It's been a while since I've been into Edinburgh to do evangelism. It is harder this time of year as the weather is more challenging. However, it was a sunny day and God gave me some great opportunities in the couple hours I was down there.

My first opportunity was before I got on the bus. Please pray for the man I met as he has struggled with faith in God from his youth when a child (6) died. This is someone I should be able to get to know as they are local.

Just after I got off the bus I witnessed to a young medical student who is from South Korea. I spoke with him for just under ten minutes and our conversation ended as his bus arrived. 

The next conversation was immediately afterwards as I handed a leaflet to a man and his son who were sitting on a window ledge as the man smoked a cigarette and drank a beer. They were from Ireland and interestingly from the village of Lucan where my good friend Les Hill is a pastor. They knew of his church. Please pray for God to awaken Padraig (father) and Kaleb (14.) I really encouraged them to go visit the church at least one time.

The last conversation was the longest and not one I would normally take on. JW's have taken over some street corners in Edinburgh with their false teaching. I spoke with a young man who as best I can tell is very sincere. He isn't ignorant and is a teacher/leader. Please pray that God would awaken His heart to His truth. I'm sure that some of the things I shared with him had never been put to him before. The verse I thought of as I rode home on the bus is the words of our Lord where He said, "Ye believe in God, believe also in me." There is much potential for God if this man's eyes would be opened. I spoke with him about 45 minutes with an open Bible. Sadly, they have no assurance of salvation and only a weak hope that God will accept them.

A student who has graduated from Faith Mission and who is now working for them was back with us today. It was good to see George as they have been based (he and his twin brother) in Southern England. 

Ann was also back with us. Please pray for Ann as she grows in the Lord. She made a profession of faith in Jesus yesterday. Praise the Lord. She has attended our church for about a year and a half.

I preached this morning on Hosea 14, Respond to God's Love. Hosea gave a great challenge to the nation of Israel to repent. In doing so, he laid out for us the Biblical steps which bring us back into a right relationship with God.

Thank you for your prayers for our family and ministry.

Thanks for praying for the youth activity. We had 2 teens and our 3 youth (12 and up) and had a night of racing with a projector and mario kart. An adult was also there as I shared a devotional on having the mind of Christ.

Our Thursday prayer time was also encouraging as a lady from our church and another missionary couple came. Thank you for praying for these special activities this week.

Don and I were able to make it to Carrington today. It is a beautiful wee village about 10 miles away from our home/church area. It didn't take us long to post flyers through all the mailslots there. The rest of our time was spent in Gorebridge a much larger village about the same distance away. I had one conversation with a devout atheist who has come to his position by much unbelief studying the Bible. Please pray that God would awaken the heart of a man who is completely blinded by Satan. 

Please also pray that God would help a lady I met to come to faith. I encouraged her to faith in God which she no longer has. Obviously she has never tasted the saving grace of Jesus and needs His loving touch. God is able. Thanks for praying in faith for God to work in our area.

We have just returned from church and now there is a wonderful snowshower coming down. Unfortunately, for those of us who love snow, this signals the end of this cold snap. A warmer low pressure system is pushing through but the moisture is hitting our cold air and giving us one last fun event. Our most snowy month I think is Marh - so there is hope for more in the future. There has been several inches of snow on the ground all week.

Our morning went very well and it was our faithful "church family" group. Please pray for our attendance as we have some who have recently stopped coming. I preached a message entitled "Preaching Your Funeral" this morning as the message I preached was a funeral message which ended with the passage, John 14:1-6. Please pray that the living will lay it to heart. I know that there are some who need to put their trust in the Lord. Please pray that God will use the Sermon Audio as well to speak to hearts.

This week we have two special events. We have a revival prayer time for missionary friends in our area on Thursday morning. We also have a youth activity on Friday. We'd appreciate your prayers for both. Thank you!

Don and I were able to get out yesterday. However, we weren't able to go where we attempted to go at first because the roads were drifted and impassable. (Sounds adventurous....) Where we turned around there was a police car with a woman in the back who had taken her car down a hill and through a fence. We ended up doing flyers in Bilston, a village very close to our church location.

Please pray for Don and Chris. Don has hurt his back and at the same time Chris has hurt her neck. In other better news, God has brought an elderly woman visitor to their church plant in New Bridge.

The kids have enjoyed sledging (sledding) again and have enjoyed the 3-4 inches of snow that came down this week. It's been an enjoyable winter as we have gotten two significant snowstorms thus far.

Thanks for your prayers.

Snow is much more unusual in Scotland than in Wisconsin and Michigan where we grew up. It is always refreshing to have any snow. This morning we have about an inch on the ground and the snow showers are to continue throughout the day. I walked this morning between snow showers and what is already on the ground and trees is lovely. Isn't God an awesome decorator of His creation?!!

I appreciate your prayers for the funeral tomorrow. The family have decided because it is a larger funeral than they expected to have the Parish Minister lead the funeral. Please continue to pray that God's Spirit would work in the hearts of all those present. There will be believers and unbelievers present.

Below are some pics from my morning walk.

It is a beautiful sunny day (right now) but it is one of those every kind of weather days. When I ran this morning it was thick clouds. It was beautiful sunshine on my way to North middleton coming through the clouds. Quick moving rains showers (thankfully light) went through while I was doing flyers. I took a picture of a rainbow (below) and tonight we are going to get snow and hail which will continue for the next couple of days. :) I'm just thankful I was able to get out as they are saying after the snow we are going to get winds up to 70 mph. (We had high winds last night as well.)

God gave me a great opportunity to speak with Keith. Please pray that God will do a great work in this man's heart to bring him to faith. He believes in God but does not believe the record that God has given in His Word. He was very kind and I really enjoyed chatting with him.

Today  is our busiest Sunday of the month as we have the Trust Service this afternoon. Sadly, 3 who regularly attended our meetings have passed away in the last 3 months. I'm preaching a funeral of Wednesday for a believer who passed away last week. Please pray for the residents to clearly accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. I'll be preaching today on the husbandman who hired laborers for his vineyard.

Our chuch services this morning went very well. I preached part 2 of the message begun last week - What Do You Know from Psalm 19. I've used this text in my evangelism this week. Most recently I shared some parts of that passage with a man to whom I was witnessing. Please pray for his salvation.

The most important prayer request this week is the funeral ministry on Wednesday. I'd very much appreciate your prayers for that opportunity to help this family. Thanks for praying.

God gave Nelson and I three good visits as we knocked on doors this morning. The best was with a 76 year old woman with whom Nelson (7) when asked shared his testimony (briefly.) Please pray that God would awaken this woman to true faith in Jesus Christ. We also met a young lady who although Catholic said she prayed to accept Christ when she was 8. The other lady indicated that she was open to visiting our church and is new to the area. Please pray for lasting fruit and for God to give us solid contacts within our community.