Please pray for Jeremy

Grandson Jeremy in Niger needs prayer. His foot is swollen and infected and he has a fever and a headache. Those are the only details he put in his blog yesterday. (I didn't check it until late last evening.) There are lots of strange and scary germs out there; please pray that God will heal him, and that if necessary he'll be able to find medical help. (He's still in Niamey, the big city.) He asked prayer for another big need: his friend Ibrahim made his way to Niamey yesterday. Jeremy takes this as another opportunity to study the Bible with him and help him grow stronger in his new faith. Normally they walk around for hours as they talk--not easy with a diseased foot. We're praying that Ibrahim will connect so strongly and personally with God that none of the massive forces aligned against him will be able to destroy his faith or his life.

My chronological Bible reading has brought me to the book of Joshua. I was captivated by God's sense of priorities in Joshua 5:15. Joshua was preparing the people of Israel to take Jericho, their first battle after crossing the Jordan River. He walked alone towards the city, maybe at night. He encountered someone who turned out to be either an angel or maybe the Lord Himself. Joshua asked, "What do you want me to do?" And the holy One said, "Take off your sandals, for this is holy ground." Interesting! With such a big battle to prepare for, and the welfare of the entire nation on his shoulders, his first assignment was to worship. Then receive instructions from God. Then go out and get to work. We are silly and ineffective when we reverse that order.

Yesterday we took our guests to Kings Mountain, site of a key battle (October 7, 1780) in the revolutionary war. War is horrible, no matter where or when! It was a gorgeous day, and we walked the paved up-and-down trail that encircles the battlefield. I remembered the last time we did that; it was during the summer before my diagnosis. I was so short-winded that at times I doubted if I could make the climbs. Yesterday I kept up with the others with no problem. It was a sweet reminder of how much God is doing for me day by day. Thank you so much for your continuing care and prayers.

Have a blessed Sunday. Or, for you in the south Pacific and Asia, I hope your Sunday was blessed.

Love,
Carol