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Dear praying friends and family,
It’s a boy! Of course, we already knew that, but now it’s official. Jairus (pronounced J – air – us) was born October 5 weighing 9 lbs. 14 oz. He has been such a quiet baby we hardly know how to react. Pray for Melissa as she recovers from the surgery. We are grateful that my mom will be here for about a week to help with the kids. Pray that Melissa would be able to get the rest that she needs. Melissa had begun some pre-school with Josiah and Isabelle, but that will be on hold for a while now.
Please be praying with us about the possibility of a mission trip to Mexico during Christmas break (12/26-1/3). Dr. Rodeheaver, of Anchor Theological Seminary and Bible Institute, has been working with churches there for thirty years delivering food, bikes, Bibles, tracts, and other things to meet both physical and spiritual needs of the materially and spiritually impoverished in several cities in Mexico. This work is becoming increasingly difficult for him as he ages (he’s in his 70’s now). When I first mentioned this to the Cedar Springs youth, there was great response, but as generally happens, that initial excitement is wearing off as details of cost, passport requirements, and length of the trip become more a reality. Dr. Rodeheaver met last week with the missionaries with whom he coordinates there and they are lining up construction projects for us, but right now “us” is really just me. One of my main purposes in going is to expose these youth to real poverty and how the Lord is using His church to minister in the midst of it so that they would gain an even greater burden for mission work/ evangelism abroad and at home. If no one is willing to go to Mexico at this time, we may postpone the trip and look for an opportunity to serve a little closer to home. In fact, I have already begun to explore some different options. Pray for God’s leadership in this as ultimately it is His plan anyway, we just want to fit it into it.
Would you also pray for David, the young man we had been homeschooling? In July, he took his GED with the intent of starting college in the fall. He passed it, then decided to do an apprenticeship under me as a carpenter and take classes through Anchor. Now he has decided to start classes at the local vo-tech/ community college in January. While his plans keep changing, he still believes (after over a year of saying it) that God is calling him to be involved in mission work of some sort probably using carpentry skills, but he is facing many obstacles and potential distractions. Pray (1) that David would seek and God would reveal His will for David, (2) that David would continue to be a witness and influence to his family and others in his life and not the other way around, and (3) that God would use David in mighty ways. You could also pray similarly for about six other young men God continues to allow me to disciple.
I am looking forward to starting seminary again in the next few weeks. Due to cost and time commitment required by Liberty University’s program, I am enrolling in Anchor because it is much more affordable and flexible than what I had been doing through Liberty. I have very much missed doing seminary, and it seems like this is a good time to start again. It will also be good for me to be enrolled in the program, as I am advising on how to move the school from correspondence courses/ satellite schools to more online courses/ satellite schools. This is another item of prayer: that the partnership of Pilgrimage and Anchor would cause an expansion of both ministries and ultimately the kingdom of God.
God has been providing funds for some projects we have been praying about for a while. He provided a little over $600 to get the 15 passenger van drive-able, and we took it to the mechanic last week. Please pray that we would know what ministry it is to serve, and that it would greatly expand the Lord’s work. He also provided $8,000, which is being used to finish the Cary-Grove Center and other projects that have been awaiting completion for years. Already, the attic of the Cary-Grove Center has been insulated, the siding is finished, and seamless gutters have been installed on both the Cary-Grove Center and the director’s house. If you would like to volunteer your time now that materials are available, there are many opportunities for you to serve. We won’t turn anyone away.
Thanks for your prayers and support,
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