It has been a while since our last update! I like to send these out once or twice a month, but we have been very busy and overwhelmed lately. Ready? Here I go . . . .
1. Our son, Tyler, left home earlier this month. I don't want to say that I kicked him out, but he was not honoring the rules we have set up for our household so I gave him his walking papers. Please pray that the Lord will grip his heart and he will be restored to a love-relationship with Him. He's not a "bad" kid. But he is, by his own admission, "walking on his own and just having some fun, even if God says otherwise." We think he is in Anchorage, but we only hear from him occasionally. He doesn't have a job, or car, or permanent home. As I write this rather matter-of-factly" my heart aches for him. This helps me understand in some feeble way how the Lord ached as he turned from His Son and allowed him to die for you and me. I'm not at all trying to spiritualize a situation in our life . . .I'm just saying now that I think I understand better.
2. Chelsie and I have butted heads a few times as well this month. But we are doing pretty good right now. Sort of the "immovable object meeting the irresistible force" situation. Please pray for me, that I will be patient and more willing to hear her side.
3. I have been in bed for three days now with some sort of flu-bug. Fever broke yesterday afternoon-Thank you Lord!.
4. We have been in 7 villages in the past three months and I will be traveling to a retreat center near Russian Mission Alaska in October. I will also be working with school kids coming to Kenai for some career exploration. I will be one of the house parents for 2 - two week phases. This isn't an ABM activity per se. This training may open the door to me assisting in school districts in villages. But I am hoping to familiarize myself with some of the school teachers in the villages, some of whom are Christians and who need ABM's encouraging support just like the pastors or missionaries. I can think of several villages where there are Christian school teachers but no gospel witness.
5. Kris will be going to the lower 48 in October, visiting family and sharing about our ministry. She will be in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois from October 10 - 28. Please pray for this time for her with her family, and that she will make additional contacts for our support. Let me know if you would like specifics on where she will be and when.
6. Arctic Barnabas Ministries 3rd annual Ministry Family Retreat is coming up, September 30 - Oct 3rd. Jerry Bridges (yep, the Navigators Guy, author of Pursuit of Holiness) will be the main speaker and Kris and the ladies have some exciting things in store for the missionary wives. It's looking like it will be our largest retreat yet. As I write this, I just can't believe that it's our THIRD one!
7. Kris, Cassie and I have been in 4 of our supporting churches (local to us here in Alaska, that is!) over the past 4 Sundays! Our visits were precious and enjoyable. It is always good to reconnect with our Partners and bring them an update of what is happening with ABM. However, we are ANXIOUSLY looking forward to this coming Sunday and being back in our home church! God has given us a wonderful church family and we miss them when we are visiting.
So, maybe this short one will get us back on track again, huh? I don't mid telling you that I struggle at times. When I'm out in a village everything is fine. But when I'm back on the administrative side of things it's easier for me to not think of this as part of my ministry and start to feel un-productive. Also, problems we have had in our own family have left Kris and I emotionally drained at times. We KNOW that we are able to keep going because of folks like you who are praying for us-THANK YOU!
There or in the air!
Gary
