THE CALL TO FAST
January 5th – 9th 2009
“So we fasted and petitioned our God …and He answered our prayer…for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. The hand of our God was on us and He protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.” Ezra 8:21, 23, 31
We live in unstable times where everything seems to be shaking. (Haggai 2:6-8) Governments and economies worldwide are in great transition and turmoil. Violence abounds in the nations. The enemy of our soul has left no stone unturned and many of us have felt the tremors of his wrath around our own families.
Yet as we journey through these times we need to quiet our soul before the Lord; to lean heavily upon the Rock of our Salvation who will never change or be moved. His stability is solid and eternal. When we seek Him, humbling ourselves with prayer and fasting, it strengthens us and sharpens our spiritual senses to the Lord’s peaceful presence and His direction. We will all need more of both in the coming year.
Vapor has seen many doors of opportunity open up before them. The ministry has grown dramatically in the past year. The Kenyan center saw a great increase in the number of kids registered for soccer after the unrest there and many have come to the Lord. That center is now under a leadership transition as the director moves into a new role as missionary to Togoville, Togo. It is a land filled with voodoo and people in desperate poverty! The new Vapor center in Togo West Africa is scheduled to begin in February or March.
Vapor now has a home base in Alabama with new offices built by a generous donor. They have also added new volunteer staff: David and Danielle Gardner along with Ed and Patti Arterbury; and paid staff Dustin and Jolie Rosner. God’s favor has been enormous!!!
The coming year has expectations for even more expansion because the field of souls is ripe for harvest. Bret and Trishia Ralston are scheduled to lead a running ministry in Ngong, Kenya; Vapor also plans to launch a child sponsorship program called Hasmin’s Friends and expand Kids – 4 - Kids to more churches. We all want this growth to be directed by the Lord.
Ezra paused for a time of prayer and fasting before embarking on his journey to bring an offering to the Lord through dangerous lands (Ezra 8:21-23). If we are to join the Lord’s work by bringing an offering during these tumultuous times and/or by laboring in the harvest of souls, we too should pause and humbly make our requests known to Him before embarking on the coming year.
With this in mind, Vapor is calling a fast from Monday, January 5th to Friday, January 9th, 2009. Please mark your calendars and consider joining us as we seek the Lord in whatever capacity you are able whether it is for one or all of these days. Those who have joined us in the past have said it was life changing and powerful.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
God is Hearing Your Prayers!
December 2008 Praise and Prayer Requests for Vapor
Thank God for His incredible mercies over this past year!
· He delivered all the Kenyan staff safely from the unrest in their country.
· Christian, director of Vapor in Nairobi, got to see his family from Burundi recently for the first time since they were separated during the genocide in Rwanda 14 years ago! God also spared his wife Celine from premature death on 2 occasions.
· God poured out His Spirit on hundreds of precious children who now know the love of our Savior and have been given a safe place to learn more about Him and soccer. J
· He has provided unbelievable material goods for the ministry.
· He has sent laborers to work along side Micah and Audrey in their quest to reach the poor of this world with God’s love.
· God has opened up unusual opportunities for Micah and Audrey to reach business men with the gospel who are in professions not related to ministry. And that is just the short list!
Please continue to pray as Vapor expands over this coming year:
Pray for funds to purchase land in both in Togoville, Togo ($50,000) and Ngong, Kenya ($115,000). This would be land used for the centers that will be established in 2009 for sports ministry and humanitarian aid.
Pray God will go before Vapor and prepare the hearts of the people to receive Him in both Togoville and Ngong.
Pray for God’s favor, protection during travel and the anointing of the Holy Spirit at these upcoming events (God seems to always bring someone new into the kingdom during these opportunities):
December 14th meeting with those interested in attending future Vapor trips.
December 19th: Micah and Audrey speak at a FCA in Tallahassee, FL
January 3rd and 4th: Micah and Audrey speak at a Discipleship Now Conference in TX.
Pray for Vapor Staff
End of December: Bret and Tricia Ralston will be moving from Ohio to AL to begin training for their work in Ngong, Kenya. Pray for their funding and a smooth transition as they begin this adventure.
January 12th through 24th: three Vapor staff members (Micah, Audrey, and Dustin) are going to Kenya to equip and encourage the Kenyan staff and prepare them for the upcoming transition when Christian leaves for Togoville. Pray for God’s protection while they travel and to pour out His Spirit through them to uplift the Kenyan staff.
Now: The new offices in AL are now open!!! We need to pray for God to pour out a Spirit of Unity and clearly show each volunteer and staff member what role He has called them to perform. May God give each one unusual grace and patience with all the others as they receive these revelations and learn how to come together as One for kingdom purpose. It is off to a good start!
Pray for the Vapor representatives as they speak to various potential partners in ministry that God will impart the vision and bless them with His favor.
Pray for God to continue to manifest the His powerful healing to Danielle Gardner and Christian’s wife, Celine, as both may be facing surgeries in the near future.
Thank God for His incredible mercies over this past year!
· He delivered all the Kenyan staff safely from the unrest in their country.
· Christian, director of Vapor in Nairobi, got to see his family from Burundi recently for the first time since they were separated during the genocide in Rwanda 14 years ago! God also spared his wife Celine from premature death on 2 occasions.
· God poured out His Spirit on hundreds of precious children who now know the love of our Savior and have been given a safe place to learn more about Him and soccer. J
· He has provided unbelievable material goods for the ministry.
· He has sent laborers to work along side Micah and Audrey in their quest to reach the poor of this world with God’s love.
· God has opened up unusual opportunities for Micah and Audrey to reach business men with the gospel who are in professions not related to ministry. And that is just the short list!
Please continue to pray as Vapor expands over this coming year:
Pray for funds to purchase land in both in Togoville, Togo ($50,000) and Ngong, Kenya ($115,000). This would be land used for the centers that will be established in 2009 for sports ministry and humanitarian aid.
Pray God will go before Vapor and prepare the hearts of the people to receive Him in both Togoville and Ngong.
Pray for God’s favor, protection during travel and the anointing of the Holy Spirit at these upcoming events (God seems to always bring someone new into the kingdom during these opportunities):
December 14th meeting with those interested in attending future Vapor trips.
December 19th: Micah and Audrey speak at a FCA in Tallahassee, FL
January 3rd and 4th: Micah and Audrey speak at a Discipleship Now Conference in TX.
Pray for Vapor Staff
End of December: Bret and Tricia Ralston will be moving from Ohio to AL to begin training for their work in Ngong, Kenya. Pray for their funding and a smooth transition as they begin this adventure.
January 12th through 24th: three Vapor staff members (Micah, Audrey, and Dustin) are going to Kenya to equip and encourage the Kenyan staff and prepare them for the upcoming transition when Christian leaves for Togoville. Pray for God’s protection while they travel and to pour out His Spirit through them to uplift the Kenyan staff.
Now: The new offices in AL are now open!!! We need to pray for God to pour out a Spirit of Unity and clearly show each volunteer and staff member what role He has called them to perform. May God give each one unusual grace and patience with all the others as they receive these revelations and learn how to come together as One for kingdom purpose. It is off to a good start!
Pray for the Vapor representatives as they speak to various potential partners in ministry that God will impart the vision and bless them with His favor.
Pray for God to continue to manifest the His powerful healing to Danielle Gardner and Christian’s wife, Celine, as both may be facing surgeries in the near future.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Praying for Danielle
November 10th we returned to Huntsville to see Danielle’s doctor.
Praise the Lord the second round of antibiotics seems to be working on her.
He went over all results from the last surgery and did show us reasons for another surgery.
He wants to see us back on January 12th to see how she is progressing.
Based on her condition at that time we will be most likely looking at another surgery possibly January or February.
This surgery will require a longer recovery and we seek your prayers as we prepare for the upcoming months.
We praise God for providing wonderful medical care for Danielle & individuals who have helped us in many ways.
- David Gardner
Praise the Lord the second round of antibiotics seems to be working on her.
He went over all results from the last surgery and did show us reasons for another surgery.
He wants to see us back on January 12th to see how she is progressing.
Based on her condition at that time we will be most likely looking at another surgery possibly January or February.
This surgery will require a longer recovery and we seek your prayers as we prepare for the upcoming months.
We praise God for providing wonderful medical care for Danielle & individuals who have helped us in many ways.
- David Gardner
Monday, November 3, 2008
Join In Prayer
As many of you already know, the director of the Kenyan Vapor plant is stepping into a new role as missionary to Togo. Even before leaving on this journey, Christian and his family have faced major spiritual battles, especially in their health. Christian's wife Celine walked out of a hospital recently in direct answer to prayer and much to the amazement of her doctors. I firmly believe that there is a virtual gold mine of souls just awaiting harvest in Togo and that the attacks on their health were just an attempt of the enemy to stop them from going.
The battles this family will face inside of Togo are no less daunting and they will need faithful prayer warriors committed to pray at least 1 time per week for them. The commitment can be for 6 months or 1 year.
Plans are in place to update those who volunteer with a monthly email prayer guide and info on a Vapor Prayer Blog site as well.
If you feel called to stand in the gap for this family, please email me at ephesians2_10@blueone.net and let me know what length of time you are willing to commit to pray.
Thank you for your support.
Leslie Goode
The battles this family will face inside of Togo are no less daunting and they will need faithful prayer warriors committed to pray at least 1 time per week for them. The commitment can be for 6 months or 1 year.
Plans are in place to update those who volunteer with a monthly email prayer guide and info on a Vapor Prayer Blog site as well.
If you feel called to stand in the gap for this family, please email me at ephesians2_10@blueone.net and let me know what length of time you are willing to commit to pray.
Thank you for your support.
Leslie Goode
Saturday, October 11, 2008
The Gardner Family
Its been a long 2 weeks for the Gardner family, but are glad to be back home.
After attending a great conference in Sylacauga, AL with Outback of America, we headed off to Huntsville, AL to prepare for Danielle's surgery, which was aimed at diagnosing and/or correcting some female organ issues that had been worsening over the past year.
Her surgery took place on Tuesday, October 21st and we were able to come home to Chelsea, AL on Thursday, October 23rd. She is recovering well at home this week though she is fighting a possible infection with doctor-prescribed medication for over the next 7 days.
Although the doctor did identify some problems, which he addressed immediately, we are also expecting to learn more in a follow-up visit scheduled for November 11th.
We praise our LORD for having His hands on her during the surgery, and giving the doctor discernment and knowledge needed to help her. We also want to praise Him for the wonderful Christian family we have here in AL in the form of Vapor Sports Ministries staff and other local friends that have come to minister to us in a number of ways.
We ask for your prayers as we continue to deal with her health and the prospect of another surgery before the end of the year. We ask you to pray specifically for strength and healing on Danielle's body, so we can better focus on the purpose that our LORD has set before us.
The Gardner Family
After attending a great conference in Sylacauga, AL with Outback of America, we headed off to Huntsville, AL to prepare for Danielle's surgery, which was aimed at diagnosing and/or correcting some female organ issues that had been worsening over the past year.
Her surgery took place on Tuesday, October 21st and we were able to come home to Chelsea, AL on Thursday, October 23rd. She is recovering well at home this week though she is fighting a possible infection with doctor-prescribed medication for over the next 7 days.
Although the doctor did identify some problems, which he addressed immediately, we are also expecting to learn more in a follow-up visit scheduled for November 11th.
We praise our LORD for having His hands on her during the surgery, and giving the doctor discernment and knowledge needed to help her. We also want to praise Him for the wonderful Christian family we have here in AL in the form of Vapor Sports Ministries staff and other local friends that have come to minister to us in a number of ways.
We ask for your prayers as we continue to deal with her health and the prospect of another surgery before the end of the year. We ask you to pray specifically for strength and healing on Danielle's body, so we can better focus on the purpose that our LORD has set before us.
The Gardner Family
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