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February 9, 2021

Try Our Prayer Room App

The Josiah Venture Prayer Room exists to deepen your connection with God and equip you to pray for his movement across Central and Eastern Europe. Download our free mobile app for iPhone and Android today!

Every major spiritual movement in history has been fueled by passionate and persistent prayer. Our team knows this and has experienced firsthand that prayer is essential to seeing God move mountains, change lives, and transform society. However, it is not always easy to know how to pray for JV missionaries when you can’t be with us, know the people we love, or be aware of pressing needs.

[IMAGE: https://www.josiahventure.com/assets/upload/userphotos/banners/Prayer-Room-screens.jpg]

The Prayer Room exists to equip people to pray boldly and specifically for JV missionaries, young people, and the local churches we serve. You’ll pray for our highways of ministry, intercede for the spiritual climate of specific countries, and stand in faith for the vision and mission of God’s work across this region.

Within the option of guided or free flow prayer, you will find these categories:

Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Movement Prayer
JV Missionaries
JV Requests
Spiritual Climate
Highways
Countries
Personal Requests

We hope your time of prayer will be the best part of your day! We expect you will leave the Prayer Room feeling more refreshed than when you went in because you have been in the presence of God.

“‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.’” John 15:5 (NIV)

The JV Prayer Room app is currently available for iPhone and Android in English.

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Fruit in Hard Soil

Dear Friends, How does the gospel bear fruit in hard soil? Montenegro is one of the most beautiful countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Sandwiched between Croatia and Albania on the Adriatic Sea, it combines stunning beaches with soaring 8000 ft mountains, rushing rivers, and the deepest canyon in Europe. But this hidden gem has very few evangelical believers. Out of a population of 600,000, less than 300 believers attend a few tiny evangelical churches. How do you make progress in such a difficult place? When Josiah Venture staff Noah and Jill Ellenwood moved to Montenegro in 2020, they immersed themselves in the local language and culture and took every opportunity to build natural relationships. Following the instructions of Jesus in Luke 10:6, they prayed that one of these new friends would be a “person of peace,” a trusted insider who would open the door to others. Noah met Slavo while playing soccer with a group of guys and invited him over to their apartment for board games. Slavo asked if he could bring his friends, and what began as a small gathering quickly grew into a weekly tradition with more than ten people attending. Slavo was always the catalyst, inviting new people while consistently building relationships. During this time, Slavo was on a personal spiritual journey. He openly shared his exploration of various paths for inner peace, including Hinduism, Buddhism, individualism, and Christianity. Noah and Jill had many candid conversations with him, sharing their own stories of God’s transformation in their lives. Still searching, Slavo embarked on a six-month backpacking trip through Europe. Along the way, he encountered people from all walks of life—Muslims who invited him to join their mosque, those who dismissed Christianity as fake, and others who loved him unconditionally. Throughout the trip, Slavo sensed that God was calling him, though he wasn’t sure what it meant at the time. When he returned, Noah spent 10 months studying the Bible with him, focusing on themes such as identity in Christ, being adopted into God’s family, and understanding sin and how it separates us from God. During this period, Slavo began experiencing dreams that seemed to be God speaking directly to him. One day, Noah received a call asking to meet on a hill where they often walked and talked. There he was greeted by a joyful Slavo, who exclaimed, “I want to do it—I want to follow Jesus!” Sitting down together, he prayed to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Slavo quickly became passionate about studying the Bible. He would often cancel plans just to keep reading, feeling unable to put the Word down. His transformation impacted his family so much that they started joining him for church services. This fall Noah had the privilege of baptizing Slavo as he publicly proclaimed his faith in Christ. Perseverance, prayer, relationships, God’s Word, time, sacrifice, and commitment—each of these is needed to bear gospel fruit in difficult soil. But then the transformation is real and spreads to others. Thank you for your part in this movement of God.
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In Harm’s Way

Dear Friends, Someone needs to protect the flock. Ukrainian troops continue to fight a grinding and exhausting war against Russian invaders on their eastern front. Many have fled the towns and villages along the front line, but some still remain, including many families with young people. Life is particularly bleak for these teenagers. In most locations a curfew kicks in at 5:00 pm, meaning civilians are confined to their homes with stores and businesses closed. In some places, the limitations only lift at noon the next day, leaving just a few hours for young people to have any connections with others. Most school classes are online, and teenagers have witnessed enough death and destruction to create a lifetime of trauma. In spite of these conditions, a handful of brave pastors and youth leaders, like Pastor Yehven, have stayed in harm’s way to bring the message of Jesus to young people, who often feel hopeless and abandoned. Pastor Yehven travels regularly to multiple villages and gathers young people in his church building for youth group during the few hours when they can congregate. Most come from unbelieving families, but there is nothing else to do in their extra time; the loving care of a shepherd is a beacon of light to them in a very dark place. Yehven leads five small groups, including a group for the blind, a youth group, and several home churches in communities where other pastors have fled. His aim is to continue serving until everyone has evacuated. But Yehven also needs support and care. That is why our Josiah Venture team travels to the front lines every couple of months to strengthen leaders like Pastor Yehven and provide resources and support to youth groups in harm’s way. This summer, we brought Yehven and his youth group out to the relative safety of the mountains in the west for an evangelistic summer camp. You can see them wearing camp t-shirts in the picture below. Yehven and his team have also been cared for by several trauma retreats our team provides to help them process the devastating experiences of war. The economy in this region is shattered, so we also send financial support to 20 key ministries and leaders who are investing in young people up and down the front lines. Our contribution of $400 a month for each of them makes it possible to continue their work in spite of the difficult circumstances. As they seek to protect the flock of young people who know Jesus and reach others whom God is calling to himself, we are working hard to protect and support them. In addition, our team is teaching young leaders how to make disciples like Jesus did at a key seminary in the region. God’s kingdom is advancing as courageous Ukrainians run toward the battle with the gospel of Jesus, rather than fleeing in self-preservation. Light always shines the brightest when it pierces through the darkness. Your gifts and prayers make this possible. On behalf of those in harm’s way, thank you.
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Discipleship, Missionary Kids

Supporting Young TCKs in Transition

Transitions are often some of the most vulnerable times in our lives. This is especially true for young kids, who developmentally can’t yet imagine the future and what it could potentially look like. Change comes rushing in like a summer storm, having the potential of bringing with it either nourishment or chaos. How can we support young kids during transitions so that they are nourished by the rain, rather than left soaked and chilled? Tips and Resources collected by Claire Patty, Sarah Robertson, and Trisha Wynn. Focus: Ages 2-6  1) Support Healthy Attachment Focus on helping your kids feel “Safe, Seen, Soothed, Secure” – I recommend reading “The Power of Showing Up” by Siegel and Bryson – see “refrigerator sheet” about these four S’s here Incorporate more nurture into each day with your kids – hugs, closeness, snuggles, holding them, etc. Due to the regressive tendencies of kids in transition, they may at times need more “babying” during this time, and that is ok. The extra nurture will promote healthy coping and confidence. Give them a bracelet, draw a heart/smiley on their hand, etc., and tell them that it is a reminder that you are thinking of them and missing them as you’re both going about your day. Incorporate regular read-aloud time as a whole family (kids don’t have to be still for this either- they can paint, play with legos, do a puzzle, or draw while you read) 2) Create Stability/Structure with Playfulness Find routines that you can keep no matter what (a favorite stuffed animal goes with you in the car everywhere, you always have the same bedtime routine, etc.) Find ways to incorporate play into your daily routine – play is the way kids process their experiences and emotions, and also how they release stress. Get active, be silly, laugh, dance to music, play make-believe, etc. If you’d like to take this one step further, contact Claire to learn about non-directive play therapy. You can read about it here. Focus on the BIG play – running, wrestling with dad, sliding down the stairs on mattresses or pillows, big yoga balls, anything outside, trampoline, etc. – this is a way to get out not only energy but emotions too. 3) Talk About Expectations Give them real pictures of what the future could look like. One way you can do this is through “doll/stuffed animal role play”. With the help of stuffed animals, act out a future situation that your child is anxious about, e.g. the first day of a new school. Start by naming the stuffed animal after your child – they’ll think this is silly! Walk through the event moment by moment and include details that will definitely happen (e.g.”Hannah” walks into the coat room, takes off her shoes, hugs mommy, and walks into her classroom”). Make it realistic, but also fun and playful. End the story with the reunion of the child with her mommy or daddy. Try keeping a family calendar. A wall calendar is best—something that the kids can see on the wall, even if they can’t read it yet. Talk through it once a week or every day, so that kids know how many days it’s going to be until something happens. If you’d like to, you can also put stickers on this calendar or draw pictures that represent different things, e.g. a sticker for “visitors”, a sticker for “travel”, a sticker for “going to the park”. 4) Practice Empathy and Forgiveness Look into your child’s eyes and notice their body language for clues to what emotions they could be experiencing. After you’ve noticed what your child might be feeling, put the feeling word into a short response, generally beginning with “you,” (“you seem sad,” or “you’re really mad at me right now”). This empathy, along with a soft tone of voice, will help them feel seen and often calms their minds, so that you can then talk together about what’s going on under the surface. When our kids come home from preschool or any time that we as parents were not with them, it can help to consider what they experienced when they were away from us. Did they feel out of control? Were others unkind to them? Were they told “no” most of the time? Did they not understand the language spoken throughout the day? Did they miss us and now need our attention? Sometimes their emotions, impulsive behavior, or disobedience can be influenced by what happened during their day. Considering this can help us respond with compassion and gentleness. Make it a common practice to say “I’m sorry” and ask for forgiveness from your kids,  especially during a time of transition. Acknowledge the “yuck” with them, especially if we, as parents, are creating the source of yuck due to our own stress. Give them 30-second bursts of your undivided attention. If you are on a call, say, “Can you hang on for 30 seconds? I’ll be right back.” Put the phone aside, bend down, and give your child undivided, focused attention for 30 seconds; then say, “I have to finish talking to ______.” Stand back up and continue talking with your friend. (Resources from Sue C. Bratton, Garry L. Landreth, Theresa Kellam, and Sandra R. Blackard.) 5) Process Emotions and Experiences Together One way to process emotions is to have a family tradition at the dinner table to share “highs and lows” of the day. A song would help younger kids! See here for a great song to sing for processing the highs and lows of the day. Have a story time each day – at dinner or bedtime, ask questions such as: what did you do today that was new? What was stressful? What was funny? What are you thankful for today? How did you feel when that happened? Who was kind to you today? Etc. Talk about emotions each day – you can use emotions charts like these ones: – boys’ emotions chart or girls’ emotions chart. (Laminate it, and you can use the same one over and over again.) 6) Give Your Kids Opportunities to Develop Agency  Agency is the ability for kids to make choices and decisions that influence their surroundings and events. It is the ability to act and see the influence of those choices on the world around them—the capacity to act. TCKs spend a lot of their lives adapting to what is happening to them. This can become a strength, but it can also cause them to feel like victims of their circumstances. Whenever it’s wise and safe, give your kids a choice—this promotes their sense of self, their confidence, and, ultimately, their agency and resilience. Below are two examples of how you can encourage agency. In both examples, the word “choose” is important for the kids to hear:  Giving a choice to obey or to experience consequences – you can choose to clean up your toys now (obedience) or you can choose to have these toys taken away for the day (consequence). Another example: Sam, I see you’re sad that we have to leave the park. Staying at the park longer isn’t one of the choices right now. You can choose to go down the slide one last time at the park before we leave (or any other option you feel comfortable with, e.g. you can choose to walk to the car, etc.) or you can choose for me to carry you to the car. Which do you choose?” (Pause—Sam says nothing.) “If you choose not to choose, you’re choosing for me to choose for you.” (Pause. Sam is quiet.) “I can tell that was a hard decision—I see you’ve chosen for me to choose for you.” (Example adapted from Sue C. Bratton, Garry L. Landreth, Theresa Kellam, and Sandra R. Blackard.) Giving choice for what to participate in – “You can choose—Daddy is going to the store, and I am going to stay home and talk with our new friend Sara. Would you like to go with Daddy or stay home with me?”, or “We can go to the playground and play with some new friends from church or we can go to the playground and you don’t need to talk to anyone new. What would you like to choose?” 7) Take Care of Yourself and Pray! Probably the biggest influencing factor on kids’ stress levels is their parents’ stress levels. Transition is a big deal. Be gentle with yourself! Take prayer walks to refresh your soul, make time for extra sleep, get some alone time here and there, eat meals with lots of fruits, vegetables, and proteins, and take a generally slower pace for the early days or months of transition. If you are calm and relaxed, that will make a big difference for your little kids. Bring your own worries and fears to the Lord in prayer, and invite your kids to join you in honesty before God. You can even pray something like this, “Father, I get scared sometimes too about all the things that are new right now. I thank you that you see us, and you are close.” Extra tips from Trisha Wynn: From my experience, Mondays (or any day back to routine after a conference or retreat or weekend) were extra hard on the kids. Our kids would have their biggest rebellions and total meltdowns going into their preschool on Mondays, right after we had been away from home, or when we had been out of our routine. It was helpful when I finally realized that it took them a few days (not just an afternoon or one day) to “recover” from a retreat or even a vacation. Also, after a home assignment or a conference, there would be sleep regression or potty training regression. You have to give them and yourself a boatload of grace and remember that it will get better!! I was taking my kids to cafes before they could walk, and it’s still a thing for us. It’s one-on-one time, and it’s a place where they are guaranteed a “special” treat. We found the one place in town that had “American” donuts, cake pops, fancy hot chocolate, or even a Coke because we rarely have that at home. So maybe putting a name to that special time makes it stand out for the kids too. We called it “Dude and Dad time” for years when my husband would take our son out. Nowadays I say, “Let’s go on a date!” That equals a special food treat and playing cards at a coffee shop with me. That helps us stay connected and close, in the middle of whatever is going on. Some kids’ books that might be helpful: TCKs: “Swirly” by Sara Saunders “I Know Here” and “From There to Here” by Laurel Croza “A Fish Out of Water” by Hannah Flatman Emotions: “The Color Monster” by Anna Llenas “The Rabbit Listened” by Cori Doerrfeld “Ruby’s Worry” by Percival Rom “My Monster and Me” by Nadiya Hussain Supporting TCKs during the transition of Home Assignment: “Five Ways to Care for Missionary Kids on Home Assignment” by Claire Patty