Thursday, February 16, 2012

6-Year Old Gives $3 Gift

The kids bury Elaina in corn at a local corn maze.

We are rejoicing in God’s goodness in how he moved our friend Elaina to freely give $3 of her own money to help us get to Suriname. It may seem like a small gift, but it is very large considering who gave it, and that she freely chose to give it.

This reminds me of the simple gift of a child many years ago. Jesus used the five barley loaves & two little fish of a boy (John 6) to do the impossible. He multiplied the modest meal so that it fed 5,000 men & their families--perhaps a total of 20,000 or more people--and still, they gathered up 12 baskets full of bread fragments. We see a small measure of God’s abundant grace in how everyone had his fill, and still there was so much left over. Likewise, God is able to multiply small gifts, such as Elaina’s, to accomplish his purposes. Our hope is in the all-gracious, all-rich God! And we are delighted to receive such small gifts.



Mucho Traveling...


We were blessed this past week to be with Erin's brother & his wife. Their adoption of baby Sammy was finalized, "and there was much rejoicing"! Sammy is our kids' first cousin. We prayed for a long time that God would provide a child for them, and he graciously gave them Sammy. ("Samuel" means "asked of God"; see the story of Samuel the prophet in the Bible: 1Samuel 1.) They signed up to adopt, and before they had everything ready, they found out that Sammy would be born in a few weeks, and his mother wanted them to have him. God is so kind to grant this little boy. I really appreciated the adoption hearing. It was not conducted as a cold, formal legal matter, but in a very warm & joyful manner, fitting the occasion.

This past weekend, we also had the privilege to meet with pastors from two different churches. They were very interested in the ministry, and promised to bring it before their respective churches. So there may be the opportunity to present the ministry in Suriname to the churches in the future. Please pray that the Lord would grant this.

This is a very busy month for traveling, and we are trying to fill our schedule for the upcoming months, so we can stay busy, and get to Suriname by September. Please pray that the Lord would provide more opportunities for us to present & tell people about Suriname. Watch this blog for immediate prayer needs.

Immediate Prayer Needs: This weekend we are traveling to Alabama, presenting at one church, and meeting the pastors of another church. I will be preaching part of the time, also. Please pray that God would make us a blessing to the people, and encouragement in missions. Pray that God would lay it on the hearts of his people to partner with us for the glory of God, and the good of the people of Suriname. Coming back from Alabama, we will stop in the Memphis area for a special gathering to pray for revival. Please pray for our safe travel, also.

More to come...