The good news is that I now have my real 'carte de sejour' (visa) that will last for 3 years!!! It is an ID card like the cards that French citizens have. This has been a long time coming. I can't express the joy and relief that came Friday afternoon when I picked it up at the Mairie (Mayor's office). Nadine said to me, "this is an important moment." We had been waiting so long it was kind of normal to be there again but it was good to remember what a miracle it is. AND I didn't have to pay the additional $500 that had been listed in an official letter!! WOO HOO!!
As I am writing this I am listening to Kool & the Gang sing "Celebration." I thought it was appropriate blog-writing music today. There has been and there will be celebrating! Now we are praying for Rusty and Janet Richards to find there way forward in the visa process!! Do it again, Lord, more visa miracles!!
The 2 weeks with Carl and Becky Hudson were fantastic!! We saw a lot of France but more importantly they made some really good contacts and relationships with French friends. Wherever we went we enjoyed the favor of God. We prayed for friends in Paris and saw God release more destiny for two Korean young women. It was amazing to feel the presence of God in an Indian restaurant as we were surrounded by Buddhas and other gods and prayed for these two women. We heard a couple days later that there was already fruit from the prayer time! That is just one example of what God did during their time here. I was so blessed to share my new home with them and to see God strengthen the connections between Arkansas and France!!
On April 22-24th we will once again have the youth conference DTA (Deploie tes Ailes, 'Spread Your Wings'). We will have older youth who will be a part of the leadership team helping us to work with the younger youth. The conference is for ages 9-15 and always has a great impact on the young people. Please pray health, protection and the release of life and destiny for the youth. We want to see more young people set free to be who they are in Christ!
There will be a March for Jesus that starts in Strasbourg, France and ends in Germany on May 21st. Prayer walks are already good things but the fact that this will connect France and Germany is huge! There have already been administrative miracles for the governments of both cities to agree to this march. Also, Strasbourg is the capital of the European Union. Please be praying with us as this day approaches that God's purposes with be accomplished and released as we walk and pray together for France, Germany and Europe!
This is not as long as some blogs but the content is worth celebrating!! God is good and faithful! I pray that you are celebrating the big and little gifts and events that God brings to you.
**Pics at the top:
The fabulous four at the Eiffel Tower: me,Carl, Becky and Nadine
Carl and Becky sharing their testimonies at Joshua Church (Eglise Josué)
