A quarter of a million dollars ($250,000) is what it will probably cost to see the Prayer Garden become a reality, but I know that's "chump change" for God :-)

I'm thinking of using this paragraph for our special "giving" page :

The International Prayer Center of Jerusalem
********************************************
Just up the street from the Garden Tomb and situated between East and West Jerusalem, the IPCJ will be a place where God’s people change the world through intercessory prayer. Our Prayer Garden and Research Center will serve as a catalyst to enlist the final advocates for the last of the world's unreached people groups. Once these advocates are in place, much prayer will go up for these people groups, resulting in small groups of new believers worldwide. www.prayer-center.org

Since I'm always trying to improve things, your comments on making this paragraph better are most welcome! None of us can be as smart as all of us :-)

Missions, via Acts 1:8, is doctrine study's focus. 

Along those lines, Brigada Today offered this helpful hint:

NEED TRAINING FOR YOUR SHORT TERM TEAM? -- Details of your Short-term Mission trips consuming you? Wonder what you'll do about training this spring? For the harried youth pastor or mission team leader, consider using the study guide "Before You Pack Your Bag, Prepare Your Heart". It provides what each team member needs through its user-friendly, leader-friendly, spiral-bound Bible Study lessons. It takes a team member through the basics of serving overseas from cultural sensitivity to servant attitudes. A team meeting leaders' guide is included so you have your training curriculum and devotional guide all in one resource. Check it out and order at http://www.STEMmin.org or email: Judge190(at)aol(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

"For a free subscription to Brigada's weekly missions publication, write brigada-today-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and/or visit Brigada on the web at www.brigada.org."

Please feel free to recommend the 'Wednesday Weekly' to other like-minded intercessors in your circle of friends. Invite them either to send me an email at scoterry31684-subscribe@topica.com or to subscribe at our Wednesday Weekly website.

Matthew 24:14

* Be sure to sign up for the Wednesday Weekly.

+ You prayed with Shirin and another worker that they would take advantage of the many opportunities to share their faith as they began helping five girls learn English... Shirin writes, "Thank you for praying. We had a great time and we were able to tell them we loved them and so does God."

+ You asked God to use Jasmine as she played with the children at the Bethany orphanage (Lazarus Home for Girls)... Again Shirin writes, "Your prayers were greatly appreciated as Jasmine learned that some children do not know how to express their feelings in a nice way. She also had opportunities to show forgiveness."

+ You joined me in asking God for His grace and patience as each of last week's appointments unfolded... well, once again, He certainly came through, and I thank you for praying :-)

<T H I S  W E E K><

<>< Pray for the safe, uneventful arrival of a volunteer willing to assess the Prayer Center and become an out$poken advocate. Ask God to make his time here productive and fruitful in many ways.

<>< The director of the Lazarus Home is having some eye surgery this week. Please join us in praying that the director's sight will become normal again and that God will be glorified through the whole event.

<>< Jasmine asks you to pray for her second new tooth to come in without hurting.

>< Pray for the Khon Muang.>

CALENDAR UPDATES

<If you're not receiving our bimonthly snail-mail newsletter, let us know so we can send it to you!><

9, Pray for Shirin as she shares with neighbors.

* Your intercession enables her to know he has gone before her!

10, May God use Jasmine to share with local children.

* Tomorrow she'll be at the Lazarus Home, and you'll be praying for her. Today she continues being in the midst of classmates, 80% of whom are from Muslim families.

11, Ask for the local conflict to end.

* Hmm, not yet, but we're in the, uh, possibility of another cease-fire.

12, Pray for laborers to share in settlements.

* I have yet to hear of their arrival, so keep praying.

13, Christians to have a heart for the lost

* Oh, what a difference this would make!

14, Akram’s salvation

* Not yet, but keep praying!

15, open to God’s appointments

* I usually prefer things structured and in order; however, after almost a decade of living in the Middle East I've learned to, uh, adapt :*-) Thanks for praying!

It is said that at missionary from a foreign field was sailing to the United States to retire. The ship also bore the President of the United States.

While docking, a large cheering crowd had gathered to greet the President, while the missionary slipped off with no fanfare. In his heart, he began to wonder if his work had all been worth it. He had affected many lives but no one seemed to notice his homecoming. Soon his heart was pricked when God's Spirit gently reminded him, "But my child, you're not home yet!"

It's easy for us to get focused on this world around us and forget that it is not our home. Paul told the erring Corinthians, "... We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Where's your focus today? If things are not going well around you, do you lose heart? When you do not get the acclaim you "deserve", are you ready to give up? Are you so attached to this world that you forget you are a citizen of the Kingdom of God?

Your focus, your perspective, your hope, is to be set on things not seen. Don't let this material world around you become more than it is. Instead, "set your minds on things above, not on earthly things... your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:2-3:2)