As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
I am headed to Turkey and Romania for the next twelve days.
As you have already given and prayed for our missionaries in both locations, I know you will be praying for me. Here are a few specific suggestions.
For me – take the verse from 2 Timothy 4 that is printed above and turn those four areas into prayers for me.
I would be sober-minded, having a renewed mind, the very mind of Christ in every internal thought and shared public conversation.
I would endure suffering with faith. Pray that when trials and sufferings come, I will consider that the testing of my faith is producing in me an eternal weight of glory. John Flavel said “Pray to have your afflictions sanctified and not merely to have them prevented.”
I would do the work of an evangelist everywhere I go (buses, airplanes, airports, streets, schools, cities, villages, refugee camps)
I would fulfill my ministry. It is God who elects, calls, gifts, and places into service. The ministry I have to fulfill is the one that God ordains and provides. I must not lean on my own understanding but rather acknowledge him in all my ways so that he will direct my path to fruitful ministry.
For our missionaries – You all know our beloved couple in Turkey (no names listed online) and in Romania (Cristian and Anne Barbosu). I am certain that God has me spending time with these brothers for a particular reason. God has done a unique work in my life in the last year. Now he is sending me to spend time talking with these brothers about their own lives, their families, their character, and their ministries. Pray that iron would sharpen iron as we encourage and exhort each other.
For my family – Amy, Sam and Rylie remain here in Racine. Carly and Andrew are in Spokane Washington (and they are planning a move to Southern California in June to attend the Master’s Seminary).
For the ministry we have planned – In Turkey preaching in the church, teaching and encouraging scattered and persecuted believers, teaching, questions and answers with the pastors and leaders, possible trip to Syrian refugee camp.
In Romania – Youth ministry evangelism, men’s ministry teaching, preaching in church services, teaching, questions and answers with the elders, small group leaders training, other teaching opportunities in villages.
E.M. Bounds “Importunity in prayer is made up of the ability to hold on, to press on, to wait with unrelaxed and unrelaxable grasp, restless desire and restful patience.”