Grace Notes – Tomorrow's Forefathers, Inc.

Please Pray for Ministry at the NEA Convention!

June 30, 2014 Grace Mally3 Comments

This morning my dad, Nickie and I flew to Denver, met up with friends from Answers in Genesis (James Opperman, Frank Zitzman, and Tony Ramsek) and helped to set up the NEA Creation Science Educators’ Caucus booth at the National Education Association’s annual convention.

The booth will be set up this entire week we will be giving away over 4,000 DVDs and 4,000 books and booklets donated by Answers in Genesis with a retail value of over $106,000. Please pray for the many conversations that we will be having with public school teachers. (There will be about 15,000 teachers here.)

Uh oh, the table is loaded down so much it needs to be propped up so it doesn’t sag in the middle.

Praying together after completion of set up.

One thing that is fun is the teamwork witnessing we get to do wherever we go. While we were in the shuttle from the airport to the car rental place, there was only one other man in the shuttle besides the six of us. I wanted to witness to him but he wasn’t very talkative. So instead of talking to him directly, the six of us had a conversation with each other about witnessing encounters we’ve had recently and what we said. Of course, we all knew that the conversation was actually for the 7th passenger who was listening. [smile]

Once we arrived at the car rental place, Tony (in blue) had a good witnessing conversation with the guy at the counter. Next we went to Carl’s Jr. for breakfast and had an encouraging talk with the cashier who wanted to learn more about the Lord.

I will be sharing more reports after the convention! Until then, please be in prayer for the public school teachers that we will be interacting with – that the Lord would be working in their hearts, opening their eyes, and leading them to a knowledge of the truth! Please also pray that the Lord would give each of us the wisdom, love, and boldness to be God-glorifying witnesses of Jesus!

Witnessing Stories

Blessed

June 28, 2014 Grace Mally1 Comment

This morning we had a wonderful time sharing the gospel at the Freedom Festival parade here in Cedar Rapids. We had a team of twenty-three (pictured above)! We’re very happy about some new friends who’ve joined the team!

We divided into small groups to pray

Because of all the action going on downtown, there were plenty of people to talk to!

After about an hour and a half, we came back to share how things went. Here Rose is sharing about a really encouraging conversation she had.

There were several such stories and it was an energizing time of hearing how the Lord worked.

I wish I could remember more details from the stories shared. Many people were very open, receptive, and grateful for the conversations we had with them.

After I discussed the problem of our sin with with three high school kids, I asked something like, “So what’s the answer to have peace with God?”
“Well, you have to get saved,” one girl responded.
“Who saves you?” I asked.
“The preacher, right?” she said. “Don’t you get baptized or something?”
“No…” I began
“Don’t you kind of have to save yourself?” another kid asked.
“No….” I continued to explain about God’s justice and the message of the cross.
“This has been really interesting,” one of the boys told me after we’d been talking for a while. Praise God for their attentiveness and receptiveness!

More fellowship at Chick fil A. We’re so blessed to have brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we can “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

Thoughts/Witnessing Stories

How to Get Witnessing Conversations Started on the 4th

June 26, 2014 Grace Mally1 Comment

The fourth of July is an amazing time to share the gospel with people. They just set up their lawn chairs and blankets and then hangout until the fireworks start. It’s one time in the year when people aren’t busy. But isn’t it weird and awkward to start a conversation about spiritual things with a stranger? No, it actually doesn’t have to be at all! The key is to find a good approach and then just going out and practice!

Click here for some questionnaire ideas. Click here for the Price of Liberty tract that you can print for yourself. Click here to see Living Waters’ Fourth of July Million Dollar Bills. (There’s still time to order them for the fourth if you do it right away!)

Let’s pray for fruitful evangelism all over the country on the fourth of July! The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Remember, this is one thing that Jesus specifically told us to pray for.

Click here to see what the team of Bright Lights leaders did in Houston last year, and how we used the 4th of July Millions as conversation starters.

Announcements

Today is Early Registration Deadline

June 24, 2014 Grace Mally2 Comments

The early registration deadline for the “Strong in the Lord Conference” and “Radiant Purity Conference” in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is today. Click here for more information!

The conferences are coming up very soon: July 8-9 and 11-12. We’d appreciate prayer that the Lord would bring just the right people and be preparing their hearts now!

Family News/Miscellaneous

My Dad

June 15, 2014 Grace Mally9 Comments

My Dad

To describe a godly father and what it is to be
The daughter of a righteous man who prays so much for me
Is pretty much impossible, but I’m still gonna try
To explain some things I really love about my dad, and why.

From my earliest memory, my dad was always there
To listen to my struggles and fears and every care,
The security it brought me that “dad knows and will pray”
Helped me stand strong knowing it all would turn out okay.

So many times I’ll come to dad with a question on my mind
He’ll stop and talk it through with me until our thoughts align
Sometimes his insights are so deep, it takes me by surprise
As he walks with God each day, my dad just gets more wise!

I remember when my dad would let me put barrettes in his hair,
Or the highlight of my childhood: playing “horsie ’round the chair.”
Not only did he love us, he really “liked” us too,
That is something that in our hearts, we kids always knew.

My dad was always patient and a giver of much grace
When we’d fail, he’d gently teach us, showing us God’s ways
He often gave me mercy—not what I deserved,
And those moments drew me to him, as his kindness I observed.

Through Dad’s gentle ways and words, I’ve seen the heart of God
Slow to punish, quick to praise; I felt no need for a façade.
In all the ministry he did, he always gave us kids a part,
And my dad’s affirmation brought security to my heart

Through watching Dad I’ve realized what my goals in life should be
As I see him love God and people and spend much time upon His knees.
Witnessing is something that’s so often on his mind,
His top priority in life is to do those things which God assigned.

I love to hear Dad witness as he always has new ways
To describe the glorious gospel with a wise and clever phrase.
I love his gentle, teaching style—and God’s provision to me I see:
Dad thinks of so many witnessing tips and then teaches them to me!

Dad loves to share with us his gleanings from the Word that day
Always building others up by the words he picks to say
Dad was always slow to make a rule, but quick to teach us “why,”
His goal was that from our heart God’s Word we would apply.

My dad is such an awesome person, I cannot say enough
To cover all the bases would be very, very tough!
Sometimes I just sit and contemplate what way that I could find
To get all of the wisdom from his brain into mine!

When I think of my Heavenly Father, and all that it implies
To own the title “daughter of the King” beyond the skies,
I think of my dad here on earth and it helps me understand
A bit more of this privilege given by God’s hand!

To the father/child relationship nothing else compares
The love between a girl and dad is something nothing shares!
The Lord uses it to teach us to come closely unto Him,
And a relationship with Him makes all earthly ones look dim!

Our relationships here on earth are really very brief
Often they are strained, and sometimes filled with grief
But praise the Lord that He is better than family members all combined
And in His love we’ll rejoice, satisfied—just as He designed.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

Miscellaneous/Witnessing Conferences/Witnessing Stories

Witnessing Conference Report

June 10, 2014 Grace Mally3 Comments

Last weekend my dad and I ran our first-ever witnessing workshop in the St Paul, MN area. We were very encouraged by how things went. Here was our approximate schedule:

9:00 “God’s Gift to Believers (Ephesians 3:8)”
10:15 Coffee Break
10:30 “Boldness”
11:45 Lunch
12:45 “Hard Questions and Answers”
1:45 Break
2:00 “Plan and Press On”
3:15 Leave for witnessing
5:30 Pizza and Sharing

The Lord brought a great group of serious-minded believers with a heart to grow in the area of witnessing. The only sad part was how fast the time went. I felt like we just were getting acquainted with everyone, and then everyone had to leave. I’m sure we could have had many more hours of great fellowship and learning from each other. [smile]

It was a pretty busy week of preparation for us, but I feel that the Lord answered prayer in helping my dad and I organize the content of the sessions. Basically, my dad did the teaching, and I supplemented it with stories and practical ideas.

One theme we wanted to thread through the conference was the greatness of God. When we are reminded of the Lord’s character and mighty power, we become excited about the privilege of working with Him and being His representatives. As Hebrews 11 reminds us, the Lord wants servants with great faith–servants who see their Lord as awesome in power and trust HIM as their only source of success.

Not only does speaking of the greatness of God strengthen believers, it convicts unbelievers. It is when we speak of God’s greatness and holiness that unbelievers begin to understand their sin and great need for a Savior. Many don’t see themselves as bad as they really are because they don’t see God as good as He really is.

With these thoughts in mind, I especially appreciated the banner hanging on the wall (in above picture)!

I also appreciated the verse Sarah sent me on a little note as I was leaving (not knowing quite how fitting it would be):

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. (Psalm 145:3-6)

…as well as the verse Nickie texted me:

“My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and of Your salvation all day long; For I do not know the sum of them (Psalm 71:15).”

Fellowship over lunch. We were very grateful for the initiative and vision of Pastor Mike Lerud and Redeemer Baptist Church, who asked us to come (and also provided, snacks, lunch and dinner for everyone)!

About forty of us went out witnessing from 3:30-5:00 pm. The girl on left had never done this kind of witnessing before, but when we bumped into her, she had her own little questionnaire sheet all marked up and told us about the six conversations she had just had! Praise the Lord!!

We heard some encouraging stories over pizza afterwards. Here are two of them:

Karen shared about a truck-driver they had spoken with. The truck driver expressed how amazed he was that they were talking with him. He said, “I’m not even from here, I just stopped in to sit down for a little while.” He continued, “I was just looking through ebay on my phone and then something about the Bible popped up…. and then you guys come and start talking to me about God’s salvation!” Praise the Lord for how He arranged circumstances to give this man a receptive heart to the gospel message!

Kelly spoke with a lady who was hurting in many areas of life. After she explained the gospel, the lady said, “I was just praying and crying out to God to help me!” The lady saw this conversation as an answer to her prayers!

Here is a little taste of Karen and Kelley’s stories:

This family works with native Americans in Canada, and it was encouraging to hear about how the Lord is using them there. The father shared with me about the darkness and great need in his community, but he also explained about the exciting open doors the Lord has given him. He said that men invite him into their homes and say, “Come teach the Bible to us!”

Thank you very much to everyone who prayed for our conference last weekend. I believe the Lord answered those prayers! Let’s continue to pray that the Lord works in a mighty way in our land, raising up laborers to the harvest.

“…therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest (Matthew 9:38).”

Announcements/Miscellaneous

Upcoming Conferences in England

June 4, 2014 Grace Mally1 Comment

We are VERY excited to be going to England with the Jobe Martin family to run three conferences in Derbyshire, London, and Devon. Below is the information about these events. Please pray that the Lord does a great work. If you’d like to be on our prayer e-mail list, email me with the words “England prayer points” in the subject line. Also, please help us spread the word if you know anyone in the UK!

The first conference will be in Derbyshire:

Click HERE to see entire flyer. Here’s a summary:

Discipleship Conference for Families
Equipping families to stand for truth and be strong in the Lord
August 1-3, 2014
Location: The Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire (meals and housing provided)

Session Topics: Biblically Handling Technology and Social Media, Developing a Pattern for Discipleship (individual and family discipleship), Families for the Kingdom of God (being a family ministry team), The Evolution of a Creationist (creation vs. evolution), Will Our Generation Speak? A Call to Be Bold with the Gospel, Bible Prophecy, Biblical Discernment: Applying it to Cultural Trends, Dinosaurs and Incredible Creatures that Defy Evolution

Conference registration deadline: July 19.
Click here to register.

The Second Conference we will be doing will be in London:

Click HERE to see entire flyer. Here’s a summary:

Christ Centred Lives Discipleship Conference
Encouraging individuals and families to be strong in the Lord & faithful in serving Him
Monday evening, August 4th, 7:00-9:30 PM
Tuesday evening, August 5th, 7:00-9:30 PM
Location: Chinese Church in London, 69-71 Brook Green, Hammersmith, London (no meals or housing provided)

Session Topics: Families for the Kingdom of God, Biblically Handling Technology and Social Media, Developing Discernment in a Culture of Deception, Training the Younger Generation to Be Strong in the Lord

On Monday, August 4th, during the day, we will run a “Young Men’s Strong in the Lord Conference” and “Young Ladies’ Purity Conference.”

Session Topics for Young Men: Being a Godly Young Man—Lessons on Leadership, Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Battles of Our Day, Dragons that Young Men Face: Protecting Purity, Being Bold With the Gospel

Session Topics for Young Ladies: Radiant Purity—Waiting for God’s Best, Guarding Your Heart When you Have a Crush, Biblical Beauty, Deepening Your Walk with Jesus

Click here to register.

And the third conference will be in Devon:

Click HERE to see entire flyer. Here’s a summary:

Young Ladies Retreat
Encouraging girls and young ladies in their walk with the Lord
August 8-10, Torquay, Devon
Location: Brunel Manor, Teignmouth Rd, Torquay (meals and housing provided)

Session Topics: Applying God’s Word to Daily Life, Contentment, Radiant Purity, Guarding One’s Heart and Mind, Using One’s Time Wisely, Biblical Beauty, Finding Joy and Fruitfulness in the Season of Singleness, Becoming Deeply Rooted in Christ, How to Have Meaningful and Loving Sibling Relationships, How to Biblically Handle Social Media, Creation vs. Evolution, and Sharing the Gospel Boldly.

Click here to register.