February has flown by! Flowers are beginning to bloom here in London even though it is still cold but it brightens up everyone’s mood knowing that Spring is around the corner!
Are you ready for New Things this year? We just had our Victory Weekend last weekend and it has been wonderful watching and knowing that people are walking around with a new freedom in their lives! I loved seeing the nations in the group of people who attended the weekend! United Kingdom, Philippines, Hungary, Romania, America, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa. As I mentioned in my last letter, I had the privilege of speaking about Freedom from Addictions and Making Disciples on the weekend.
Over the past 2 months we have been going through a series in our congregations called The Art of Loving Well. This coming Sunday I will be preaching at our Hammersmith Congregation on Loving Well as a Friend. Please pray for me that I hear and know exactly what God wants to share with us during this service.
I would also like to ask you to pray for me as I prepare to go to America for 3 weeks to raise my support and to visit family and friends from March 17th to April 8th. I am looking forward to catching up with everyone and sharing what God has been doing here in London. I am trusting for new friendships as well as new support in finances and prayer. If you are in Florida and would like to meet up please let me know as soon as possible so we can make a date!
After my time in Florida, I will be coming back to London for a 2 month Sabbatical! Our Senior Pastors took their first Sabbatical last year and it’s my turn now. After 25 years in ministry, I have never had a Sabbatical to take time off to properly relax and refresh. I must be honest, at first I was a bit fearful of the time off, but as the time approaches, I am getting excited and looking forward to what God wants to do in and through me during this time and I am looking forward to doing some New and Exciting Things!.
Loads of Blessings!
Traci
I’m so excited about 2015! In my last letter I mentioned that I really felt like the words that God had given me for the year were “New Things.”
This past month, I have already had the opportunity to go to Austria to spend a week with our other Every Nation European Leaders to get some amazing input on Grace. The many sessions were filled with great truths as well as giving us input on how to reflect God’s Grace in every aspect of our lives and church. It was also a wonderful opportunity to spend time with some of our champion church planters such as Mel and Tanja Calingo who lead our Every Nation Church in Madrid, Spain.
Another New Thing that I am super excited about is that since November of 2013, I have been going through the process of becoming approved by the IRS as a Ministry. I have been official with the State from the start but the process with the IRS is a long one with many steps. You actually have to operate as a ministry and then prove to them that you are doing all the correct things before the official approval. This past week after 15 months, I have received my official letter!! Thank you to everyone who has been standing in prayer with me on this.
This coming weekend one of my favourite annual church events is coming up – Victory Weekend! Over the years many of you have heard me talk about these weekends. They have been a significant part for Christians in their journey towards freedom and victory over sin. There are 12 sessions on the weekend and this year I will be teaching on Victory over Addictions and The Call the make Disciples. Please pray for everyone coming on this weekend.
Thank you so much for all of your prayers! Wow, are they moving mountains! Your prayers and support are helping us as a team to reach the nations in so many ways for Christ!
Loads of Blessings!
Traci Watson
Happy New Year!! I hope that your December was filled with lots of joy and that you have entered this new year with expectation that God is going to do amazing things in and through you in this next season!
In my last letter I mentioned our European student weekend away. One thing that we have been blessed by since the weekend is seeing the unity of our students across university campuses within our own church. Before the weekend the students from one campus would attend church but did not socialise with students from other campuses. Now we are seeing them connect and socialise with one another and slowly developing stronger friendships.
Following on from mentorship and discipleship, I have also now started something that we are calling New Decisions which is a course of mentoring one to one on inner healing. This course identifies destructive patterns in one’s life and helps to realign our thinking with God’s word. This is the course I was trained on in September and I have already seen amazing breakthrough in people’s lives which is exciting!
In December, I also had the privilege of preaching at our Stratford Congregation. My sermon was based on Psalm 115:9-11 where I felt like God wanted to remind us that we are HIS and He is our help and shield. Please have a listen HERE
2014 was such a wonderful year for me! I have really been so blessed by God’s faithfulness! Your prayers and giving have allowed me to step out into new areas of ministry as well as developing an even deeper love for reaching the nations here in London.
A new year is a good time to reflect and consider what God has planned for our lives. This week our church is taking time to pray and fast to seek God for His plans. Some people have given up Facebook for the week, some have given up food, TV, etc. I have chosen my fast and I have been asking God what His plans are for me. The two words I have heard so loud so far are – NEW THINGS. Isn’t that exciting?! Have you taken time to ask God what His plans are for you this year? I’d love to hear what He is saying to you. God has already been preparing me for some new things that are coming up and I am expectant for what He has in store. Be expectant with me and watch this space!
Thank you so much for continuing on this journey with me in reaching the nations in London!
Lots of love
Traci
