Ministry Update #3
* No change or real news in regard to Queen Palmer. Between the holidays and multiple snow days here in the Springs, school has been out most of the time since the last update. I have been taking photos and will create the end of the year slide show as I have done the last two years for the school. I see the show as a work of Art and I love creating it. It has been a big hit and is a great way for me to express my love for this community.
* Christianity Explored (CX) started up Jan. 7th. We were very encouraged with good numbers, but more importantly with people joining us who are excited with the study and the relationships they are building with the table leaders. I met a young man on the street near the seminary by chance J and struck up a conversation. I asked him about is views on life and death and faith. He described himself as a “Philosopher of religion”. When he was unable to express the basic theme of the Bible I told him “Dude, if you are a philosopher of religion, you have to know the basic theme of the Bible!” So I invited him to CX, and he came with his wife. They seem to be at a crossroads, pray that we are able to minister to them in a meaningful way and that God uses us to call them to Himself.
* Life as a student has its challenges, but I am enjoying it. Grades are in and I did well. I finished with a 3.76 . Not straight “A”s which was the goal, but I have to be pleased with the “B+” in Greek. After a rocky start (I ain’t even ever got no “A” in English) I scored a 96% on the final, bringing my grade up to a 91% and just into the “B+” range (“A-“ starts at 94%). I do not endorse this grading system, but they didn’t ask me. As an educator of twenty years and a self described “Philosopher of Measurement and Evaluation”, I would like to take on the entire educational system as it relates to this subject, but I should probably wait and tackle such ideas in time.
* I had intended to slow down, but New Geneva granted me a scholarship for this semester, based on monies currently available. It seems wisdom demands I take 12 hours again to make the most of this opportunity. I can handle the workload- that is not the problem. But I will have less time with the kids for another four months. Ana and I decided this is the way to go, start out strong and then the workload will taper off. I should finish the first year with 32 of the 99 needed credits. I will most likely spend as much time with my kids as the average American man, but we are used to much more.
* Wow! As I had been told, December is a big month for support raising, and it proved quite true. Earlier I had reported we were at 75% of need, but I had been projecting forward only and had not taken into consideration the missing funds from the first several months. I took the time to refigure and applied one time gifts backwards to cover those first several months. We are at now at 80% of total need for the entire first year. That is just great, we feel very blessed. Thank you for your support
* Send us your family photo! We want your picture on our fridge so we can pray for you!
* If you are local, we are about to make some purchases soon on the following used items. If you want, you can cut out the middle man -Salvation Army- and donate directly to us! (VCR, speakers/amplifier, bathroom scale, clothes dryer)
* We received severe damage to our tree with the October snow. With the leaves still on, we lost about 25% of the branches. I will need to borrow a good chainsaw when the weather turns to prune the tree for its health. If you want to help as well, I will buy the pizza!
We are so pleased with the calling God has laid out for us, and we thank you for coming alongside of us in this endeavor. We ask that you pray for us as we come to mind in the following ways:
· For the work at Queen Palmer- that relationships would continue to be built and that lives would be changed as these young kids are involved with the people of God at V7 on Wednesday nights.
· For CX- that God uses the CX team to call His people to Himself. That the plans of the adversary would be thwarted and the families invited would attend with hearts prepared in advance to hear the Gospel message.
· That I would continue to be diligent in my studies and that I would learn all God has planned for me.
· That the short term reduced family time would not be of ill effect. That if we have made the wrong choice that God would show us quickly.
· For God’s continued provision for our financial needs during this time of ministry
God Bless-JBL