October Newsletter '06

Greetings,

This month just flew past. If it weren’t for the weather getting colder, I’d say it still feels like August. Also, maybe it’s because there is less sunlight, but October has been a physically and emotionally draining month as well. We’re considering just hibernating through the rest of winter.

Happenings

Well perhaps the funnest (I know that’s not a word) event we went to this month was the Frisco Bluegrass Festival, (at least for me anyway). Emily and I enjoy listening to Bluegrass and this month Frisco was hosting some pretty big names at their Bluegrass Festival, like: Claire Lynch, Rhonda Vincent, and Ricky Skaggs. We had a great time, and you can see more pictures and even listen to Emily sing HERE.

Also, Emily had Spirit Week for Kindergarten. She and all her kids dressed up each day; they had Superhero Day, Pajama Day, Crazy Day, Tropical Day, and Apply Day. They also had Apple Week the same week; with apple jello, apple crafts, apple stories, apple bingo, apple pie, caramel apples, the list could go on… Check out more and see pictures about Emily’s Kindergarten experiences HERE, and read her daily JOURNAL.

Small Group - a snapshot of the church

I recently had a long conversation with a good friend of mine about the nature of the church. One thing I realized during our talk was how passionate I am about believers functioning in close fellowship, opposed to Sunday morning acquaintances. I’m seeing more and more the need for Christian accountability, and the truth that we are sharpened and encouraged most when allow ourselves to be known. The events of this month have caused our small group from church to hold on tightly to one another, and the results have been observing first hand what the “body of Christ” really looks like. Emily and I are very thankful for our small group.

Eleuthera Update

Classes continue on the small island of Spanish Wells. The change in location for Bible training and its apparent success is a hopeful sign that the training can become effectively mobile. We look to the Lord to guide us for how best to carry out the ministry’s goals in a region of the world filled with islands. Also, I recently went through the instructional training for the curriculum we use at EBTC. The manuals we use are called the Bible Training Centre for Pastors. They’re extremely condensed and yet very expandable for contextualization, so many cultures around the world effectively use this curriculum to train pastors. Check out more from my training HERE.

Update
This month has been more stressful than past ones, and just the same we can look and see the Lord providing for all our needs. I’ve made a lot of doctor visits to try and fix my ankles and finally I think I’m making some improvement. Essentially, I’ve built up too much scar tissue from being reckless with my ankles and I’m paying the price now – literally, but thank you for your prayers. Emily and I also are both recovering from head colds and congestion – I guess it’s just that time of year. But we’re on the mend and looking forward to November. And good news, school is rounding the half-way point for both of our semesters. We want to thank you for taking the time and interest to involve yourself with our lives and ministry goals.

Prayers and Praises
Praise, for getting over sickness.
Praise, for the fall temperatures.
Praise, that we were able to get new tires on the truck, to keep us on the road as the temperatures keep dropping.
Praise, for our small group and the close friends we've been given at church.

Please keep praying for the ministry of the Bible Training Center. Pray specifically for the staff, as they all look to the Lord to help lead them in ministry decisions.
Pray for our small group and church challenges.
Keep praying for my ankles; they’re just now beginning to heal.
Continue praying for for Emily and I, as we keep learning how to build a support team.
Check out our answered prayer requests here: CLICK HERE.

Thank you for keeping up with us and our progress in ministry. We so value your prayers and support, and we would ask you to take a moment and pray for our journey and how you can play a part. To find out more CLICK HERE.