Bits January

January is vacation time, drought time (we had a couple weeks with little to no running water), and for us, building time. I had a Brazilian in front of the work, but he could not continue; so it has taken up a lot of my time lately. I am really looking forward to finishing the house in the next few months and taking that load off my back. We are also excited about the opportunities the house will allow us to have with ministry. I asked Sarah the other day what we will talk about once the house is built. Of course, we have launched a fundraising campaign for the church building and will hopefully start that soon! Click here to watch the video!

At the beginning of the month I was able to be a speaker for Adventure week at Camp Paradise. I enjoyed going through Colossians chapter 3 with the group and getting to know them. Sarah and the girls stayed back in Arcoverde and it gave me the chance to miss them quite a bit, but also to get to know more of the campers and camp staff. I had some good conversations with one guy named Henrique and my colleague Dan Cook led him to the Lord on the last night. During February we will all go to the Word of Life camp in Recife where I will get another opportunity as a camp speaker. I grew up going to Word of Life camps, so I think I will really enjoy going back in a different country. 

Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday and we are not missing out on the chance for a party. We have invited a few people from the football team to come over. We will have the Bible study before and then watch the game. Pray that they come for the Bible study and not just the game! This month they asked me to give a short devotional before every practice. Here is a picture of the first one.

This next Saturday we will be running a "Big Meeting" for young people from the city. We will have a soccer tournament during the day and a service at night. We are inviting young people from the area churches in hopes that they will invite others as well. 

We love and appreciate you all. Your prayers are evident and sustaining. 

All for HIS glory,

David, a very excited to get a new house Sarah, my big 5 year old who is on her 109th day of homeschool and in addition will start Brazilian kindergarten on Monday, and my little energy ball, into everything almost 2 year old who is just getting a little cough.

So young

I just found out that a college friend, Jack Blevins, passed away from a 4-5 year battle with cancer. Last year another friend from high school passed away as well. Death is cruel. It does not come at our convenience. Mike was a good father and husband and Jack was an amazing person. Both parted in their early thirties, an age way too young to die.

Before I found out the news today I was doing a Bible study on the return of Christ and was able to share about Jack and the hope that he had and the faith it gave him to live life despite the cruelest of circumstances. It struck me once again how the reality of the resurrection of Christ allows us to look forward to a certain time in the future when we will resurrect with Christ and be with God forever. We have hope like no other. The reality of forever with God puts our life in perspective today allowing us not to worry about our present circumstance, hate those wronging us, and not live in fear of whatever is around the corner.

Jack encouraged me often in the last year through humbling comments that left me in awe. Please be in prayer for his wife Cherri as she goes through this time. She took the last few months off from work to spend with him before he departed. She stood by his side, lovingly caring for him while he weakened and his pain strengthened. Praise the Lord that she lives with this same hope that we can all live with as we put our faith in Jesus Christ.