Thankfulness

End of Year Mailing!

As we prepared our end of year mailing, I was reflecting on all the relationships that God has blessed us with. We greatly appreciate all the people that have been involved in our lives. Everywhere that I have traveled the past several years God has been faithful in surrounding me with people who care for me and point me to Christ. He is faithful to bless us with everything we need spiritually, emotionally, and physically!

Our time here at the Center for Pioneer Church Planting is proving to be another great blessing! God has blessed us with many friendships, a loving church that points us to Christ, a church-planting ministry in Mexico, the opportunity to learn more about the Bible and mission, and our financial needs have always been met. I was reflecting on the life direction that we have chosen as a family to be missionaries while we were on our last Mexico trip. I had a bit of time on my hands as I sprained my ankle pretty bad! The life direction that we have chosen is crazy compared to what I used to want. What used to thrill and excite me was all centered around me and my pleasure. As the Holy Spirit works in my life, I see my desires changing. The things that excite me now are like when a fellow missionary trainee shares about the progress of the gospel in their village. Or when we observe a hunger for the Word of God in one of the men we are discipling in Mexico. These are beautiful things! In this season of thankfulness, I am overcome with the fact that God has provided us with the opportunity to learn and grow through these types of
experiences!

I am also deeply thankful for my family. Sarah is such a beautiful blessing from God! As I mentioned earlier, I sprained my ankle pretty bad on our last Mexico trip. This caused me to be laid up for over a week, and even now I'm taking it easy. Since we've been back from Mexico Sarah has done such a great job of patiently taking care of me, Jemimah, and all of the household activities. She is a wonderful homemaker, a great mother, an awesome cook, fantastic seamstress, and wonderful wife. She understands me very well and is a fantastic helpmate. God has blessed me with a wonderful woman!

Jemimah in Mexico!

And then there's Jemimah! As I write this in our living room, Jemimah has been looking at me with sparkle in her eyes, doing her little growling thing, getting me to growl back and forth with her. She's amazing. She is such an awesome little blessing!

Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for His rich and abundant blessings!