campus, and getting everything together to start classes.  Please pray for Andrew as he begins this new phase of life.

Please pray for the Home of God’s Love as they prepare for an inspection on September 1st.  This inspection was supposed to happen in July, but was postponed due to a storm.  This is inspection is comprehensive.  They will look at procedures, buildings, finances, etc.  Please pray that all goes well.

We thank you for all the prayers that have gone up for our family over the summer.  We have travelled thousands of miles very safely.  We, John & Cheryl, will be flying Monday to Seattle from where we will drive up to see Philip, Bethany, Juliet, Savanah, Cheyenne, and Amelia.  We will fly back to Taiwan on September 6th.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Pray that we will consider who God might want us to influence with the Gospel today.

2.  Pray for Mara Keenan as she continues to take chemotherapy.  Praise God that she is in remission.

3.  Pray for the Smithpeters and Wathan families after the loss of their loved ones.

4.  Pray for Andrew as he begins classes on Monday.

5.  Pray for the Home of God’s Love as they prepare for an inspection on September 1st.

6.  Praise God for the safety our family has had while traveling this summer.

Posted on August 26th, 2018 by dunns
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May 20, 2018  Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.  Pray  for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak – that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.”  Eph. 6:18-20 NET

Prayer is so very important to our lives as servants of our God and King.  Not only our personal lives, but also to everyone that we pray for in our families and on our prayer lists.  Prayer provides strength, encouragement, perseverance, joy, boldness, inspiration, direction, and so much more.  We desire your prayers for our family, ministry, teammates, and the people we serve here in Taiwan.  Please join us in praying steadfastly as we all desire for God to be glorified in our lives and ministries.

Please pray for Sports & English Camp as the summer draws near.  We ask that you pray for both the students and staff that will be at each week of camp.  We ask that you pray the staff will listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit and will be bold with the message of the Gospel.  We have included a list of the students that will be at each week of camp.  Please pray for the Christians students to be bold witnesses as well.  We also pray for the hearts of the non-Christians to be open to hear the truth.

We thank you for praying for Anna Fletcher and her family since the death of her mom.  She was able to be with her brothers until they settled most of the estate business.  She has been back in Taiwan a couple of weeks now.  Please continue to pray for them as they adjust to their lives without their mom.

Sunday afternoon was the memorial service for Moriah’s dorm mom, Sharon McGill.  It was a wonderful tribute to a special servant of God.  Please continue to pray for her family and the community as they miss her daily.

Again we ask that you pray for our summer plans as we try to prepare for home assignment and Andrew starting college.  We have 2 1/2 weeks left before we leave and lots to do.

Thank you for your prayers.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Please join us in praying daily for our lives and ministries to be glorifying to God.

2.  Please pray for the students & staff of S&E Camp.

3.  Thank you for praying for Anna Fletcher and her family after losing her mom.

4.  We praise God for Sharon McGill’s life and ask you to pray for her family.

5.  Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for this coming summer.

 

Posted on May 20th, 2018 by dunns
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May 6, 2018 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“For your lifeblood I will surely exact punishment, from every living creature I will exact punishment. From each person I will exact punishment for the life of the individual since the man was his relative.  ‘Whoever sheds human blood, by other humans must his blood be shed; for in God’s image God has made humankind.’”  Genesis 9:5-6

God charges Noah as well as the all humanity after Noah with the importance of respecting human life.  He reminds Noah that everyone is related.  There is a brotherhood of humanity since we all are descendants of Noah.  We must not act as Cain and murder our brother.  There is another reason that God will require the lifeblood of the one who murders his fellow human that is even deeper in meaning.  God created mankind in His own image.  When one takes the life of another human being you degrade the value of the image of God within the person.  Much evil happens today simply because people do not believe in God and His promise to hold us accountable for the evil we do to our fellow human beings.  Pray with us that we will be righteous in our dealings with our fellow man as we honor our creator and God.

John continues to lead the English Bible study at the Bible bookstore each Thursday.  The group that attends each week is different.  It seems that about every other week the non-Christians attend.  Please pray that Chen-fen, Sandy, Mrs. Lin will be drawn to our savior through the studies and the witness of the Christians in the group.

The ladies continue to enjoy their Wednesday Bible Study group.  They are encouraged to see Sharon continuing to grow in her faith.  Sharon shared that her son just started singing about Jesus the other evening.  She was so excited.  Please pray for Sharon as the ladies continue to disciple her.

We ask that you pray for the Scott family.  The Scotts are Australian missionaries that recently returned to Australia due to their youngest son’s health.  His name is Daniel and is 6th grade.  His oldest brother, Doug, is Andrew’s roommate.  After returning to Australia in January, the Scotts have tried to find out what is true source of Daniel’s health problem, but nothing has been determined so far.  They continue to wait to get to see some of the best specialists.  He has trouble being able to keep food down, no matter the diet.  Please pray for the whole family as they wait for answers.  Pray for Daniel’s healing to come soon.

We ask for your prayers as we go through the next month.  We fly out from Taiwan on June 6th.  Between now and then everyone in our family has much to do.  Andrew & Moriah have projects and tests to finish.  Andrew’s final high school choir concert is May 18th.  Andrew graduates on June 1st.  Cheryl has some meetings for the school to attend.  We are filling in for Moriah’s dorm dad for a 24 hour period while he attends his sons’ college graduation.  We have some projects at the Home of God’s Love to complete.  Our weekly bible studies will still meet.  Besides all of that we have to pack and prepare for reporting.  Thank you for standing with us in prayer.

We appreciate all your support.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Please pray that we will always act righteously with those around us, therefore bringing honor to God

2.  Please pray the non-Christians who attend John’s English Bible study.

3.  Please pray for Sharon as the ladies continue to disciple her.

4.  Please pray for Scott family as they seek healing for Daniel.

5.  Please pray for our family as we have a very busy month ahead.

Posted on May 6th, 2018 by dunns
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April 22, 2018 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“…after they were disobedient long ago when God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water.”  Peter 3:20

God’s patience is amazing when you consider how long he puts up with our rebellious attitudes.  In the days of Noah, He waited 120 years before He brought the flood on the earth to destroy the wickedness of men.  He waited so as to provide a witness through the faithfulness of Noah to the people of that day and today.  Noah stands out as a witness to the faithfulness and righteousness of God unto all generations.  Noah also is a witness to the fact that only the righteous will be saved.  Only Noah and his family were saved through the flood, because they were faithful to God.  May we learn the need to be made righteous through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for our own salvation.  May we also realize that the world has the same need in order to be saved.  

Please continue to pray for our team as we work to make disciples that will make disciples.  Our team is presently evaluating the activities we do as well as the Bible studies and discipleship groups we lead to make sure we are accomplishing our purpose.  Please pray for the Sanfords and us as we evaluate and make future plans.

Please continue to pray for Anna Fletcher and her family as they grieve the passing of their mom.  Anna remains in the US at this time as she and her brothers work to settle their mom’s estate.

Sports and English Camp will be held July 8th-14th and 9th-21st.  Both weeks are full with a long waitlist.  We ask that you begin praying for the campers and faculty that will attend each week.

Summer is quickly approaching.  We have lots to accomplish before we leave Taiwan.  Andrew has a very busy month of school left.  He also needs to accomplish a few things for college as well.  Moriah is also busy as she finishes up soccer season in the next two weeks and tries to stay on top of her homework.  Please pray for us all.

Thank you for your prayers.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Please pray for us to be continually thinking of the spiritual needs of this world.

2.  Please pray for our team as we desire to spend our efforts doing what is most profitable for making disciples that will make disciples.

3.  Please pray for Anna Fletcher and her brothers as they grieve their mom and settle the estate.

4.  Please for the two weeks of Sports and English camp that will held this July.

5.  Please pray for our family as we prepare for summer reporting, graduation, & college.

Posted on April 22nd, 2018 by dunns
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April 9, 2018 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens.  For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked.  For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”  II Cor. 5:1-4

We as a community at The Home of God’s Love have experienced several deaths recently.  Some of those who passed away were believers in Christ Jesus, but sadly others were not.  The response to the believer’s death is so much different than that of those who were not.  We are saddened that a friend or loved one has passed, but we rejoice in that they have moved out of their earthly dwelling into their permanent spiritual dwelling in heaven.  We also rejoice that we will see them again one day.  When a non-believer dies people don’t know what to say or do.  We want to give comfort, but it is hard.  It is also hard when we consider if we as Christians had honestly witnessed to the person who passed in a way that would cause them to consider their eternal destiny.  Did we give them the knowledge they needed to make a choice for Jesus?  Pray with us to be greater witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Please pray our co-worker Anna Fletcher & her family, as Anna’s Mom just went to be with the Lord yesterday.  Anna flew out to the US this morning.  Anna’s mom, Lucille Fletcher, was a strong Christian lady that served her Lord in many ways.  She made several trips to Taiwan over the years to help at The Home of God’s Love.

The mission’s trips that Andrew & his roommate, Douglas, were on all went very well.  PTL!  There are some lingering issues that came about while they were gone, and Andrew & Douglas are both fighting intestinal issues after having been in the Philippines.  Please pray that the boys and any others  who might still be sick will heal quickly.

Last Thursday was a holiday here in Taiwan, so John’s group at the Bible Bookstore did not meet.  The previous week there was a new student, Sandy.  She is a college senior preparing to enter the workplace and adult life.  Sandy attended Sports & English Camp several years ago.  Her prayer request last week was to learn how to make wise decisions as she moves into adulthood.  Please pray for Sandy and all the others who attend to become disciples of Jesus.

Please continue to pray for our preparation for our time in the US this summer and Andrew’s transition to college.  We have most of our Sunday’s full, but could still help at camp or VBS.  Please pray for us to find a reliable vehicle for the summer that is large enough for our needs.

Thank you for praying for us.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Please pray that we become bold witnesses to those who do not know Christ Jesus as Lord.

2.  Please pray for our co-worker, Anna Fletcher, and her family as they grieve the loss of their mom.

3.  Praise the Lord for great mission trips.  Please pray for Andrew & Doug to feel better.

4.  Please pray for those who attend John’s study at the Bible Bookstore will all desire to become disciples of Jesus.

5.  Please pray for our summer plans, including the need of a vehicle.

Posted on April 9th, 2018 by dunns
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March 25, 2018 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.  At the same time pray for us too, that God may open a door for the message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.  Pray that I may make it known as I should.”  Col. 4:2-4  NET

This is the plea of every person in ministry (not the chains, but the prayers).  We all recognize our need for prayer to help us accomplish the task of taking the Gospel to those around us.  We need to speak boldly and clearly the message of the Gospel.  We don’t want ourselves to get in the way of the message.  We want to our actions to match our message, therefore confirming it in the minds of those we approach with the Gospel.  Please pray for us daily, and ask someone to join with you.

We ask that you be in prayer for the four different mission trips that students from Morrison Academy are participating in this week.  Andrew left early today with his team to go to Boracay.  They will return next Monday.  Thank for the support that he has received both in prayer, words of encouragement, and money.  All that he needed has been received.  Praise the Lord!

We ask that you pray for Sharon who attends the Ladies Bible study.  We praise the Lord that she was baptized on March 1st.  She has a difficult road often having to raise her son without the help of her husband.  Her dad has recently been diagnosed with ocular cellulitis.  This is in addition to the tongue cancer for which he has been treated.  Pray that Sharon can be a witness to all of her family.

We ask that you pray for summer plans as we prepare for visiting with you, our family & friends.  We are also preparing for Andrew to attend college in the US.  He has been accepted to Liberty University.  We are still working to find some more scholarship money and completing paperwork as the school asks for it.

Thank you for your prayers.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Please pray for us as we seek to share the Gospel here in Taiwan.

2.  Please pray for Andrew and all the other Morrison students and teachers as they serve in places in Asia this week, sharing the love Christ and the truth of the Gospel.

3.  Please pray for Sharon as she tries to serve her family and witness to them as a new Christian.  Pray for her father as well as he deals with health issues.

4.  Please pray for our summer home assignment plans as well as Andrew’s college preparations.

Posted on March 25th, 2018 by dunns
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February 21, 2018 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. Now this is the promise that he himself made to us: eternal life.”   I John 2:24-25

The passage above tells us that Jesus has promised us eternal life!  That is wonderful!  The passage also tells us of our relationship with the Father and the Son.  They are based on our remaining faithful to the truth we have been taught concerning the Father and the Son.  Without this relationship there would be no eternal life offered to us.  This relationship is built and continues as we are willing to spend time with the Father, Son, and the truth about them.  Join us in committing to “remain” in the Father, Son, and the truth.

We are excited to share with you that our co-workers Chris & Samantha Sanford were blessed with the birth of their son, Malachi, on Feb. 2nd.  We have had the opportunity to help take care of their children as well as assist in other ways as well.  We ask that you pray for their family as they rejoice over Malachi, but also are reminded of the loss of their son Benjamin last year.

Please pray as well for Samantha’s mom, Chio Gie, as she comes to stay with their family for several weeks.  The Sanfords are excited that they will have several weeks to speak into her life God’s truth.  We are also hoping and planning to spend time in God’s Word with Chio Gie while she is in Luo-tung.  Please pray for us all to have wisdom as we have the opportunity to help in her discipleship.

Please pray for Andrew and Moriah as they both have their final basketball tournament for the year.  Moriah will be traveling to Chiangmai, Thailand for her tournament.  Andrew’s tournament will be here in Taiwan this time.  Please pray for all of those involved as they travel and play.

Andrew is very busy at this time.  Besides his basketball tournament, he also has to keep up on his homework and continue to apply for college scholarships.  Their other things that vie for his time as well.  Please pray for him to receive wisdom from God as he makes many decisions in the near future.

 

Thank you for praying.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Please pray that we will choose to spend time building our relationships with Father and the Son.

2.  Please pray for the Sanford family concerning their new son and the emotions that are involved.

3.  Please pray for Samantha’s mom to joyfully receive the truth that is shared with her these next several weeks.

4.  Please pray for Andrew, Moriah, and the rest of those competing this coming week.

5.  Please continue to pray for Andrew as he finishes a very busy school year and makes decisions about college.

Posted on February 21st, 2018 by dunns
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February 7, 2018 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“God is our strong refuge; he is truly our helper in times of trouble. For this reason we do not fear when the earth shakes, and the mountains tumble into the depths of the sea, when its waves crash and foam, and the mountains shake before the surging sea.”  Psalm 46:1-3

There are certainly times in life that challenge our faith and those that give us cause to fear at least in the first moments.  We recently have had a series of earthquakes in Taiwan.  One of those being between 6 & 7 on the richter scale.  It caused quite a bit of damage in the Hualien area especially with buildings that were not constructed as well as they should have been.  There were people killed and injured and possibly some still trapped.  You can certainly understand why people are fearful.  It is scary at times when what is usually solid and secure rocks, shakes, and possibly tumbles.  We who place our faith in Christ for eternity are able to endure these scary times on this earth, because we know that this life is temporary.  Those that do not have a faith in Christ are often shaken to their core.  Pray with us for those who have lost loved ones and property during this time.  Pray as well for the opportunity for Christians to reach out to those that are hurting and despairing at this time.

We praise the Lord that we personally are safe and have not had any damage from the earthquakes.  All of our Formosa Christian Mission and Team Expansion families and individuals are safe as well.

Cheryl’s pre-school outreach has been postponed until after Chinese New Year.  There have been sick children and everyone is really busy at this time.  Please continue to pray for this opportunity to meet people and share the gospel with them.

The first two meetings of John’s discipleship class has gone really well.  The boys are remembering the lessons being taught.  Please pray that they will be wiling to act upon the truth in these lessons.

We are beginning to make plans for our visit to the US this summer.  We hope to visit several of our churches as well as get Andrew settled into to college.  Please be praying with us about our schedule, a vehicle, and Andrew’s college choice.

Thank you for keeping us lifted up in prayer to the Father.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Please pray for those affected by the earthquakes and for people to be drawn to Christ through this.

2.  Praise God for the safety of our mission family.

3.  Please pray that after Chinese New Year there will be a good start to the pre-school class.

4.  Please pray that the boys in the discipleship class will be drawn to Jesus more and more.

5.  Please pray for our summer plans and for Andrew as he makes plans for college.

Posted on February 7th, 2018 by dunns
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January 22, 2018 Prayer Note

Dear Family & Friends,

“And a leper approached, and bowed low before him, saying,   ‘Lord, if  you are willing, you can make me clean.’  He stretched out his hand and touched him saying, ‘I am willing. Be clean!’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”  Matthew 8:2-3

When reading this account of the leper being healed, are you challenged by the simpleness of the healing.  It seems too easy.  All the leper did was approach Jesus and through a statement made his request.  How easy it should be for us as well to ask for help when we need it.  But a closer look causes us to realize that the difficult part is the faith that went into the request and the willingness to take the risk of being told no.  Jesus has no limit to his power nor His willingness to help us.  So it is up to us to ask in faith for the help we need.  Join us in asking for the help we need with faith of a willing God.

John’s first discipleship class with two of the boys from The Home of God’s Love went well.  There are some scheduling difficulties, so please pray that we work out a good time for both boys.

Cheryl begins an outreach this Wednesday morning.  She will be using the Bible to teach English to pre-schoolers.  At least one of the moms will be staying for the class time.  She hopes to be able to build relationships with these moms and their families as she serves them in this way.  These ladies and their children are all non-Christians.  Please pray for Cheryl as she makes plans and builds relationships with these moms and children.

Please pray for our co-worker, Samantha Sanford, as she is in her last 3 three weeks of pregnancy.  She is scheduled for a c-section on February 9th.  Please pray for all to go well with the delivery and for the rest of the family as well.

Thank you for your prayers.

God Bless,

John & Cheryl

1.  Pray that we will ask in faith for the help we need.

2.  Pray that John’s discipleship class will continue to go well.

3.  Pray for Cheryl’s outreach as it begins Wednesday.

4.  Pray for our co-worker, Samantha Sanford, as she prepares for delivery on February 9th.

Posted on January 22nd, 2018 by dunns
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