The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).
We hope that each of you are experiencing the joy of Christmas that is only truly found in Jesus.
As we pack up our house in the Dinangat tribe, it’s hard not to reflect on the past years God has allowed us to serve here. When we first arrived in Dinangat, Christmas time was something to be feared. People told of evil spirits that came out for two weeks surrounding Christmas and anyone caught in the jungle was sure to face some sort of calamity. Darkness surrounded their lives – there was no joy in Christmas. What a difference the Gospel has made in their lives! This Christmas morning as we gathered together for a special time of worship and praise, there was true rejoicing in the truth of that Blessed Babe who God sent from heaven, the One who would save us from our sins forever. Praise the Lord with us as we rejoice in the Gift of Salvation with our Dinangat brothers and sisters!
Please pray for us as we spend this next week in preparation for our January 2nd flight that will take us to our new home, new ministry, new school, new co-workers, new everything. We are already looking forward to the trips we will take back into Dinangat to continue translation and discipleship! But know that we are also looking forward to what the Lord has for us around this next bend in our journey, we know that He is faithful, He who is the same yesterday, today and forever! Please pray for Jordan, Judah and Alayna as they adjust to their new school, classmates and teachers while leaving the place they have grown up in for most of their lives.
And please pray for the Dinangat church. Pray that the leaders would lead well, that the believers would grow steadily as they learn to truly trust in the Holy Spirit that is in them. Pray for strength to withstand the opposition that is sure to come in our absence.
We can’t say thank you enough to you, our faithful supporters, who have stood beside us through prayer and sacrificially through finances! The ministry that you partner with us in is about to broaden, and we look forward to updating you on how the Lord is answering your prayers in this new phase. Thank you for standing with us!
Merry Christmas, and may the Lord bless your new year with His unending joy and peace!