Preston Gillham

Thank you for continuing to pray faithfully while I was away. Preston, thank you for leading the Tribe well.

I spent eight days in Israel tracing the steps of Jesus’ life and ministry. Most of the original sites have been destroyed but a few places where Jesus actually walked still remain. One of those places is the courtyard where Jesus was beaten and the crown of thorns placed on his head. Realizing that I am standing on stones ones covered with the blood of Christ, my heart was asking, “What was it like to be touched by God while he was in flesh.” Instinctively I placed my hand on one of the stones as if seeking a transfer of that knowledge and experience.

Many people are hungry for the touch of the living God. Many know him but many more just know about Him. They do not know his heart, his lavish love, his reckless pursuit of our hearts. And this is the story of No Mercy. As we continue to pray for the release of No Mercy and for Preston, please pray for the hearts of people who ‘have God all figured out’ and for those who long to know God deeper. Please pray not only that their lives are transformed, but also, that they respond by giving the book to others and sharing it with tenacity.

It is critically important that the book gets into the hands of people. So, please pray that all obstacles hindering distribution are cleared out, that the word gets out and channels of communication multiply.

As one touched by God, be blessed,

Reny Madjarska
Head Prayer Tribeswoman

Last night Preston lost a dear friend after a long and fierce battle with cancer. For many months Preston had coached him to walk courageously through darkness and to allow pain to become a mentor to his soul and spirit. Our brother Kevin is being mentored by Jesus himself now. Yet, Preston needs your prayers as he ministers to the family and mourns the loss of a very close friend.

The work on No Mercy might be slightly delayed but it will not stop. The release of No Mercy is at a critical juncture. The final edits are completed. Thank you Lord! Several versions of the book cover are ready, so we need to know which one is Father’s choice. We are in need of an electronic store offering the best customer experience and yet at a reasonable price. Difficult to find. Not impossible for God. Also, the shipping and handling component is still missing. Please intercede for a creative solution which will serve people well and get the book in as many hands as possible.

Grieving with Preston and the family,

Reny Madjarska
Head Prayer Tribeswoman

You heard from Preston this week about the important editorial work that Steve is doing at this time.

What I need to add is an encouragement to pray for all the details of the printing process: finding the most suitable printing company, layout and design components coming smoothly together; design and cover of the eBook done well. At not so distant future marketing efforts will begin as well. At the end, it is important to have a cohesive product which communicates Father’s heart to those who know Him and those who do not. He greatly cares about all the details in our personal and professional lives and through our prayers we are agreeing that we work under His guidance, direction, will and pleasure. He honors that. Please keep praying.

Till the next time, be blessed,

Reny Madjarska
Head Prayer Tribeswoman

You are faithful payer warriors and I am grateful for your partnership. Your prayers are making a difference: the substantive round of edits is coming to a close, Preston is pleased with the quality of the edits and how they enhanced the story line, the creation of the book is further along than it’s ever been. As far as I can measure, our Prayer Tribe is a success!

But what if these great things were not happening? Would we still be a success? As a writer, Preston can measure success with book sales. How many sold books does it take for one to be a success in the Kingdom of God? In God’s economy the measure of success is obedience and stewardship. As a Prayer Tribe we have an opportunity to participate in something that will impact many for Christ, our obedience is to join and our stewardship is to use every spiritual tool available to fight against the powers or darkness. As an author Preston’s obedience and stewardship is to write and release to the world God’s message given to him. But ultimately God is the owner of our time, our prayers, Preston’s writing. He defines success and it may or may not translate into anything we can measure. Yet at the end we are a success because we joined, we prayed, we wrote and in the process we obeyed and stewarded what was given to us.

This week, pray that Preston stewards his time exceptionally well. Pray against impediments and unexpected interruptions coming his way. Mid week Steve, the editor, is starting line editing – grammar, wording, punctuation. Pray that his work will continue to reflect excellence. Finally, the printing company needs to be identified. Pray to connect with the right firm for this project.

Till the next time, be blessed.

Reny Madjarska
Head Prayer Tribeswoman

A main thread in the story line of No Mercy is God’s humble determination to meet his runaway son on his terms and demonstrate grace and mercy in midst of deliberate attempts to avoid Him at all cost. Many people need to understand Father’s loving pursuit, care and compassion. Many will read the book and their heart towards God will be changed, as a result their lives will be changed as well. That is why your prayers are so important.

This week, please lift up Preston and the uninterrupted flow of focus and creativity as he is making final substantive edits to the book. The manuscript will go back to the editor in the latter part of the week. Also, the search for God’s choice of a printing company continues. Please pray that all the details involved in the printing process will come together quickly.

On Behalf of Preston and the team,

Reny Madjarska
Head Prayer Tribeswoman

Prayer tribe is off to a great start. Your prayers are effective. The battle with the e-mail management company was won within 24 hrs of your intercession. The subscription function on www.PrestonGillham.com appears to be working properly. You are a powerful group! And I am so privileged to lead in you this effort.

Here is food for your discussion with Father in the next few days:

1. Preston is in the thick of substantive edits of the manuscript. He is very encouraged by Editor’s input (Steve) and believes the story line will be even stronger after edits are completed. Please pray for uninterrupted chunks of time and faster than usual edit implementation

2. We have a potential ebook developer and cover designer. Pray for a confirmation that they are Father’s choice for the job. Pray for increase of their creativity as they consider the subject matter and envision potential final product.

On Behalf of Preston and the team,

Reny Madjarska
Head Prayer Tribeswoman

As you read my posts from the last few days, you can practically hear frustration oozing from the lines. The technical glitch was ridiculous. Getting it resolved bordered on insane. But I persisted. The glitch is gone (I think).

I am persistent. Persistence has carried me up and over Paradise Divide on my bicycle—and back down in ensuing darkness, sleet, and cold. Persistence has guided me through multitudinous failure—and successful innovation. It coaches me through the constant, relentless, physical pain I suffer.

Not enough persistence—you’re beaten. Too much persistence—you are abrasive.

“What demarcates persistence from abrasiveness?” I prayed one evening as I walked the hood. Thoughts came that sounded like His voice.

Abrasiveness has embedded in it self-reliance, desperation, and demand—all driven by the fear that if I’m unsuccessful, I will be conquered. I will be a failure. I will be less than the glitch, system, or person that defeated me. I will be defined by loss. Or, defined by success, if by abrasiveness I win.

Abrasiveness believes I am defined by outcome. Persistence believes I am untouched by outcome—that I am declared accepted by my Father in heaven and that this identity is secured in/by Christ Jesus.

Given this, I am free to bring every resource—physical, intellectual, emotional, willful—to the task at hand. There is no cause to leverage myself upward with fear or self-reliance—believing I’ll be a better man if I win.

Persistence is bringing all I am and possess into life’s arena—all the time—confident I am secure in Christ.

When do I become abrasive? When I leverage and overstate and posture from the belief I will be better or worse dependent upon the outcome.