2007 Year-End Newsletter

This actually went out in the mail with Christmas cards, but I'm too organized to post it out of chronological order. Enjoy!
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MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MEXICO!

It hit me the other day: THIS IS MY THIRD CHRISTAMS IN MÉXICO! Wow! Yet, here we are once again celebrating the birth of our Savior, and I find myself even more conscious than ever before of how desperately I need my Savior! This year has been tough, absolutely, but God promised in Isaiah 43 that the flames would not consume us nor would the storms overcome us because He is the LORD, our Savior! Micah 5 tells us He came to shepherd His own in the strength of the Lord and to BE our peace. The storms come and go, but Christ remains forever the same! Peace to you this Christmas! Peace to you this Christmas!

FULL STEAM AHEAD!

2007 has been a full year! We saw TEN short-term teams come down to reach out to the Mexican people in this area. Their activities included aerobics, open-air evangelisms, Bible study, construction, mercy ministries, VBS, an Amazing Race/Survivor event for the youth, and MORE! The creativity and passion of the teams is contagious, but it’s the relationships that change lives as the local people not only hear about Christ but are able to see Him come to life in the team members! The youth continue to leave me speechless! This year we saw growth not only in the number of youth regularly attending the weekly youth meetings, but also in their maturity and passion to share Christ with others! This summer we inaugurated four student leaders for the first time in the history of our youth ministry! They planned and executed a one-day “welcome” camp for our new students, lead youth group studies and small group discussions, disciple younger students, and continue to dream big for the ministry!

Mentoring Sandy has been the biggest blessing in my life this year. Her growth is tremendous and I am constantly challenged by how the Lord works in her. She is one of our four student leaders, and it is constantly a treasure to have her as a partner in ministering to the other youth girls!

The local church members are also catching a fire for evangelism and outreach. They have stepped up in leadership this last year and have even begun to meet weekly in several surrounding towns to share the gospel and disciple new believers in those towns.

The growth this year has been exponential! I can’t imagine what God has in store for 2008!!!

LOOKING BEYOND THE HORIZON

In November we as a staff once again spent several days setting goals for the future. A primary goal was setting fund-raising goals for the ministry budgets currently in place. I thought I would take this opportunity to share those goals with you and ask you to pray with us for the Lord to meet these needs. For the 2008 year, our needs are:

• Ministry Leadership: $1650
• Church Budget: $9400
• Property Expenses: $3600
• Youth: $8900
• Indigenous Ministry: $2600
• Church Construction: $12,100
• Radio Ministry: $3100

The grand total budget for the 2008 year is $41,350. The Lord is always faithful to provide our needs. We, however, must also continue to be faithful to seek that provision wherever we can. We face a formidable fund-raising goal. This ministry functions because of people like you who believe in the work being done and desire to partner with us in that work. Please pray about whether the Lord is calling you to become our newest partner with a one-time gift or, even better, with a monthly commitment.

Thank you for your continued prayer support! Thank you for harvesting with us!

"LOVE AND JOY COME TO YOU..."

The year has been one of adjustments. The honeymoon period has ended, and the rubber is hitting the road. The Lord has been faithful to challenge me to grow in many areas: the way I live, the way I communicate, my paradigms and methods of understanding the world around me, even my sleep schedules and concepts of work! Nothing has been left untouched.

I am learning all over again that to surrender myself to the Lord completely is to let go of my false securities and find true security in His goodness and grace. I keep thinking of Mr. Otter’s response to Lucy in The Lion, the Witch, & The Wardrobe when she asks if Aslan the lion is safe:

"Safe? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king, I tell you."

In Christ we cannot hide anything from His gaze, and while His love for us is secure, He simply is not content to let us remain as we are because He has so much better in mind for us! It is never comfortable to let the Lord refine me, but it is GOOD, and in His goodness the Lord guards my heart in Christ’s peace. May the Lord touch you deeply this year, and may you find true security in His goodness and grace!

HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED?

Please continue to keep me, the other staff members, the ministry, the churches, and the Mexican people in your prayers. If you are interested in being involved in any way, whether by receiving email updates, providing financial or prayer support, or perhaps visiting or bringing a team for a short-term trip, please contact me! I pray that you will get to experience the Lord’s work in Cofradía for yourself!

Praise the Lord

• I'm almost at 100% of my budget for the coming year!
• For raising up local leaders within the church!
• For raising up four incredible student youth leaders!
• For continued blessing in mentor relationships!
• For provision in our church construction project!
  

Please pray for

• Financial provision for the ministry areas currently in place. We need to raise $41,350 this year!
• Strength and wisdom both personally and for the rest of the staff as we press onward!
• Deeper commitment in the hearts of the youth.
• The 2008 Short-term Mission season. The first team arrives on Jan 6, and we currently have teams booked through August!
• Increased intimacy and devotion in my personal relationship with Christ! I want to be refined!
  
• Increased intimacy and devotion in my personal relationships with Christ! I want to be refined!