BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN

Dear Friends -

It's been quite a while now since Rebecca and I were allowed to minister - at least "officially". But recently, with our newfound International House ministry among the Africans (Congo=Zaire) living in Ft Wayne, IN, we are being allowed freedom to worship and pray and fellowship in the freedom of the Holy Spirit. Since we don't always know whether they're speaking in Swahili, French, another language, or "tongues", we pray either in English or in tongues, as the Lord leads us.

Also, since we have moved from our home in Edon to one in Montpelier, we have been released from our God-led obligation to attend the church across the road from us. It was sometimes a burden, as there were doctrinal differences which the church and we simply couldn't come to agreement on, but the fellowship was sweet, and as we move on from there, it will be with sadness. We still have many friends there, even though the former pastor wouldn't allow us to "minister" in any form while he was there. So, with the change of homes, there has also been a change in church homes. This may not and should not be for EVERYone who moves, but for us it is a good thing. God has worked it out so that He fills one spot where one isleft vacant: the head elder at the church we'll be attending, which also happens to be our "Sending Church", has been asked to serve as interrim pastor at a different church. So as we come in, we have already been asked to perform some of the duties his family had done while they were there. It is both an honor and a sweet priviledge to be "wanted" and perhaps even "needed". It's been WAY too long since we actually felt that way!

So, for any of you who find yourself "unemployed" when it comes to church ministry, wait for the Lord patiently. Don't complain or get discouraged if you can help it. IN HIS TIME He'll take you off the bench and put you back in business...HIS business...again. If you've been sitting on the fence, awaiting your turn, when the Lord is ready, when WE have learned what He wants us to learn, He'll then put us "back in the saddle again." There may have been any number of reasons why He wanted you/us to stay out of the work. Again, if and when WE're ready, He'll send us back in. Take heart, Brothers & Sisters, God is watching out for you, with the best interests of yourself and others in mind. Amen. DLM

Wonderful Sunday and Monday

Yesterday was a wonderful, full day for us as we attended two morning services, enjoying the benefits of Indiana and Ohio time being different, :>). We then spent the afternoon in fellowship with precious believers and friends of ours and finished off the day at the meeting of the African Christians at International House in Ft. Wayne. It was a glorious time of worship, prayer and a tremendous sermon about stirring up the gift in us. We got to bed about midnight!

Today our son, Jim and his wife, Sarah, stopped in on their trip from Georgia to Chicago. It was a lovely 7 hr. visit but saying goodbye was very hard as they will be moving to Colorado in just a few weeks.

Our new home is beginning to look more habitable. We are daily unpacking boxes and tomorrow we plan to go do some work on the upstairs rooms at our old house. We look forward to having it done.

blessings to all of you,

Rebecca

WE'LL SHARE A SPOT . . . .

I, David, will begin this session. Rebecca and I both had the sensation that we should write tonight, so we'll share the spot. Not only is it "romantic" that we both thought of it at the same time, but it also means that the Holy Spirit is moving in our hearts in the same way at the same time.

This has been a long and exhausting week (as though this were any different than usual). HA! For those of you who've been folowing our on-line Journal, you know that we've been in the moving process for some time now. Until now, the move has been rather open-ended, with no specific deadlines. But suddenly, things changed. The pastor of the little church with whom we have been in fellowship, took a turn for the worse and succumbed to cancer, and is now singing in the heavenly choir. Thus, with no way of knowing who might have need of the parsonage, where we'd been living, we HAD to get the main floor available for possible occupancy. So we are now more than 3/4 moved into the Montpelier house. There remains boys' toys in the upstairs rooms of the other house, as well as a number of boxes left in the garage, for us to transfer over here. The end is in sight! To lose our family pet and our family pastor in the same day, then have to rush to move out and clean up the parsonage, all in just a few days...stress levels have been high, emotions flaring up suddenly, and still we try to walk in the fruit of the Spirit. Praise God for times of testing, ANYhow! May we go forward in His grace as I finish work on this house, then go out to try and find a job.

Now it's Rebecca's turn: Every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord is so true!! As David mentioned we have been quite stressed out and this evening the Lord blessed us with an impromptu family meeting that brought a sweet peace to all of us. Usually when there is a family meeting, someone is defensive, but tonight we were all open and good listeners. We were all able to express our feelings and accept each other's feelings with gentleness and respect. It lasted about an hour and when we felt like we were all done, David lovingly gave us a blessing from Ephesians.

Lord bless you all!

A Rough week

This week has had some very difficult moments for us. On Tuesday, Ezra and I took our precious cat , Stripes,( who was not well and could not move with us, due to a no pet rule at our new house) to the vet. to be put to sleep. I cried for hours. I can't help feeling there had to be a different solution, but it is too late to change it now. We buried him out in the corner of the back yard a the Bethlehem Christian Union prsng. where we have lived for the last almost 3 years. He was such a sweet and totally trusting cat and we all miss him.

Here in the same week, actually on the same day, at 10:00 p.m. our pastor from BCU went to be with the Lord . He had found out in April that he had cancer and he valiently fought it with every thing he could. He continued to come to church and take part in leading the services right up thru July 31st! He was deeply loved and respected by all at the church and I know he will be missed terribly. The funeral is this Sat. and I am taking off from work to help with the funeral dinner.

We have to get totally out of the downstairs of our old house now so that the sweet pastor who is coming on sundays for the month of august will have somewhere to rest on sunday afternoons. I just need to deep clean the kitchen and bathroom and it will be ready. We will take some time next week to finish the upstairs. then all that will be left are the basement and the garage. i think we are going to have to have another pickup truck day with David's dad or a friend.

well, nuff for now.

blessing from the Lord to all who read this.

Rebecca/Mom

just a quick update

Hi, everyone. We are so tired from all the moving, packing, cleaning and painting, plus going to work and dealing with all the normal daily life...BUT God is so good and so faithful! He continues to feed us daily from His precious Word and encourage our hearts through time spent with Him and in fellowship with each other and fellow believers. My mom always says, "Life is hard but God is good." I heartily agree.

We are technically moved into our new home in Montpelier, Ohio, but are still busily cleaning and packing up the rest of our belongings at our old house. I still take the boys swimming at the pond next to the old house as often as possible and they are becoming little fish. David and I are watching for the light at the end of the tunnel when we will be done with all the painting and moving and he can start seriously looking for a job here in Montpelier. we would appreciate it if you would pray specifically with us for a job to which he can walk or ride his bike.

Blessings to you all!

Much love in Jesus,

Rebecca