Ray & Barb Payne

Serving those behind the badge...

September 2002

Warm greetings, faithful prayer partners and supporters,

As you can see by the calendar, we have a busy couple of months ahead.  We count on the prayers of God’s people .. those of you who allow the Lord to use you in this important way!  We continue to experience God’s marvelous grace, and in every situation, we can sense His physical enabling and strengthening, “… with might by His Spirit in the inner man.” (Ephesians 3:16)   Thank you for praying … please continue … especially through these busy months ahead of us.

Some of the scheduled meetings for August were postponed until a later date, which left us with some much needed time at home for a little “breather.”  The Lord always seems to arrange these times for us just when we need them, even though we don’t know enough to slow down a bit ourselves.

Ray has seen a podiatrist about the severe pain in his feet.  The x-rays proved that there were no stress fractures, and the diagnosis is “neuroma” - which is a trapped nerve.   He has had one cortisone injection in his right foot, which is the worst one, and it has helped some.  He can have two additional injections, and then he will have to have surgery if the pain is not better.

We certainly would appreciate prayer for four of our grandchildren who are in college this fall:
Mike Barnhart      - Pensacola Bible College, in Pensacola, Florida
Erika Barnhart      - Baptist Bible College, in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
Jamie Standridge  - Cedarville College, in Cedarville, Ohio
Stephen Dow        - the University of Maine, at Orono, Maine

Our sincere appreciation to all of you who have had a part in this ministry to law enforcement—both with your prayers and with your gifts.  As we see other ministries reaching out to many different people groups, we truly believe that God is giving many souls an opportunity to hear His message of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, before the trumpet sounds and the saved are taken up to Heaven! 
I Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 10:9-17

Some of the meetings in September we’d appreciate your prayer for include:

6th to 8th—the Annual CLEO (Christian Law Enforcement Officers) Retreat, in Danforth, Maine, at Living Waters Christian Conference Center (travel to on the 5th and from on the 9th)         
10th to 12th—we are being flown out to Fresno (Clovis), California, to be the keynote speaker at a special “911” Service at Northside Christian Church, on Wednesday evening, called “911—Celebrating Hope”          
15th—a “911” Service at the Community Bible Church, in South Burlington, Vermont  -  the contact was made through a Vermont State Trooper-friend we have known for quite a while …         
22nd—AM Service and a special “Appreciation Service” at Calvary Bible Church, in Derry, New Hampshire at 4:00 PM, which will also include a cook-out for the officers and families attending.           
29th—we’ll be in Providence, Rhode Island, at Hope Baptist Church, for a “Law Enforcement Appreciation Service” and dinner … they had a super time last year, and are planning even bigger this year! 
After the supper, we head out for Canada, hoping to get at least half way on Sunday afternoon …
30th—to represent “911” and Law Enforcement at an area-wide crusade, at the Carleton Civic Center, in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada.  The meetings are called “Strength For Today And Hope For Tomorrow,” and Pete Rice is the evangelist.  We head back to Schroon Lake the next day, and get ready to fly out to Camdenton, Missouri, Friday, for the Annual COPS Parents’ Retreat—October 4th through 7th … so, you see, we really do need your prayers!   Thanks!   Keep in touch!   Psalm 118:24!   

By His Grace,

Barb and Ray
II Timothy 1:12

Only One Son... Police Officer David R. Payne 1961-1988