Bethany's Memorial Service

A date has been decided for the memorial service and Chris and I have been asked to take part in it. Chris will be officiating the service and they have asked me to give a eulogy.   Please pray for us and the Nichols family as we put plans together and meet with a local catholic school.  They have so far been willing for us to have a Wesleyan Methodist service in their chapel. Pray that God would guide and direct us all as we make preparations and final details.  Pray for Chris and I, that God would direct our thoughts as we write and prepare, especially for Chris as he writes the sermon that he will give and myself as I write the eulogy.  The service will be held on Friday the 7th at 5:00pm, Perth, Australian time.  Which is Friday the 7th at 4:00am USA time.

On a flight

Please continue to pray for Phil and Kathi. They are on a flight home as I am typing this. The flight is very long. Pray for comfort, peace, and rest in the flight . Pray for their thoughts as well. Because even when you fly that long on a good day, all you have are your thoughts and memories you think of. Please pray for this family in this time of grief and mourning. Pray for the boys as we meet them at the airport.

Pray for Phil and kathi

Please continue to keep Beth's parents in your prayers. Their flight to Australia has been delayed two days because of the snow storms PA is receiving. Please pray that god would give them patience and peace as they wait to return to Australia with Beth's ashes. The boys have been doing really well. We have had them for lunch and dinner everyday. I kind of feel like everyone is in the eye if the storm. We know what reality is... But, it will hit us all when the whole family is home And in their own house and Beth is not there.   Please pray for Chris and I as he officiates the funeral, and as I write and give the eulogy. Pray that I would have the words to say.  

I also want to stop here for a moment. Because this is a private blog. And those of you who receive it, know that it is our prayer and praise page for our ministry here. Last week I upset and hurt someone's feelings by what I wrote. I do not know who that person is and I can't write back to them. But, I didn't mean for what I wrote to be taken the way, they read it and am very sorry. I was writing my blog with only 2 hrs of sleep in 5 days and realised as soon as they sent me an anonymous letter that what I had written was not... What I meant. I am very sorry. And I do hope that, that person checks back in. As I would never write something to be judgemental. There was nothing judging... Just concern for peace and comfort in a time that is unexplainable and so painful. I also was writing  through tears and did not re read. So please forgive my writing. ... I have waited a while because I thought I might not write anymore on this blog as I felt really bad that I had hurt someone's feelings. But, I think maybe I will learn from this experience and make sure I read what I write before I post it off my phone.

Continue to keep our church in your prayers as we have our regular daily happenings, please pray that we would find someone to rent the granny flat on the parsonage. Pray that our AwAna material would arrive so we can run kids club and that it can run smoothly especially with is having to train staff and everyone move around a bit.  

God has been good this week in a million ways, and given us strength and guidance through a lot we have never experienced before.  Thank you for your prayers and support.  

Melissa

Prayer Requests Pray for Kids Club and our Church Weekly Ministries as they start back up the First Week of February when school Starts again. Pray for Labour Day Family Camp Feb. 28th-March 2nd, 2014 Pray for our church, youth, family, and kids club as they mourn the loss of Bethany Pray for the Nichols Family as the mourn the loss of Bethany Pray for Melissa as she mentors another GP missionary in NZ. Pray for Chris as he starts to oversee the WA zone of churches and give leadership to the pastors Pray for our New DS Phil Hotchkin

Praises Praise God we have been having more consistency in attendance from families at church. Praise God Rachel and Laura were baptized! Praise God for being our Comforter, Rock, and Stronghold! 1/19/14 Praise God for all that he has blessed the LCWMC with in 2013! We now have a parsonage.

24 hours!

The Last 24 hours have been a whirlwind
.Yesterday, as soon as we heard, we went and got the boys and got them on Skype to hear the news.   We then talked, and looked at pictures of Beth, and sat...  Then starhaving to call and visit church people. I was able to do about 3 hours.. And, then I just hit a wall.. But, a warm shower and back on my way I was.  We then opened our home to Bethany's closest friends, who came and God was in our home and with us every minutes of this day! Because I was able to share about Bethany loving God, and I was able to comfort her closest friends with God's help. Pray for Sophie, Angela, and Paul, Rachel, Laura, Levon, and Ellie.  I have spoken to and sat with all of them except Ellie.  They shared how they met Beth, they shared some of their favourite stories of Beth, and it was just an amazing time that God ordained.   God has given us strength, and words, and comfort in unimaginable ways today! He has been right here in our home, being our rock, and comforter, and strong hold.   Pray for Chris and I as our church does not have a building. We are going to have to find one big enough for us to hire to have Bethany's service at. Pray for Chris, I have been married to him 13 years, and I have never seen him cry, like he has.  But, he has also been so strong for our family and everyone. I am really blessed to be married to such an incredible man.   God is here, and he is working, and he has a plan!   We are just waiting to see what today will hold. 


Thank you all for your prayers, words,  and comfort in a time like this.

Unexpected!

The last 5 days of my life have been unexpected. I have been thinking of what to write here because I think I am still in shock from this entire situation.  Bethany was a  part of my everyday life. I could stop and list here all the things she was to me.   She was the very first girl to ever come to our kids club.  The first one to accept Christ, the first one to blossom and have fruit, she was my best friend, and if you look on facebook and spoke to her, She saw me as her 2nd mum.  She even had a bedroom at our house.  She was the one who took care of my kids when we had to fly interstate, She was the one who came and sat with any of my kids when they were sick, And, she was the perfect example of why Chris and I are missionaries in Australia. We came here to bring people to Christ!  And, that is what we did with Bethany.  Bethany has led her mum and her three brothers to a Christian faith. Bethany has brought her two friends to church and we were able to pray with them a year back now and they accepted Christ. she has helped heal families and given hope to sooo many people.   She was so concerned about making sure everyone else was okay and doing well. Which actually was a trait she learned from her own parents.   She was born into a beautiful family with amazing parents and brothers.   She was always loved!  Bethany has been a leader in our kids club for the last 5 years, and whenever I questioned anything or needed an extra hand, or anything... she was the one I called on.  Even today, 24 hours later, as I write this I have to be honest... I am overcome with emotion, and can't imagine what her parents have been through, and am just broken, fingers numb, and heart pouring out.  Our children went to sleep crying last night and have been super emotional because Bethany was the bigger member in our family. She's been on every camp, and I have so many good and amazing memories, and rest assured that she in Heaven... That will pull us through, times like this.  But, if I were to be honest... On a day like this.... This is how you feel.   These are the emotions.  And, I know that I can't wait to wrap my arms around her mum and dad and just hug them.  The boys, I have already been with, and shared a moment in time that will forever be the darkest day of their life.   They are coping.  I think at this moment that is the word, coping.