God is GOOD----all the time!!!

Well, when we need to be "disciplined" in any way --- it is for our good. Could it be that God wanted to get through to us that we really need to make prayer a bigger part of our lives??? YES!!!!

PLEASE LORD DON'T LET US FORGET THAT!!!!

This past Tuesday we had the 5-6th graders for the first hour. They are SO special!!! So sincere and attentive and open! We asked if anyone had any prayer requests. This was the first time we had decided to do that.....why did we wait so long.....????? Well, these little kids could put a lot of us to shame! "we need to pray for our enemies, pray for forgiveness, pray for Iraq, pray for my dad he is sick, pray for my brother."....and on and on they went. They are such a blessing. And their singing continues to bless us too.

I don't want to say a negative thing about the 7-8th graders.....let's just say that they are at that age where peer pressure starts to grab hold of them big time. However, they are still a neat bunch of kids. But --- dum-it-all ---- they are just too concerned about their appearance right now........

On Thursday evening we again went to the JDC (Juvenile Detention Center). We used a book entitled The Book of Hope. It is put out by the Native American Fellowship and really speaks to the kids in their own type of "language". It has some hard to hear stories --- but with good endings. People who have gone "down the wrong trail" of drugs, alcohol, anger, rebellion and so on....and how their lives were changed when they found Christ. The kids were really attentive. Some had seen and read this book before but it is always good to hear such things again. And PRAISE GOD ---- we had Dusti stay to pray to receive Christ. She said she "had done this 3 times before" but never prayed the prayer. So please keep Dusti in your prayers!

Today we went to the JDC to visit with some of the kids. WOW were we blessed!!! Kayla (not her real name) was ushered in to our little cubicle and we visited with her.....just casual conversation. When she left she handed us a letter...here is a quote: Thank you for the Bible, the talking cause I need it...............If i'm at boarding school then I will write to you guys cause I didn't have no one like this talk to me before, and no one this close to me, but my uncle and he's in prison, but I better go now cause I have to go to bed, but write to me here.
This is a young gal that we really never felt like we had touched in any special way. But you really never know how God is using you, or your words, or actions. She won't be able to come to our Thursday evening meeting because she is in Max - due to a cut on her arm....... And so please pray for her also....We didn't put in her real name - but God knows who you are praying about.!!

We are totally in awe when these kind of things happen. It gives us an assurance that we are where we are supposed to be.

Please never stop praying for us and for the kids!!!
Gary and Barb

Sometimes when.......

Well, I'm afraid that the devil is hard at work on me...... When things don't go real good --- I begin to wonder ....... "what in the world made me think I could do this?!?!?"

The little kindergardeners were a real handful this past Tuesday. One little gal kept messing with her friends long black braids. She just wouldn't leave them alone even when I got after her. I was sitting behind both of them and it really bothered me. By the time the Bible Lesson was half over she had both of the braids undone.....and the owner of the braids was upset too. Now she was whispering to me to re-braid them.

I always knew that when it came to discipline ---- I was lacking. Is that a skill that they teach you in college when you go for elementary teaching??? I've seen teachers with complete control. If you are one of them---- I ENVY YOU!!! If you have any tips I could sure use a few!!

But then as we went over some review questions------ some of the kids had been listening closely. So I guess that makes it all worth while.

Thursday night at the JDC went well again. Several of the ones we have been working with are gone now. But then some others are back. We found out that if they go out for treatment and don't do well---- they come back. And that is the case with a couple of the girls.

One of the guards talked a little with us. He seemed amazed that we came every Thursday evening, and asked what we did. I guess you never know who we could be reaching. The one strange thing is that we no longer have a guard sit in with us, and Director Petite says they are supposed to. But he also told us that some of them don't want to. Could it be that they hear something
....... and then don't want to hear any more??? Perhaps they don't want to change their ways......or admit that they are sinners?? Some of the kids sit with their shirt pulled up around their mouth. We haven't figured that out......

We just want you to know that we cherish your prayers. And if you have any specific questions - please ask!!

Gary and Barb

Sometimes a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

This has been the scene out of our kitchen window for the last several nights. Tonight the calves were frolicking around in the dusk. Beautiful!!! Not a cloud in the sky tonight --- but still an awesome sunset! B & G

Reason to once again Praise God!!

Robert has been with us at the JDC since the very first time we went. And he was also one of the first to pray to receive Christ as his Savior. We have also gotten to meet with Robert quite often on Sunday afternoons. Last Sunday we offered Crossroads Bible Institutes Bible Study to him and one other young man. On Thursday I asked if they had filled out the enrollment form. Nope -- neither one had but Jericho (:-) Yes, he knows the story of the city of Jericho)told us "to keep bugg'n us". Today upon arrival we were told that Jericho had left the JDC. So enrolling will be totally up to him - he is on his own. (Please pray for the Holy Spirit to work on his heart that he will send this enrollment in.) But Robert came with his enrollment all filled out. PRAISE THE LORD!! It just so happened that we have some of the CBI lessons with us and were able to show them exactly what they would be getting into. I will be mailing this out for him on Tuesday.......as they have no access to stamps at the JDC.

Please pray for Robert and this new adventure he is willing to take upon himself. Pray that he will be true to this commitment. CBI is not real hard material but it is a time commitment on their part!! Once he leaves the JDC it might become even harder for him to continue......as he will get back into the same environment that he was in before JDC. He told us that when he was younger he did go to Sunday School...and this lady who was his SS teacher is still in the neighborhood but very elderly. We do have his address and phone number so will be able to get in touch with him.

Three of the girls did not want to visit with us. But we have not let this bother us. Perhaps we have struck a hard spot for them to face..... We did the 10 Commandments last Thursday......

Thank you for the prayers you have been lifting up for these special young people. They are becoming very dear to us.

Gary and Barb

Last Sunday and this Thursday.........

Things go wrong when you don't take the time to pray!!! We got in a rush this past Sunday..... kind of late getting to church in the morning. ......rushed to get to the JDC in the afternoon -- arriving there later than we wanted...... And so we didn't take time to pray....NOT GOOD!!! The guard wasn't real agreeable. He felt that we hadn't had a proper background check and so we couldn't be "left alone with the kids". That meant that we had to go to the visitation cubicles........ and wouldn't you know it....the parking lot was full. For a change there were quite a few parents visiting their kids (which is good!) But that also meant that if the 4 cubicles were full --- we were out. And so what with arriving late.....several parents there...... we only got to see 3 kids. The girls were not able to visit anyway....they had been fighting amongst themselves so they had their privileges taken away..... But if things had gone different we could have seen about 4 more young people......but at 3:50 we were escorted out.

We aren't worried about this -- that things will change for us there. It just kind of hit us that the week before we HAD prayed upon arrival at the JDC and God really made things go so wonderfully......now in our hurry up -- we messed up.

Prayer is so very important!!! We know that --- then why do we fail to use it properly??? Forgive us Lord!

Our church in Lakeview is looking in to going to the JDC for a church service one Sunday evening out of the month. We are trying to help make those arrangements with the Director.

Yesterday we had the 5th - 8th graders at Release Time. The lesson was on Noah. Their Bible verse was Genesis 6:22....Noah did everything just as God commanded him. All of the kids have prayed to receive Christ into their hearts and so we also looked up some verses in the Bible...."are these verses a Promise - to believe, a Danger - to avoid, or something God wants us to DO.

Hopefully, by getting them "into" the Bible they will become more interested in picking it up more often and reading it.

The weather report for the next two days is COLD. Right now it's noon and only 5 degrees....the sun is peeking through the clouds at times.....and the wind hasn't gotten up to any real speed.... By Friday they are saying we will be up to 50 degrees...... So if you don't like the weather right now....just wait a while and it might just improve..... But then.....the roads will thaw and things will turn to MUD. Always something to keep things interesting!!!

Thanks so much for your interest, support and prayers!!!! God Bless!
Gary and Barb

Some thoughts to share.....

Tuesdays Release Time went well. It seems that the kids know us quite well now and so they can get a bit rowdy at times. But we can usually keep it to a low roar :-) .....really they do very well for us and we have no complaints.

We have been discussing Bible Study materials with the new Pastor of Lakeview church.....he has been very helpful. We hope to go to the JDC with a different format for a time. We hope to help them in their knowledge of the Bible and then they will also come to know God more.

I also talked with a local Minister who is Native American. David is a firm believer in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. To make our conversation short ---- "we need to fast and pray". He reminded me that we cannot make anything happen....only the Holy Spirit can change hearts and lives. And so we need to give this over to prayer and fasting. I'm afraid that I personally haven't gotten into fasting......but I DO know that prayer is of utmost importance. Hopefully God will forgive me for not fasting.

And so I continue to ask for your prayers ....for our ministry.....for these young lives.....for guidance for us to have the right words.....and now especially for Nicole (steeped in the old traditional ways)......for Cheyenne (for her alcohol abuse)....for Robert (for his anger and fighting) ....and for the many other young people at the JDC. Most of them have very little knowledge of God and His Word.

Thank you!!! Please if you have any thoughts that perhaps you don't want to share "publically" on our blog. Contact us at our email address. petersgb@juno.com

Gary and Barb

Sunday January 4 ---- at the JDC

We went once again this afternoon to visit with the kids at the JDC. We first met with the ones who on Thursday had indicated they wanted to pray to receive Christ. Two of the boys said they wanted to think about it more -- we gave them a Bible and encouraged them to read it..... But the other six - 4 boys and 2 girls did ask Christ to live in them and help them to change into the person He wants them to be. Some understand more than others but we pray that the seeds we are planting will be grow and they will desire to know God better.

Then after they had supper at 4:00 we continued visiting with the ones that we have been meeting with. We read part of the first chapter of Joshua where God promises to be with Joshua as He was with Moses. And also the part where God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous....to keep all the words of the law on his heart....to meditate on them day and night. And then we talked about the importance of reading the Bible and doing what it says......to be strong and courageous through those tough times they are going through as teens......to ask God to help them make good decisions.....and that God is always there for them if they will but trust him.

And from that we would ask you to pray for Nicole. She is struggling! She asked "is it true that if I pray hard enough I'll get what I want?" She has been praying for a safe place to live since 2007. She doesn't feel safe with her dad and wants to live at her boyfriends dads place. "They don't drink there and I feel safe." She has grown up knowing only "the Lakota way". She goes to "sweats" and "ceremonies" and "sun dance". She explained that "sweats are for cleansing". We didn't want to say that these things were bad ........but we did want to impress upon her that she know and understand that Jesus paid the price for her cleansing and she now could put her trust in that. Well she said "the sweats also relieve stress". She seems to be searching......she has been reading "emails from God". Says she doesn't like reading the Bible because she just gets so confused.

We also had to discuss that we don't ALWAYS get what we pray for......but that a safe place to live WAS important. Also -- as a mom I felt that I had to put in about living (sleeping) with her boyfriend wasn't what God would want.....(I don't know that she is and I told her she didn't have to tell me anything - but that God wouldn't want her to do that either).

Please pray for Nicole!! We promised her that you would --- because we know you :-) GARY & BARB