Blessed day to you. Amid the constant barrage of bad news, let me share some good news with you!

Thank you for praying for the end-of-the-year events and for the Koppen family as they worked through moving back into their sooty, dusty, fire-impacted home. Good progress is finally being made, though they are still waiting for new appliances.

Here is a photo of the 2022 graduates and me. If you would like to catch a highlight of the commencement (or the entire event!), click this link to view it on Youtube.The final two bachelor graduate testimonies are at 1:30:00 and go for about 35 minutes. I KNOW you will be blessed and encouraged.

The alumni dinner was well attended. Six of the 17 in the photo below are currently serving full-time on staff at IBC.

Prayer requests for IBC:

  • Pray that the current students would stand firm in their faith, that those who are serving in ministry would minister with integrity and passion, and that those who are working other jobs would work well while maintaining their walk with Jesus.
  • Pray the students still on campus (about half) would hold each other accountable, encourage each other, and be intentional about their relationships with the Lord.
  • Pray for 15 new, God-called freshmen students for the Fall semester.
  • Pray for the 4 bachelor graduates as they head off into their various ministries, that they would serve faithfully, continue to grow and would maintain lives that please the Lord in all respects.
  • Pray for the alumni of IBC, that they would walk faithfully and serve Christ purposefully.

Personal prayer requests for me:

  • I will be taking June 10 through July 10 away from IBC to pursue a deeper relationship with the Lord, do some reading, get some rest, obtain counsel, and slow down.
  • Please pray with me that I would use this time to the best advantage and that God would meet with me, refresh me, and renew me in my relationship with Him. I will be going “dark” (not accessing email, phone calls, or texts) for part of that time so will not be available by those means. I would SO MUCH appreciate your prayers.
  • Lord willing, in partnership with my church, on June 25 I will be attempting a neighborhood outreach in the form of a block party.
  • Please pray everything will fall into place, that I will have God’s wisdom in putting together a team from my home church here, and that God would use this for His glory.

Gratefully,

Martha

“So, my dear brothers, since future victory is sure, be strong and steady, always abounding in the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted as it would be if there were no resurrection” (I Cor. 15:15, The Living Bible).