January Update 2012

Greetings from Hungary!  Our first update of the New Year is full of good and exciting news!

We’re enjoying a mild winter, and have only had a couple light dustings of snow. 

Family:  The children enjoyed a break from home school during the holiday season. On New Year's Eve, our three girls were baptized with the Holy Spirit, and on New Year's Day, Christopher was also. It was wonderful!

During the first week of January, we began the year by baptizing Faith in water.  We had a time of worship at our home with some friends, who came to celebrate with us, and then fellowship afterward. 

Charity has recently completed a Christian novel that she began last summer, which has nineteen chapters, and hopes to one day publish a book. If you are interested in reading it and giving her feedback, she may send you an electronic copy to review.  She’s also an excellent artist, and recently drew some very realistic portraits of her brother, Christopher and sister, Hope. You can view these online.

Christopher’s two front teeth came out recently, and he’s now waiting for his adult ones to come in.  We all enjoy his sense of humor.  He often tells jokes, and can be pretty witty.  In fact, one of his jokes was recently published in a children’s Christian magazine.

Christopher (without front teeth) and Joseph

Ministry:  We recently shared the Jesus Film in Hungarian with our neighbors, Rudi, Zsolt and Andi (ZHOLT and ON-dee), as well as our hairdresser, Juszti (YOU-stee).  Andi told Jennifer that she watched it with their children, and they were very happy. As you may already know, this film is based entirely on the Gospel of Luke, and has been used by the Lord worldwide to lead many to Christ. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to Rudi, Zsolt, Andi, and Juszti through the Jesus Film, and that He would draw them to Jesus.

You may recall the young man named Dávid, whom Len discipled during our first two years here. He remains a part of our lives, and we are so pleased with the fruit we see growing out of his heart.  He continues to serve the Lord and impact Budapest for Christ.  He’s now in his second year of university studies, and recently told Len, “I share the gospel with my classmates and they are getting opened and opened. Praise the Lord!”

David

He recently taught the Word of God at church, which went well.  Before his message, many of the disciples were prompted by the Lord to stand up and share what the Lord impressed upon their heart for the church in 2012.  Everybody was speaking of giving everything to God. He said that what they were sharing was the same topic he was about to preach on.  Right now many believers here have a great sense of expectation.  He said, "I know that something extraordinary will happen this year...this world's pillars will shake, and God will start something awesome!"

He also told Len recently about what God is doing in the church he’s a part of. He said, “Something is happening in our church and also in many churches. And we are counseling people to give their lives to Jesus one hundred percent.” Let’s praise God together for this wonderful report.

Before we came to Hungary, the Lord gave us a vision for Eastern Europe.  We felt that through the power of the Holy Spirit, there was going to be such an impact of the gospel on Budapest that it would ripple all across Europe and Russia.  We saw it like the epicenter of an earthquake, where there are concentric waves pulsing outward from here.  

Amazingly, we have received confirmation of this from the disciples here!  Although we never mentioned it to David, he told Len that historically, Hungary has been the origin for revolutionary movements. And he said that there have been prophetic words within the church that Hungary is going to be an epicenter for a great spiritual revival, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit across Europe.  He said the Lord has given this vision to multiple disciples here, and we see it as an amazing confirmation of our own vision.  Please pray along these lines that the vision would come to pass.  We need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit here!

As you know, Len continues to disciple Greg, as he has been doing for the past two years.  But he has now also begun to do spiritual leadership development with him as well.  Greg is giving him good feedback about it, too.

He and Len usually meet each week at a shopping-mall food-court, and there is a waiter at the café they go to, named Krisztián (“Christian”). Len recently shared Jesus with him, and he was very open at first.  Over a period of two days, he spent hours asking many questions, but he was quite skeptical.  He is not sure of the claims of Christ, and is not under the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  So Len challenged him to pray and ask, “Jesus, if you are the Son of God, then reveal Yourself to me.”  And Len directed him to watch the Jesus Film.  He promised to take Len up on both challenges and ask that Len pray for him.  Please join us in praying that Krisztián will hear and believe the Word of God for what it really is.

We have also developed a relationship with a man named Gábor, who attends a local Baptist church we have been visiting.  He is a handyman, who did some work in our home a couple months ago. Gábor was raised by atheists.  But after seeking God for 20 years, he was baptized into Christ two and half years ago. He lives in a little village about 40 minutes from Budapest.  Len recently invited Gábor to join him and Greg in a discipleship relationship, and Gábor agreed, saying that this is the very thing he desires right now. 

Zsofi, Barnabas and their son

Len continues to provide leadership training and consultation to a worship leader at a local Baptist church, named Barnabás, who is also a business owner.  Barnabás has been giving him good feedback about it. In fact, Barnabás even wants to send his CEO to Len, so that he can receive the same training. 

And of course, Len continues to do the same with Ferenc, another business leader with a multinational company in Budapest.  Sometimes Ferenc asks for advice on how to handle difficult issues, such as a recent international business crisis he faced, and the Lord has been using Len to provide counsel, according to the wisdom he has received from the Lord.  Although he is not yet a believer, it’s a blessing to hear how he is implementing these things and the good fruit it is bearing.

Tamas recently completed his training with Len, and during their final lesson, they discussed Crisis Communication in business.  Len gave biblical principles and examples from Scripture, which prompted some good questions from Tamas.  Now that the lessons are completed, we trust that the Lord will water the seeds that have been planted in him.

Jennifer has been sharing Jesus with our neighbors and other people she meets.  We ordered some Hungarian-language gospel tracts from the US, and need more.  If you are interested in helping us with that, please let us know, and we will tell you which ones we need.  Pray the Lord will use Jennifer in all of her personal evangelism work, especially as she shares with our neighbor, Andi, in January.

We are observing exponential growth in the popularity of Len’s online teachings, and we give God all the glory. At the beginning of 2011, just one year ago, we were reaching over 30 nations. By December it was over 88 nations, and now it’s over 115!  Even people in Myanmar (Burma) and Azerbaijan are now accessing our teachings. To God be the glory!

God Provides: When we parted from our family, friends, property, and homeland three years ago, and came to Hungary, we had only raised a small fraction of our support.  As we came to this place that we did not know, we had no guarantee of income, just an assurance that the Lord said He would provide.

And the Lord has been faithful.  We have never gone without the basic necessities of life during our journey here.  God has provided.  Paul said, that even if he was hungry or in want, he could do all things through Christ, who strengthened him. So we want to encourage you that if the Lord is telling you to do something, whatever it is, obey Him faithfully with love.  You can be sure that no matter what He commands you to do, He will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory, if you are obedient.

Resources:  Len has recently written a blog called “Be a Star for Jesus."  If you read it, you will find out what that means, and how you can shine forever.  Len has also written one called “God's Supernatural Hand During Crisis.” In every part of the world today, people are feeling the impact of "the crisis" and talking about it.  There is a sense of despair and hopelessness.  But this blog will encourage and edify you, by showing from Scripture how the Lord cares for us in these hard times. Don’t miss it!  If you would like to read these or any others he has written, you can find them at “Writing for the Master.”

In closing, we have much to praise God for, and many opportunities for you to join us in prayer. 

Praise the Lord with us for the many answers to prayer:

1. For our overall health and wellness.
2. For the spiritual growth of our children and spiritual children like David.
3. For the opportunity to provide training to Ferenc and Barnabás.
4. For the opportunities to share Jesus with Kristián, Rudi, Zsolt, Andi, and Juszti.
5. For the rapid international expansion of our online teachings.

Next steps and prayer needs:

1. For David, Greg and Gábor to grow in their walk with the Lord and continue to multiply. 
2. For the Lord to touch the hearts of the people who are reading Len’s online teachings, to encourage them, to draw them to Christ, and speak to them clearly.
3. For the Lord to reveal Himself to Ferenc and Tamás, the businessmen Len has been training., as well as the waiter named Krisztián, with whom Len shared Jesus.
4. For the Lord to reveal Himself to Rudi, Zsolt and Andi (ZHOLT and ON-dee), as well as our hairdresser, Juszti (YOU-stee). 
5. For the Lord to use Jennifer in all of her personal evangelism work, especially as she shares with our neighbor, Andi, in January.
6. For the Lord to use Len to provide godly training and counsel to Ferenc and Barnabás.
7. For the Lord to anoint Len and use him as he ministers to the youth group at the Erd church.
8. For our financial blessing.  That the Lord would continue to raise up partners to help us with special gifts and monthly partners, so that we will be able to focus on the ministry in Eastern Europe and accomplish all that He has put in our hearts to do.

Thank you so much for your partnership in this ministry.

Love from all of us,

The Lacroixs

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