photo note: We were so incredibly grateful to have all of the kids with us for Christmas this year here in Honduras! We had a wonderful visit and will do our best to write more about that and put some more pictures up.
Dear friends, we wanted to take a few minutes and let you know a few ways in which you could pray for us as we find ourselves in some “new territory.”
1) Would you please pray that God would help us to be diligent students in our new Master’s in Pastoral Counseling classes that we are taking? We’re so grateful to say that we are three weeks into our new adventure as Master’s in Pastoral Counseling students from Liberty University Online. In addition to being grateful to be in classes (we’re both taking the same classes at the same time) we’re also a bit overwhelmed at the amount of studying that we’ve “signed up for!” We probably “out kicked our coverage” a bit by signing up for two pretty difficult classes right from the start. We’re very busy as we learn to study again after 20-30 years out of school. God is good and He has been an ever-present help to us. We would be so grateful for your prayers! Our longer-term prayer associated with this new training is that God would enable us to use our brokenness in combination with this pastoral training to help others in the future for His glory.
2) Would you please pray with us that we are able to honor Christ in all we lay our hands to do here at Loma de Luz? We’re coming up on one of our busiest months of the year. We host several teams in February and while we do, we want to really honor the Lord, both with our work at Loma de Luz and with our studies. This means that in February, we will really need the Lord’s grace, wisdom, and energy. Please pray for us in February – that we would be wise in all that we do. Thank you!
3) Please pray for healing. Dave has been struggling with symptoms of dizziness, nausea, and intermittent exhaustion. We don’t know what’s going on with that and we’re surrounded by a wonderful team of caring doctors, so we’re not worried. All indications are that it is nothing critical and will “go-away” with time. As you can imagine, Dave has really struggled with these symptoms to keep up with ministry, work and studying and to have a positive attitude through it all.
4) Thankful for your prayers and God’s faithfulness. In the past few months Marinajo has been able to exercise like never before in her life. With the combination of prayers and medicine that keeps her chronic pain issues at bay, she has gained both strength and energy as she daily works-out. She doesn’t always want to exercise, but feels so much better when she does. We are thankful to God for her health!
5) For continued financial provision and contentment. In recent blog posts, we’ve “made the need known” for additional financial support and we are so grateful to those who have responded. There is still a deficit between our monthly expenses and incoming support of about $1,500. Currently, God is still providing part of that short fall through Dave’s IT Business in the US. Unless God changes the trajectory of the business, that income will continue to go down and looks likely to end. We are completely content and we want to ask you to please pray for us to always to be content with God’s provision while continuing to let people know about our finances as supported missionaries.
Thank you so much for your love, support, and prayers!
“Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labour through the storm.
You have called me to this passage,
and I’ll follow, though I’m worn.May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart’s testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.Jesus guide me through the tempest;
Keep my spirit staid and sure.
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go –
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne.”
— MUSIC BY KEITH GETTY; WORDS BY MARGARET BECKER COPYRIGHT © 2002 THANKYOU MUSIC
