The purpose of this monthly e-mail is to share updates on ministry, family, praise and prayer. It also helps me create a brief written history of our life and ministry. Thanks for reading--or pretending you do!
These monthly updates require some discipline, which I don't always possess when needed. That's my excuse--temporary depletion of discipline--why this one isn't out on the first of the month, as I'd like. But this exercise has both a PR benefit, I trust, for you, the reader. It also has a benefit for me in chronicling what God and we have been up to.
Since hitting 40 this year, I've caught myself contemplating my past a little more,...and I'm feeling old. Especially when my kids point out bumper stickers like the one that reads, "40 isn't old...for a tree!" But I've enjoyed reminiscing over old newsletters and milestones in both family and ministry.
So I'll enjoy the fruit of these monthly communiqués, even if I don't enjoy right now typing it up here on the kitchen table at 1:11am.
Last month, my mom told me a 12-year-old story that blessed me. She and her husband began supporting us at the onset of our first deputation, but they wanted to increase a little more. Their Christian College Professor's salary, however, wouldn't stretch any more. So they prayed believing the Lord wanted them to give more.
Shortly after, Paul received a small percent raise which equaled what they had hoped to increase our pledge amount. The unique thing was that he was the only professor to receive any raise.
In the next couple months they are joining the US Center for World Mission team in Pasadena, and now it's our turn to be able to support them a little bit. They have to raise all their financial support just like the missionaries they will be training.
I tell this story simply to illustrate that God provides for His calling on our lives when we obey His teaching for our lives.
Through May we've held 102 services and had 54 appointments with pastors. Currently our monthly pledges are at $6842 (please see final paragraphs below for urgent update). Cash budget is at $15,852.
I've finally gotten the Promo CD-R tweaked to where I like it enough to hand it out after church services. If you'd like to see and hear our PowerPoint presentation, read the News Release, and peruse our website without going online, it's available--free! Just let me know where to mail it.
Chloe turned 12 last month! Just tell yourself all the clichés you know about kids growing up too quickly, and that's how we feel. She's a precious and delightful young lady to be around. We're blessed!
This week was the kids' science project fair. We, I mean "they," raked in 1st-3rd-1st ribbons. Yes, Dad was their #1 assistant. No, I did not bribe my little brother from JPL to help--that'll be after his next Mars Rover lands!
I bought a Sterno stove as a Bunsen burner, and was amazed how well it worked! Yvonne even caught me frying eggs on it--_in_ the kitchen!
About a week ago Yvonne heard two words from the Lord while on her morning walk. She stretched her distance a little further than normal when the Lord whispered in her heart "home stretch." We're heading into the "home stretch" of deputation before returning to Panama.
Two days ago we received a call from Assemblies of God World Missions HQ. We were informed that the latest we can extend deputation is until September 6. We had told you we were scheduling into December. Now we are facing very difficult decisions--what can we eliminate from the budget to lower it? How can we adapt ministry and schooling plans to adjust? How to deal with our own feelings of failure and frustration through all of this?
At present, after re-calculating our budget, I've removed some ministry and most schooling items and it shows we absolutely need $1695 in monthly support in the next 3 months, or we don't go back to Panama. I've never wanted to say or write those final words, but that's the reality we face. Of course, we are still hoping and praying for the full budget.
So we're in the "home stretch" now. Please pray with us for provision of faith and finance! Thank you to those who are supporting us--and especially to those who have increased recently. If you have not pledged to our ministry yet, please ask the Lord for His provision to join our support team. A pledge of any amount would be greatly appreciated. All of our contact information is below in CONTACT US.
1 Corinthians 9:24:
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
Kirk for all