Prayer requests

I know your lives have been hanging in limbo while I have taken a short hiatus. But here I am back again.

A few things have happened in the past few days. I think they are and/or will and/or should become significant. Please pray about these things:

1. I already mentioned bw's dissertation proposal. It went in the overseas mail Friday morning. As previously requested please pray for safe, prompt delivery and even more for favorable reception by review committee.
2. I have been in contact for a few months now with an organization called "Reaching Indians Ministries International" (www.rimi.org). When Laura, a young lady from the organization called, I felt hesitant at first. I thought "Indians" meant Native Americans and that was not where God was pulling me (He is calling others to that). But also, I've never really felt attracted to the country of India (which is indeed the focus of this mission). However, they have needs that I feel motivated to give to the Kingdom of God (e.g., gift of teaching, ability to write). So all of that to say: Please pray for my upcoming mission to India! We are scheduled to leave US on October 27 and return around Nov 11/12. I will teach 4-5 days in Jodhpur, Rajasthan (about 300 miles from Pakistan). Then we will travel to Nagpur (exactly the geographical center of the country, about 500 miles from Jodhpur) where I will teach in a national conference for another 4-5 days. YES!!! I am very excited about this opportunity. The only real downer about it all is that bw cannot go with us because of her teaching position. But who knows what the future holds. Right? So please pray for all the preparations for this mission: Physical details, Spiritual preparation of my spirit as well as those who will attend, plus pray for my preparation of teaching materials and any other prep that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. Thank you!
3. Okay... now for the other news: We might have an opportunity to purchase our first ever home! HR is an unusually expensive place to get into the housing market. For a small community, the average cost of houses is unusually high. Generally speaking, there are 2 classes of people here: Those who by one means or another have accumulated enough capital to be purchasing their own home (which in this area means they are at least "upper middle class") or at the other end of the scale those who rent one of the additional housing unites own by the first group. Very few people in between. And the gap seems to be growing. So imagine our surprise when I saw at the bottom of the front page of the local paper an article about the renovation of some run-down apartments and converting them into condos selling for (comparatively speaking) a reasonable price! Well, we checked them out and now we're just waiting for the mortgage broker to open after the holiday so we can see what kind of financing we can work out and if we feel we can afford such payments. So please pray that God would direct these events. We basically feel at peace about this (allowing for the usual nervous excitement). But there are so many details that I/we know nothing about. So please pray for God's guidance in this process.

Okay, if you got this far, then you really care and I appreciate that. But I am adding one item here that I know at least a couple of you have very definite views on and I definitely want to see your definite views--PLEASE! That is, the module I will be teaching in Jodhpur is called "Principles of Worship." So I'm already doing some Bible research on the subject. But I would very much covet your input on the subject--especially Scriptural background for your preferences/views. Okay? Thanks.

Alright, I think that covers if for now.