Prayer Support Update

Shannon and I would like to thank you all for your continued prayer support, even though our updates have been lacking lately. This is something that we know we need to work on, and we thank you for your patience and your encouragement to continue sending updates. We know that it is only through prayer and petition that God speaks to us and shows us His plans. We would like to update you on our prayer requests that we currently have, as well as some praises.

Prayer Requests:

1) Please pray that I will remember to focus always on Christ and the ministry that He is calling me to.

2) Courage as we continue to approach potential ministry partners. We are asking for people to come alongside us and support the work that God is calling us to do. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

3) Please pray for the ministry partners that are out there - those that we are already in touch with, as well as those whose hearts God is already working in. Pray that we will have ears to hear and an open heart, as God is bringing people into our lives.

4) Please continue to pray that we will maintain our focus and priorities.  Pray that we will receive knowledge and wisdom on how to be parents, and how to rear Jacob in a household which serves Christ.

5) Please pray for the couples group that we are leading. Pray that God will continue to guide us in how to best serve the other members of the group, and that we will be open and vulnerable with the other couples as well. Pray that God will use this group to help us remember to place a priority on our marriage, and always remember to put Him at the center of all our relationships.

6) I have reached out to the cadet commander at UNC-CH to gain permission to attend their cadet/midshipmen ministry. Please pray that I will be able to meet some of the cadets, and find ways to get involved in what they are doing. This is the avenue I am hoping to take next semester with getting on campus, and hopefully starting up a Navigator ministry.

7) Please keep Shannon and Jacob in your prayers. Jacob is teething, and having a tough time. Please pray for God's healing hands to be upon Jacob. Pray also for Shannon as she go throughout the day. Pray that she will continue to have patience and kindness when Jacob is struggling. Pray for her also to remember that this phase of his life is short in the grand scheme of things, and will pass. Finally, please pray that I will be able to come alongside of Shannon and support her when she needs a break.

Praises:

1) At the beginning of the year, we bought our first home! We are now living in southwest Durham (about 5 minutes from Southpoint). It has been a wonderful transition for our whole family. Shannon and Jacob are able to go to the mall playground a couple times a week, so Jacob can play with other kids there. Very good friends of ours now live less than 10 minutes away. Shannon and Jacob also get to spend a couple days a week hanging out with their little girl, since Shannon nanny's for her. It has been a true blessing!

2) God has provided a job for me back at Brio waiting tables. We are thankful because of the flexibility with hours. I now have the flexibility in my schedule to allow me to get on campus. We are also able to spend more time together as a family, which has been a true blessing. I get to spend every morning with Shannon and Jacob - we have a nice family breakfast together, which is a nice change. It's great to be able to be much more involved in their lives.

3) My meeting with the ROTC instructor went great! He gave me permission to meet with some of the cadets, as well as go to some of their meetings. I have contacted the cadet commander to ask his permission to attend their meetings, so I can reach out and meet some of the cadets and get a pulse of where to begin with the ministry next semester.

We thank you all so much for your continued prayers as Shannon and I move closer to the work God is calling us to. We would also like to be praying for each of you. Please let us know if there is anything that we can pray for you about, as well as any praises that we can join with you and glorify God!

Blessings,

Ben and Shannon Smith