Thankful Heart, Encouraged Spirit

I had recently been reading Philemon when the first few verses struck me deeply. “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.” (Philemon 1:4-6) These verses have prompted me to be more thankful lately, especially in our partnerships. We are in a partnership with you, just as Paul was in one with Philemon. It’s why we send thank yous when you meet with us or join our support team. It’s a way for us to express our gratitude. So many of you have encouraged us in different ways these last few months that we want to encourage you as well. Know that we pray for you and we love you. These verses have also made me thankful for prayer. On Fridays we have been attempting to meet with another missionary family (spoiler, it’s my brother) to pray for our families, the mission, and our support. It’s boosted our confidence in where God has placed us and brought encouragement as we see fellow believers join our respective teams. James 5:16 emphasizes that our fervent prayers are effective, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us to encourage one another. May we all encourage and pray for one another this next month.