VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 MARCH 2011
Love must be sincere... NnamdiMeriam Ikpe Newsletter Romans 12:9-15
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 9
Love is seen is actions done in good conscience, pure heart and in a sincere faith. It turns away from anything evil and desires to do good. It enables us to cultivate and maintain a meaningful and joyful relationship with other people. As we continually humble ourselves before the Lord, we become more aware of the situation of our fellow human beings and we learn not to regard ourselves more highly than we should. On the other hand we learn to be considerate to others, respecting and honoring them. Loving one another is a vital way of declaring who the Lord is and what he has done for us, for He first loved us. May we continue to receive grace from the Lord so we can continue loving and being loved.
Meriam with her IVCF co-staff workers in January Staff Conference
JOIN US IN PRAISING GOD FOR HIS MARVELOUS WORKS AND IN PRAYERS FOR MORE GRACE
Do not be lazy but work hard, serving the Lord with all your heart Praise God for the
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: DON’T BE LAZY
1
DON'T QUIT … HELP THE NEEDY
2
REJOICE…MOURN
2
SINCERE APPRECIATION
2
JOURNEY WITH US
2
opportunity to be involved in preaching and teaching. Nnamdi is humbled to preach the Word in some of the churches in the Philippines; just recently he was invited to preach in Shiloh Christian Church whose congregation lives among a poor community just outside Metro-Manila. He also preached at Fil-Indian Fellowship which is a congregation of FilipinoIndians. Nnamdi has also continued to teach in other places. Pray
that as he
preaches and teaches he will have discernment to deliver God’s Word faithfully to
people and that the Holy Spirit will move among them to the glory of God.
Praise God, Meriam had the opportunity of meeting the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) staff all over the Philippines for the first time through the Annual Staff Conference held in January 2011. This time was a fruitful fellowship of all the staff: Studying together Sharing testimonies of struggles and victories in Staff and movement work Welcoming new staff and declaring blessings
to the staff who plan to move ahead from IVCF. Planning and Praying together for IVCF 3-year Long-Range Plan.
Pray for wisdom, discernment and guidance for all IVCF family as they evaluate, plan and execute their plans hoping for the desired impact in Student ministry. May they always be encouraged to work hard, serving the Lord with all their heart.
LOVE MUST BE SINCERE...
PAGE 2
Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality We welcomed the year 2011 with love, hope, and faith in the Lord. My (Meriam) mother was rushed to the hospital early in January due to some complications but we thank God for He provided, sustained and strengthened us. Pray that Mama will have total restoration physically, emotionally and spiritually.
We rejoice with the Lord for the help
and helped us in many ways for Nnamdi’s trip to KL, Malaysia last February to renew his Nigerian passport. It was indeed a miracle for us in every way, as we experienced God’s favor financially and in the
passport renewal procedures! Pray
that we may be able to start the conversion of Nnamdi’s immigration status to Temporary Resident Visa in the Philippines.
of our Christian brethren who prayed
Nnamdi was leading the Holy Communion during the fellowship of ATS Int’l Students with Ma’am Lynn Stapleton
It was indeed a miracle for us in every way, as we experienced God’s favor financially and in the passport renewal procedures! “… Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Praise God for the time we spent with our beloved professor and friend Ma’am Lynn Stapleton. It was such a pleasure to join her at times of mourning and rejoicing about the passing away of her beloved best friend and husband Dr. Russ Stapleton.
Dr. Russ was one of the dearest professors of Old Testament and Biblical Languages at ATS and Mrs. Lynn, a loved English and TESOL professor at ATS. Both are respected and loved by their students. Pray
for
and peace. Pray
for Ma’am Lynn as
she trusts God and heals from the loss of her best friend and husband, and to enjoy the peaceful and fruitful leading and direction of God in her life.
Ma’am Lynn and the family’s comfort
OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION… We praise God for all your love for us through your prayers, encouragements and support. Please accept of our sincere appreciation.
JOURNEY WITH US… Nnamdi and Meriam with some ATS Int’l Students and Ma’am Lynn Stapleton. (Taken in January 2011)
Coming to prayer is a vital act of Christian life. We want to pray for you more deeply, please let us know how we can best pray for you. Again, we ask for your prayers and support as we continue our present ministries and continue to seek God’s further direction for our lives. We will continue to have you in our hearts and prayers. May God’s abundant favor continue with you and your family.
Joyfully Serving the Lord in faith, NnamdiMeriam Ikpe Mobile Nos: (63) 927 754-2712 Nnamdi (63) 915 1990149 Meriam Email: nnamdimeriam@gmail.com cnnamdikpe@yahoo.com meriam.ruth@yahoo.com