Dear Friend,

Firstly thank you for your commitment to pray for me (and my
family) as we journey this adventure in worship and ministry.

I want to apologise for not writing this prayer letter more
regularly. I intend to change that in future - it's in this
newsletter that I'll be more open and detailed about what's
going on with us compared to my general email list because I
know I can trust to pray into the issues that crop up.

From May, when I officially left my previous career, until now
the transition to ministry has been great, a bit like a
honeymoon period really. God has been gracious to us with enough
finances to meet our needs, affording time together with Shirley
and the girls.

However, I'm at the point where it feels like the next stage has
to happen. I felt that the Lord had given me the timing of 1st
May for making the move from my previous job to the life of a
musician/worship leader and since then I have had the time to
embark on some songwriting and generally getting used to the
fact that I'm a musician primarily.

Now I'm at the stage where I have 'itchy feet' to get out more
to do the stuff; leading worship, playing live events etc. I
felt recently that in God's timing that this month, September
2007 (the 9th month), was the real birthing time!

It appears to be the case as more ministry opportunities crop up
- I'm taking a team to Lithuania next month and travelling with
another team to Thailand in November. We'll be playing in
churches, intercessory worship events, night clubs and even
brothels!

I'd love if you could pray into these events and for more
opportunities - please let me know if there are any specific
details that would be helpful for you in that.

On the personal/family front here are the areas that I see need
covered:

Finances - I am supported in part by Deep End Trust. This is a
charitable trust (Non-Profit organization) that I helped set up
7-8 years ago to support my ministry vision. Earlier this year I
got a call from someone to say that The Lord had told them to
give a significant regular amount to support me in ministry and
as result I am paid as a beneficiary of the trust an amount
equivalent to 40% of the average UK salary.

To date I have also had some additional income from my previous
job as a financial adviser. Interestingly, when I finished I had
my best month ever in my career and this has meant that since
then the earnings that have come through since then have topped
up what we need!

However as those additional earning dry up, going forward we
need to see additional income. Again prayer for this would be
great. It could be for additional support for Deep End Trust
which would allow the trustees to pay me more.

It could be income from ministry opportunities. Having said that
I always want to remain a servant and not be tempted to be a
'hirling' and end up doing ministry just for financial reasons.

Or it could be consultancy/business opportunities in the area of
some of my skills ('tent making' to use Paul's example) that
still allow me freedom of time and travel.

That's some of the specifics that I see.

Perhaps it might be useful to know some of the bigger picture
stuff that I thinks I'm called to.

Years ago, when fasting and praying over a difficult situation,
I felt the Lord say something that didn't appear to be related
to what I was praying about at the time. It was simply a
statement that felt like a command or commission, it was this:

"Songs to set a nation free!"

Since then songwriting has been at the heart of what I have been
about and part of the practicalities of that is recording,
distribution and generally getting the songs 'out there'.

I'd really welcome your prayers for this area - the songwriting
firstly, that it would truly generate songs and music that would
set others free. In fact even to understand exactly what "songs
to set a nation free" actually means or looks like!

Secondly, getting the songs recorded and distributed - do I do
that myself or do I use a record company - there are pros and
cons both ways. I guess wisdom is the need there.

Finally Friend, thank you so much for offering to pray
for us - it really means so much.

God Bless

Andy