Fall in Flagstaff is generally beautiful—with temperatures in the perfect range, bright sunny days and cool nights. The students and Student Life staff can testify to the prevalence of wind as well, as they just returned from four days at Lake Powell for the annual Kick-off Kampout. Thank God for the safe return of all those involved. While they were enjoying the sunshine and enduring the wind, the rest of the IBC team (including myself) was feverishly preparing documents for the IBC Board’s approval before submission to the State Board of Education. We are grateful that those submissions have been made on time and we now await official approval. Please pray for God’s will and favor with officials as we continue to navigate the complex waters of the accreditation process.
Praise God with me for the donation of a beautiful baby grand piano for the use of IBC! Several students have been giving it a frequent workout. I have also been using the piano to lead from during chapel once per week.

Praise God for a brief visit from faithful, long-time supporters from Massachusetts. Although we didn’t have a lot of time to hang out together, their presence was an encouragement and I enjoyed having them around for a few days.

Please continue to pray fervently with me for my thesis celebration on October 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. Most of those I invited are current members of the Peyote “church” but there are about a half dozen believers who will also attend, I pray. My prayer is that the believers will have opportunity to interact with the unbelievers, and demonstrate Christ’s love to them. Pray that some may ask questions that would lead to spiritual discussions and that any such discussions would be conducted with “gentleness and reverence” (I Peter 3:15), yet boldness and wisdom (Eph. 6:20; Col. 4:5).

Another event this month is the IBC Fall Conference, October 22-24. Pray that the speakers would relate well to the students and that the students would be moved to follow Christ more deeply. Three alumni will be sharing lessons they have learned “in the trenches of ministry.”

Continue to pray for Daniel’s efforts to recruit students for the spring semester and beyond. Preview Days take place during the fall conference. I wanted to share this photo above with you. Kelly (on the left) is a current student and Deedra is now a staff member. Your prayers and financial support, as God directs, have helped bless their lives. They are two precious women. Thank you for partnering with me and thus allowing me to have some input into their lives and they into mine.

Gratefully, Martha