August 2023

AUGUST 3, 2023

God is Immutable

Definition:  God is One who never changes or varies

Scriptures:  Hebrews 6:17-20; 1 Samuel 15:29; Psalm 102:25-28; Hebrews 13:8; Psalm 33:11; James 1:17

Praise and Thanksgiving

• There have been so many activities with families, friends, and ministry partners this past summer, all of which God has been strengthening, teaching, and walking with us. From celebrations, reunions, weddings, and goodbyes…. there is beauty in it all. Thank you, Lord, for all the treasures and beauty You weave into our lives this summer, thank You for this season!

• My (Mellisa) surgery was successful! The surgeon discovered a lot more AFib than expected and was able to address all that was revealed. After several complications and aftercare infections, God has been providing healing, peace, restoration, new hope, and a quiet joy that has anchored me and my family along the way. I am still regaining strength, endurance, and stamina as I start “working” again this week.

• Tammy (associate director for GF) has recovered from COVID, her father’s knee is healing, the baby cow has rejoined the herd, her daughter is married in a beautiful ceremony on a mountain, and she has been able to endure all the many summer “U-turns” with beauty.

Intercession

Continued spiritual and physical “rest” for the GenFree Team as summer comes to a close and fall activities ramp up

Promotion and planning for our next Intensive in October in Springhill, TN

• We are adjusting the content and schedule for this very important training weekend. Areas in focus:

  • Promotion content – needing further development and are currently behind schedule

  • Registration online

  • Speakers and content

  • Hosting needs like meals, and transportation

  • Participants

    • Lord bring Your provision, protection, and guidance to all those who have been called to participate

    • Help participants learn from the prerequisite CFMU 301&302 coursework

3 Events for GenFree this fall:

• GF Presentation at the Transform retreat in Ashville, NC September 18-20

• GenFree Intensive in Springhill, TN October 9-10

• GF Presentation at the CFMU Practicum in Shrewsbury, PA October 23-25

Continued meetings with our team of lawyers

• We are developing further risk minimizing strategies for FICM and GenFree Specialists. This includes evaluating the “Statement of Understanding”, ongoing vetting and discipleship of Specialists, and plans of handling conflict in the future.

Revision and Rebranding of Steps booklet for Young Persons and GenFree bookmarks

Field Staff funding – for the Pressley and Williams families

• We are still in need of ministry partners for all the training and travel expenses for the remainder of 2023

Spiritual Warfare

• It has been more than apparent that GenFree is a threat to Satan and his schemes! Please be in prayer for the battles (although the war has already been won!) currently going and those attacks in the future. Specifically, pray for physical health for the leaders, their families (especially their children and grandchildren), their marriages, and their safety in traveling. Join us in daily putting on our God-given armor, claiming Jesus’ authority, and declaring that authority over all areas of our lives.

New GenFree Website content

• We are currently creating some content from the Bismarck, ND Intensive sessions. Please pray for this editing process!

Areas still need of continued prayers and are of great importance:

PROTECTION, PROVISION & SPIRITUAL GROWTH: We ask the Lord to protect and provide for the team’s families, infuse them with creativity and vision, direct them into the resources He has planned for this team to utilize, and continually grow in dependance and love with Christ personally. The enemy wants to discourage and disarm us all as we seek to walk in the Spirit and faithfully follow the calling He gave us. Please pray by name specifically for:

• James and Mellisa Pressley, Joe and Tammy Williams, Mary Chester, FICM Staff involved in support of this effort: Dan Studt, Cindy Bergenback, and Chris Campbell, and other administrative support: Gay Nell Scarborough, Gary and Mary Erkes, Sue Huber

TEAM DEVELOPMENT: We want to further develop a team of contributors who serve as youth ministers and curriculum developers. This takes some networking and prayerful discernment. Pray God leads us to HIS chosen contributors for the curriculum content and GenFree team.

TIMING: Lord, Jesus, keep us in step with Your divine timing. We want to wait upon You as you deem right and charge full steam ahead only when you say "GO!", so keep us in daily submission to your direction and speed as You fold out Your plan for this ministry effort!

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT: You know how the enemy will try to distract us, dilute our passion, and discourage our attempts. Pray the enemy be blocked from his efforts, as we claim the authority and position in Christ given to all those who serve Him! Pray with us for our hearts and minds to be in complete alignment with the Holy Spirit.’

• New Generation Freedom Website content: Pray for the GenFree Team as we develop more content for workers, parents, and young generations.

• There is minimal content currently on the GenFree website because there are so many aspects involved in the creation, editing, approval and distribution of material and resources. This is a BIG, BIG task! We need the Lord to provide it all!

• We also need wisdom and patience in the process. The team members know they are in a beautiful place of complete dependence and reliance on Christ here.

• We also pray those who visit the site will be patient, feel excitement and anticipation, and hope for the future as content is slow to develop and distributed.

• New GenFree Intensives: Pray for the development of training seminars in various locations throughout the USA.

• Curriculum development: for HIS words to just freely flow onto the keyboards as we type this message for students! 

FUNDS: Donations will be an ongoing series of faith endeavors. God is THE provider, and we depend on Him to bring forth donors to fund the expenses this ministry requires. Areas in Need of funding currently are:

• Rebranding materials (Video and sound equipment, graphic designers, website developers)

• Team member expenses as they travel to train CFMAs.

• Future Youth Intensives - development and expenses

• New Curriculum development

• Field Staff expenses (currently GenFree team field staff are Tammy Williams and Mellisa Pressley)

• To give a donation, visit https://www.ficm.org/give/

DREAMING AHEAD: Lastly, pray for God to continue to work out the specific ways FICM can resource and further disciple adults to work with the next generation. We are looking into trainings, website contributions, networking platforms, future youth practicums, parent resources, and more! Lord, keep us tethered to Your vision and plans!