It just like our God --- Surprize of Joy

Our God is great. As we travel across the states He blesses us with surprises of joy.
Let me tell you of one. As we traveled from Buffalo, WY on the way to Nampa, ID we decided to drive through the scenic route including Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks. To do so we planned to stay one night in a motel just before the park entrance. As we traveled along I decided it would be wise to have a reservation so we could get a room at a decent rate. We saw a rest stop in Sheridan, WY with free WIFI and pulled in to make a reservation online. While trying to make a reservation a groundskeeper saw our Michigan car tag and asked if we were from Michigan. In conversation with her Marilyn asked about the motels in the area and mentioned our plans. When Marilyn mentioned we were missionaries she asked with which denomination. When we said we were Wesleyan Missionaries she pulled out her phone to call her pastor, a Wesleyan pastor in Sheridan to see what she could arrange. In 5 minutes he called back and we not only had a place to stay but were invited to a grill at a local ranch. There we met wonderful believers from Sheridan and other visitors from California. Marilyn gathered all the kids and told them of our work in Germany and even signed some up to be a part of our kids prayer team "the pretzel club". We had a delightful evening and great nights sleep before driving on to see the wonders of God's natural creation. Isn't that just like our God -- surprises of joy!

Home Ministry Schedule --- can't wait to see you!

Ken and Marilyn Blake – Home Ministry Schedule

July 12-16 Home Ministry Training- Fishers, IN Training
July 25 Columbia View Wesleyan- Portland, OR AM Service
July 25 St. Johns Wesleyan- Portland, OR PM Service
July 26-30 NW Kids Camp - Camp
Aug 1 New Creation- Canby, OR AM Service
Aug 4 Vancouver Wesleyan, Vancouver, WA
Aug 8 Capital Park Wesleyan-Salem, OR AM Service
Aug 11 Northgate Wesleyan- Salem, OR Wed Service
Aug 15 Aumsville Wesleyan- Aumsville, OR AM Service
Aug 15 Grace Community- Medford, OR PM Service
Aug 22 Himmelright Memorial- Clarkston, WA AM Service
Aug 22 Eternal Hope and Weippe- Kooskia, ID PM Service
Aug 25 Spirit Alive, Yakima, WA
Aug 29 Spokane Valley Wesleyan- Spokane Valley, WA AM Service
Sep 12 West Locke - Williamston, MI, AM Service
Sep 19 Kingston Wesleyan - Kingston, MI, Missions Sunday
Sep 26 Trinity Wesleyan Church - Tipton, IN AM Service
Oct 3 Greeley Wesleyan Church - Greeley, CO, Mission Sunday
Oct 6-8 Catalyst Conference – Atlanta
Oct 8-9 Homecoming OKWU- Bartlesville, OK
Oct 17 Hope Wesleyan - Independence, IA, Missions Sunday
Oct 24 Shiloh Wesleyan - Plymouth, IN, Missions Sunday
Oct 31 Spring Lake Wesleyan - Spring Lake, MI, Missions Sunday
Nov 7 College Wesleyan- Marion, IN AM Service
Nov 14 Main Street Wesleyan Church - Elwood, IN, Missions Sunday
Nov 21 Central Wesleyan - Holland, MI, Missions Service
Nov 28 Edgerton Wesleyan - Woodburn, IN, Missions Sunday
Jan 4-7 The Gathering – Jacksonville, FL
Jan 23 San Dimas Wesleyan - San Dimas, CA, Missions Sunday
Jan 30 New Life Wesleyan - Tucson, AZ, Missions Sunday
Feb 4-6 Houghton Wesleyan- Houghton, NY Missions Convention
Feb 13 Warsaw Wesleyan - Warsaw, IN, Missions Sunday
Feb 20 Fields Memorial Wesleyan - Johnson, KS, Missions Weekend
Feb 26-27 Collin Creek Community - Plano, TX, Missions Conference
Mar 6 First Wesleyan- High Point, NC AM Service
Mar 10-13 Our Saviors Wesleyan - Mukwonago, WI, Missions Sunday
Mar 20 Christ Wesleyan - Milton, PA, Missions Sunday
Mar 27 Firestone Wesleyan - Gastonia, NC, Missions Sunday
Apr 3 Waite Park Wesleyan - Minneapolis, MN, Missions Conference
Apr 10 Sturgis Wesleyan - Sturgis, MI, Missions Conference
May 1 Trinity Wesleyan - Jackson, MI, Missions Sunday
May 15 First Wesleyan - Randleman, NC, Missions Sunday

First Friday Prayer for Europe is gaining speed!

The new European Director Dennis Jackson has called upon all to concentrate prayer on the needs of Europe. Europe is the only continent where Christianity as a whole is losing ground. Evangelicals around the world are responding to this call to prayer. If you would like to join us in praying for the movement of God we would be glad to send you an email with the needs of the specific countries where Global Partners is working. That would include Bosnia, the British isles, Spain, Macedonia, Russia, Germany, Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Albania, Kosovo and of course Hungary where our European Director lives. This prayer effort is gaining strength and we are excited to see what God is already doing in response to the earnest prayers of His people. I had the privilege this afternoon of being interviewed on the radio by the Bethel Fellowship prayer outreach in Kentucky. They are finding many prayer vigils around the world now linking together to lift up the work of God and especially the needs in the "Dark continent of Europe". We thank God for prayer warriors.

Spiritual Warfare is real

Spiritual Warfare is real. Ephesians 6:10-20 gives us the weapons and strategy we need to win the battle in a war that has already been won by Christ. We must stand our ground, the position we have in Christ, by living honestly before God (the belt of truth), by obediently living the Word of Christ (the breastplate of righteousness) and boldly sharing our faith (the boots of the gospel). In the raging of the battle we must have complete confidence in the promises, plan and timing of the Lord (the shield of faith). Our weapon is the Word of God spoken (rhema) in the authority of the Holy Spirit (sword of the Spirit). The target is the capture of all thoughts making them obedient to the known will of God (the helmet of salvation) All this is accomplished through close communion with our commander in Chief, Jesus Christ. The battle is real but the victory is assured as we stand by faith in Christ.

Kayla Joy Dedicated to the Lord

I had the privilege this last Sunday of dedicating little Kayla Joy to the Lord. It was very unusual in many ways. First it was done in an international church in Skopje, Macedonia. Secondly, the church meets in a Gymnasium of a local private school. Thirdly, the dedication was attended by 15 students of the English Partners English language school - Friends of Rachelle and Joshua Neal, the parents. But in other ways it was very much the same as the day Jesus scolded the disciples for hindering the children from coming to Him. On that day Mark writes Jesus took the children in His arms and blessed them. Kayla Joy - her name means "pure joy" belongs to the Lord and He has a great plan for her life. Her parents and the congregation committed themselves to pray for her and love her so that she will early in life choose Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

Pastor's Conference September 22-25

On September we will join with pastors from Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain, England and Croatia in beautiful Split, Croatia for a Global Partners pastors conference. Matthew Blake, the leadership director for Global Partners in Europe, has arranged the days as a time of learning, sharing and praying together for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Jarvis Ferguson, the area director for Latin America, is the main presenter and will encourage pastors and church planters in the steps toward expansion. In addition many of the pastors will present topics and lead in discussions of common problems among European churches. We are asking that you will pray for this time that God will encourage and stretch the vision of the European Wesleyan Church pastors.

A great birthday!

Wow, due to greeting from 60+ friends and our family my birthday was off to a great start. Then we had coffee and dessert with Dennis and Lois Wright - long time wonderful friends. Then came the calls from John, Matthew and his whole family singing and Rachelle and Josh. I went to bed feeling very loved but it was not over.
On the next day our congregation brought a beautiful cake with Happy Birthday in English, German and Russian written on top and to celebrate even had fireworks at the close of our service. After that Dennis and Gwinn Jackson, our new area director took the Rast family and us out to lunch. To make it a slam dunk we then walked to our house for Marilyn's famous apple pie. Now that is a great two day birthday. I am blessed!!!