Dear Praying Friends, Summer, 2012
We come to you at the beginning of summer, aware that it’s been a LONG time since you’ve heard from us. I will try to give you a very brief overview month by month of what the Lord has been doing in our lives and in our ministry:
January: I flew to New York to be with my parents while Mom underwent her second open-heart surgery. She spent 18 days in ICU and really had a rough time. We were so very thankful for the prayers and support of many, many people. Mom and Dad finally flew home to Atlanta in early February.
Meanwhile Paul visited our team in Grenoble, where our six workers are involved in different types of ministry: running a camp, helping in a student center for French and international students, holding Bible studies and programs for Chinese students and reaching out to refugees and the homeless.
February: We spent a week visiting our colleagues in Northern Wales and England. In Wales our workers are involved in counseling, youth work, debriefing missionaries, and women’s ministry. In London, our colleague works with a church in a very culturally diverse neighborhood where she teaches English classes to immigrants, primarily from Somalia;
March: We were in Paris with three families, one who works with artists, another is involved in evangelism within their neighborhood, and another works in an international church.
Later in March we visited our workers in Strasbourg who run an outreach center to refugees. Then we traveled to Germany where we attended the European Member Care Conference, meeting up with mostly non-American colleagues from many different mission agencies who offer member care to workers throughout Europe. What a blessing this conference was for us—we learned so much, were able to network with many others involved in member care as well as spend time with our International Teams colleagues who give member care to IT missionaries from nationalities other than American.
April and May: We flew back to the States, bringing our beloved 14 year old mutt Beau with us. With all of our travels, it has becoming increasingly difficult to find ‘Beau-sitters’. My parents graciously agreed to welcome Beau into their home for the remainder of his days. Then we had the joy of attending the wedding of Will Owens where Andrew was best man. What a delight to celebrate with our former teammates Howard and Trudy Owens and all their family
There were also two baby showers for our daughter-in-law, Lacy! Yes, Paul and I will become grandparents sometime in early July. We are thrilled! Andrew and Lacy live in Greensboro, NC, where Andrew works with iAutomation. We were able to be with them in their home in Greensboro-what fun!
While I took a writing retreat (with our new role, it's been a LONG time since I've created anything new), Paul spent time connecting with our supporting churches and some of our wonderful supporters throughout the southeast.
Both Andrew and Chris graduated from Covenant College on May 5. Although Andrew finished his degree at Covenant in 2009 and continued on at Ga. Tech where he graduated last year, he had never ‘walked’ to receive his diploma. I was one proud mama. The boys graduated cum laude and magna cum laude (I won't tell you which got which). Chris majored in Economics and Theology and Andrew got a degree in Natural Sciences to go with his Mechanical Engineering degree from Georgia Tech.
While I was participating in graduation activities, Paul spent a week in Costa Rica at an International Teams leadership forum where he connected with many of our missionaries in Europe and others from around the world.
In April and May, I had several speaking and signing event for my novels. I'm delighted that The Secrets of the Cross trilogy is coming out this summer : June 1: Two Crosses and Two Testaments. September 1, Two Destinies, which has never before been published in English. Many thanks to all of you who have prayed about this throughout the years! I have written a special note here to those of you who would like to help me get the word out about my novels.
We arrived back in Lyon on May 15 and it has been HARD not having our dear Beau with us. I know all you dog-lovers out there understand. Sometimes this life of travel seems to require too much of us. We get tired physically and emotionally and spiritually. But we have learned throughout the years to listen to the Lord and take Sabbath rests. We've also felt the Lord's gentle hand on us and the themes of pruning and dying to self keep coming back again and again in our times in the Word. We value your prayers as we daily listen to the Lord for His guidance. We are staying put in Lyon in June and July, rejoicing to attend three weddings—of precious young people with whom we’ve worked throughout the years. I will fly back to the US in early August to take on my new role as grandmother. I will be so thankful to be able to hold that precious baby in my arms and help Andrew and Lacy as they adjust to parenthood.
Chris is in Mozambique for 2 ½ months, working at a missions’ station where he's helping construct a hospital, organize a pastor’s conference and understand the culture. He appreciates so much this opportunity to see the world of missions in a developing country. He will then come to France for a few months, traveling with a friend before he goes back to the States and to the working world.
Whew! Thanks for catching up with us and for praying as we continue to care for and challenge our workers around Europe as well as many here in Lyon. We want to leave you with a link to this encouraging article about what is happening among the evangelical churches in France. Thank you for your faithful prayers!
With much love, Elizabeth and Paul
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."
Psalm. 19:14
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
Colossians 2: 6-7
Finances – International Teams. 411 W. River Road. Elgin, IL 60123
Correspondance–898 Quai Pierre Dupont, 69270 Rochetaillee-sur-Saone, FRANCE
Email – paul.musser@iteams.org, elizabeth.musser@iteams.org
Website – www.elizabethmusser.com
Click on image below to enlarge
Praise:
~for the way our workers in Europe are glorifying the Lord through their different ministries
~for my mother's improving health
~for God's gracious provision for our every need
Prayer:
~a safe arrival for Baby Musser!
~the youth camp held here in Lyon, early July
~the Jr. High students who will be spending the weekend here at the end of June
~for wisdom as I balance my ministries of writing and member care
~for Paul as he is often called on for help and advice in delicate matters within the mission
Click on the cover for more information
The French Mussers are doing well, especially since Elizabeth recently returned from a 5+ week visit to the States – Chris and I were ready for her to get home!
She was in the US for a combination of things, not the least of which was to meet our new grandson, Jesse Andrew, who was born on July 16! We’re so blessed and excited to have joined the grandparent-club, and I imagine she’ll find a picture we can share with you!
See! I knew she'd come up with something! Oops, it looks like she's come up with a lot of photos. She says a picture paints a thousand words and that if you click on the photo at the top left below, it will enlarge and as you follow the arrow from photo to photo, you'll have a glimpse of our summer.
Dear Praying Friends, Fall, 2012
THREE WEDDINGS AND A BABY
She was also in the States for the launch of her new book, Two Destinies. It is the third in the trilogy that she wrote several years ago, but is only now coming out in English. It has been a subject of prayer – many of you have been praying with us for this event. She was so content and happy to see this dream realized – thanks for your encouragement and gracious notes that continue to inspire her in her writing. We covet your prayers that God would continue His work through these books as they portray the very real struggles many of us go through in the course of life, and offer hope through faith. If you'd like to see photos of her signing and speaking events, you can find them here.
This summer we participated in THREE weddings involving young people from our church, and it is an incredible blessing to see these disciples choosing other like-minded believers for spouses. Elizabeth had the joy of discipling two of the young brides in years past, and it brings us great joy to see them launching out to build their marriages and families on God’s foundation. We’ve had the privilege of doing pre-marriage preparations for several couples in the church, with more in the wings. Pray with us for good focused time when we sit down with these eager young people, to help equip them well for married life.
This fall we have two major trips lined up. First we'll be spending three weeks in Austria and Eastern Europe visiting with nine different teams. Then we will spend a week in North Africa with another team. Because of the sensitivity of our colleagues' ministries, we can't get more specific here, but we certainly value your prayers as we travel in October and November. Thanks for your faithful prayers and support to make this possible. Please pray for us to be good listeners, to be faithful encouragers and wise counselors, and to be good role models for those who serve in different areas. We will be meeting many of these workers for the first time.
Our 2012 budget has been met, thanks to your generosity and the Lord’s provision. We are now working on the funds we’ll need for travel next year, and if you’d like to make a special contribution to that fund, there is still plenty of time. Next year we’ll prayerfully be going to see the three teams we’ve not yet visited (Albania, Bulgaria and Russia) along with tentatively planned trips to the UK, Spain, and Greece, as well. Our leaders are asking us to also schedule in a trip back to Chicago for at least one of the training sessions in which new workers are equipped and sent out, in order to begin building relationships with these people, and to share some of our experiences on the field.
Finances – International Teams. 411 W. River Road. Elgin, IL 60123
Correspondance–898 Quai Pierre Dupont, 69270 Rochetaillee-sur-Saone, FRANCE
Email – paul.musser@iteams.org, elizabeth.musser@iteams.org
Website – www.elizabethmusser.com
Praise:
~for the safe arrival of Jesse Andrew Musser on July 16, 2012
~for time with Chris is France and Elizabeth's time with Andrew, Lacy and Jesse in the States
~for God's gracious provision for our every need
~that Andrew, Lacy, and Jesse will be here for Christmas along with Chris. Yippee!
Prayer:
~for our travels in Eastern Europe and North Africa in October and November
~for Chris's travels at the same time throughout Asia
~for the END SLAVERY conference Nov. 2-3
~for the mini-retreat for our workers Nov. 5-7, near Grenoble, France
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Chris is spending several months with us this fall, in and around some travels he is planning. You may remember reading that he spent his summer months in Mozambique helping a missionary family there. He came home with LOTS of stories to share, and a renewed vision of the need around the world. Chris is so appreciative of your prayers for his travels, (he’ll be on the road again for all of Oct. and Nov.) and asks that you continue to pray for God to do His work in his life. If you'd like to read a detailed update of his impressions from his time in Mozambique as well as seeing a few more photos (and being his impartial dad, I think it's worth your time=), you can find that here.
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After we have calculated our regular monthly support and Elizabeth's book income, in order to fully fund the 2013 year of travel, we are asking God for an additional $6,000 dollars to come in. That would be designated entirely for our trips. Thanks for prayerfully considering this financial need. To give online, here is the link.
Alliance of Hope, the association Elizabeth is involved with here, is sponsoring an END SLAVERY conference Nov. 2-3 in Lyon--the goal is to sensitize more Christians in France to the issue of human trafficking. Alliance is very excited to see how the Lord continues to build their network as they reach out to the prostitutes in Lyon.
Then from November 5-7, I'm heading up a three-day mini-conference near Grenoble, France, for some of our workers in Western Europe. My goal is to provide fellowship, encouragement and rest for these hard-working colleagues.
As always, we are so very thankful for your taking the time to read our updates and pray through these needs.
With love,
Paul and Elizabeth
"Now to Him who is able to immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen!" Ephesians 3: 20-21
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