Hello family in Christ,
Many apologies for not writing you all a letter last week. I was unable to send out the usual weekly update to you, my faithful prayer warriors and supporters. But even though I couldn’t write to you, know that I was praying for you and thanking God for you. What a privilege to have you all as comrades and co-labourers. Thank you for your many prayers! Our faithful Lord hears those prayers, and He is using them as part of His good purposes.
How you can pray this week:
“Pray for me that God grant me to say things helpful to salvation, or at least not harmful.” – C.S. Lewis
Last night our launch team started up a monthly women’s Bible study that we are hoping to have as a space not only for us to grow in our love for the Lord and each other but also as a space for women in our community to come and study the Word. There will also be a men’s study with the same goal, as well as some other exciting stuff coming down the pipeline. Please pray for us in these things. The lockdown introduced a lot of temptation to become comfortable, dull, and inward focused. It’s easy to just invite folks to stuff without actually entering into real relationships with them, praying for them, and being bold with love and truth. So I’m praying for God’s help and protection for me and for our launch team as we continue to pick up the pieces of church planting after lockdown. Will you pray for us that we will not lose heart but will continue to, in the strength of the Lord, view every moment of life as an opportunity to be faithful? Please pray that the love of Christ would control and embolden us.
“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. … Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 20-21
Gratefully,
Claire
Above: Went down to Niddrie last Tuesday to meet with the 20schemes women. We reflected on the life of Elisabeth Elliot and then Miriam McConnell walked us through Romans chapter one. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation…”
Below: the leaves changing to autumn colours, the blooming heather, and some views of Merkinch
“Are you hungry? / And have no money? / You can sit at this table / Are you thirsty? / And unworthy? / You can draw from this well / Are you weak? Are you poor? / Are you wanting for more in the quiet of your heart? / To yourself you say, ‘I wish someone would pass my way and give me a new start’ / Sweetheart, stopping cutting your sweet arms, no hope / Smoking dope and drinking your life away / Let’s dance and sing / Let’s eat from the tree / Come down to the river with me / It may be too good to be understood / But it’s not too good to be true
…
He may be too good to be understood / But He’s not too good to be true//”
(Jess Ray, “Too Good”)
Claire in Scotland 