April 2022 Prayer Requests from Cory and Kristiana Miller
Here are some prayer requests for the Millers! :)
- Please pray for continued progress with our local partnership ministry with BEG (the Bund Evangelikaler Gemeinden), which has had a slow start. Pray for mutual blessing and fruit in this partnership.
- Please pray for increasing stability and thriving for our family, especially Rylynn and Melody. Pray that practicing German would feel more comfortable for them, so they are able to make friends at school and at church, and they are able to feel "at home" for the first time in several years.
- Please pray for the teenagers of GEM-K whom we serve, especially those who are struggling right now. Pray that we would notice what's most important and respond wisely, especially in complex or difficult circumstances.
More Recent Update:
Dearest family and friends—Church,
It’s finally Spring! As first flowers sprinkle color along the trees, bushes, and green areas of Vienna, I’m reminded of the power of seasons, their rhythm and symbolism in our lives. Spring brings hope, life, change, new beginnings, and an increase in energy and activity. As our little family settles into life in Austria, we are experiencing all of those things!
Our shipments from Ireland and the US arrived recently, cluttering our new home with boxes of books, art, toys, tech, and memories. Sitting on our old favorite couch with our hands wrapped around familiar mugs and beloved paintings leaning against the wall, our house feels more and more like a home. This is a wonderful gift.
As we establish our home, we have been considering deeply how our newfound stability might enable us to serve others, especially the influx of Ukrainian refugees flooding Vienna. Two different opportunities to house refugee families came up and fell through, and we are constantly discussing how we can best help right now. We’ve been blessed with the opportunity to partner with others to help in other ways, too—donating emergency items and paying for additional nights in a hotel, as a start. Please pray with us for clarity and wisdom to know how best to share the love of Jesus during this horrible crisis.
Meanwhile, we have switched into full gear in ministry. I (Kristiana) recently returned from a GEM-K home visit and a women’s retreat, and I have another international trip around the corner. Every ministry trip includes its own planning and prep, which means long hours at the computer. Member Care needs and opportunities abound, too. GEM-K teens want to talk about how they’re doing, their fears and questions surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, so I’ve had a higher volume of calls, messages, and emails than usual. I’m also taking on more responsibility in the preparation of GEM-K Conference this summer, which also means more calls, emails, and organizing. As I said—Spring is busy!
My partnership with BEG is progressing slowly but surely. All of the documents have finally been signed and I am officially seconded to BEG, which is a huge step and a great relief! The next phase of this partnership will include my own personal introduction within BEG and first points of contact within the organization. Our family’s active commitment to a local BEG church is significant, too, and we have been connecting with a small group in our area to help us get to know the church on a deeper level. Deep connection and real trust take time, however, especially in Austria. This is only the beginning.
There are so many weighty, important needs in the world right now that you can be praying about, but here are a few ways you can pray for us.
PLEASE PRAY:
• PRAISE God that our belongings from Ireland and America arrived safely! We were pleasantly surprised to be so happy with our shipping experience, and seeing our house full of our old things really does feel special. The girls are delighted with all their new/old toys! It feels a bit like Christmas.
• PRAISE God for the progress that has been made in our BEG partnership. I can get impatient for the “real work” to start, but building up a new relationship with a partner organization is real work, too. We are so grateful for this partnership.
• Please pray for clarity and the right kinds of opportunities within this BEG partnership. Pray that God would help me (Kristiana) connect with the teenagers and families who will benefit most from Member Care and pastoral support. Pray that God would help me honor this role and truly serve the families of BEG well.
• Please pray for greater depth and fruitfulness in our ongoing GEM-K ministry. Also, praise God for the powerful conversations and relationships we have already established here! This work is such a gift!
• Please pray for peace and justice in Ukraine, and for the Ukrainian people. Pray safety and swift, excellent housing solutions for those fleeing the war. Pray God’s courage and mercy on those who have stayed behind to defend their home. Pray now for healing, though it will likely be a long journey for those grieving loss and trauma. Also, if you will, join us in praying for Putin: for a miraculous change of heart, an end to this war, and even repentance.
• Please pray over our family’s everyday needs. We have been struggling, for instance, to find a doctor for our daughters and to add Cory and the girls to my Austrian health insurance. Please pray for a breakthrough in both of these areas! It’s very frustrating to put in many hours of work without results, so far.
• Please pray for progress in German. Both girls’ German is improving, but they get frustrated regularly. Both Cory and I have good and bad language days, where we celebrate our current skills or struggle to accomplish simple tasks.
• Please pray for greater relational opportunities and thriving. Simply put: we need friends. Language barriers, Covid, an already-full schedule, and Austria’s culture of long-game friendship make it challenging for us to feel connected right away. We know we have to put in the time and effort to build relationships over years, but it would be wonderful to have a few people around in the meantime, too.
Thank you for praying for us and walking alongside us.
Always,
Kristiana, Cory, Rylynn, and Melody Miller