End of 2019/Early 2020 Update

Posted bygmalone91Posted inUncategorized
Dear friends and family,
 We sincerely apologize to those who have been wondering what we are up to and have no way of knowing because we have not sent out an update! We wanted to share some of our news from 2019 and some of the things we are looking ahead to in 2020. We hope that this letter finds each of you well!
 
We were able to share this news with many of you already, but we are so excited to announce that in June of 2020, the third member of our family will be arriving –a precious baby boy! We found out we were pregnant in October, and we cannot begin to describe the excitement that has only grown since then. The timing of getting our house was more perfect than we knew, because we actually had the time and space to prepare and complete it before the baby arrives. 
Gabrielle:
 Back in April of 2019, I stepped down from being a worship leader at IHOPKC due to some vocal trouble that I had been experiencing for over a year. I went to some of the best vocal specialists in our area and they were unable to fully explain the source of the problem. Even to this day I am not able to sing at the capacity I used to. We know that God knows exactly what is going on and that gives both of us peace in this process as we ask for healing.
 
I’ve been in full time ministry for the past ten years without taking any significant time to evaluate my direction, as the Lord has had me on a clear path. However, this injury forced me to take a pause and both David and I felt that a small ‘sabbatical’ from the daily activities of ministry would be helpful for my overall health and well-being especially since I feel called to ministry long term. It was truly a Psalm 23 moment of “the Lord makes me to lie down.” I have still maintained my position on senior leadership but I took some space for several months to encounter the Lord and seek further direction. This unforeseen blessing has given me the ability to regain vigor and drive for many things. 
 
In October, I was asked to co-teach a class called “Theology of Worship” with my brother-in-law, Ruben at the International House of Prayer University. The class was for all of the sophomores of both the ministry and music school, which was about 50 students. This was the first ministry-related task I took on since April, and it was amazing how much excitement and zeal I felt for the class. Whenever I get the chance to teach, I always find that I learn twice as much. Even just having the opportunity to be a “student” again was refreshing and life-giving for me.


 
This semester, I am going to be serving in the women’s discipleship program of the University. This will give me the opportunity to bring students into my home, to pour into and walk with them during their time at IHOPU. I’m so grateful to be able to serve our community in this way!

David:
In June, I stepped down from the assistant director role of the One Thing internship (OTI), which is one of our young adult discipleship programs here at IHOPKC. This job had provided housing for us our entire married life, so transitioning out of it also meant a change in housing. It was a step of faith financially, but we prayed and felt like it was time to move forward with buying a house.
 
The search was shorter than we had anticipated and we closed on our first home by August 28th 2019. The house we bought was a “fixer upper” so we began work shortly after closing and were able to move into the house in late November. We are incredibly grateful for this blessing! Though it needed a lot of work, we were able to put some of our own special touches on the home and gained several new skills in the process.


 
Since late fall of 2018, I have felt a pull to use my gifting in the area of business. I prayed about it for ten months or so because I had completely given that part of my life over to the Lord as I was pursuing full-time ministry. Around the end of that time, the CEO of IHOPKC approached me and asked me to consider helping in the business and financial department of our organization. Several of their key employees had recently stepped down and he expressed that there was a great need. The Lord gave me peace to pursue this as a way to serve the base. I found that He did not want me to choose between ministry or business and that somehow there was a way for me to do both. Even in the fall of this past year, I was still able to teach in OTI, maintain my position on our prayer room leadership and lead a bible study for our community’s congregation.
 
I took the financial analyst position that requires a few days a week. I committed my service until July of this year, at which point I’ll revaluate.  Like many things we do here, the pay does not reflect the role yet it’s our joy to serve for the greater purpose. I still see this position as ministry while it gives me a front row seat to a different side of our organization. I’m also helping Dad on a part time basis with his business. Both of these jobs have helped me take up some of the financial burden that has come our way from a new house and growing family.
 
I had the opportunity to go to India in October. There were two objectives: First, we were to go and support a man that we had met the previous year. He is the head of a few thousand pastors and is well respected in India. He has a heart for worship and prayer and wants to see it established in his congregations throughout India. Our second objective was to meet with leaders from several denominations and rally around the single focus of God and prayer. We were able to have meals, preach and facilitate small group discussion to hear what is stirring in the hearts of the pastors. God is truly doing a great work in that nation and the agreement amongst the leadership is that a 24/7 house of prayer in northern India needs to be established.


 
One of the most amazing and encouraging things that has happened to us was a financial blessing from a young couple. We had met them about 3 years ago at one of our conferences. We talked for only a short time but the Lord had marked them in such a way that they knew they wanted to support us financially for a future need we may have. For the following three years, they saved up money in their “David and Gabi” savings account. Back in October, the Lord put it on their heart to reach out to us and give the money they had saved, not knowing the needs we had presently. Their faithfulness to the Lord and stewardship gave us courage that we were on the right path.
 
This story is how we see each and every one of you. Your prayers and support give us the courage to keep pressing forward!We would love your prayers as we are preparing to become parents! We know we will not do it perfectly but we want our little one to be welcomed into a home that is filled with peace and joy. We also need prayer as we continue to seek the Lord for our callings in ministry and vision for 2020 and the coming years.
 
Thank you for your financial support! Each of you make it possible for us to continue serving the Lord here at IHOPKC. We are so grateful for your lives and continued friendship!  
 
With love,
 
David & Gabby Malone

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