DGroups

Recent News and Prayer Request

God Story | Barbara McFarland

I want to go on a mission trip. I want to tell people in other countries about Jesus. Thus far, I have not been able to go. I've been listening to others who have returned from mission trips, and they've talked about God impressing them to tell people about Jesus right here in our community. I had not been doing much of that, and I was convicted. Recently, in D group, when we prayed for the Holy Spirit's help to set goals to obey what God showed us that evening in His Word, I felt prompted to commit to prayer walk 3 times that week in local neighborhoods. This was a challenging goal, because I was still in a boot, nursing a broken foot, and 9 inches of rain was forecast here that week. But, God helped me obey Him. My prayer walks were very short. But during my second walk, I approached a young man playing basketball in his driveway and asked how I could pray for him. He asked me to pray for his mama. As I looked at him, I realized I knew him! I had interacted with him and his mom when he was only four years old. God gave us a sweet time of remembrance and reconnection. The family has big needs and the Holy Spirit was so present as I prayed for them. Look what God did with such a tiny bit of obedience! He has continued to give me clear God appointments and God connections when I go on these walks. He is faithful.

God Story | Justin Homan

Jess and I have a couple on our Oikos List that we've been inviting to Dgroup for about three years. They’re pretty busy with family things and we’ve never been able to get them to come. Before we went to the Middle East in February we did a H4F training where we did an Oikos list. I felt like the Lord was really telling me that I needed to share with/train the husband of this couple. A few weeks ago I was able to meet with him for lunch and tell him what was on my heart. As we were talking I felt like the Lord was telling me I needed to start meeting with him. That I needed to quit waiting on him to come to me and go to him. I didn’t know what it looked like but felt like we needed to start meeting or Jess and I meet with him and his wife. He said he needed it and that he felt like his wife really needed it. They go to a church that’s a pretty far drive so they don’t have a lot of community during the week outside of the Sunday morning service. So we got to meet with them last Wednesday at their home. We went over John 15 and talked about abiding. They opened up about challenges in their walk with Christ and in their marriage. They set obedience goals to help them abide and it was a good night together. We pray that this is the beginning of a discipleship journey with our friends. On the day that we were going to meet with them I was checking on some lakes at Des Arc and Jacksonville after all the rain and flooding. I was planning to be done in Jacksonville around 3 pm and be home in plenty of time for our meeting at 6 pm. As I was driving around our lake in Jacksonville I ended up getting a flat tire. I was able to get to a shop on the management area right as the tire was going flat. A fellow employee was there and helped me get the spare tire on my truck. As I was taking the lug nuts off the flat tire I got frustrated with the timing and thinking I was going to be late for meeting with our friends. I started to think that maybe it wasn’t meant to be. Then another thought quickly replaced that. The words of our partner Les who said whenever he has a flat tire he’s looking for who to share the Gospel with because God stopped him with the flat tire. I knew then and there that I needed to share with the employee that helped me. I shared three circles with him when we got done and he said Jesus was King and Lord of his life. He said that me sharing gave him courage to share with our coworkers. He said he has felt led to share with people at work but has been hesitant since we work for the state, but having me share gave him courage to share. I prayed for him and encouraged him with Jesus’s words from the Great Commission where He says He has all authority in heaven and on earth. And if He has that authority, we have to trust Him to take care of us if we are obedient to share and make disciples.