The Blessing of New Cultural Experinces--Ocotber 2017

Dave and I and Sarah Baer with a view of Chiang Mai

"Do not merely listen to the Word but do what it says." (James 1:22)  How impressed I've been once again by this short but very pragmatic book of James.  Christians make great claims but are often guilty of belying them with their actions. (Yep, me too!)  Professing to trust God and be His people, they often cling tightly to the world and its values.  Possessing all the right answers, they contradict the Gospel with their lives.  "What good is it my brothers if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds."  Genuine faith will inevitably produce good deeds.  This is the central theme of the book of James around which he supplies practical advice for living the Christian life.  With an energetic style and crisp well-chosen words James confronts the conflict head on.  He doesn't beat around the bush or mince words.  It's not enough to talk the Christian life--we must live it.  My Bible study is on this book and as I study and prepare, I realize that I gain more in my preparation than I could ever give.  

We've had a very busy couple of months since we've returned from the states.  It has been a joy to reunite with so many we have come to love and care about here.  It has also been great to welcome many back who were away and to greet new attenders to our Gathering fellowship.  We continue to pray for health and strength to minister to those who attend the Gathering.  Some are only here for a short time and others stay for awhile.  However long their stay, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we want to encourage them in the faith and in the work that God has called them to in this place.  It is still difficult difficult to constantly be saying hello and goodbye, but God continues to enrich our lives with many diverse people with whom we come into contact.  Since our church meets in a hotel, it is convenient for Christian workers that may be attending a conference here.  One man from Africa here for a conference said it this way, "Praise God for the opportunity to join this 'Gathering' of God's people (ecclesia) today."

                                                                  Ezra's 1st Birthday Celebration in Chiang Mai

We celebrated Ezra's one-year birthday a little late since we weren't all together on the actual day.  I don't think he minded.  Dave and I got him a balloon, and I made his favorite carrot muffin.  What a blessing is to be here with this cute little guy.

Thai Engagement Ceremony

I was blessed to be a part of a Thai engagement ceremony for Joy and Baum.  Joy is the social worker at the foundation for which Matthew and Audrey are a part, and she is a lovely Christian woman.  The ceremony was at her church, where her father is the pastor.  Though I couldn't understand everything, it was a joy to share with Thai brothers and sisters in Christ on this special occasion.  We often say that our church gatherings in the states usually involve food--and it is true.  However, let me tell you, every Thai event involves food.

Then Dave and I attended a Pakistani engagement ceremony.  Again the couple and families are Christian.  Dave gave a blessing as the pastor of the young girl and her family.  It was similar to the Thai ceremony but a little different.  Again we enjoyed being a part of this cultural experience.

We were also blessed to attend a baptism at an international school.  The directors/owners are vibrant Christians and can only be described as evangelists:  23 people( children, teachers, and parents) were baptized that night.  What an inspiration to see so many receive Christ as their Savior and take this step of baptism!

Last, but not least, our annual church picnic was again a huge success.  We had a great turn-out, lots of great food and wonderful fellowship.  Since our church rents our facilities for the Sunday services,  we don't have many opportunities for these kind of events.  But the school mentioned in the baptism above graciously provided their wonderful facilities free of charge because, "it belongs to the Lord." Praise God for this couple's wonderful testimony and ministry here.

One final story.  Everyone has heard the jokes about how many people (blonds, etc.) does it take to change a light bulb.  Well, I ask you how many people does it take?  The scene is 4 ladies gathered around an outside light at our gate.  First, I had to know if it was our responsibility to change these bulbs since we pay a mubahn(neighborhood) fee.  Next, I wanted to know if it was an electrical problem on our side of the street.  Every single light was out on our side while on the other side every light was on.  I asked the neighbor beside me if hers was working.  She tried--and sure enough it was.  I know now it is simply a matter of changing a bulb.  My neighbor proceeded to bring out a chair, a bulb, and screw driver.  She then instructed her daughter to go to work.  Meanwhile, the neighbor across the street came to give helpful instructions.  Much animated talking began.  I tried to unscrew the light globe.  More animated talking and,"Na, na!"  Clearly the was not the right move.  The young girl then stood on the edge of our garbage container and after that precariously on the ledge holding the light fixture.  I am holding on to her afraid she might fall.  I'm thinking to myself "I can do this," but they want to help.  Two screws are removed, the globe removed, and bulb changed. Voila! With four women and much conversation the goal is achieved.  I ran inside to replace the light bulb for my neighbor, but she refuses.  Mai ben rai--the favored expression of the Thai--no problem.  And now, I know how to change that particular bulb. :)

We covet your continued prayers on our behalf.  Please pray:

• For  health and strength and wisdom to continue to minister to our diverse congregation
• That we will be a light for Jesus in this place--to everyone with whom we come into contact
• That we encourage and support those with special needs and concerns
• We will utilize our time most effectively as our lives become busier

September 2017--Back in Thailand With an Attitude of Gratitude

Beautiful Thailand Sunset!

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

We have arrived safely back in Thailand with all our luggage--4 pieces each--yes, that's 8 altogether!  It's amazing really that we checked it in at Columbus,Ohio and didn't see it again until we arrived in Chiang Mai.  We thankfully always forget just how grueling the trip is (10,000 miles), but we are grateful to God for a smooth, safe journey and all our luggage with us.  We never take such a long journey for granted without giving praise and thanks to our God.

Glad to be back with sweet Ezra!

I listened recently to a DVD series (Our adult Sunday School Class here did it) by John Ortberg on Soul Keeping. In it Ortberg says, "You will always feel better on a posture of gratitude because the soul thrives on gratitude."  The Hebrew word for gratitude is translated,"recognizing the good."  What does that mean exactly?  I like how Ortberg explains it:  "Right now in this moment, I choose to live in gratitude.  This sustains the soul and lifts us up into the presence of God." The Scripture says it this way in Colossians 3:16-17:

  "...And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

"Now we know, humanly speaking, we will live longer, healthier, and happier lives if we live with an attitude of gratitude," Ortberg says.  However, there are huge benefits to our soul in this attitude of gratitude, and we are the keepers of our souls.  And what do we have to be thankful for--oh so much!  As followers of Christ, the gifts of our salvation are enough to make us thankful all our days.  If we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ we are

        A child of God

       Jesus' death has covered our sins and forgiven the guilt of our sin

       We have no fear of death because we have eternal life through Christ.

       God has given us His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort and remind us of the truths of the Gospel

Jay, Heidi and girls and Dave and I in MN

Grandma brought dolls for the girls

My older sister, Pam

Wedding of our nephew

But Dave and I are also extremely thankful for Dave's restored health during our visit to the states.  We had great medical care here, but his body had sufficient time to refresh and renew. We give thanks and praise to our God and to many of you who partnered with us in prayer.  We are grateful  for good visits with family and friends.  Just after we arrived, we attended our nephew's wedding in California and again were thankful to be able to do that and see most of my (Sher's) family.

   Most of all, we are grateful to be able to return to Chiang Mai and minister among the many we love and care about here as we believe God has called us to do.  We received such a warm welcome from our congregation on our first Sunday--just hours after our 30 hour journey here.  Many of our neighbors also seemed to miss us, and we felt welcomed by so many of them though our communication is often a little limited.

Our Women's Bible Study--Dave posed with us

High School kids and their dorm parents.

Special Music Group

 Gratitude takes nothing for granted but instead acknowledges each favor, each gift as coming from, the hand of a loving, heavenly Father.  James 1:15 says, "Every good and perfect gift comes from above--coming down from the Father of Heavenly lights who does not change like the shifting shadows."  Therefore, we take neither health, nor life, nor daily breath for granted but give praise and thanks to the Giver of all gifts! May we as followers of Christ and the Good News of the Gospel have a gratitude attitude. We appreciate your continued prayers as we continue to minister in beautiful Chiang Mai.  Please pray:

• That we will be a support and encouragement to the families in our church body
• For Dave as he seeks to faithfully proclaim the Word each Sunday
• That we will be a light for Jesus to all with whom we come in contact and that we will have opportunities to share the Good News of Christ
• For health and strength 
• Ability to learn the Thai language to be able to communicate more effectively

April-May 2017

Beautiful flowers of Thailand

Jeremiah 23:5,6 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.  In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety.  This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD our righteousness."  Yahweh-tsidkenu means the LORD our righteousness.     Righteousness is not popular in our world today because it involves being in right relationship with God and conforming to His character, fulfilling our responsibilities toward Him and others.  It is essential to our happiness as human beings but impossible for us to achieve.  It comes only as God's gift to us through faith in His Son.  The above verses were written as the nation of Judah was hastening to its fall--God's judgment--due to its corrupt lifestyle and disobedience to God's commands.  Jesus and the New Testament writers made it clear that righteousness is not merely outward behavior but a matter of the heart--of thoughts, motives, and desires.  The goal is not merely to do what God says but to become like Him.  Addison Leitch, says, "Righteousness is primarily and basically a relationship, never an attainment... Christian righteousness,,,is a direction, a loyalty, a commitment, a hope--and only someday an arrival."

     I am beginning this blog as I wait with David at the hospital.  Since we asked so many of you to pray, we wanted to be able to share the outcome with you on this month's blog.  We have felt very lifted and loved by our friends here in Thailand and those back in the states.  When we realize this kidney stone was discovered back in October, we are grateful for good health and God's provision to this point.  As many of you are already aware, Dave's large kidney stone was removed successfully by the ureterscopy, though there are some issues resulting from the procedure yet to be resolved.  A slight tear in the urethra in removing one of the large pieces of stone caused some excess fluid in the abdomen and lungs.  Please continue to pray for all these complications to be resolved, for healing and for proper functioning once the stints are removed.  

     We had a great Easter celebration with our church family and then Dave led several sessions at the Faithful Heart Spiritual Life yearly retreat.  He taught on anger and marriage--two separate sessions--not anger in marriage. (ha-ha!)  

Now, our prayer is that Dave's body will have time to heal and restore before our long flight back to the sates in June.

     Our church will gear down some in the summer--as some do leave for the summer months.  We are starting to understand a little better the ebb and flow of life in an international church.  This summer we have 2 more couples--faithful servants of our Lord--who will end their careers here and return to the states.  This is the most difficult part of our ministry, but we must see it in a positive light--that God in His divine providence has allowed our paths to cross on this crowded earth in a place called Chiang Mai in the land of Thailand.  We know without a doubt that our lives have been enriched for having known them, and we pray that we have been of some encouragement and support to them.  We continue to covet prayers for our ministry here.  We pray for Dave's restored health so that we may continue.  We are really enjoying this opportunity and coming to understand it more and more and love the people here.   We are so grateful to God for leading us here.  

                                 Repairing some sidewalks in our neighborhood with this cement mixer

                                                                      The Pound family in Thailand--Easter 2017

    But now righteousness form God, apart from the law has been made known, to which the Law and the prophets testify.  This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of His glory, and are justified freely by His grace through redemption that came by Jesus Christ.  God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in His blood. (Rom. 3:21-25)  "He made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)  Jesus Christ is our Yahweh-tsidkenu, the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy came in Jesus Christ.  He is the holy branch raised up from the root of David.  He is both perfect righteousness and the provision for our righteousness.  He was fully man, yet without sin, and fully God so that He alone can represent sinful man before a holy God.  Praise God!  Sorry a lot more theology here, but as much as Yahweh-rohi--our shepherd and the tender intimate expression of that name comforts us, this name is everything; it is our hope and salvation!

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matt. 5:6)

Let us ask the Lord to make us and those we pray for hungry and thirsty for righteousness.  The righteousness God gives us through faith in His Son is the path to recreating paradise, to gaining heaven, to enjoying unbroken fellowship with God and each other that our creator intended since the world's beginning. (Ann Spangler)

Please Pray:

• Dave's recovery and healing
• For our continued ministry at The Gathering
• That we might be the light and life of Christ in this place-shinning that light to everyone with whom we come in contact
• The ministry of Faithful Heart (Matthew, Audrey, and Ezra)
• Strength and health to minister
• For those in our church body who minister in many ways and places for the cause of Christ

Blog Post for March 2017--Yahweh-rohi--the LORD is our Shepherd

"The LORD is my shepherd.  I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1)
     The Scriptures say over and over that we are like sheep.  Likewise, there are many references that speak of God and Christ as our Shepherd.  What makes the difference for sheep is the shepherd.  Sheep are helpless,timid, and feeble.  They require constant attention and meticulous care, have little means of self-defense and easily fall prey to predators.  Without the constant care of the shepherd, they will go the wrong way, eat the wrong food (nibble right off a hillside to their deaths), and lap up the wrong water.  Do you see any similarities with humans?  It does make you wonder why God created such dull-witted creatures.  Perhaps because in His sovereignty He wanted us as His people to understand our complete poverty of spirit and our desperate need of a shepherd.  He loves us so much and no other name of God has the tender, intimate touch of this name. Yahweh-rohi--the LORD my Shepherd is a special name for God that brings great comfort to our souls.  Yahweh is glorious in majesty--all-powerful and full of splendor.  Yet the wonderful grace of our God is such that He can condescend to such a relationship with His creatures--that of a shepherd to his sheep.

Ezra getting cuter every day!

You might have guessed by now that the next name of God being studied in Sher's Bible study is the name Yahweh-rohi--the LORD, my Shepherd.  I never tire of studying the names of God--and each time I do--I marvel that God desires for us to know Him and has revealed the many names to help us know His nature and character more deeply.  

      As we become more busy and involved in activities, the time seems to go faster.  Is this a sign of aging?  Each week we say, "I can't believe it is Sunday already."  We are so grateful for our Shepherd's watchful care and provision for us and our family. We are thankful that He is watching over our family in the states while we are here.  How grateful  we are to the Lord for providing this wonderful opportunity to be in Thailand and work with our international church.  Our perspectives have been broadened, and our lives enriched by meeting so many people from different cultures. I'm so glad that we are a team and that we can share in this experience together.

What a wonderful gift and blessing of our loving Lord we can be here with Matthew and Audrey and watch Ezra grow and develop.    We think Ezra gets cuter every day. (And we're not biased at all).  My husband, son, and daughter-in-law planned a very special day for my birthday.  Matthew and Audrey prepared a superb meal with Dairy Queen ice cream cake for dessert.  Matthew made a beautiful table to place the hot pot and drinks, etc. when we have guests--like the Bible study. My family in the states took good care of me as well--bringing a gift with them in January to save for my birthday.  I feel very blessed to have such a loving, caring family who find ways to express that love in tangible ways.

This week we will celebrate Audrey's birthday.  I hope it will be as special for her.  How thankful we are that we can be in a foreign land and celebrate special family times together.  God is good!
     Please be in prayer for Dave as he faces a medical procedure to remove a large kidney stone.  We are hoping he will have the procedure done at the end of April. He will need to be in the hospital for a few days--if all goes well.  Pray that they will be able to remove the stone without too much difficulty and for peace prior to and during the procedure.
  Also, please be in prayer for 2 families that work here with New Tribes Mission who were in a very serious car accident.  Mary is very critical condition and was  taken by medical evacuation ambulance to Bangkok.  Their 3 grown children are flying in from the states.  The other woman in the car did not survive the accident--so pray for comfort and peace for her family.   Please be in prayer for both of these families.  
     Faithful Heart is again this year sponsoring a retreat for their staff.   Last year I taught English classes for their staff retreat.  This year Dave will teach 2 seminars--one on marriage and one on anger. (Do Christians ever get angry?)  Please be in prayer for this time and for all who will be sharing in the retreat.  

Lunch after church with a dear family in our church

Adjan Ra and I in Thai lesson

We so appreciate and covet your prayers for us.  Please pray:

• That we can continue to master the language so that we can communicate more effectively with Thai people
• For Dave's kidney stone removal
• That we can efficaciously love and encourage the people in our international church
• That we will be the light of Christ wherever we go and whatever we do
• That the Lord will keep us safe.  This recent accident reminded us of how dangerous the driving is here.
• Matt and Audrey and their ministry at Faithful Heart (Please continue to pray for 10-year old Benjamin who needs a kidney transplant)
• That the Lord will give us health and strength to do the tasks He places before us.
  

February 2017--The Peace of God

   

Some of the beautiful flowers of Thailand

Have you ever pondered the fact that some of our most well-known and used Bible verses are the most difficult to live out?  Philippians 4:6-7

      "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your    needs, and don’t forget to thank him for His answers.  If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus." Living Bible)  

It seems no matter what our age and experience of life, we find it difficult to experience the peace of God--especially in life's challenging times--but also in the small frustrations of life that constantly assail us.  We are learning, I think, from many of the missionaries in our international church to have peace and "go with the flow."  It is also certainly the Thai way.   "Mai ben rai" is the favored expression meaning no problems, no worries--it's all O.K.  

     How do we truly experience the peace of God in our lives?  What does that look like?  I was recently asked to give my reflections on the peace of God in difficult circumstances, and as is usually the case, I was greatly blessed in my reflections upon this topic. One couple in our church very suddenly found out they had to leave after being here seven years.  Another single woman also found she has to leave and go to a different country.  Both of them, though disappointed, exhibited a peace and trust in the Lord who directs our steps.  Their spirit and attitude has been an inspiration to me.  Could I respond in such a manner in their situation?  Yahweh promises in Jer. 29:12-13a "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you."  I think this seeking the Lord wholeheartedly defies a casual relationship.  It speaks of an intimacy that is developed by continual communion and it speaks of commitment, priorities and choice.  And once we develop this intimate communion with our Lord, we find peace--no matter the chaos that swirls in our midst.  We can never avoid strife in the world around us, but with God we can know peace. (Isaiah 26:3)

I believe Scripture refers to this intimate communion as abiding.  " I am the vine, you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.  Apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)  Cynthia Heald explains it this way, "To attach our delicate, fragile selves firmly and permanently into the vine in order to receive His strength and security. It is choosing to spend time with Him in His Word and in conversation with Him."

     We have had a very busy couple of months.  We had Heidi, Jay and Liesl and Evie here with us for 8 days.  What a exceptionally blessed time we had with all our family together.  We were so thankful for them making the trip.  The girls were excited to see their cousin Ezra.  In giving him a great deal of attention, they were rewarded with big smiles.  We have hearts full of wonderful memories.  (Bleum Ji--happy hearts).  We squeezed as much as humanly possible in 8 days , and they got a good taste of Chiang Mai and Thailand. (Closest mountain and beautiful view of the city, the elephant camp, the zoo--where the girls fed a hippo and giraffe; a tuk-tuk ride; beautiful flower gardens and of course some of the wonderful markets with hand-crafted items; as well as some of our favorite restaurants)  As soon as they left, we were off to Bangkok to renew our visas.  When we returned, we had a special visit with dear friends from our church in Mansfield.  We were glad they were able to join us in Church and also see some of the CM sites.  Again, our hearts were warmed and encouraged by this visit with special visit with long-time friends. 

The promise of Scripture is that God's presence sustains us in ways we cannot fathom or understand. (Exodus 33:14)  I (Sher) love studying the Hebrew names of God.  In Psalm 91 we see 2 of these names dovetail together in a beautiful, comforting passage. "He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High (El-Elyon--the supreme omnipotent) shall abide (rest)under the shadow of the Almighty.(El-Shaddai--the all-sufficient one for our every problem and need)."  When we face even the most difficult moments of our lives and seek  shelter in our God, He casts a shadow over us sustaining us.  Many times we are not aware of the Lord's provision and care--but that presence is there--circling our lives and providing for us in the shadow He provides--and therein is peace.

We covet your prayers; we so need them--so thank you in advance.  Please pray:

• Continued health and strength that we may be faithful to God's calling here
• Medical procedure for Dave
• That we would reflect our Savior in the lives of everyone with whom we come into contact(forgetting to pay the taxi driver is not considered to be a good example)
• That our Lord would effectively use us in our international church(we love the flavor of our international church but constantly saying goodbye continues to be difficult)

Being Grace-Givers December-January Blog

     Hope everyone had a special Christmas with loved ones and friends and we pray God's richest blessings in the New Year.  There is not much Christmas celebration here--not the many reminders everywhere you look but New Year celebrations and gifts are common.  So we have giving gifts to our neighbors wishing them a Happy New Year (Swade bpee mai).  Of course if you give a gift to a Thai, you will most likely get one in return, but we want to in all ways reflect our God and be grace-givers.
      Grace is something frequently talked about in Christian circles but often difficult to apply in our daily lives.  We, who have experienced the grace of God so magnificently in our lives should be liberal in giving it to others.  However, at least in my own life, I'm afraid this is not always so.  I have been strongly convicted by a book by Richard Blackaby called Putting a Face on Grace.

What grace of our loving Father that we could be here not only with Matthew and Audrey to share in this place and culture but that we could also be here with sweet Ezra.  I'm not sure how much he cares yet about the Buckeyes, but with his grandpa and Dad he will soon have no choice.
      Here's some of Richard Blackaby's thoughts about grace:
"We can give grace to others by looking at them through the same grace lens God does.  We know no one has arrived yet.  Just as God continues to apply grace to people's lives each day, so we must view the work of grace as a process.  That means we don't show grace only for a while or mete it out as deserved.  We open our lives up to become a conduit of God's grace.  For until you give it away, you'll never fully grasp the reality of God's grace."  
      We are enjoying God's call to this place for many reasons though there are often challenges and difficulties.  We are getting more acclimated and constantly learning new things.  One of the difficulties is having missed the funeral services for both of my parents.  On December 22nd, my dad went home to be with the Lord. (Just 5 months after my mom)  I will greatly miss both of them.  I was blessed to have loving, godly parents and blessed to have them for so long. (Dad was 93 and Mom was 92), but I can't help but  realize that a significant part and phase of my life is now gone.

    My dad (both my parents) set a great example for us in faith, diligence, and commitment.  I am grateful for a godly heritage.  My dad often worked 2 jobs to provide for his family.   In 70 years of marriage, they knew the meaning of commitment.  "In sickness and health"--my dad lovingly cared for my mom when MS made it difficult for her to get around.  "For better or for worse"--these were not mere words but a commitment to stick together no matter what.  My dad was a loving, caring father devoted to his wife and family.  He loved giving and serving others--whether it be from his ample garden or helping someone to repair a car, a lawn mower, a machine, or really any item.  We do not grieve like  those who have no hope,"(I Thessalonians 4:13) but we do grieve our loss.  Our conviction and hope is that because of Christ, we have the assurance of eternal life.  I believe my dad is now united with loved ones that have gone before and one day we will join them.   Our loss is heaven's gain; my dad is in the presence of the Savior he loved and served.

Beautiful display honoring the king

Grace,,.
Builds up;doesn't tear down
Gives what is undeserved
Is costly
Gives without expecting anything in return
Emphasizes mercy not justice
Helps people become more like Christ
Doesn't condemn or give up on people
We are so grateful for God's grace in our lives.  May the Holy Spirit of God enable us to be a conduit of grace in the lives of others.
      We had a wonderful celebration of our Savior's birth with our international church on Christmas day: Powerful message from the Word of God, Great music and worship, and the high light for me, 23 people from different countries quoting Luke 2:10-11 in their native tongue.

We enjoyed fellowship at our home for lunch with several friends form church--some of them single people with no family here.  It was a blessed time together.  One of those single people was Heide--a Filipino--we met at Santisuk English School in Bangkok.  She was here with us for 4 days,arriving on Christmas Eve.  We had a great visit with her.  While she was here, we visited Doi Su Tep, one of the closest mountains here in Chiang Mai.  We ascended about 200 steps to see a great view of the city.

Young village children, in their tribal costumes are happy to have their pictures taken with you.

We are very excited about the arrival of Jay, Heidi and the girls on January 14th.  Pleas pray for their safety in travel.  We continue to covet prayers for us that we may be effective ambassadors of Christ in this place.  May we be grace-givers.  May we open our lives to God so He can fill us with His love and mercy.  On our own, we could not do it.  Please pray:

• For health and strength so we can effectively minister.
• For wisdom in making a decision about Dave's kidney stone
• Discernment to provide support and encouragement for the people of our church
• To effectively reflect God's grace to all people we meet