Rest Day in Mâcon

Mâcon is found in  Burgundy.  Today will be a day of rest, healing and regrouping.  Yesterday changed the tour for many teams.  There is a new order for the GC race.  This year the time trials have widened the time gaps between riders.  In the tour it is hard to make up a minute or two on your opponent, but any thing can happen in the tour. 

 Tour Standings as of today

1.	WIGGINS B.	SKY	39h 09' 20''
2.	EVANS C.	BMC	01' 53''
3.	FROOME C.	SKY	02' 07''
4.	NIBALI V.	LIQ	02' 23''
5.	MENCHOV D.	KAT	03' 02''
6.	ZUBELDIA H.	RNT	03' 19''
7.	MONFORT M.	RNT	04' 23''
8.	VAN GARDEREN T.	BMC	05' 14''

In the next few days up in the Alps it will be interesting to see what might happen.  New names and faces are coming to the top. 
Lord, thank you for teaching us to rest.  When you created this world you rested after six days of creating.  Lord, we tend to forget to rest.  Help us to live after your example not only in rest but in action.  Lord, we pray for the people of Mâcon here in Burgundy.  Let them see understand and grow in their knowledge and faith in You, as Savior and Lord.  We pray all these things in the name of Jesus, our Lord. Amen. 

Étape 7 Tournus > Station des Rousses

Tournus is a southern town of Burgundy which is situated in between the Saône river and Monts du Mâconnais.  It is the home to the oldest Abbey.  The other day I came down on us pretty hard by asking us if we had failed God's command to Go.  The next day as I was watching the tour and seeing all the church building being shown by the helicopter. God seem to say, "No, at one time I was important to the people of France, but not so much today." 

Lord,

As the helicopters fly around the churches which at one time were built in your honor and for your glory, remind us to pray.  Remind us that you desire for each one to preach your word and to proclaim you as God.  You desire for each one to reach out to the hurting and bind up their wounds, touch the needy and let them receive your grace and mercy.  To minister to the self sufficient so when they come to the end of their self they will find you.  

 I desire for you to become the center most important thing in each life here in France and around the rest of the world. I am thinking I need your help in this matter.   Please, send your light out into the world so that they will know.  Use us to fill these chairs with people who desire to seek after you. I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Yonne (89)

Yonne is just over an hour from Paris and is a beautiful department with wonderful food and wines.  Lord, we can see your beauty every where but we are missing it in the hearts and faces of the people.  Lord, France has been blessed with you hand of creation, but the people are yet to receive you hand of redemption.  Lord, over and over again I read how people today see no relevance in the gospel of Christ.  There is a barrier between your eternal life and our everyday lives.  As the church how do we make the connection real to them.? How do we live so that they can see the joy and freedom you bring to our lives?  How do we live to reveal the relevance of the gospel to all we our lives touch?  Lord, we need your Spirit to move in hearts and minds.  Open eyes to see the need for you to be Lord of our lives.  Lord, begin this work in Yonne, France.  Use the Christians here in Yonne to show the true reality of life with you and without you. 

Lord, I simply pray that you will be come relevant in the lives of everyone here in Yonne, France.  I pray that the reality of what life is like without you will be so real that all will come to you for mercy and redemption.  Lord, show them through our love for each other that they need you to be relevant in their lives here.  Lord, reveal to them what life will be like after they die if they do not believe in you today.  Lord, only you can save France, but we humbly ask to send us to be your messengers of your Good News.  I pray in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Nièvre, France (58)

This week I hope we will pray for the region of Bourgogne, then talk about why we pray for France, and on the weekend begin the tour.

Today we are in the Department of Nièvre and as I was looking at this area it saddened my heart to see that there are only 6 evangelical churches in a department of 221,488 people.  My first cry to God  is for more pastors and Christians to move into this area and begin new churches.  Second would be to ask God to use the 6 churches in a mighty way, and thirdly that they would be encouraged in what they are doing knowing that all things are possible with God. 
Nièvre is a rural department with the Loire river and the Morvan forest providing camping, cycling, canoeing, and fishing, to name a few of the outdoors adventures one can enjoy.  In Cosne-Sur-Loire you are able to find Église Protestante Évangélique preaching the gospel of Christ.  Visit their website and pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Father,

Thank you for your faithful servants in Nièvre, France.  I pray that people who live here will see the teachings of your words are relevant to their lives today.  Lord, your truths are needed in our lives and hearts.  Open hearts and help them to see that you can provide life and hope.  Thank you for Église Protestante Évangélique in Cosne-Sur-Loire.  I pray that you will move in a mighty way and bring to them many opportunities to share Christ and your good news to all those around them.  Give the pastor here words of wisdom and the gift of shepherding his flock as he leads this congregation to know your more.  Let them grow in their knowledge and faith in you.
I pray these things in the name of Jesus, my Shepherd.
Amen

Côte d' Or (21)

From the slopes of gold to the mustard seed, department 21 brings us to the famous city of Dijon. Dijon has been and continues to be an important city in Bourgogne. When people think of Burgundy many people think of Côte d'Or.

Lord, you have richly blessed this area of France with grapes, black currents, mustard seeds and others renewable natural resources. The French take great pride in their ability to take the simple things and turn them into tasty masterpieces for all to enjoy. Lord, many of us that great pride in what we can do and fail to recognize all that we have is because of You. Lord, I pray that the people of Côte d'Or will see how much you have blessed them. Not only with the natural resources but with the gift of Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray that they will see the need for eternal matters. Take the name of Jesus and make it precious to the people of Côte d' Or.
 In the name of Jesus I pray.
 Amen.

Saône et Loire (71)

Lord,

We humbly come before you realizing our unbelief.  Lord, our unbelief is all over the board, from those who disbelieve that you are real, those who are unable to trust you with their lives, and even those who doubt your love for them.  Lord, help our unbelief.  You have been faithful from the beginning of time to show us who you are and all that you desire to do for us but yet we continue day after day in our unbelief.  Lord, forgive us, let your light continue to shine into our hearts and minds so that we will believe.  Let your Word continually be spoken so that we might hear Your Truth and believe.  Change our minds from unbelief to trusting completely in you.  Let this be true in Saône et Loire here in Bourgogne,   Change hearts, minds and lives so that others can see your glory. Help our unbelief.

 I pray in the name of Jesus, the way the truth and the life.
 Amen

Pictures of Bourgogne

Region of Bourgogne or Burgundy

Bourgogne is the 7th largest region in France.  It has 4 departments:
Saône et Loire (71)
Nièvre (58)
Côte d'Or (21)
Yonne (89)

Most people think of wine when they hear Burgundy, but this region is filled with history dating as far back as 2 B.C. This area has been controlled by the Romans, Gauls, the Franks and many more.  It is rich in medieval history with a center in Dijon, cobble  stone streets and Gothic architecture in Beaune.  As you move through the departments of Bourgogne you can find many historical places along side of today's world.    The Saône river will take you south to the sea and the Loire will take you west to the ocean.  On you way you will pass vineyards and fields of sunflowers in July.  This is one area the tour likes to visit so we will come back in a few weeks.

Lord,
Thank you for the beauty of Bourgogne.  The history and the fruits of the vine bring many people here each year to enjoy its splendor.  Lord,  show us how to pray for this region.  You know the needs of the hearts here.  Today Lord we ask that through the abundance of your goodness this area will be strong for you.  We thank you for the churches in this area, give them a burden for their region.  Lay upon our hearts the needs of this part of France and give us petitions to bring before you.  I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.