General Ministry Update!
We have loved living in the house that God has blessed us with over the last year, and over that time we’ve wondered about the possibility of buying it. This possibility seemed remote once I went part time with my secular job, and during our home church service on 13th of September I was challenged about my willingness to downsize the house we live in.Straight after that service, Josh came up to Ray and I saying that he thinks that God is telling him that we shouldn’t buy this house. Rayleen had also told me recently that she’s been dreaming about moving and living in a different house.
The following night we received a call from the home owners telling us that they are selling the house and will give us two weeks to decide if we will (can) buy it or not.
After this call we had a family chat and prayed about this, and it was great to see how well Hannah and Josh responded to this.
Since then we’ve met with the bank, fallen in love with another house, have put an offer on the house and now have a contract. This house is closer to the hospital (where Ray works), and the city, so would make transport much easier for her when I’m away. Finance has been approved, and settlement is at the end of the month.
I love the way God provides, and I'm loving the journey He is taking our family on.
It was great to have Matt Fricker with us when we visited Hervey Bay and join us in Toowoomba while he’s visiting Queensland from Perth. During the time in Hervey Bay we briefly caught up with Ps Sam and the Yerro family.
We were also able to share with the people of Full Gospel Church. I had the opportunity to give them a taste of a discovery-based story experience. The following day we were asked to meet with the board leaders of the church, and were greatly encouraged by this conversation. Excited to see what doors God opens through this community, and the impact it will have on His Kingdom in Hervey Bay and the surrounding areas.
Simon came close to Jesus, knelt down before him and said, “I can’t take this, Lord. I am a sinful man! You shouldn’t hang around someone like me.”
But Jesus said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Simon. Follow Me, and from now on you will catch people instead of fish.”
When the fishermen had hauled their fish-heavy boats to the shore, they left everything to follow Jesus.
(Luke 5:8,10b-11 with Matt 4:18-20)
But Jesus said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Simon. Follow Me, and from now on you will catch people instead of fish.”
When the fishermen had hauled their fish-heavy boats to the shore, they left everything to follow Jesus.
(Luke 5:8,10b-11 with Matt 4:18-20)
As always, it was great to visit Hervey Bay Baptist on the Sunday night, and I was also able to catch up with James Mitchell on the Monday where I was encouraged to hear how God is using him to lead small groups in Hervey Bay Christian Academy, and how lives are being changed by the Gospel.
Looking forward to catching up with the ATS team on the Gold Coast at NYMC at the end of this week.
Blessings,
Mike
Financial Support Update! THANK YOU for your financial support! We’re grateful that another special gift has been received. Regular support is currently about 5% of Mike’s full-time budgeted income. Though the process seems slow, God continues to provide through this time of transition. | We invite you to consider whether God is calling you to contribute financially to this ministry. Let us know if you’d like to receive more info. Whether you feel called to support financially or not, we still greatly value you and you’re ongoing prayer support. Please let us know how we can be supporting you, too. J |
Coming Up!
9-10 Oct | NYMC and ATS team catch up, Gold Coast. |
1 Nov | Ministering at Tamborine Life Church, Mt Tamborine. |
2016? | ATS Experiences in Qld - Please pray with us for God’s guidance and timing. |
Toowoomba Family Life! – by Ray

God has a way of providing for us even before we ask. He’s good at that.
Life is crazy busy at the moment, but sooooo good. We went to Hervey Bay just over a week ago. It was good to catch up with family and a few friends. This weekend we are off to the Gold Coast, I am looking forward to catching up with my dad, and then we will be down the coast again in a few weeks time.
We are having a 13th birthday party for Josh in a week and a half, and sometime in the next few weeks we will be moving house. Can I take a breath yet?
We went to the Carnival of flowers parade a few weeks ago. All I can say is wow! Toowoomba, you should be proud, you know how to do a parade. I was very impressed. The atmosphere was amazing. We live in such a great community, I am just so thankful God brought us here.
My asthma seems to have returned since having the flu, please pray with us, that this would go real quick, as once again it is flared up by talking, and I talk a lot in my job. My job hasn’t been advertised yet, so I am still on contract, but it should be advertised as a permanent position soon.
Both of the kids are still recovering from the flu as well. It has hit us really hard this year. I think this is the first time in our lives that we have had the actual flu and not just a cold. Hannah was hit the worst, and it was right on the last 2 weeks of school, which just happened to be when all her exams were. Hopefully she did good enough to get the grade that she needs to do her Headstart course through University of Southern Queensland.
Michael’s dad married a lovely lady (Di) a few weeks ago, so we will be going down the Gold Coast when they return from overseas to celebrate with them and then Michael will be preaching at a friend’s church at Mount Tamborine.
Life is certainly different to how it use to be, God is ever changing us and moulding us to be who he wants us to be. Thankyou for being a part of this journey.
Love
Ray
STOP PRESS!!!
Just to add to the changes, my job in the Referral Centre at the hospital came to an end today, and tomorrow I start as an Admin Officer in Antenatal. I have been wanting to work in patient areas for a while now, and God has graciously answered my prayers.Ray
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