Please pray for...
Sorry, I realized that I’ve been so busy updating you all on everything that’s been happening here, that I’ve forgotten to send you prayer requests. Here are some things I would love for you to cover in prayer and take before the throne of God.
For me:
1. That God would really set me free from the stress I live under, and the pressure I put on myself to “accomplish” a ton of things each day. I am living in a culture that places their value on “being” rather than ‘doing.” I am realizing that I don’t know how to “be” very well. I feel stress when I’m just sitting and not “accomplishing” something. I really want God to break this yoke that I carry. I want to learn from the Kenyans how to relax, how to just be, how to value relationships, and how to not be a slave to the clock. This is going to have to be a big God-thing. I’m just so programmed to feel guilty if I’m not being “productive” (whatever that word means).
2. That God would show me who I am. This goes along with the whole learning to “be” thing. A little bit ago, I was visiting the home of one of my Kenyan friends. After a while, I said that I needed to leave to go do some work on my computer. She looked at me and said, “Kierra, you are ever working. You don’t know how to relax do you?” I said no and asked if she could help me. She said, “Yes, I need to help you because I don’t even think you know who you are. You don’t have time to know who you are. All you know is your work.” Wow, she totally nailed it! Her words hit home so strongly and I realized that I don’t know who I am when I’m just sitting; just being. I find my identity in what I do, and so when I’m not “doing” anything, I’m not sure who I am. I know that my worth and identity do not come from what I do, but that’s where I’ve been finding it. I’m excited to embark on this journey of learning who I am in Christ apart from all my work and ministry. Please pray for me during this process.
3. That God would grant me a lot of wisdom as I host these teams. I have a lot of decisions to make each day and I’m realizing that I really don’t like making decisions. The responsibility of being in charge of their time here is a heavy one for me to carry and it’s a bit overwhelming at times. Pray for me as I learn to surrender the teams into God’s hands and let Him carry the responsibility instead of me. And pray for His peace, wisdom, and discernment to fill me as I lead these teams and plan their time here.
4. Continue to pray for my health! So far, God has been so faithful in this area!!! Please pray that the good health continues. I have begun drinking the filtered water here instead of bottled water because we just can’t always get to town to buy the bottled stuff. It makes me a bit nervous, but just keep praying for God’s protection over the water, and over all the food that I’ve been eating out in the community as I visit people’s homes. Also, continue to pray against malaria. Even though I’m taking an anti-biotic to fight it, it doesn’t provide complete protection.
For the village of Chepsaita: Pray against the bondage of alcohol. Chepsaita is a new village located about an hour from Kipkaren. Our Anti-Alcohol team, and Home Based Care Team started working in this village about 7 weeks ago. We are traveling there weekly to start programs and bring the hope of Christ. In Chepsaita, please:
1. Pray for Tom. On the AA team’s first visit to CHepsaita, they met Tom. Tom was an alcoholic, but after listening to their testimonies, he told them he wanted to quit drinking and to be free. He hasn’t taken a drink since that day and is exstatic to now be 7 weeks sober. Pray that God continues to give him the strength to stay sober. God is raising Tom up as a leader in Chepsaita, and as an amazing example to the rest of the community. Many others are looking at him and gaining hope that they too can become sober and free. Pray that God continues to use Tom in a mighty way to change his community.
2. Pray for John. I met John on Monday at the AA meeting in Chepsaita. At 60-years-old and a life-long alcoholic, John listened to our message and the testimonies, and decided to give up drinking. We counseled and prayed with him and are excited to follow-up with him next week to see how his first sober week went. Pray that God gives him the strength and will-power to resist alcohol each day this week. Pray that Holy Spirit takes control of his body and mind as he fights the urges.
3. Pray for Louise. Louise is John’s wife. When we visited her home, she was ecstatic that her husband committed to give up drinking. She told us that her husband is not a nice man when he is drunk. But the problem is that Louise brews alcohol. Their home is the village brewery and this is the method she has found to feed her children. She doesn’t want to brew alcohol. She doesn’t want drunk men hanging around her house and children, she doesn’t want more drunk men to rape her daughter, but she fears starvation if she were to quit. After talking and praying with her though, she’s ready to try. She’s ready to step out in faith, to try selling a few things in the market, and to quit brewing. Pray that God gives her the strength and courage to follow-though on this decision. Pray that He provides for her family in miraculous ways this week. Pray for healing and restoration for this broken family.
4. Pray for Solomon and Kennedy. These two young boys are addicted to alcohol and cigarettes. Both want our help to quit. Solomon burned his cigarettes while we were with him on Monday and both plan to meet with Tom throughout the week for accountability and Bible-study. Pray that God sets them free from this bondage and gives them the strength to resist their addictions.
“Our AA team burning Solomon’s cigarettes.”
For me:
1. That God would really set me free from the stress I live under, and the pressure I put on myself to “accomplish” a ton of things each day. I am living in a culture that places their value on “being” rather than ‘doing.” I am realizing that I don’t know how to “be” very well. I feel stress when I’m just sitting and not “accomplishing” something. I really want God to break this yoke that I carry. I want to learn from the Kenyans how to relax, how to just be, how to value relationships, and how to not be a slave to the clock. This is going to have to be a big God-thing. I’m just so programmed to feel guilty if I’m not being “productive” (whatever that word means).
2. That God would show me who I am. This goes along with the whole learning to “be” thing. A little bit ago, I was visiting the home of one of my Kenyan friends. After a while, I said that I needed to leave to go do some work on my computer. She looked at me and said, “Kierra, you are ever working. You don’t know how to relax do you?” I said no and asked if she could help me. She said, “Yes, I need to help you because I don’t even think you know who you are. You don’t have time to know who you are. All you know is your work.” Wow, she totally nailed it! Her words hit home so strongly and I realized that I don’t know who I am when I’m just sitting; just being. I find my identity in what I do, and so when I’m not “doing” anything, I’m not sure who I am. I know that my worth and identity do not come from what I do, but that’s where I’ve been finding it. I’m excited to embark on this journey of learning who I am in Christ apart from all my work and ministry. Please pray for me during this process.
3. That God would grant me a lot of wisdom as I host these teams. I have a lot of decisions to make each day and I’m realizing that I really don’t like making decisions. The responsibility of being in charge of their time here is a heavy one for me to carry and it’s a bit overwhelming at times. Pray for me as I learn to surrender the teams into God’s hands and let Him carry the responsibility instead of me. And pray for His peace, wisdom, and discernment to fill me as I lead these teams and plan their time here.
4. Continue to pray for my health! So far, God has been so faithful in this area!!! Please pray that the good health continues. I have begun drinking the filtered water here instead of bottled water because we just can’t always get to town to buy the bottled stuff. It makes me a bit nervous, but just keep praying for God’s protection over the water, and over all the food that I’ve been eating out in the community as I visit people’s homes. Also, continue to pray against malaria. Even though I’m taking an anti-biotic to fight it, it doesn’t provide complete protection.
For the village of Chepsaita: Pray against the bondage of alcohol. Chepsaita is a new village located about an hour from Kipkaren. Our Anti-Alcohol team, and Home Based Care Team started working in this village about 7 weeks ago. We are traveling there weekly to start programs and bring the hope of Christ. In Chepsaita, please:
1. Pray for Tom. On the AA team’s first visit to CHepsaita, they met Tom. Tom was an alcoholic, but after listening to their testimonies, he told them he wanted to quit drinking and to be free. He hasn’t taken a drink since that day and is exstatic to now be 7 weeks sober. Pray that God continues to give him the strength to stay sober. God is raising Tom up as a leader in Chepsaita, and as an amazing example to the rest of the community. Many others are looking at him and gaining hope that they too can become sober and free. Pray that God continues to use Tom in a mighty way to change his community.
2. Pray for John. I met John on Monday at the AA meeting in Chepsaita. At 60-years-old and a life-long alcoholic, John listened to our message and the testimonies, and decided to give up drinking. We counseled and prayed with him and are excited to follow-up with him next week to see how his first sober week went. Pray that God gives him the strength and will-power to resist alcohol each day this week. Pray that Holy Spirit takes control of his body and mind as he fights the urges.
3. Pray for Louise. Louise is John’s wife. When we visited her home, she was ecstatic that her husband committed to give up drinking. She told us that her husband is not a nice man when he is drunk. But the problem is that Louise brews alcohol. Their home is the village brewery and this is the method she has found to feed her children. She doesn’t want to brew alcohol. She doesn’t want drunk men hanging around her house and children, she doesn’t want more drunk men to rape her daughter, but she fears starvation if she were to quit. After talking and praying with her though, she’s ready to try. She’s ready to step out in faith, to try selling a few things in the market, and to quit brewing. Pray that God gives her the strength and courage to follow-though on this decision. Pray that He provides for her family in miraculous ways this week. Pray for healing and restoration for this broken family.
4. Pray for Solomon and Kennedy. These two young boys are addicted to alcohol and cigarettes. Both want our help to quit. Solomon burned his cigarettes while we were with him on Monday and both plan to meet with Tom throughout the week for accountability and Bible-study. Pray that God sets them free from this bondage and gives them the strength to resist their addictions.
“Our AA team burning Solomon’s cigarettes.”
posted by Kierra Higgins at 5:48 PM
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