We ended September with thankful hearts.

As you know, September started with a visit from Hurricane Irma. We missed having electricity for four days, but our house wasn’t damaged.

Yard work filled a day and half as we pulled three pickup loads worth of debris to the curb (left). The debris from Hurricane Charley in 2004, by comparison, was about enough to fill a dump truck.

During that week, I traveled to Virginia to visit an organization that’s helping us produce Cru Storylines. We value their expertise in digital communications, and the trip was productive.

Then last week, Bethany arrived, making the trip the hurricane stopped in September. One more reason for us to be thankful.

Now, we’re preparing for an October 12-24 trip to Pennsylvania to visit two churches and as many friends and ministry partners as possible. We’re preparing to teach a class at one church, and to visit another for a missions conference, where we will have two speaking opportunities.

As you think of us, would you pray for these two things:

• Pray for our preparations for three speaking opportunities at the two churches. Ask God to help us play a role to build up the body of Christ every time we speak.
• Pray that we’ll be able to meet with as many families and individuals in Pennsylvania as possible, and that each visit will be mutually encouraging.

We are grateful for your prayers as we travel and for your partnership as we both seek to influence the world for Christ through communicating the gospel.