Ray Family Update August 2023

Dear Praying Friends,

To say that we are tired would be an understatement, but I have had an absolute blast preaching at our church in Knoxville and in Wisconsin, Michigan, Canada, Michigan again, and Virginia. If my count is accurate, I have preached twenty-nine times in the last thirty days. I have not counted the miles travelled, but needless to say, they are many. When I first surrendered to preach the word of God, I could have never imagined getting to do what I get to do for the Lord. What a privilege!

While we have been striving to keep busy for the Lord, He has been busy answering prayers for us! Sometime back, we challenged our church family to ask BIG things of our God. One man in our church was having trouble with his hearing and at his last appointment was told he was missing an ear drum. After prayer, his next appointment showed his ear drum grew back. His hearing has already improved significantly. What a great God! Another request was given by my daughter and son-in-law. As many of you know, they miscarried about this time last year. They have wrestled through the emotions and heartaches of that loss. In response to the challenge to ask big things of God, my son-in-law requested that God give them a child. God has graciously answered and my daughter is expecting! After discovering how far along she is, we know that she became pregnant merely days after they stood and made their appeal to God. So far, all seems well with the baby’s health and with my daughter’s. We are praying God will preserve both throughout the pregnancy. Again, what a great God!!!

Truth be told, prayer is addicting! Prayer invites the Almighty to do what we cannot do. It invites Him to take our feeble efforts and apply His own supernatural ability to accomplish that which cannot be accomplished apart from His involvement. In the words of Christ, “without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). When God hears and answers our petitions, it creates a longing for more time spent bearing our hearts before Him. William Carey is famously quoted as saying, “expect great things from God” and “attempt great things for God.” May this be our heart! Far too often, we selfishly make requests of God. How much better when we are praying for and about things that will better enable us to accomplish His work! In this spirit, I remind you of our BIG requests and ask that you join us in prayer.

1.) My daughter Hannah to be with child (Answered)
2.) God to heal my wife and I of some complicated health issues
3.) A personal financial need, known only to my wife and me
4.) $100,000 to finish the building renovations
5.) $2,000 to print The Little Maid
6.) Money to print and send a gospel witness to every mailbox within a ten mile radius of Antioch
7.) The removal of some online articles hurting our testimony and the church’s testimony
8.) The Lord to judge and reconcile in a couple of situations
9.) The healing and growth of our local body
10.) Others to be mentioned later...