Dear Family and Friends
Wow, can you believe we are already in September? August flew by so fast! August was a big month for us because we launched our first ever Online Youth Camp! Because of Covid restrictions, we are still unable to meet together but our teens were still keen to have camp.
Our Youth Leaders worked hard to organise everything and train all the volunteer leaders on how to lead online. The week finally arrived and we had 41 teens and 23 leaders for 4 days of online camp! As you know – I love being a part of youth camp.
Here are a few pictures of my amazing small group that I met with throughout the week.
Even though we were online, the teens participated in games, as well as deep discussions on faith and the challenges they are facing in their schools and personal lives. On the last evening of camp our main speaker spoke on God’s grace and mercy and what Jesus did for us on the cross. At the end of his talk he asked the teens different questions about committing their lives to Jesus whether it was the first time, re-commitment or just to go even deeper in their relationship with Him. We asked them to put their responses in the zoom chat if they wanted to and we were overwhelmed by their responses!
In my last Newsletter I mentioned that Dina’s dad (who I call Tio) was not doing well and the doctors thought that he might pass away. Dina flew to Madeira last month to be with him and two weeks ago I also flew to Madeira to help her. Thank you so much for all of your prayers! He has made an incredible recovery and has now been out of hospital and is doing so well that Dina and I will be heading back to London on Wednesday.
Even though I have been in Madeira I have still been working and gearing up for our new season of Connect Groups to start. We have 29 groups starting this term. Out of those groups 7 of them actually started during lockdown! As lockdown slowly eases up, we are trusting that we will continue to see an increase in people not only joining groups but also more salvations and a deepening in their relationships with God.
Thank you so much for all that you do!
Loads of Love
Traci
Dear Family and Friends
If you are in or around London I hope that you are enjoying the weather as much as I am! For those of you in America, we are actually having the same weather you are – which is a rare thing. The only difference is most of us here in the UK or Europe don’t have air conditioning in their houses so some people are melting….
In the midst of everything we have been going through over the last 5 months I think many of us have felt like the heat has been turned up in our lives and maybe some even feel like they can’t take much more. Like, nothing good is going to come out of it except being completely burned up or out! I want to encourage you to hang on! Trust in God and His faithfulness.
I was able to get away for a few days this past week and I visited a garden full of fruit trees. You would think that in the heat we have been having that the trees would be dried up, struggling or even dying. The amazing thing though, was every tree was exploding with fruit and even the flowers were flourishing! I know that some fruit trees are made for hot weather but let’s face it, you can’t always depend on that in England, and with weather that can swing between extremes at any moment I really believe that it boils down to the roots and where they are planted that keeps these trees and flowers going.
Jeremiah 17 says: “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the
water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its
leaves are always green. It has no worries in
a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
The Lord is our living water and as we stay rooted in Him, He will bring life and healing. Dig deep, hang on, keep trusting and expect fruit! He is faithful!
Have a wonderful rest of the month and please email me if you have any prayer requests.
Please pray for my housemate’s dad who I call “Tio.” The doctors have said he is on his last days. His wife passed away in January. You might remember that I wrote about her in my newsletter. Dina flew to Madeira this morning and I am hoping to fly out in the next day or so to be with the family.
Thank you so much for all that you do!
Loads of Love
Traci
Dear Family and Friends
Can you believe we are already in July?! It’s been another month of lockdown, as well as a worldwide awareness of racism that sadly is still so prevalent, not only in America, but everywhere. My prayer is that conversations will continue to be had that bring about lasting changes in communities and governments around the world. Change has to happen!
We continue to do most of our ministry online, so I have been visiting and supporting connect groups on Zoom as well as teaching at our Follow One Course. I also had the opportunity to preach for our Living Well Series on Romans 12. The verse I was given to preach was verse 13. “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice Hospitality.” During this time of lockdown we can have the tendency to get very inward focused instead of looking out for others. This sermon was a practical message on how we “Live Well by Looking Out.” You can watch the sermon here:
I have been praying for you. For health, provision, rest, joy and peace.
Have a wonderful month and please email me if you have any prayer requests.
Thank you so much for all that you do!
Loads of Love
Traci