We’re so thankful. God is so good, and none of us deserve to receive Him the way He offers Himself to us. But He is love, and so love is the constant mark of His presence. We are thankful, because Love covers a multitude of sin at its own expense, welcomes the undeserving, extends forgiveness and provision, creates hope for the hopeless. Love remains when all the rest of all of this goes away. It is the greatest gift. It never fails. It drives out fear. God is love, and God is light. He calls us continually to walk in the light as He is in the light. To be exposed in truth so that He can wash away our sin, strengthen our weakness, remind us that we are small and wretchedly failing, but He is GOD. He does all of this in love, that we can live what it means to be a child of God.
In September, Mary visited a women’s group in Indianapolis to encourage them in the sufficiency of God’s strength and faithfulness in our weaknesses. She shared many “chapters” of the redemptive story He has written in her life, and of His powerful work of always overcoming evil with good. What a privilege, to tell the story of a real and personal Savior who is fiercely faithful, absolutely pure, and overwhelmingly kind.
The family (most of us, anyway) were also blessed to share at another Indy church and tell of what God has been up to in our lives and work, and what He is calling us further into. We loved spending time with friends who have loved and prayed for us from a distance. We felt so welcomed and encouraged, and were so thankful to worship together with these congregations. These are people we’ll spend eternity with and then have the joy of getting to know without the constraints of time. What a great thing to anticipate, even as we only get to brush up against each other very occasionally on earth!
The last full week of September, everyone except the older two girls (who stayed with friends to attend school and their sporting events) traveled to Charlotte to spend a few days in annual planning meetings with Sports Friends’ International Support Services team at SIM Int’l Office. What a joy it was be in the same physical space with our colleagues, to pray and seek the Lord together, to plan and communicate face-to-face instead of through a screen! We spent each day accomplishing the necessary school work, then building relationships with old and new friends Yahweh has already prepared in the area.
One of Abe’s best friends and “brothers” from his orphanage in Ethiopia lives within a few miles of where we expect to land. What a gift to see him and his family again, and share a few days of play and reconnecting. We have so much to look forward to, and it is always a challenge to wait through the necessary times, trusting the rightness and goodness of God in all the things He gives. But how thankful we are, for safe travel, for both refreshed and brand new relationships, for team unity and realization of new things God is doing in and through this particular ministry.
There is much going on in the Sports Friends world. Or, rather, in the world through the ministry of Sports Friends. God is so specific and wise. Please pray for the international, national, and local leadership levels to have discernment and diligence to obey the Lord, that He will have His way fully in all of these locations where He is continually bringing light into darkness. Pray for people of peace in regions of expansion, who are willing to receive what He offers in community strengthening, direction and mentorship for struggling young people, and the hope of Messiah: Immanuel come to save us all. Pray for wisdom and courage for the missionaries, pastors, and coaches who are experiencing harsh persecution for their representation of the Gospel in hostile regions. Pray for the ongoing spiritual growth and discipleship of (all of us, but especially) the roughly 10,000 SF coaches: believers who are volunteering to reach out to youth in their communities in the name of Jesus. They need all the grace of working with a group of kids and young adults, while seeking to unite and disciple them in the setting of sports. Obviously, competition and pride thrive in this age group and activity, as highly strategic as sport is to connect with so many youth (we’re working with around 240,000 currently, in 14 nations).
We carry on with home school and high school (pray for both!). Cross country and soccer have wrapped up for the season, and we’re ready for a little respite from the flurry of practices/events for five kids. We’ve been enjoying fall-ish activities, though it’s been hovering around 80-90 until this mid-October. Bob is working with the ISS team to be as strategic as possible in his part-time availability to SF right now, as he continues in study, team-building, and participating in local ministry. Mary continues to work the ER once or twice a week. Please pray for the colleagues and patients she interacts with there. Please pray also for her slow but steady Arabic study, and the strength and diligence to be faithful in precisely how God calls her to spend this short time.
As Jesus said, the poor are always with us, the harvest is plentiful but workers are few, and if we seek Him and His kingdom first, everything we need will be added. We are incredibly grateful for you who are partnering with us in this particular work of God’s kingdom. We encourage you still to keep your eyes open for whom and what He places before you as you walk with Him. There is so much opportunity to live the light and love of Messiah in our daily activities. When He prompts you to a new relationship, conversation, act of service, gift to give, or especially the call to spend more of your time simply with Him and listening to Him and doing the work of prayer, we couldn’t encourage you enough to act with an eager yes. He’s always right and always good. Above all, He is always worthy.
Grace and peace to you, our dear friends.
