People have actually asked for a newsletter. The suggestion has been made a number of times over the years but i've balked. Who would want to read it? What in the world would i say? And the mechanics of the thing, alas. How to put it together, who would help, where would it be printed, what would i do about mailing? Several members of the Word Of God, a Christian
community in Ann Arbor, Michigan, came to me about a year ago and out of the blue told me i ought to be writing a newsletter and offered there services of every kind to make it possible. They are a group founded in the sixties, comprising about 500 families, doing ordinary work like ordinary folks (they don't live in a compound), but trying earnestly to live the life of Christ and to stand against what they see as a an 'escalation of evil' in the world today. They are committed also to standing with any who are fighting the same battles. I was awed and humbled to be counted among this latter group, and i gratefully accepted their suggestion and offer of help.Not very much of what i have to say applies exclusively to women (can't think of a thing that just now would). I hope that my being a women won't limit too seriously the readership of my letter. The bible is a book for men and women. Like jews and Gentiles we are fellow-citizens with Gods people, members of Gods household bonded together, being built with all the rest into a spiritual dwelling for God (Ephesians 2:19,21,22)
Encouragement comes to me from many different sources, and i would like to pass some of it on to some others part of the "Household". It'll be one way of "bonding" us. Not the least of the sources of encouragement are the letters that come to me. Instead of just throwing them away or filing them, i can give you some of the more toothsome bits.
Lessons I'm trying to learn, lessons I'm thinking about (and asking God to bring every thought onto captivity to Christ), and maybe some news about a recent book or tpae will be part of the letter. Could you stand a story every now and then about one of my three grandchildren? How about my husband? Here's one from him- the other day he said to me, "Now dahlin" (he's from Georgia you know) "I'm going to explain what i plan to do about this matter. I really want your opinion. Be perfectly frank. Then if you think the whole idea is absolutely asinine [long pause, expression of deep study], why, i'd probably just go ahead and do it anyway."
Finally-and this, i guess, is the primary reason why those men from the word of God convinced me-I need prayer. I need more pray-ers.-people who know whats going on and are willing to give themselves to God for me. Of course, i have no special claim on anybody's prayers. I'm just one individual, but one to whom much has been given in the way of opportunities i never sought, platforms i never asked for, and influence i hardly ever know about. What do i have that i have not received? Not a thing. But "where a man has been given much, much will be expected of him, and the more a man has had entrusted to him the more he will be required to repay." Luke 12:48
The work we do for/with God must be done my the power of the Holy Spirit. That kind of work demands prayer. C.S Lewis said in one of his letters to a friend Arther Greeves that in a sense we can paddle every canoe except our own. I think the principle applies here. I can pray, of course, for help in the things God asks me to do. I do pray. But i can't do it alone. Each of us needs to have other people praying for him, paddling his canoe, as it were.
May i ask you then, most earnestly to pray for me? For every book, every article, every talk, every tape- that Christ may be lifted up.
