September 2008

Dear Praying Partners,

I want to thank you for so faithfully praying for our family even when you don't know the specific details of what we're facing on any given day.  I am confident about your prayers because we've been seeing them answered before we have even had a chance to get the request out to you!   This past couple weeks we've seen our housing situation go up in the air and then be resolved (with some great affirmations of relationships with our neighbor!), our oldest two, Josh and Abby, started in at a new school all in Czech, and our paperwork to renew our residence visa accepted.   There was plenty of room for things to implode and stress levels to rise, but instead we have seen the hand of our loving Father present He receives the glory and experienced once again the blessing of answered prayers.

We hope you had a good summer.  We enjoyed a great summer of ministry and family time¦

1. spending time (and celebrating Josh's 8th b-day) with Matt's sister and brother-in-law, Rachelle and Josh Neal, in Macedonia;
2. getting a chance to listen, encourage, and challenge leaders in 6 of our European countries;
3. being both challenged and refreshed at our European staff conference for Global Partners;
4. AND!! being able to celebrate with family all God has done over the past 20 years since my family (Matt) first arrived in Munich, Germany, on August 20, 1988!

It's not a secret to you or us that the journey of following Jesus in life is not always easy, in fact, sometimes it's rough going.  But we look forward to these coming months, confident that God calls us forward and that we don't walk the road alone.

After having had time to sit down with many of our European leaders and hear their stories, personal and in ministry, I (Matt) am working this week to focus on the what are the next stages of seeing Christian leaders and pastors trained.   The churches are young and the need before these pastors and churches is beyond them it's definitely God-sized!   We've seen some good progress in leadership training and now it's time to continue moving forward to seeing the churches strongly rooted and looking to expand.   Would you pray with me¦..please?  I want to make sure we are walking, at the same time, humbly and boldly.
Over these next months in our update, I'll share with you what is ahead as God makes clear the next steps as well as a glimpse into the lives and ministries of the pastors I get to come alongside here so that you can join me in prayers for them.

Crystal and I would ask that you pray with us for our children right now as well.  Josh and Abby have entered a new school in a language they are still learning, and that's a daunting thing to face some days.  Pray for language, for friends, for encouragement.  They both have a beautiful faith in Jesus pray that this would be ground for that trust to grow in.

And one more thing¦.. Please mark your prayer calendars for September 13-20.  Crystal will be traveling to Bosnia to help the team there with some financial training and organization.  She's so gifted in this and they are in need of assistance.  Pray the time will be productive.

Thankfully serving His Kingdom,
Matt and Crystal Blake