From a new church ladies’ Bible study to new converts and the growth of new church members, we are seeing God do great things here. Our church has started a monthly ladies’ Bible study. My wife and Miss Shari House take two nights in two different locations and meet with some of our church ladies. The ladies are studying Titus 2 and learning about how to live a godly Christian life. This time has been precious, as the ladies are studying verses more in depth and asking questions about what they are reading. Please pray especially for Missy and Miss Shari, as they teach and lead these studies in Thai.
A month ago Missy and Pi Lak met a 42-year-old lady named Jah while out visiting. Jah has battled cancer for 10 years, and recently she has struggled even to get out of bed each day. The one day she had extra energy, Jah decided to sit in her chair by the front door of her house. She told her sister (who cares for her) that the day must be a special one because she had enough energy to walk a little and even sit up. Just as she sat down in her chair by the door, she saw Missy and Pi Lak walking by. That evening the ladies took over an hour and got to know Jah. After she was given the Gospel, Jah asked Jesus to be her Saviour. She later told Missy and Pi Lak that it was nothing short of a miracle that she was able to get out of bed that day and talk with them. She said, “I believe God sent you to me.” Please pray for Jah, as she is currently in the hospital. Missy has visited her several times and is taking time to talk with her more about God and read the Bible with her.
We are working to fill in our calendar with meetings as we plan our furlough this September 5 – November 28, 2017. We have a conference every week in September in the Michigan/Minnesota area, with a few individual meetings. In October, we will be in the Southeast (Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina) with several meetings and a conference. We will take part of October to visit several supporting churches and see family in the North Carolina area. We will start November with a conference in North Carolina and then head to Reno, Nevada, to attend a conference of one of our supporting churches. We will spend the last two weeks in the States (November 13-28) with Missy’s family and take that time to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We are currently praying about a vehicle situation for our furlough. We will need a vehicle from September 11-November 11, 2017. This will be our largest furlough expense and need. Would you please pray with us about this?
Mark and Lauren finished school this month and are taking just a few weeks off. Then they will resume the new school year the last week of May. This will allow them to take their summer break while we are in the States and still be on track when we return at the end of November.
God is working in our church members’ lives in an indescribable way. One lady in particular, Wanpen, asked to have her spirit houses and idols taken down and out of her yard. It is common Buddhist practice to have a spirit house and idols set up when you move into your house. The monks will come and have a ceremony, and then they will bless the house and ask for protection from evil spirits. The spirit house is to keep the spirits happy and give them a place to live. The hold that Satan has had on Thailand and this region is vast. God has given me and the other men great liberty to preach about fear and evil spirits and how we as believers are not bound to that fear. Wanpen has stepped out on faith and made a very public statement of faith by removing these things from her life. Please pray for her as she continues to grow and live for God.
For Him,
Tim Shook
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- This statue depicts an evil spirit tale in the city where Wanpen lives.
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- Church Ladies’ Bible Study
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- Church Ladies’ Bible Study
