Dear CCAM Partners and Friends,

Today is Easter Sunday, and we have experienced many meaningful reminders ever since Palm Sunday about our Lord’s last week on this earth, culminating with His death and resurrection. Through it all, we have been especially encouraged to remember that resurrection power is constantly available to each one of us through the Holy Spirit living within us---power to be changed and to be used by God to change the world.

A lot has happened since our last newsletter, but instead of sending one long and detailed update including news about everything, it will probably be best to write several short letters dealing with a few things at a time. Following is our first priority report.

Back in January, Gioia began teaching a Bible study to our students called “Speaking Our Father’s Language.” The biblical principle explored is this study is how to think, speak, and put into action the Word of God in all of life, but especially when speaking to our Father in prayer.

To practice what we’re learning in the study, we’ve launched a weekly prayer meeting named “ACTS of Prayer.” The letters A-C-T-S stand for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication, the four main types of prayer. This small prayer group is attended by two staff members, two interns, and three students. Others who are unable to attend the meeting receive the prayer lists to pray through each day, as do all attending members as well.

We recently set aside one special day of prayer and fasting to seek the Lord’s counsel about why the normal flow of our financial resources continues to be blocked. Every month we can barely scrape together enough just to get by! One of the reasons revealed during our day of fasting is that there is a strong resistance to the God-ordained ministry of CCAMS by “the world forces of darkness in the heavenly places.”

So, according to Ephesians 6:10-18, we are now taking up the full armor and weapons of God in earnest to counter and overcome that resistance. To assist us in this battle, we are asking God to call more dedicated intercessors to join us as an extension of our local prayer team to “pray at all times in the Spirit, being on the alert with all perseverance and petition,” especially for the pressing financial needs of CCAMS.

We are asking for God’s wisdom about how to connect all the remote intercessors wherever they live to petition God for protection and provision, as we join in a unified offensive in the name of Jesus Christ to overcome those “spiritual forces of wickedness.” (John 15:16; Philippians 2:9-11)

“No weapon that is formed against us shall prosper!” (Isaiah 54:17a)

If you are already a dedicated CCAMS intercessor, or if you have recently sensed God’s calling to become one, please check in with us by return email. Also please give us any suggestions you may have for ways we can communicate more effectively with one another as a group.

We will be waiting for the Lord’s confirmation through the counsel of the special intercessors He has called.

And we continue to be grateful for all of you partners and friends who pray for us faithfully according to the needs that we share in our newsletters.

The CCAMS Prayer Team