A Child Shall Lead Them - I Timothy 4:12
Stephanie Parker's Ministry Update - August 2004
Dear Prayer Partners,
Thank you so much for your faithful prayers. I want to share with you one way the Lord has answered your prayers. On Wednesday evenings, I get to take a group of kids from my church (Atlantic Shores Baptist) out witnessing (when I'm not traveling). Recently, the kids and I were sharing the Gospel with a girl around 12 years old named Angela at a city park. The Holy Spirit had her heart so ready that she said she wanted to pray to receive the Lord Jesus as Savior. Brooke, a precious 4th grader from the evangelism class, led Angela in the sinner's prayer right there at the park. The girl sitting beside Angela said she wanted a Bible, because her parents didn't believe in the God about whom we were talking. Praise God that He is using children to lead other children to Jesus Christ!
Please Keep Praying for:
Missionary Visa to return to Brazil
I'm waiting for another document I need from Brazil and continuing to work on the Visa and preparations
to return to Brazil. I'm unable to give you a firm date right now regarding when I'll be able to
return to Alpha & Omega Children's Home in Brazil, but I'll keep you updated.
Gospel Ministry in August
August 8th -13th : Going to NC as a counselor for my church's children's camp & praying for God-ordained opportunities to share the Gospel with the kids and impart God's truth into their lives
August 15th - 24th : Traveling to visit churches & share about the ministry in Brazil & praying God will save souls for His Glory
August 25th - 27th : Teaching Bible Lessons for VBS at my dad's military chapel & sharing the Gospel with many children and military workers who haven't received God's free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Weekly Neighborhood Bible Club
Praise the Lord that a young boy named Jaylin prayed to receive Jesus as His Savior on July 28th. I'll never forget sitting beside Jaylin (who didn't even have a Bible) and hearing him say he didn't know why Jesus died on the cross, but he wanted to go to heaven. My earnest prayer is that God would grow young Jaylin into a man of God and take him down the path of righteousness, instead of the path of wickedness on which many around him choose to travel. I really appreciate you partnering with me to put into the hands of children the One thing that has the power to save their lives - The Word of God (II Timothy 3:15)!
Because Jesus is worth it,
Stephanie Parker
5597 New Colony Dr.
Virginia Beach, Va 23464
757-523-6111
A Place in the Lifeboat
"A father, mother, and little girl were crossing the Atlantic by ship. Everything was fine until they encountered a terrible storm. The Captain brought them all on deck and informed them that the ship was sinking and unfortunately, there were not enough seats on the lifeboats for everyone. In his hand he held his hat with as many pieces of paper in it as seats on the lifeboats plus a piece for all of the rest of the passengers. He said, "I'm passing my hat to all of you. Take out one piece of paper. Unfold it and if you have a piece with a cross on it, you will have a seat in the lifeboat. If you pick a blank piece, you will stay with me on the ship. There was silence!
I'll continue the story as the Mother was telling her daughter on her 12th birthday.
"I've waited until today to tell you this. We were all silent as the hat was slowly passed, except for the moans of grief or exclamations of joy. Finally it came to me. With unsteady hands I picked my piece of paper, unfolded it, and to my dismay, it was blank. Quickly I closed my hand on the crumpled paper. Your daddy paused and picked one, unfolded it, and there was a cross. Without a moment's hesitation, he opened my hand and swapped papers, and putting you into my arms he said, "I love you both. She will need you more than me." I tried to say "No", but he just kissed and kissed us. The lifeboats were filling fast, so he made me get into one. I waved and he did too. I could see him waving as the boat sank. He gladly took our place. We were saved by his love and his cross."
That's what saves us, Jesus' love and death on the cross. He paid for our sin on the cross and remember, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life! (John 3:16)"
The mother had the cross given by love, but she had to get into the lifeboat. God's love gave us the cross where Jesus died and rose again, but we must put our faith in Him & get into the Lifeboat - Jesus Christ, by asking Him to forgive us and make us His child."
John 1:12, Acts 16:31, I John 5:13
*This was taken from Please, Just One More Story, written by Irene Snow McMahan.