I hope you are doing well and dwelling in the love of our awesome God!
It’s easy these days to get caught up in all the trappings of negative thoughts. We are being virtually drowned by negativism, but bare in mind that despite everything we hear and read, our God is still in control. It's not uncommon for life's hard times to be portrayed in Scripture as storms. And that's appropriate because storms are often situations where you have no control over your outcome. Maybe like the situation you're in right now: medically, financially, or in your family, your business, maybe your ministry. It's "out-of-control" time. It's storm time.
This brings to mind a scripture from the Word of God in Nahum 1:3. It’s a wonderful anchor verse buried in one of those often-neglected Minor Prophet books in the Old Testament. "The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and the storm." Out of control? Yours, yes. His, no.
Maybe the winds in your life are intensifying right now. You can't find the things that you've always navigated by and the flood of your frustration and fear is rising. Listen, everything is under control. If you relax and you let God navigate, you are in for a wonderful surprise when the storm passes. The storm that blew you around so violently was actually blowing you home.
We have had the opportunity to be involved with some really wonderful partners in 2008. Many individuals gave time to our ministry work. Sunday school classes, youth groups, college students, and adults came and ministered providing food, crafts, games, love and gifts. But above all they came in the name of Jesus to share His word. We received donations of Bibles and New Testaments. Over 40 families received God’s word into their home in their own language. We were blessed after speaking to a women's group, when they all gathered around us and laid hands on us and prayed for the Lord to bless our ministry. God sent us a donation of a car that we gave to a man who had no way to work except mass transit. He also sent us computers, toys, clothes, musical instruments and much needed school supplies as well as monetary gifts and most of all precious time.
Thank you partners for your support. Your notes of encouragement and interest in our ministry means so much to us. Please remember to pray for us in 2009 as we look past worldly fears and expand our ministry. We are relying on Him to provide even in the storm. What a blessing it is to know you will be praying for God to help us work out the details.
