Prayer Requests
Jul 2007
Personal requests/needs:
Jul 22 2007
Not
much change here, except more discouraged, I guess. The needs mentioned
in the Dec 2006 note are still acute, with special need for item #8--I
still seem so diluted in the usage of my (dwindling) energy and
time--and I dont know where to say 'no' to legitimate opportunities to
serve others (especially re: locally in civic/community needs,
countless email exchanges to help others privately).
I
continue to get the sweet-hearted and biblically-wise emails, urging me
to do the Moses-Jethro 'get some helpers, you idiot' thing, and I
constantly run up against the same brick wall: I dont get "sub-Moses"
level projects to do! The Moses-Jethro solution worked because a great
deal of
Moses work WAS 'sub-Mosaic' in difficulty, and could be delegrated to
other people--equally as qualified as Moses for that level of
difficulty. But none of the work I have in backlog falls into a
'simpler' category (that level doesnt make it into the backlog,
actually). I
look over the requests for email interaction or the things in my
10-year "plan", and I cannot find anything suitable for farming out. I
have mentioned more than once the practical reality of finding suitable
help, anyway. Anybody who had/has the skill sets and the heart-set and
the tone-sets needed for this work ARE ALREADY in ministry, buried
under their own workload, and facing the same challenges I am. [I
should mention, though, that I get tons of eager, love-hearted people
offering help of various sorts, and these encourage my heart greatly.
But I havent yet found tasks that I really need to
do that match/fit their skill-sets, and so this wealth of resource goes
un-used, in my case. And, quite frankly, I have asked for specific help a couple of times in the past--and with one major exception from precious Emma!--no one replied...
To
give you an idea of my approach to this problem, here's the 'resource
locator method' I came up with a few years back (which still has major
flaws in it, but it is good enough to illustrate the spiritual
dimension of this work). I was going to run an "I need a pool of
helpers, to research and write articles in specific areas--please
nominate candidates" initiative. The main criteria for candidates was
that they NOT nominate themselves!
I wanted people who were
intimately familiar with the Tank (tone, detail, depth, etc) TO
RECOMMEND
OTHERS who were living and ministering in that same
tone/detail/depth/etc. And these other people are either hyper-busy
already doing this work (with their individual specialties, approaches,
etc) or hyper-busy in some other calling of God. [And I am not a fan of
"merger and acquisition" in ministry: just because God blesses somebody
else's writing sites, doesn't mean we should 'merge' or 'work
together', etc. My ministry is a very individual, personal, non-group
kinda thing...] Apart from these people already in ministry, I
couldnt afford
people who were just beginning to develop their gifts--I dont have time
to mentor, groom, oversee anyone or do any up-close paper review at
this time of my life (with my regular job demands, especially).
Now,
let me be clear--I do get offers to help from some serious, wise,
well-educated, gifted, and Lord-loving folks! It's just that I cannot
find the content-creation projects
[I dont really need the techhelp/webhelp people sometimes sweetly offer
me--even though seemingly everybody has their idea on how to improve
the Tank's appearance, ease-of-navigation, layout, organization, etc.
(smile)] to actually farm out to them (so much of my work is
Series-based now, for example). I dont want to slander these fellow
disciples at all, but the practicalities of this work generally
preclude my usage of them for this work--at least for know.
[I
do--however--still have a dream of having a small, summer research
'blitz' each year when/if I stop travelling. The dream has 4-6
'developing' researcher/writer/apologists driving in for a month in the
summer, living here in Leland, and us working on 2-4 projects intensely for
that month. In that case, I would help guide the research (mostly in my
library) and--in the process-- provide some mentoring-type value. I do
think I could accelerate Tank output in such a manner, but it requires
a different work situation than I currently have. (And at this rate, I
wont be able to retire until 65, so aging/health/money issues may
preclude it even then--but we will see what the Lord gives.)]
But I continue to noodle on this, and so you can add this to your prayer list for me: suitable help for the Tank, that increases Tank output/fruitfulness/usefulness...
So,
I am back to asking prayer for energy, morale, stewardship of the
'status quo'--until the Lord changes something in my life otherwise.
Thanks...glenn
New:
Dec 2006
Well, items #2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 below are still on the list, without much new development/progress (in some cases, none).
But
#1 is still an issue, too. I did NOT get that "unnamed" piece out the
door, but I have started whole-heartedly on the "outside project".
Probably ALL of 2007 will be spent on this outside project/ministry,
and I would prefer at this point for it to remain (undescribed,
unannouced). But it is a spiritual ministry, which will take all of my
time, heart, and considerable personal monies to complete by EOY. I am
very excited about it, and sense the Spirit's blessing and
even eagerness to get on with it. So please pray for my strength,
spiritual protection, self-control, honesty, focus,
stewardship, love, and grace in this project. It IS a writing project,
so I need prayer for the very words, tone, and delivery of the
writings. As we get closer to August, I should be able to announce
more about the writings and availability (and 'no', it is not a 'real'
publication--smile). This will, of course, restrict my Tank work to
almost nil.
..............................
Sept 2006
Thank you SO MUCH for
just a few seconds of prayer for these! Glenn
May 2006:
[Update: “reverse progress?!” -- this has been the lowest EVER Tank output year so far... very, very discouraged here... not sure of cause(s), but could witch-hunt up several dozen no doubt...sigh... Jan-Feb went to a major work crunch and self-caused depression; Feb-Mar when to prep for the Pre-Easter bible study and buildout of NapClark.com,; Mar-Apr lost to some horrid “long-acting” flu [3 rounds of antibiotics that I can remember(!), but many of the people in my area had this for 6-8 weeks, too]--but was able to keep my job OK during that time; Apr-May consumed by local volunteer web updates/construction (e.g. the flash animation at greenville-arts-council.com took 60 hours after-work-time at least), and by 60+ hours put into judging an Internet debate; and I have already had 4 business trips (with presentations to prepare for) in the last 30 days, with 3-5 stacked up before mid-June. I am having to update and respond2rebuttals for some of my more important Tankpieces, since I am just starting to have them translated into Arabic. Since someone is doing this on a volunteer basis--from the Middle East--I need to do all the re-researching and updates BEFORE translation--and this looks to be VERY consumptive... but the time is very 'thin' and morale is pretty low here... and as always, I am wondering/asking the old “If it is ME, Lord, show me the obstacles I need to deal with” -- AS IF I would somehow be obedient, loyal, honest, sensitive or stable enough to really deal with those...(“yeah, right” said the glenner-the-sinner-and-smirker, adding “Quit whining, and go back into obsession-with-productivity mode”)... more prayer needed, PLEASE]
[Update: Not sure about this one either--? I AM definitely saving money (for those upcoming expenses), more or less on schedule, but still seem to be impulsive in my spending (i really dont mind being impulsive in my GIVING, but I still 'feel like' I am buying 'things' too quickly, without adequate prayer or thought). I dont think I have gotten worse, but I still feel 'fiscally fickle'... more prayer needed, please]
I still need prayer for the young man of #3 below (no word of progress yet).
Kids still need on-going prayer for their responses to transcendence, beauty, and grace (as I do, too!)--and on-going direction in their lives. One is getting married this summer, one is considering a career change sometime soon, and another is struggling with college issues.
I REALLY, REALLY need wisdom in prioritizing my Tank work this year. My 10year plan looks already shot--not a problem under Providence, of course--but I thrash about (to use an old operating system image) trying to pick what project to work on or resume (e.g. rebuttals, resurrection body, Arabic-centric updates, other?), with the tiny slivers of time-and-energy I end up with at the end of the business day.
I still need some kind of recreation-that-refreshes. I still hope music will be it, but there is such a learning curve on all the stuff I have for this...
It has been six months, but no one has responded to my request for clothing help for my Indian friend. Please pray that someone will respond and help this precious family in ministry. Thanks.
Easter week was hard again this year--as always, I guess.
So far to go... my ut-most for His love-most
January 2006:
I would like this year to be one of “unprecedented fruitfulness” for the Tank. Not 'productivity', 'efficiency', or 'output'--but 'fruitfulness'.
I have to conserve and save money now for some upcoming LARGE expenses in a couple of years. So, I need to be able to control my spending like never before. I really have to learn/practice stewardship now at a higher level than ever before. (I NEED this level of self-control, too!)
I still request prayer for the young man below in #7 of the June 18/05 entry.
My kids still need clarity and fruitfulness in their spiritual journeys.
I am still too easily distracted, and my dwindling time/energy gets fragmented and diluted too often/too long. Pray for increasing clarity and focus, and the necessary purity and integrity and will required for that. I still--after all these years and failed attempts--attempt occasionally to be a 'normal' social person, and I pay the internal price invariably (sigh) and tend to hurt/disappoint others.
Thanks so much--glenn
June 18/2005:
1. [Update: He found a job within a week or two--thanks SO MUCH for your prayers!]
2. [Update: fair progress, I've been having to do more prep for bible studies/teaching opportunities recently, so Tank work has slowed.]
3 & 4. [Update: postponed this new hair-brained idea... no sense of urgency on it.]
5. Continue praying for my kids' spiritual journeys (tx!)
6. [Update] I think I am doing better here--still need a little more 'pause' before I spend, but definite progress
7. New: I have a young teenage friend--very bright, good-hearted, great potential--who struggles with Asperger's syndrome. I would like for us to pray for release/softening of this for him, as he finds God's calling in this life.
8. New: I have a close friend of my family, who is facing some difficult decisions about child-care, hospitalization, and life-recovery. Please pray for their ability to make the good choice, follow-through without falling to distractions/discouragement/fears, and rapid healing and recovery. A lot is at stake for them, and their related family members. [This has been a longtime private prayer of mine.] Definite progress here--one VERY tough choice made, and made WELL.
thanks again--glenn
Feb 21/2004:
1. My son was not able to find a job in Oregon, so he is moving back to California, to the Bay Area. He has to decide on where to pursue his Ph.D, but needs an interim job in SanJose (PC/web work: web design, tech support, computer assembly/repair, light LAN work, etc) for 18months or so.
2. I am praying for triple-productivity this year on the Tank. Please pray that I could be more productive--without it being 'of flesh' or 'of stress'. So far this year, God is really, really blessing this...
3. I gave up on the hair-brained idea (#3 below). It would have consumed all my Tank-time for years, and this is more important at this time (plus, I have a NEW hair-brained idea to replace it!--smile).
4. Unspoken request: My new hair-brained idea of how to support myself in a couple of years. Not going to pre-announce anything this time (smile)...
5. My kids' own spiritual journeys.
6. I have 10 years til retirement (i.e., 10 years until subsistence living, few books, and writing on the Tank full-time!) and have faced the fact that I have to be a better money-manager for the next decade, in order to be ABLE to retire to do full-time Tank work. I was also recently reminded that I personally need to support myself and the Tank (my appeal for monetary help last fall on the Audio DVD drew only two responses from Tank readers within the required two months...I did get 3 responses from my old church though, so I might be able to still meet the objective...but this has been the pattern over the years, quite honestly. I have asked for help maybe 3-4 times from the readers (some money, some equipment, some technical assistance). Most of the time I get zero response, but once or twice I have had 2-3 responses, but never more than that. It's a occasional reminder that (a) my ministry is a 'crisis ministry'--people only come to the Tank in times of need/for specific questions (maybe?); and (2) I am a tentmaker after all--no complaints really.) So, I could use some prayer for me to manage my funds more effectively and more fruitfully, in light of my recent 'numbering my days'.
thanks, thanks, thanks for helping me with your prayers!
Aug 9/2004:
(1) Even after a year+ of doing this job, I find that discretionary time still comes in 'slivers' not 'pools', so I am finding it difficult to start (much less finish) any Tank projects. Please pray for my effective use of available time, enough energy/morale to dive into these difficult pieces, strength to reject the countless diversionary rabbit-trails and seductively less-strenuous 'alternate tasks', and fruitfulness when I DO get to work on it;
(2) My son just graduated from UCSC in Psychology (Honors) and is looking for an entry-level, short term job (1-2 years) in Portland--in either IT tech or in the Mental Health field. Please pray that he can find a job (he successfully moved up there first of August) quickly, so he can proceed with the independent study he wants to do relative to his future direction;
(3) I go the doctor on Aug 9th to get my knee MRI read by my doc, so I could use some prayer on speedy/fruitful resolution on the surgery timing/success/recovery (with a minimum of down time). Thanks, thanks, thanks. [Update: no surgery required/no treatment prescribed: simple degenerative something in my meniscus(?). Just have to live with the occasional pain, and restricted range of motion. Told me to lose 50 lbs(!). So, no change to lifestyle, except that I have no excuse to not exercise now...]
(4) I have come up with yet another hair-brained idea on how to support myself while doing more work on the Tank. I have designed some DVD training/education courses on Biblical Background topics (Dead Sea Scrolls, Pseudepigrapha, Rabbinic lit, ANE history, etc). It would be a MASSIVE amount of work (=time), but could work (better than...?) those CIO video tapes I failed at so miserably a couple of years back... so pray that I can NOT get distracted from main-course stuff, IF this DVD idea is (a) misguided or (b) poorly timed. Otherwise, pray for expedition and fruitfulness for it...(more detail on the idea/plan later...i would have to produce two-three 8-hour courses per year, under my current 'plan'--a tremendous amount of outside-of-my-real-job time (of which i obviously have TONS of wasted time...sigh)...but would be some AWESOMELY kewl/useful stuff, I think... anyway, thanks for this too! [Update Sept 1: gotta slow down, it is a huge task, and is now on the back-burner...?...well, I THOUGHT it made sense for me, but maybe for later...?]
The Christian ThinkTank...[http://www.Christian-thinktank.com] (Reference Abbreviations)