Thanks to so many of you who have asked about Gladys and prayed for her health situation. We just want to bring you up to date and let you know what is happening now. Your prayers have been working, and please don't stop!

Overall Gladys has been much better, for which we thank sincerely God for His mercies! She has been able to gain back a little weight, which has been a real help during the colder season, which thankfully has been very mild this year, so far.

However she still has frequent pain and discomfort in her stomach and elsewhere, and has to keep a very restricted diet to avoid flare-ups. We changed to a different specialist in September, and he confirmed that the helicobacter pylori infection is still there. It is a resistant strain, having survived two rounds of multiple drug therapy a year ago.

After eliminating the possibility of it being a colon problem, next week she will be going in for an endoscopy and biopsy. They will culture the samples to establish what drugs will really knock it out. It is difficult because she is allergic to penicillin, which is one of the main antibiotics usually used it is treatment.

So we would like to ask you to please keep Gladys in your prayers on Tuesday morning for the procedure itself, which is not at all pleasant. Then please pray that the medical staff would be given grace to successfully grow the culture and the wisdom to discover what exact antibiotics will positively eliminate this long-standing infection.

Also please help bless her by praying that the administration of a multi-drug therapy for two weeks will not have any adverse effect on Gladys' system, but that it will have a totally lethal effect on the bacteria. It has been over three years now, and we are really looking forward to her being free of this infestation of nasty little bugs!

On a lighter note, we are making plans to travel to the U.S.A. to visit family and friends in mid-March. We will be based near New Orleans for three weeks, and are looking forward to seeing Michael and Lauren, now into their second year of marriage. And it will also be wonderful to see so many friends and loved ones in our home church where we shared ministry for over sixteen years, as well as friends and supporters in northern Louisiana and Texas.

From there we will fly to Washington D.C. and stay with our daughter Grace, and with my niece and her husband while Grace is in Scotland with work. Gladys also has relatives around Washington who are so much fun to be with. Dicky will also be around for a few days too. Then we'll go to New England to visit my sister in Connecticut and brother in Boston, and other friends in the area.

It will be a busy six weeks, and we hope to encourage many people in prayer. And not only prayer for Wales but also for our beloved America whose people so desperately need a touch from God.

It seems funny, but as much as we really look forward to seeing so many loved ones, we don't like to leave Wales. Our hearts are now so bound up with this land and its people here that we would rather just stay. We don't want to miss anything that God is doing! But we can't do both, so we will joyfully land in warm Louisiana weather in just over six weeks!

Thank you so much for your care and your prayers,

Dick & Gladys

There is something about the world of nature that always draws my eyes and interest. Perhaps it is the fact that there is constant change everywhere - in the cycles of growth and seasons, the skies and the landscapes.

We are surrounded by such admirable beauty, and it all seems to highlight God's infinite love and majesty. And as much as the natural world reflects this, it seems to speak continually of higher beauty and a deeper wisdom when it comes to His dealings with men.

Nothing on this earth can compare with God's plans and designs for those He loves and for whom He sent Jesus to redeem from their sin. The scriptures are full of visions and descriptions of things far greater in His kingdom. And we are living in times in which we see the fulfillment of His plans drawing ever closer.

Romans 8:18-19 says, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God."

As the year begins to unfold before us we also find ourselves entertaining this earnest expectation. I think it is an important element of our lives and prayers. It is a curious balance because in and of ourselves we can't do anything to make something happen any more than these camellia buds can shake off their icy cladding and push out their flowers.

Like the scripture says, it is a waiting game. But it is how we wait that is important. That is where we do have some sort of control. We can temper our attitude by constantly and conscientiously allowing the word of God to renew our mind. With the Holy Spirit as our helper we can steer our words and thoughts towards being pleasing in His sight. And if they truly please Him, there's a good chance they will please us, and others as well.

We have just gotten in from the monthly meeting in Blaenau Ffestiniog. We stay with friends here who bless us with wonderful hospitality and make it trip here possible each monthly. We were delighted to have three new people join us, and had a really good time of intercessory prayer for this town and the area.

We also heard some very encouraging pieces of good news. The first was that Christina, one of our first-time visitors shared that this Friday she is starting a Christian Union here in the secondary school in Blaenau with more than 16 students. This will be the first time in many years that there has been one in the local school. Please remember Christina and the students in your prayers this coming Friday!

Another was that last night there was a joint meeting of the three local church councils where the new minister is coming in the spring, and there is joy and anticipation in the camp. After several years of waning attendance and interest, that is really wonderful to hear. It evidences the fruit of the prayers, not only of our small group but others who have been praying here far longer than us!

We can see a tinge of color through the coldness that has held Blaenau in its grip for years. The hardness is starting to soften, and believers from the area can sense the coming of change! Thank you for joining us with your prayers for this town and for the rest of this small but significant nation.

We thank our faithful God for all His goodness,

Dick & Gladys

A thistle gets a head start on the new year, spreading out its tender leaves in what looks like a furry but prickly white winter coat. It is quite small and delicate now, but by mid-summer grow quite tall and will definitely force you to change your course!

This year is still brand new like this plant, and as it develops before us, it may also oblige us to make some changes. I think those changes will help draw us closer to the Lord.

It is awesome see how the Lord keeps encouraging us on with gestures and expressions of His amazing love and purposes for us, and for Wales. These past weeks have been filled with some unexpected blessings from the Lord.

One particularly powerful source of encouragement and exhortation is a recent prophetic word. It was sent from Israel to our friends at Ffald-y-Brenin, and I am taking the liberty of sharing it here.

My beloved Welsh people. I sit in my little apartment in Ashkelon, Israel and just weep over this email about a stirring of the Holy Spirit in Wales.
May you be mightily moved to prayer and may your voices again be raised in song. May the Holy Spirit brood over you even as the fog hovers over your hills and valleys.
May the old men dream dreams and the young men have visions and may your sons and daughters prophesy again.
May the passionate prayers of your forefathers be answered and the 3rd and 4th generations be stirred to be mighty men and women of God.
Listen, can you hear that sound? 'Tis the sound of many waters - 'tis the sound of voices praying and crying aloud to God for another mighty visitation
And I can tell you that as sure as I sit here and weep and type, that there will indeed be a visitation that will shake the nation. You shall again have such anointed choirs singing that people will be broken and moved upon as they listen to you sing. Your young people will be burning fires going all over spreading the fires of revival - faster than a forest fire - mightier than a hurricane - swiftly will they run and all will be consumed by their anointing
Your precious kids with their piercings, tattoes, punk dress and hair - the most anointed of all! Your elderly who thought themselves consigned to nursing homes, will instead be on fire for God and truly their latter years will far outshine their early years.
Catch the vision, proclaim it, believe it for it shall surely come to pass.

We are glad to note how the Holy Spirit highlights the importance and power of prayer. We continue to meet or hear of others the Lord has been calling into "active duty."

We see how God is waking and wooing His church, and reaching deep into people's hearts and fanning embers into flames. We also know He is starting new fires with the light of life where there has been none before!

"More, Lord Jesus" is our cry! "Come and rain righteousness down upon the nations of the earth in our day."

May God bless, strengthen guide us all for the glorious task before us,

Dick & Gladys

Do you ever get the feeling that each passing year goes by faster than the year before? Another one will be over tomorrow already, and Sunday kicks off 2012! It's hard to believe, but here we are. We wish you all the best of God's blessings for the New Year!

A new year usually brings high expectations and positive resolutions, but for many in today's world that is a tall order. Economic instability is evident at home and abroad, and political unrest and violence in many areas of the globe fill the news. For many people there is a growing apprehension about what the future holds.

What an immense blessing to know that we can totally trust the Lord in whatever circumstances we find ourselves! Psalm 4:8 says, "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." And in Psalm 118:8-9 we read, "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes."

Our friends' little dog showing such serenity and trust in her mistress is a great example of just how absolutely we can trust in the One who cares for us. Nahum 1:7 says, "The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him."

As we look towards the coming year here in Wales, we anticipate great things, and rest confidently in Him who has placed us here. We are still learning to trust in His grace and goodness every day, and know that He will never let us down.

There are many things that encourage and fuel our prayers for revival here. The scriptures are the principal source, but there are others. Here is an excerpt from "When God Came to North Wales", edited by Philip Eveson, which I mentioned earlier this month. This portion was taken from the Rhos Herald, the local newspaper on December 24, 1904. The paper carried a running account of events during the revival itself.

   In Capel Mawr on Monday night a great crowd gathered together for prayer. The usual order of the service was broken by a little girl, hardly twelve years old, rising to her feet in the middle the crowd and offering up one of the most striking prayers heard. It was, of course, a child's prayer, but in its simplicity it was overpowering.
   The crowd was shaken like leaves and their feelings were melted into liquid by pure, innocent eloquence. Strong men shook like bushes before the wind and many cheeks were wet with streams of tears-cheeks that had been dry in many a worse circumstance. For many this was the strongest impact the Revival and the one that affected them most deeply.

Scenes like these are more than enough to whet our appetite for more of Jesus in our own lives and the lives of those around us. It was the moving of the Holy Spirit in and through the people of God, mostly in times of prayer, that people's lives were transformed. Many times godly preachers such as Rev. R.B. Jones never got to deliver their sermons because the Lord was already at work in the hearts of the people.

So we welcome the challenge of a new year, and we invite you to join us in lifting our hearts and voices to heaven that His will be done in our own lives and in our communities and the nations of the world!

In the amazing love of Jesus our Savior,

Dick & Gladys

Suddenly we find ourselves in winter now. There's not much freezing yet, but lots of hail and wind, and very short days. But by this time next week the days start growing longer again, and that is always nice to see. Gladys enjoying stoking the fire - the closest we get to sunshine on grey wintery days.

In my readings recently I have found some very encouraging portions of scripture that add some fuel for our prayers. This part of chapter 2 of Zephaniah says that,

"7 The coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah;
They shall feed their flocks there;
In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening.
For the LORD their God will intervene for them,
And return their captives...
11 The LORD will be awesome to them,
For He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth;
People shall worship Him, Each one from his place,
Indeed all the shores of the nations."

As we dedicate ourselves to prayer and intercede according the Holy Spirit's promptings, then I believe the Lord will intervene for us as well. And the end of the matter, the culmination of the ages, is that people of all nations will worship Him. Now that is a glorious prospect, wouldn't you say?

Also Zephaniah 3:18-19 can teach us something about the tone of our prayer, and God's response. "I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly [the condition of Israel and the church], who are among you, to whom its reproach is a burden... And gather those who were driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame In every land where they were put to shame." If we allow our hearts to really be broken in prayer to the point of suffering, we know they are producing a real effect.

We want to wish each of you a Happy and Blessed Christmas. We heard this song for the first time last year, and have been deeply touched by the message, and still struggle to keep a dry eye... "Where's the Line to See Jesus?"

This world is so much adrift in emptiness, and the external trappings of the materialistic "celebration" emphasize that even more. We pray for the days when there will be lines to see Jesus outside the doors of our homes, our church buildings, and even our workplaces!

May God bless you and your loved ones this Christmastime with His presence,

Dick & Gladys

We have just been reading about the 1904 revival in North Wales. It is fascinating to discover how the Holy Spirit began to work there the very same day as in South Wales without any contact between God's people. The next morning the preacher in the North telegraphed the news to his wife in the South, and soon both places knew they were sharing in a sovereign move God.

There is something about the spontaneity of God's intervention in human affairs that captivates our hearts with longing. How we desperately need Him! And yet there seems to be nothing tangible that we can do hurry Him along.

This ancient castle reminds us of what great things can be accomplished when people are dedicated to a clear purpose. And yet the passage of time brings all to naught - all except what is built in the Kingdom of God. We are the work of His hands!

As the church we can do wonderful things, and I'm sure many of us have shared in them. We can start great mission projects, have amazing worship groups and follow church growth programs, and there is usually some fruit from them. But I think more and more believers these days long for something far greater. There is a yearning for revival!

In a recent meeting we were praying for a specific project. During the worship I saw a vision. I found myself in a large open area or moorland, and it was nighttime. In the middle there was fire burning brightly. It wasn't particularly large, but it was burning along very well.

After a moment I began to notice that there were pieces of wood being added to the fire. Some were large and heavy, others were smaller with some branches still attached. They came slowly towards the fire from all directions around, and were added to the blaze one after the other. The curious part was that the pieces of wood were not being carried by someone and placed on the fire. But rather each piece somehow came by itself.

What the Lord impressed on me was that this is how He is building His church today. Those that He is calling to be involved are not adding something that they have, but rather they are putting themselves on the fire - His altar. Each one is saying to the Lord, "Here am I! Send me" like in Isaiah 6:8. In other words, "Here I am Lord, let my life be fuel for Your fire, myself, my life, my goals and dreams, my hours and days, consumed for Your purposes. Let me be the fuel."

The move of God that we long for is going to have a stiff price. It is not about people giving of their substance to bring this thing to pass, but people literally offering their lives as a living sacrifice to see this through. There is a growing sense of excitement and expectation in the Body of Christ as we discover more and more of God's family who are paying the price and standing in the gap through prayer and lifestyle.

Like the faithful ones of Hebrews chapter 11, we are waiting for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. There is of course the heavenly country that He has prepared for us. But we believe He is ever closer to moving upon our world with great power and glory!

Trusting in His grace alone,

Dick & Gladys

This amazing brightness of nature stands out in vivid contrast to our shorter and darker days. It is just such a great reminder of what living in Jesus really means for us!

We find ourselves surrounded these days by the human race "braining" its way through serious difficulties on so many fronts. How it rejoices the heart to know that "... your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."   Colossians. 3:3

Jesus' poured out His life for us to give us this position. This is our place of "permanent residence" - the here and now is just temporary housing. And it is from this "place of peace" we can pray in confidence for the many needs we see around us, from personal needs to local and even international concerns, of which there are plenty.
Philippians 4:6 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;"

There are so many things going on around the world that really need our prayers. Why not ask the Lord to show you if there is any specific area He would have you commit to pray for regularly besides the things for which you are currently praying? If we all take on one more "prayer target", it will make a difference. There is an old song from scripture that has been going through my mind a lot recently. I believe this verse not only outlines God's conditions for wholesome Christian character, but also helps to establish a good heart attitude for our prayers. It comes from Micah 6:8.

"He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?"

Speaking of the importance of prayer and the difference it can make, here is an exciting piece of news. Do you recall several weeks ago I asked you to pray about a prospective minister and his family for Blaenau Ffestiniog? Well the Lord has confirmed all that now, and announcement was made last Sunday that they will be moving there in the coming spring. So please keep them in your prayers during this transition time.

As I said, there are so very many things that need prayer in the world around us. It is wonderful to continually hear of more people who God is actively drawing into places of significant directed prayer.

We have so many things to be thankful for, and rejoice in God's wonderful faithfulness!

May the Holy Spirit guide us all,

Dick & Gladys