Praying for Nations: Cambodia

This week we will be praying for Cambodia. This country has endured much hardship during the years. More info:

-Population of 15 Million people in a land mass smaller than Oklahoma

-73.6% Literacy rate

-Average annual income is $823 ($2.25/day)
-1 out of every 3 people lives below the poverty line

-23 indigenous languages; 3 complete Bibles

-Only 1 out of every 191 people has internet access

-Buddhism is primary religion, claiming 12.5 Million adherents

-Nearly 2 million people were killed in the civil war/genocide from 1975-1979

-Sex trade victims could be as many as 100,000. Many of these are children.

-If you lived in Cambodia, you would...have a 7.6 times greater chance of dying in infancy, make 95.9% less money, and die 15.7 years sooner.

Prayer Points:

Sunday: Pray for healing from the wounds of genocide and warfare in Cambodia.

Monday: Pray for continued responsiveness among Cambodians to the Gospel.

Tuesday: Pray that God would raise up more Cambodians who would plant churches in unreached areas.

Wednesday: Pray for the 100,000 victims of Cambodian sex trade.

Thursday: Pray for wisdom, discernment, and protection for the Christians ministering to the unreached and undeserved.

Friday: Pray that God would raise up men and women who would be willing to give their lives to share and show the Gospel to Cambodians.

Saturday: Pray that the church in the United States and the world would sympathize with their Cambodian brothers and sisters in their suffering and partner with their work in spreading the Gospel in Cambodia.

Random Fun Facts :)

86.35% of you will never use this information in your lifetime, but it may entertain you for a few seconds. :)

• Humans shed about 1.5 pounds of skin each year. The average person will lose around 105 pounds of skin by age 70.
• The record for the longest time period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported paranoia, hallucinations, blurred vision, slurred speech, and memory and concentration lapses.
• You share your birthday with at least 9 million other people in the world.
• 1 in every 2000 babies are born with a tooth.
• The space between your eyebrows is called the Glabella.
• There is an average of 200 seeds on a strawberry.

Captivate Us

This song has always been one of my favorites, and I wanted to share it with you in case you haven't heard it yet. It is by Watermark, and below are the lyrics. So good.

Your face is beautiful

And your eyes are like the stars

Your gentle hands have healing

There inside the scars

Your loving arms they draw me near

And your smile it brings me peace

Draw me closer oh my Lord,

Draw me closer Lord to Thee.

Chorus:

Captivate us, Lord Jesus

Set our eyes on You

Devastate us with your presence

Falling down

And rushing river, draw us nearer

Holy fountain consume us with You
Captivate us, Lord Jesus, With You.

Your voice is powerful

And Your words are radiant bright

In Your breath and shadow

I will come close and abide

You whisper love and life divine

And your fellowship is free

Draw me closer O My Lord,

Draw me closer Lord to Thee.

(Chorus)

Let everything be lost in the shadows

Of the light of Your face

Let every chain be broken from me

As I'm bound in Your grace

For Your yoke is easy, Your burden is light

You're full of wisdom, power, and might

And every eye will see You.

(chorus)

Praying for Nations: Burkina Faso

This week we are praying for the country of Burkina Faso (highlighted in yellow on the map to the right). Info about Burkina Faso:

• Population just over 16 million people in a land area slightly larger than Colorado
• Life expectancy = 52.7 years
• 23.6% Literacy rate
• 68 indigenous languages; 7 Bibles, 16 New Testaments, 28 works in progress
• Annual income/person is $578 (or $1.58/day)
• Population is 52% Muslim, 20% Christian
• Of the 3.3M people who claim to be Christian, only 1.4M are Protestant
• If you were born in Burkina Faso...you would be 12 times more likely to die in childbirth and you would die 25 years sooner.
• Women have an average of 6 children.
• 1 in every 90 people uses the internet.
• Few countries in West Africa are more dominated by idolatry and occult groups.

Prayer Points:

Sunday: Pray for churches to catch a vision of reaching unreached people groups in neighboring communities and nations.

Monday: Pray for growth of creative businesses that would break cycles of poverty.

Tuesday: Pray that God would raise up godly leadership who would disciple new believers.

Wednesday: Pray for more missionaries from Africa and the world to help plant churches and train leaders in Burkina Faso.

Thursday: Pray that God would stop the advances of Islam among unreached people.

Friday: Pray for the ongoing translation of Bibles.

Saturday: Pray for the effective use of the JESUS film, which is available in 15 Burkinabe languages.

Thirst! It's back!

Thirst discipleship groups began meeting again on Sunday, January 16th. We kicked things off meeting all together in the Upper Room with food and fellowship. Then Jennie spoke on "Devotion" and what that looks like in our lives as girls. Here's a quick review:

Devotion defined: profound dedication; earnest attachment to a cause or person.

What can devotion look like in our lives? We can be devoted to a myriad of things or people: schoolwork, ballet, basketball, our phone, Facebook, music, ourselves, soccer, a guy...really anything that we spend the majority of our time, thoughts, money, and speech on. An example of devotion from God's Word is seen in the difference between Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. In Thirst we discussed Mary's actions and compared them to Martha's. Then we looked at what is most important - Jesus's response. Jesus said in Luke 10:41, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Girls, if you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed, confused, distracted (like Martha) - put everything down. And focus just on ONE thing: spending time with Jesus. Pray, read His Word, listen to Him. He promises that time spent with Him is never wasted time. (Luke 10:42)

Remember: Mary still did her work (Nope, you can't tell mom and dad that you are not doing chores and homework anymore!). Mary made sure her choices gained her the all-important time she needed to take care of her devotion and commitment to God. It's a choice.

What will you choose to be devoted to?

~Jennie McKay

*Join us for "Thirst" this Sunday - Middle School at 4pm & High School at 5pm - on the 3rd floor.

D*NOW 2011

Sign ups are going on NOW!

This year our speakers will be Brent Crowe and Darren Whitehead.

Worship will be by Rush of Fools.

You will not want to miss this great weekend!

Click here to go to the Student Ministry Website to sign up!

Praying for Nations: Brazil

Join us in praying for Brazil this week! Below are facts and updates on Brazil and also ways you can pray daily.

• The world's 5th largets country in both land size and population (195M).


• Literacy rate is 88.6%.


• 181 indigenous languages; only 6 complete Bibles.


• 58 unreached people groups in Brazil.


• Average income/person = $8295 (almost $23/day)


• 91% of population claims to be Christian; of that, 72% are Catholic


• Brazil is becoming a "sending" country, sending almost 2000 Christian missionaries in 2010.


• 36,000 unchurched river communities along the Amazon River that are accessible only by boat.


• 600,000 girls reported that are involved in prostitution

Prayer Points:

Sunday: Pray that God would raise up Brazilian men, women, and students who would share the Gospel with their lives and their lips amond undeserved and unreached people.

Monday: Pray that God would spare Brazilian children from injustice; that He would sustain them in their suffering; that He would raise up people who would care for them.
Tuesday: Pray that God would raise up Brazilian pastors who would lead their churches to have a heart for people and a vision for the world.

Wednesday: Pray for authentic unity among Brazilian churches and denominations that, fueled by the Gospel, would erase prejudice, racism, and cultural arrogance.
Thursday: Pray for the continued work of organizations like Campus Crusade, who use the JESUS film in 25 different languages.

Friday: Pray that God would raise up North Americans who would come alongside Brazilian leaders to provide theological and financial resources for more effective work.

Saturday: Pray for revival and reform among Brazilian Catholics, who make up 73% of the population.

For more info on Brazil and how to pray visit: http://www.operationworld.org/.

Snow Day!

Snow men, snow ball fights, snow angels, snow cream...what is your favorite thing to do on a snow day? Leave us a comment below!

Praying for Nations: Afghanistan

Each week Bellevue Student Ministry will join together and pray for a different country. We will study this country on Sunday mornings in Connection, and there will be a prayer pointers on the Ink each week for that country. Today we began by praying for Afghanistan, and here are ways you can pray each day this week:

Facts about Afghanistan:

• Afghanistan is one of the least reached countries in the world.
• There are over 48,000 mosques and not a single church building.
• #1 country with the lowest Christian population (.05%).
• 71 different unreached people groups.
• 78% of the people do not have access to clean drinking water.
• 38 indigenous languages; only 1 full Bible and 1 New Testament.

Sunday: Pray for the small number of Afghan believers who risk their life in reaching out to other Afghans disillusioned with Islam and open to the Gospel.

Monday: Pray for the Pashtun people, who make up over 40% of the countries' population and have very few known followers of Christ.

Tuesday: Pray for the endurance and encouragement of Afghan believers who suffer persecution because of their faith.

Wednesday: Pray for the widespread use and publication of the Dari Bible, which can be understood by about 70% of the population.

Thursday: Pray for Afghan students here in the U.S. to see and hear the Gospel accurately and be able to take it back home to their friends and families.

Friday: Justice, opportunity, and freedom from fear for the women of Afghanistan, many of whom are subjected to inequality and even violence.

Saturday: Pray for courageous men and women who will be willing to spend their lives demonstrating and declaring the Gospel among the Afghan people.

Thirst starts back January 16th!

Thirst discipleship groups start back Sunday, January 16th!

7-8th grade @ 4:00pm

9-12th grade & Girls Council @ 5:00pm

Come prepared! With your Bible, book, pen, & teachable heart!

We will all meet on January 16th in the Upper Room.

We meet for a total of 10 weeks: Jan 16, 23, 30; Feb 6, 13, 27; Mar 6, 27; Apr 3 &10

Questions? Contact Jennie at jmckay@bellevue.org

Psalm 34:18

"The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

To be crushed in spirit is the most painful journey ever taken by man, traveling to every part of you mentally, emotionally, spiritually, even physically. A pain so deep you don't know where it stops and what it's connected to. To crush: to press or squeeze with a force that destroys or deforms. Deform: to make ugly, ungraceful, or displeasing. A deformed soul conforming to all things absurd, formed to what is unnatural: insecurity, fear, pride, hatred, bitterness, anxiety.

What form has your soul taken?

Conformed to the pattern of this world, transformed by the renewing of your mind, or deformed by inexpressible anguish or brokenhearted experiences? Luke 3:4-6 says, "As it is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" HE SAVES those who are crushed in spirit, deformed, disillusioned. When? Salvation according to our own time would not be salvation at all, for it would require our control, and if we had control over it God would not be all powerful, and Jesus would not be adequate for our damaged souls. To deny this is to accept the unbelief hidden deep in our wretched hearts, the sin that amazes God.

Do you believe him over your feelings?

No matter how high or low. The Lord is near the brokenhearted, but what will it take for Him to dwell IN your heart? (Ephesians 3:17) Faith. Salvation is established through faith. Do you believe in Emmanuel God with us?

Do you believe He is good no matter what your circumstances declare?

~Jenny Clark