September & October '22 ~ Transformation

It’s hard to believe two months have already passed again. September and October have come and gone so quickly, and yet it also feels as though we have done more than you can possibly fit in just two months. As always, God has been faithfully working so much in and through the ministry here and in my life personally. I pray that through this update people will be encouraged and that God will speak through my experience into their lives.

Bible College and Church

September began with many different events. I had the privilege of participating in an English Conversation Night and serving at a Couple's Dinner through Calvary Chapel Feltre. The Lord used both events in such powerful way. After this came preparations for the Bible College semester. One of the most beautiful things was that the first Sunday the students were with us we had baptisms and an agape after service. What better way to start off a semester dedicated to the Lord than to join in celebrating the declaration of new life! Eight individuals were baptized, including several of the youth in the church. It is a joy to see these teenagers growing up in the church and choosing Christ for themselves.

Over the month, the students settled into life in Montebelluna and into their routines with classes, homework, and ministry. It was a joy to start to get to know them individually and to hear their hopes and aspirations for what God would do in their lives through this semester. Then, at the end of the month, we picked up and headed off to Rome for their Footsteps of Paul trip! We spent a wonderful week studying the history of Rome alongside the Scriptures and the life of Paul. Additionally, the students had to opportunity to connect with two of the Calvary Chapel churches in Rome on the Sunday we were there. They shared their testimonies with the youth and the students were able to fellowship with the amazing believers there all day.

We returned from Rome and enjoyed about two weeks of classes and outreaches at the beginning of October. We hosted an evangelistic sports day event, served at Calvary Chapel Feltre for their next English Conversation Night, and fellowshipped with the youth group at Calvary Chapel Ferrara. At each of these events, it was beautiful to see the students pour out into the people around them and invest in their lives. As they poured out, I know they received much as well.

Next, we quickly prepared and flew out for the student’s Outreach Week, which we spent with the Harding family at Calvary Chapel Grande Porto in Porto, Portugal. This trip was an immense blessing from the Lord in so many ways. We had the opportunity to participate in a day of evangelism around the university in Porto. I know for me this was an incredible experience, and we continue to pray for every individual we were able to talk to. We know that God’s Word never returns void, and so we pray that God would use the words we spoke and sprout the seeds we planted. We pray for our conversations about God’s love and grace to draw them to a true understanding of who He is.

One of the days we took the train to a city called Braga. The Harding’s and the church are praying that the Lord will raise up people to start a Calvary Chapel in that city. We walked the city and spent time praying over the people and the potential church plant. The rest of the time we spent serving at the various Bible studies and church services, serving in children’s ministry, teaching the youth, cleaning, etc. A major portion of this trip was spent in fellowship and investing in the individual lives of the people in the church. It was a blessing to come alongside them, learn about what God is doing in their lives, and encourage them in their seasons of life. In the end, I felt incredibly blessed and encouraged by all of them as well. The pastor and his wife were highly intentional with our team and poured out much wisdom and encouragement upon us. It is always amazing to see how faithful God is when the body of Christ shares abundantly with one another.

We now have less than a month left with the students, and I am excited to see how God continues to grow the seeds planted in them so far. I can clearly see the work of God in their hearts and the transforming effect it is having on their lives.

What God is Doing in Me

Throughout these past two months God has been allowing me to wrestle so much with my own life lessons and spiritual growth. It has not been easy, but I am so thankful that God is perfectly faithful and never gives up on me. The theme of our semester has been focused on being faithful stewards over what God has given us. No matter what He places in our lives, even if it is only a little, we are to steward it well. God has definitely been challenging me to identify what things in my life He has entrusted to me to steward that I have not recognized. In this time, I have started to realize how much more intentionality I need to place on stewardship in areas such as my thoughts, my relationships, and the ministries I am not as confident in doing. I think the greatest area of work has needed to go into my thoughts. It has been a challenge truly learning to take my thoughts captive and replace unhealthy patterns of thinking with truth.

However, an area that God was teaching me at the start of the semester was the concept that I cannot produce spiritual growth within myself. I am called by God to be faithful in walking out how He calls me to live, but it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that the actual growth occurs within me. I so often strive to produce, but I am learning to rest and let God do the work within me. Stewarding my thoughts has been a large part of this, and it has been a great encouragement the past month to see the tiniest bit of growth and development in the areas I am learning to submit to God. I had some beautiful “aha” moments with the Lord over these past two months that I am hoping to share within my Piccoli Pensieri board, so keep an eye out for those! I am going to attempt to get them written and posted during the months of November and December.

Prayer Requests

· CCBC Italy – I ask for prayer for the last month of the semester that the students and the staff would be able to continue to steward well what God has given us in this time. Pray that God would continue to do a great work in each of the student’s lives. I also ask that you would be praying already for next semester and that the Lord would bring more students. We ask for prayer over the building and the approval we still need for us to house the students in the dorms at the church.

· Calvary Chapel Montebelluna – Please continue to pray for the church here in Montebelluna and for the various ministries. God has blessed our church here abundantly, and I pray that we would all continue to steward well what He has given us. We pray always for continued guidance in all things by the Holy Spirit. We pray that God would use our people in their spheres of influence to impact the lives of people here in Italy. We pray for the salvation of those who God has placed in our lives and that our witness would point them to Him. I also ask for continued prayer for our pastor. God has been miraculously working through this treatment in the trial group, so we give Him praise for that! However, I ask for continued prayer for the cancer cells to dimmish.

· Calvary Chapel Grande Porto – One of the wonderful aspects of getting connected with believers and churches all over Europe is better learning the needs that they have and being able to lift them up in prayer. So, I ask that you all would also pray for the church body in Porto! Some specific needs are things such as someone to do worship, for the body to grow in their spiritual maturity, for people to start growing in areas of service, and for the possible new church plant in Braga! As always, be praying for the Harding family that God would continue to sustain and encourage them in the ministry.

· Ukraine – We continue to lift up the Ukraine in prayer. Our church has been blessed over this past year to be able to funnel money, donations, and physical help for the Ukrainian relief work. However, now more than ever we ask for prayer and even monetary support if any is able. At this point, much of the incoming donations everywhere has slowed or stopped. Yet, the need continues. Further, as winter is approaching, there is great need for things such as warm clothing, blankets, socks, etc. Our church along with Calvary Chapel Ferrara are taking two vans full of supplies to the Ukraine this coming week. Further, we are also praying for even more support to possibly be able to collect and take more supplies to the Ukraine in December. Please pray we will be able to do so and pray that people join us practically in making this possible.

· Myself – Wisdom. Nothing is more important than the prayer for wisdom in my life. I do also ask simply for prayer that the work God is doing in me would continue to work its way out of me and into my daily life. Please also pray for continued boldness in sharing the gospel in every area that God has provided this opportunity.