Good Afternoon Prayer Warriors.

This week I’d like to introduce you to Wren, another one of my amazing youth group students from Okinawa. I have very few youth group memories that don’t include Wren - she faithfully came to everything! She’s the youngest of 4 and a daughter of a retired Navy officer. Her parents worked on Okinawa as missionaries to young Marines stationed on the island. (Not all of our youth group students are military dependents; some students have parents who civilian employees, contractors, teachers, etc.).

Wren graduated from high school last year and is currently a freshman at Liberty University (a Christian college in VA). I asked her to share about her experience with Malachi... “Impact and Quest (our youth groups) really showed me firsthand what it looked like to have an active and passionate relationship with Jesus. Through seeing the example of the staff, I learned what it looked like to be a growing Christian. I was given the opportunity to grow and learn about Christ and about who I am in Him. Impact/Quest are like greenhouses for young Christians.”

I just love that Wren compared youth group to a greenhouse. One of the things Malachi workers strive to do is create a safe environment, where students are free to be themselves, cultivate community with peers and staff, and meet and experience Jesus. It’s through these relationships that students are transformed and begin to grow and flourish into Christ-followers.

When you see your key this week, would you join me in praying for:

> Students, as they learn about Christ and begin to grow into disciples of Jesus.

> Me, as I prepare this week to share about Malachi with my church on Sunday!

Praise Report: Over the past weeks and months, I’ve asked you to pray for opportunities for me to share with churches and small groups about Malachi. Well, the Lord is answering those prayers - and in a very big way! March is shaping up to be a very full month of sharing! I’ll be taking a trip to Oklahoma and Texas to visit current supporters and to invite others to join the team. I’m so thankful for friends who are connecting me with people to share with! Please pray for me as I work out the logistics of the trip - I’ll be sharing with at least 4 small group Bible studies and with 2 congregations.

Thank you so much for your faithful, continued prayer support. It’s so encouraging to see God answering these prayers - I pray that you’re encouraged too, as you see God at work through your faithfulness in prayer!

Blessings,

Beth

Dear Key Club,

Thanks for praying this past week for Escape, the big junior high retreat in Germany this weekend. I got an e-mail from a fellow Malachi worker over there, and he said they took over 200 students to the retreat! The theme this year was “The Transformer.” The hope for the weekend was for students to experience the transformational power of Jesus in their lives.

Just as many regions across the US were slammed with a lot of snow this past week, Germany also received record snowfalls, causing some delays and hiccups for Escape, but it still went on! Please pray for safety as everyone heads home tomorrow. Also, please pray for students who made decisions for Christ this weekend. Pray for staff as they follow up with these students and teach them to grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Thank you so much for lifting these students before the Lord. I appreciate your weekly prayers for the military community and for me as I raise support to minister to them in Germany. In the coming weeks I have some opportunities to share the story of the American military teen and invite others to join us in praying for and supporting this ministry. I covet your prayers as I work out the details and prepare for these sharing opportunities.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Go on a date with Jesus this week : )

For the Gospel,

Beth

Greetings prayer warriors!

Hope you had a “super” weekend : ). I enjoyed visiting Four Corners Assemblies of God in White Lake, WI on Sunday. It was great to reconnect with so many Key Clubbers! I’m encouraged by your faithfulness and continued support! Thank you!

I’d like to share a praise point with you from last week. My dad arrived in Balad, Iraq on Tuesday with no problems! He’s getting settled into life there quickly and seems to be doing well. He was able to spend time with my brother in Qatar, so we’re all very thankful for that!

This week, I’d like to introduce you to another student. Josh started coming to Quest as a junior higher. He and his twin brother, quickly became regulars to the group. I asked Josh to share about his experience with Quest. “Quest helped me grow closer to Jesus. Being around so many people who shared the same love for Christ that I did was cool. When I had problems, I had people to talk to.” His favorite aspect of youth group? “The trips [retreats] were really fun and a major highlight for me.” In fact, it was on a retreat that Josh really solidified his relationship with Jesus!

Of course retreats are jammed packed with fun and wild games, no homework or bed making, and great camp food; but that’s not the only reasons teens love the getaways. Retreats are a great place for students to build deep bonds with peers, staff and Jesus. They are a place where students can get away from all the noise of life and focus their hearts on God. Some of the best and deepest conversations that I’ve ever had with students, happened over late night camp chats. Retreats are a safe place where students can pour their hearts out, and wrestle with tough things ... like friend problems, parent and sibling issues, deployments, moving, saying good bye to friends, and the biggest question of all, where do I stand with Jesus? Although some of these conversations are emotionally hard to engage in, as many students are carrying very heavy burdens, it’s such a privilege and honor to listen and point them to Jesus.

This week, the Malachi team in Germany is preparing for Escape, their biggest junior high retreat of the year. Several hundred middle schoolers are already counting down the hours to this weekend because they are stoked for Escape! Will you join me in praying for this retreat? I asked one of the Malachi gals over there to share a few prayer requests for Escape.

1. Logistics - getting a couple hundred teens and staff to one place is challenging! Also, please pray for decent weather and safety as the travel to the retreat site.
2. For the staff - good health and lots of energy! Also, pray for wisdom and boldness as they engage with students about spiritual things.
3. For the students - open hearts! Pray that God would be softening their hearts in preparation for the weekend and pray that students would respond to the Word. Pray that this would be a profound weekend for students, just as it was for Josh!

Thanks for your prayers team!
For the Gospel,
Beth

^ Group picture @ a junior high retreat in Okinawa! "Where's Waldo" - can you find me??