Happy Thanksgiving. I must say that this is one holiday we do not forget. We are thankful ALL year round for God's blessings. We don't wait for one day to celebrate; just be faithful and praise God every day of the year. A quote on my wall says, "Obedience is better seen in the little things." Don't wait for a great moment to do a great thing—just live by faith, obedience.
While you are preparing for winter, we have had a beautiful day at the beach –"Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all of the earth!" The water is getting warmer and warmer, yet we are having more and more rain and the roads are getting worse than terrible.
I come with another message...don't lose sight of THE GOAL. The goal is to REACH THE LOST. That was the job God left us to do. We live pure lives so that...we learn FRENCH so that...we came to Africa so that...God also wants YOU and your MOUTH. We know that people get saved when the Holy Spirit draws them. The Holy Spirit lives IN YOU and wants to use your mouth and your life to draw them. To me, it is a cop out to sit back and think the Holy Spirit is "generally" going to draw them. So what brought all this on? Some kids out here are learning German or Spanish or even Japanese! Are you really planning to go there and use that language to give out the Gospel? If your goal is to witness to the lost, are you really planning to use that language to do it? Help your kids pick a language that is useful to REACH the lost. That was Jesus' final word to us. What if I were one of those early disciples and the Gospel was entrusted to me. Would I reach my generation? All that to say, Cote d'Ivoire is so open. We would love you to learn French and come here to be a missionary.
Church visitation on Tuesday evenings has been going well. The more people get excited about evangelism, the more the church will grow. Growth takes time and is promised to us if we are faithful. Keep praying and God will keep blessing. Pray for those who receive tracts and John/Romans booklets to get saved and grow. It is about people getting saved, getting their lives straightened out according to God's Word, and then seeking to serve Him. We are all in the race to "finish well." Keep praying.
You have been praying for spouses for our girls. God has brought WONDERFUL men into the lives of Ruth and Hannah. Nathan and Hannah are engaged to be married on May 8, 2018. We are planning, Lord willing, to come to the States the end of April until the first part of June, but nothing is settled yet. Pray for all the details. Pray that God will call Nathan to be a missionary here! We so need young couples who CAN STICK.
I want to introduce Richard Jertberg, a missionary to Madagascar. (His story is on the Internet.) He is a widower with five children who has been dating Ruth with the intent to marry. He and Ruth are coming out here to visit us in December. From what we have heard, we would welcome him with no reservations. He is a kind, godly man who has been patiently leading his family and seeking God's next step for his life. It looks like God's hand is all over their relationship-from the individual preparation, to the meeting, to the calling. I am so excited for Ruth and him.
We have so much to be thankful for and ONE of our great praises is the way God is leading with our kids. Thank you for your interest in our lives and for praying for us.
Have a very Blessed Christmas!
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