Spring and springing into action
Dear
Friends and Family,
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you
in Christ Jesus.
Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name.
Our family is celebrating yet another season and chapter in our
lives. Though the past few months have been full of ups and downs we look back
and give nothing but thanks for God’s provision in our lives. We have much to
be grateful for, and I am excited to share with you all the joy He has given
us.
I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will
eat and be satisfied.
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity
will be yours.
We have
officially moved into our new home and the timing could not be more perfect. We
have only lived here for a month but have already had five different people
stay with us in that time. Having the extra bedroom has already helped us to
keep our “open house” lifestyle while giving more stability to Zoe, Chello and
I.
We still
have two Bible studies a week in our home and have a guest or guests twice a
week for lunch. We see this house as a gift from God and try to share it as
much as possible.
What is
amazing is that my parents will be coming to Slovakia next month and staying
for half a year! They will be watching Zoe for us while we have our crazy
season of camps and will help out when Rocky arrives. We could not be more
grateful for the room that God provided for us all to be together for such a
long time. My parents being able to come and this house are both huge answers
to prayer.
We are
so grateful for all the prayers and financial gifts given to us that we were
able to make this move. Thank you to each and every one of you that help make
this happen for us.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is
this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself
from being polluted by the world.
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work
of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.
Chello
has really enjoyed the work at the community center. They are getting more
established every day and the opportunities to serve seem endless. Already
Chello has been able to find work for serval unemployed people, get financial
help for a single mother who was physically unable to work, and is helping a
few single working mothers find new housing. He also has several weekly
programs such as music therapy in a school for special needs, renting out a
soccer field and inviting gypsy boys to come and play for free, teaching
English at a school for children from impoverished families, free music and
English lessons and teahouse twice a week. During his time off of “work”
he is meeting with his boys regularly, taking part in two Bible studies a week,
playing in the worship band and watching Zoe while I meet with my Ladies. He is
incredibly busy, but is happy to be doing the Lord’s work.
I still
have my ladies’ Bible study going on. We are now doing an in-depth study on 2
Timothy. So far it has proved very fruitful and I am thankful for God’s
blessing in that. I am super grateful for what God is teaching me as I
study and prepare the lessons and I am glad He uses me as His tool in these
women’s lives. On top of the Bible study I try and meet with my ladies one on
one at least once a week or as their schedule allows. All of these women are
struggling with some BIG things, but through prayer and God’s word we are
working through them.
After
much prayer I felt God was calling me to more outreach where I live. So for
over a month I went outside on our shabby beat-up playground with Zoe and
prayed for God to send other mothers for me to get to know and build
relationships with. This was scary for me as I knew that I was going to be
going out by myself without any translation and would have to use my Slovak
(that is still not that great) to be obedient. For a month nothing happened,
but then the government built a brand new beautiful playground right where Zoe
and I had been playing each day and now it is full of mothers and children.
Building relationships with strangers in this culture is difficult, but already
I have three mothers I am speaking informally with (I’m sure it will be four
very soon) and have had many conversations. I am blessed to be called to
this playground ministry and pray that God will use me as a blessing in these
women’s lives.
But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the
little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God
belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive
the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Luke 18:16-17
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of
the Lord.
Praise
God, Zoe is doing amazingly! Again if you were to look at her you would never
know she had a major surgery a few months ago or ever had any health problems.
She has such sweet and kind ways about her that make me so proud. I never have
to worry about her pushing or hitting, she always shares her toys freely and
loves to talk to people even though she seems to have her own language no one
can understand. She understands Slovak and English and will even speak them
when she is desperate to be understood. She has grown out of her “cling to
mommy” phase so I am able to do more ministries with her. She even loves to
visit Teahouse and of course she is treated like a rockstar everywhere she
goes.
Our
little Rocky is doing great! He seems to be right on track with his development
and so far everything looks perfectly healthy. He is active and strong! Already
you can see his movements and kicks on my belly. We praise God all the time for
the good news we get each time we visit the doctor and for that handsome little
face inside of me.
Prayer
requests~
The Lord
will lead our steps in all we do and we will let Him
Continued
health for Zoe and Rocky
Our
first summer team is arriving June 19th. Please pray that people
will come to know the Lord through these ministries.
Please
pray that Chello and I will continue to see fruit in our ministries and that we
will not grow weary but be encouraged in the work.
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching
more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Once
again I must thank you all for your prayer and support for the ministry in VK.
As I have said over and over again and will continue to say, you are so
precious to us. We cannot thank you enough for all the prayers, support, gifts
and words of encouragement. Our little family and our ministry in VK is blessed
by you!
Chello, Meghan, Zoe & Rocky Johnson
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