Month of Prayer and Giving Day 3- The Strength of Weakness

But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV

It might be a bit of an overstatement to say that 2017 was an annus horribilis for Simon Bowkett. But it certainly wasn’t an annus mirabilis!
On 30th July 2017 Simon had a cardiac arrest which left him without blood supply to his brain for more than three minutes. Though he has recovered to a great extent, he still struggles with random failures of short-term memory and finds it hard to deal with ‘hassle’ as it turns his brain to jelly.
That’s unfortunate, for life in general and ministry in rural Wales – with limited resources and few co-workers – in particular is full of hassle. But in the midst of it all, life – and ministry! – continues.
Grace Rural Wales Partnership has rented a small café / bookshop in the centre of Llandovery as a rural mission hub serving the area. Existing work in the livestock markets, farm meetings and youth outreaches continues to challenge – and encourage.
Like when after Simon’s near death experience a non-Christian auctioneer at one of the livestock markets called on him to give a word and pray to around 500 farmers. He was given liberty in speech and the farmers listened intently to what he had to say. Months later they are still talking about it!
Will you pray that Simon will continue to recover from his period of ill health? Will you pray that the Lord will give him ample financial support to carry on the work of the gospel in rural Wales? Will you pray that spiritually gifted and culturally sensitive co-workers will be raised up to serve alongside Simon in the years to come?
Who knows? One of those co-workers may be among the 500 farmers who heard Simon speak last October. We can always pray.
“Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”
3 John 8 ESV
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