Thank you so much for standing in the gap for our dear friend and coworker Darlene Bolen as she has been battling “terminal” cancer. We nearly lost her a week ago on Friday, March 4, when she almost bled to death. She was too weak to even speak but the knowledge that you were praying for her gave her the will to keep fighting this attack of the enemy. God was faithful to hear and answer your prayers. The bleeding stopped. The tumors are drying up. Darlene’s strength is returning. I spoke to her on the phone and her voice is as strong as it was before she got sick. God is miraculously healing her in response to your prayers. To Him be all the praise, honor, and glory now and forever!!! Please join us in praising God for His healing touch and continue to lift Darlene in your prayers as the Holy Spirit bring her to mind that God will complete what He has begun and give her many more years of fruitful ministry in His Kingdom.
Thank you also for praying for us and our desire to attend the 10th anniversary celebration of the ministry on Mindanao on March 19. We wanted to be there to bless and encourage the Believers and to help plan ways of making the ministry more effective in the months ahead. God often opens and closes doors for us according to His perfect plan by providing or withholding the necessary finances. For us to be there in time for the celebration, we would need about $5,000 to come in almost immediately to buy the airline tickets and cover other expenses in time to leave the US for Davao by Tuesday evening, March 15. Barring a miracle, that cannot happen so we bow to God’s perfect plan and give Him the glory. His ways are not always our ways but His ways are always perfect. Please pray for the Believers as they gather for the celebration next Saturday, March 19, that the presence of God would be there to bless and encourage and strengthen them. Pray that God will fill their hearts with joy and praise and gratitude for the good things He is doing in their lives and give them wisdom and direction for the months ahead. Praise God for His faithfulness. We can safely trust in Him at all times.
Please be praying as well for the people of Japan as they struggle to recover from this devastating earthquake and tsunami. Pray for wisdom for those struggling to contain radiation from the damaged nuclear power plants. Pray for those tapped in the rubble that they will be rescued in time. Most of all, pray for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ in Japan that the Holy Spirit will give them great boldness to lovingly share the Gospel with all those around them during this time of national tragedy. May the “Land of the Rising Sun” become a “Land that Worships the Risen Son”. Thank you in advance for your prayers. May God bless you abundantly!
GOD LOVES YOU!!!
Rev. Howard & Barbara Gard
Church Triumphant
www.churchtriumphant.com
hgard@churchtriumphant.com