Pray for Tamara Batta!

Tamara Batta has been in recent recovery from an extensive brain surgery to remove a tumor. She is currently back at the UCSF hospital. She was admitted last week because they thought some infection might be setting in where they did the brain surgery. No infection, but they've decided to go back in for another surgery to install a shunt that will help the fluid drain and keep pressure from building up. She's obviously upset that they need to do another surgery. She really needs our prayers right now for peace and she'll need our prayers this Wednesday , July 8th at 5pm while they do her surgery.

In addition, families are taking turns providing a meal for the Batta family at home. Her mother is in town helping to care for their son, Bryce. If you would like to help with this ministry, please conact me at ragamuffin_kids@yahoo.com.

Thanks for your prayers, girlfriends!

Prayer Priority

This week, let's focus our prayer time on mothers.  Mother's Day will be celebrated this weekend.  For many, it will be a time of enjoyment.  But for some, it will be full of difficult memories, or sadness because they have no children, or a strained relationship with their mother or children.  Pray that God will bless our mothers and offer peace and hope to those who need it during this holiday.

Prayer Priority

As we gather things to send to Elizabeth Claasen this week, let's remember to pray for her. Pray that she would be encouraged as a wife and mother, and that her ministry to the people of Paupa New Guinea would be blessed.

Prayer Priority

This week, our prayer priority is in response to the challenge we were given on Sunday to evaluate our gifts and find a place to serve.

Pray for an awareness and willingness to serve where God wants you!

Prayer for the Philippines

Guess what, Girlfriends?!  We have a dear friend in the Philippines who has requested prayer from us.  We've never met her before, but she knows Christ, and is therefore one of our Girlfriends!  I received this email yesterday and told her I would share her request so that we could all be in prayer together for her and her family.

Hi Jamie,

My name is Anna and I saw your church website. I am requesting prayer in my life for family and church here. I live in Cagayan de Oro city in the Philippines, I am 24 years old and married to an American man named Robert who is 42 and we have a daughter named Faithe who is nine months. My husband lives in the United States and we are trying uniting our family because we are far from each other for 2 years. Please pray that God will provide our needs to bring us together. I believe God will use people as an instrument to fulfill God’s promise. Please pray also even my desire to worship the Lord because I desire to be a worship leader or back up singer. Whatever God wants for me for His glory. Please pray for us for my family reunite. I miss my family. Thank you so much. I hope to hear from you soon.

In Christ,

Anna from the Philippines

Come on, Girlfriends!  It's time to do your thing!

Prayer Priority

Hello Girlfriends!  This week as you join us in prayer, ask God to help you see people through His eyes - with love, grace, and compassion.

 

Thanks,

Angela 

Special Prayer Request

Okay girlfriends - you know what to do!!

My friend Denise was a roommate of mine when I went with Biola College to Germany in 1973. We had reconnected in the past 13 years or so when I found that she lived only a few blocks from my in-laws in Medford, Oregon. Her husband is a believer but has been involved in some very addictive behavior over the past 15 years. She has 2 children who are far from the Lord in lifestyle and commitment. She also is an only child whose mom has Alzheimer'sand her 90+year old dad is not a believer.  Lots of heavy issues.  They just found out that her husband has both bone and prostate cancer.  Please pray for her for strength and endurance for all that is ahead of them. Oh, and they have no insurance on him.  This is the kind of thing that the Lord allows you to encounter to let you know that your life isn't so bad!! That is what the Lord is showing me!!!!  Thanks for caring about my good friend Denise. 

Charlene

Prayer Priority

Alright, girlfriends... here's this week's prayer focus:

This week, pray for the teachers of Dixon. Pray that God would strengthen them and encouarge them during this uncertain time.

Angela

Weekly Prayer Priority

Hi girlfriends! In light of yesterday's message/discussion, pray that God would give you wisdom to live out your faith in a meaningful way in every area of your life.

Have a great week in prayer with Jesus. He LOVES hearing from you!

Prayer Priority

Let's pray this week that our church would continue to be a safe place for people to bring their struggles, and a place where people find hope and encouragement.

Remember, when you come to a stop light or drive over a rail road track, it's your reminder to pray with your girlfriends for this week's focus. Thanks for taking part to change lives!

Special Girlfriend Request!

Ladies, 

Please pray for Chris and Luchie Millard and their family.  Chris' father passed away early this morning and funeral arrangements are being made.  As more information is available, we will pass it on.  Until then, you may want to send Luchie and Chris a note of encouragement and let them know you have them in your prayers!

Weekly Prayer Priority

Prayer is powerful!  We've all experienced times when it's changed a life we know.  Miracles in healing, loved ones being drawn to Jesus, a time when God gives us the words when we otherwise wouldn't know what to say... 

So why are we reluctant at times to make it a part of our daily routine?  We know that only good can come of it, yet it gets pushed to the back burner.  This year, I'd like to challenge our Girlfriends to make prayer a priority!

Each week, join with all the girlfriends of Living Hope and focus your prayers on the suggested topic for that week.  *** When you drive across a rail road track or stop at a red light, let that be a reminder for you to PRAY! *** Imagine what God will do through our combined weekly prayers!

THIS WEEK - pray for our new President and the leaders of our nation.

Pray for Michelle Crawford

Michelle Crawford, one of our dear girlfriends, emailed this request to me yesterday.  She was able to attend our worship gatherings on a very regular basis until a diagnosis of diabetes brought incredibly difficult side effects to her physical condition.  Now, in addition to the diabetes, there appear to be other problems.  I know we have some prayer warriors, prayer ninjas, and everything in between at Living Hope.  Our girlfriends care for each other and hold each other up before our Father, the ultimate Healer.  I don't know any details other than her email below at this time, but will share them as soon as I do.  

Please ask the church to pray for me. I know the power of God's People can move mountains. My body is in a living hell right now. The doctor's don't know what is wrong. They say I have a Neurological Movement Disorder. 

Thank You, 

Michelle Crawford

Prayers for the New Year!

As we enter into our activities, parties, food, friends, and more for New Year's Eve - we'll no doubt take time to think through monumental events that have occurred over the past year.  We'll probably look to the new year and find places where we can change, grow, and meet new goals and plans.

In addition to this important time of reflection and renewal, take a moment to pray.  Ask God to guide the choices you make in the new year.  Ask for a closer walk with Him and for specific steps you can take to ensure you make progress.  Pray for your leaders in the new year - at church, work, home, and for our country as a whole.  Pray for your Girlfriends at Living Hope that we would be a light to our communities and honor God with our efforts.  Pray for a friend or acquaintance that God will provide you with an opportunity to lead them to Christ.  

Enjoy the parties, fun, or extra sleep!  Just don't forget the giver of new life and new beginnings in the midst of it all.

Love you all! - Jamie

Pray for Charlene and Family

Hi girlfriends!  Please continue to pray for our dear girlfriend, Charlene Haugen and her family as they mourn the death of her mother.  As many of you know, the funeral was this past Saturday and reports from her tell us that the service was a beautiful celebration of her life.  The burial is tomorrow (Monday) and after that, all family will be gone as Charlene is left to go through her mom's things and deal with her dad and other loose ends.  Please keep Charlene in your prayers as the days ahead will continue to be difficult, I'm sure.

A Christmas Blessing!

I'll be the first to admit it.  I'm an emotional person who cries at all the Hallmark and long distance commercials.  However - I think any person would have to have a heart of steel not to cry after viewing this awesome video!  More importantly - it's a great reminder to pray for our service men and women and families who have to be without their loved ones during the holiday season.

Missions Message - Papua New Guinea Part II

This week we will actually be able to introduce you to some missionaries that Living Hope supports.  Unlike so many areas of the world, we can correspond freely with and tell you openly about Nate & Elizabeth Claasen. Elizabeth Claasen’s parents, Mary & Bill Reed were part of Living Hope Church for the first two years of our existence and now are worshipping at Valley Church in Vacaville where they live.  Through them we were introduced to the Claasens and were able to see them prepare for the mission field.  They are with New Tribes Missions and trained with them for several years taking Bible courses, learning how to learn a new language and then translate the Bible into a language which has no written language.  The Claasens were also trained in how to live in a tribal setting (i.e. how to generate electricity, build a home, not get eaten alive by bugs, and general jungle living).  Finally they were ready and last year Nate & Elizabeth Claasen left with their three small children and flew almost half way across the world to bring the good news to people in a culture very different from the one they left behind.   The first year they were working in Madang which was a tropical setting.  Now they are working in Lapilo which is in the mountains and has a much cooler climate.  New Tribes Missions has asked them to work with missionary children who are boarding at the agency’s school because their education has become more than their parents out in the field can handle. Nate’s job is to teach these children math and science.  This is such a difficult sacrifice for the missionary parents out in the field and it is extremely important for them to know their children are in good hands.  Nate and Elizabeth are doing just that.  Let me urge you to check out their website for breathtaking pictures and very interesting reading about their work. For this week’s prayer points, please go to  http://claasens.blogspot.com.

Prayer Priority!

Samaritan’s Purse
As Living Hope wrapped up its Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry for this year, please pray for those shoe boxes to bless the children they are going to. The great thing about this ministry is that it brings great joy to children who have so little and are often in desperate situations: war, refugee camps, famine stricken areas, and extreme poverty. Samaritan’s Purse is headed up by Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son and they do a wonderful job in making sure that not only is the shoebox given but that the children have an opportunity to meet the Giver of Gifts, Jesus Christ. They include a book presenting the gospel and often at the distribution of gifts have a program that presents children with the gospel through music, puppets or other outreach. Please pray that each child who receives a Living Hope shoebox will come to know Jesus Christ and feel loved this Christmas. To find out more about Samaritan’s Purse and/or Operation Christmas Child go to http://www.samaritanspurse.org

Update on Prayer for Adrienne Silva

Hope all is well. I just wanted to check in and give you an update on my Dad. Thank you for all your prayers for our family and my Dad.

My Dad is currently in Intensive Care at a different Hospital now trying to clear up a relapse of an infection in his blood stream. He is now receiving Dialysis but is having trouble and needs another procedure done in his arm because the rest of his VAPS are Infected. He is walking now and will go to a Recovery Hospital that will prep him to go home when able. He's giving my poor Mom heck about going home, but she is staying strong and telling him he needs to be well first. I will see you all on Sunday I'm scheduled to work in the Nursery. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Love,

Adrienne

Nolan James Landis

Girlfriends of Living Hope want to welcome adorable little, Nolan James to our church!  

Nolan was born last Saturday, Nov. 8th @ 4:47 p.m.  He was taken by emergency C-section and weighed in at 3 lbs, 14 oz.  Absolutely the tiniest baby I've ever seen!  The picture we showed at church makes him look HUGE, but his sweet little head is just the size of a baseball.  He was intibated for a while, then given a little extra help with oxygen.  The goal is to have him eating and breathing well on his own so he can go home soon. 

Alison gave me an update to pass along;  "Nolan is doing great...he is on room air and yesterday got his first bottle...he only drank half but it's a step in the right direction...every little step is a step closer to coming home...we are making progress!"

We're thankful for the progress he's making.  Keep the prayers going!  We love you Alison, Jesse, and all the boys!!