Are we there yet? Any time now!

January is nearly half over and we have had quite a bit of snow (and rain) – for Mountain Home. Thank you, Lord! Our high desert valley at the feet of the mountains is usually dry and windy so we are enjoying the moisture. 
 
We are seeing a good response to the ministry of the Word also. Hearts are changing as they take up the challenge to 'go deeper' as Ed Buri has put it. 
 

On January 2^nd we discussed godly contentment in our Friday night study and had an excellent response. Then on January 9^th we picked up the first obstacle to godly contentment: an out of balance financial lifestyle. We began watching the six part Andy Stanley series on Financial Balance.


Meanwhile our men's study continued the study in the attributes of God and they are all committed to our next study called 'The Quest for Authentic Manhood' with Dr. Robert Lewis. This is the original series that began the Men's Fraternity. We are also going to be starting our men's accountability group as an optional add-on after the study time. We had the group up and running until about this same time last year when we lost everyone who was part of the group to transfers and deployments. So we are really encouraged to be able to be re-starting even though there will be some job disruption ahead.



On New Year's Day, Janet left on a two week trip to visit with her ailing step-mom who is in hospice with late-stage Alzheimer's. She stopped in Denver to take Ben with her to Tucson. When she gets home, she will have driven 3400 miles! The Lord helped Ben to get excused from scheduled jury duty so he could go and they have safely returned to Denver so far. Janet will be home this next Thursday night. Irene has trusted the Lord and we pray she will see her Savior soon. She will have her mind again and know as she is known. We are praying for Matt as he sees her slipping away.




The ladies have missed Janet dearly but her Knit-Wits night will kick off again next Tuesday along with her energetic care for these women. She has also been teaching the Bible Study for PWOC on Thursday mornings while I have volunteered to be grandpa in the nursery. Last week we had twice our usual number of kids in what we call 'Wee Joy' due to the 2015 Kick-Off event.

This coming Sunday, our ministry with the Buris at En Gedi Hospitality House will be highlighted at the base chapel and I have been asked to preach. I will be speaking on three things that can attack our heart for the Lord from 1 John 2:15-17.




As we look ahead, we are excited to be able to continue to serve the Lord in this way. We have three scheduled trips ahead that will make it difficult to do very much more out of state travelling. Ben and Megan are planning on a wedding sometime this year in Denver and Elizabeth will be graduating with her PhD from Ohio State. And we have a weeklong mission-wide conference to attend in Wisconsin. (The last one was five years ago. Many of you participated in helping us get there financially.) 
 
By the way, many of you have also helped us pay down our work account debt as well as being regular donors. We're getting there! The Lord will repay your sacrifice but we also wish to thank you on behalf of the men and women in the Mountain Home military community who have benefited by your generosity.


One final note: Cadence International is celebrating over 60 years of service to the military this year. Janet and I have now been serving with Cadence for more than half of that time as well as thirty-seven years of marriage! Wow! Some of you have partnered with us for all these years! Thank you!