From Oded Shoshani - May prayer update‏

2 Corinthians 5: 20 "Now then we are ambassadors for Messiah, as though God did beseech you through us, we beseech you for Messiah's sake, be reconciled to God."

It is our burning desire to see the people of Israel find their Messiah and to truly be reconciled to the God of Israel.

Dear and faithfull prayer partners,
May 2008

Below you will find praise and prayer points.

Praise and Prayer:

- Praise God for a very powerful time this weekend at the Bombomella youth festival. Over a hundred Messianic Jews attend this conference where thousands of teens and young adults are looking for anything that will catch their interest. The assortment of booths/tables/ tents is staggering including many eastern religions, new age ideas, and basically anything that's unconventional.. How wonderful that each year the Messianic Jews are able to share the gospel with many people who are starving for truth amid so many counterfeit ideas.

This year many religious young people had been send by "anti-missionary" groups to frustrate the efforts of the Messianic Jews. Some threats were made, often when believers shared they were followed and interupted, and literature was taken out of people's hands. Despite this harassment, many young people heard the truth of the Gospel. Please pray that these seeds have fallen on good soil and will yield multiple fruit.

Oded was especially blessed when a young man asked him for a ride back to Jerusalem. Oded was able to share the Love of God with this very interested and open fellow for over an hour and a half. As Oded shared, daughter Adie and another believer in the backseat prayed. Pray that this young man will continue to seek God, will be in contact with Oded again and will invite Oded to speak to his community (as he offered).

- Praise God for the many opportunities that Oded weekly has to disciple teens. He continues to meet every Monday with the leadership of the Nerya youth group and to lead and facilitate them as they do discipleship training both in the large group and cell groups every Thursday. What a blessing it is to be able to challenge these young people to grow deeper in the Word and in service to the Lord.

- Oded also continues to meet weekly with three young "Timothys" who desire to walk pure lives devoted to the Lord. Like Timothy, they tend to be meek and insecure and need prodding to develop their spiritual gifts. Please pray for victory as they struggle against worldly indulgences.

- We praise God that a loving family man has agreed to be on the Advisory Board of the congregation. This man is very kind, has a heart for evangelism and is a faithful husband and father. We are blessed that he is willing to take a more active role in congregational life. As this is wrriten another family man also agreed to join the Advisory Board.

- We praise God that several of the single mothers are seeking God's will for their lives. Please pray specifically for "I" who must make serious decisions about her son's school situation for next year.

- We praise God that "L" who came to faith last month continues to faithfully come to the congregation and is growing closer to the Lord.

- Pray for "Y" who is a good friend of "L" and also a new mother through Sandy's prolife work. "Y" loves coming to the congregation and brings her new baby and 3 year old son . Her son encourages her to come ! This women hasn't yet understood the Gospel and the need to live a life of purity. Pray for her salvation.

- Continue to pray for two couples struggling.. One who is going through a legal separation. May God reign in these situations.

- Continue to pray for two couples in premarital counseling with Oded and Sandy.. One will be married in June. The other is having trouble deciding on country, timing, etc.. They are not Israeli citizens and have many difficult decisions to make.

- Please pray for a brother who struggles greatly with sexual identity issues. We thank God for his transparency and willingness to get counsel and help.

- Tonight's (Tuesday) women's meeting is focusing on God's mercy and grace and primarily the humility of Mary as she was willing to be an unmarried pregnant girl. Many clients of Prolife (Be'ad Chaim) will be attending. Please pray for open hearts and new revelation of God's love, pray for friendships to develop between the believers in the congregation and the non-believing new moms, and for God's presence to touch all of us deeply.

- Pray for our congregation to have hearts that burn with the desire to reach the unsaved, for unity, and purity.

Personal prayer needs:
- Please continue to pray for Oded's stomach and back ailments. He continues to seek God's healing for himself and the release of faith for healing and miracles for the congregation as well.

- Thanks for your prayers for our 7 children., daughter-in-law and grandaughter Danielle..
Specific needs :
- Mati has now finished about 300 miles out of 2100 miles on the Appalachian trail. He's very encouraged and feels God's hand on them. Please pray for tendon in his foot which is inflamed.
- Adie recently started a new job with mentally challenged young women which she enjoys very much.
- Please pray that God will direct Keren's army enlistment - location and timing (sometime next fall)

Prayers of mercy:
- congregational member Miriam is very ill with cancer. Doctors say that only a miracle will help. Pray for that miracle and for grace for her husband and children.
- The father of a good friend and classmate of our youngest daughter died this week. He leaves his wife (who is a good friend of Sandy) and his three little girls ages 8,6 and 2 months. Pray that they will come to knkow the Love of the Father, The Salvation of Yeshua, and the Comfort of the Sprit.
- Older gentleman, Y, in the congregation has been in a nursing home for several months. He would like to go home, but lives alone and he is very weak. Pray for wisdom and openess to God's best for him.

We are so thankful for your care, your willingness to pray for us and your faithful love.

Many blessings,

Oded and Sandy