| To all of my friends and supporters,
First of all, let me encourage you by sharing that God continues to do wonderful, exciting, and miraculous things through the ministry here at Christian Life Center. Our mission statement is to “fight despair and ignite hope with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ,” and it has been amazing to watch God put the pieces into place as He creates His vision for the ministry of CLC. To get you up-to-date, the ministry here in Waveland is now two-fold. The first aspect of the ministry is to continue the relief work, focused on rebuilding the homes and lives of Waveland and Bay St. Louis, MS. Two and one half years after Hurricane Katrina, there is still much work to be done. Our ministry alone has over two hundred families on our list for assistance, and more people walk through the front door each day. Four months ago Mark and Melissa Young arrived in Waveland to help facilitate this aspect of the ministry. Mark is a pastor of the C&MA and now serves as director of Christian Life Center, overseeing the relief work and initiating programs to facilitate community development. In the past six months, Christian Life Center has also opened a thrift store, which has become not only a valuable source of income for the rebuilding efforts, but has become a valuable resource of much needed (and affordable) items for the people of the community. Last month, another couple, David and Donna Cornelius, arrived for the purpose of focusing on the other aspect of the ministry. Their role here in Waveland is to focus on developing a church plant. Our tiny church plant is growing, and it is exciting to see such great fruit as God uses Christian Life Center to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of the people of Waveland and Bay Saint Louis.
Our staff has had an another exciting addition, who also happens to be my fiancé. Heather Lang has completed 3 years of school at Moody Bible Institute, and is completing her ministry internship for school in Waveland this spring, serving as our Community Assistance Coordinator. Currently, her responsibilities at CLC are to develop a women’s bible study, act as our front door receptionist, assist with various front office duties, and various counseling responsibilities in the community as well.
As many of you know, I have transitioned to serving part time at CLC, handling volunteer coordinating and as always, any additional tasks that may need to be done. Through seeking out the Lord’s guidance few months ago, I felt He was leading me to go Bible School, more specifically, the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL. With that in mind I purchased three correspondence courses through the Moody Distance Learning program and reduced my work hours a few months ago to begin those studies. At that time, my pay at CLC was also reduced to part time, and I began raising my own funds so I could continue to serve here in Waveland.
Heather and I are finishing preparations and we have about 5 weeks before our wedding day on April 5. We are both very excited about joining as one to serve the Lord together with our lives. Following the wedding and honeymoon, Heather and I plan to continue serving here in Waveland until August. From here we will move to Chicago so I can begin preparing for full time missions work at the Moody Bible Institute (where Heather will also be finishing her degree).
Excitedly, however, our involvement in Waveland will not end when we leave here demographically. Just last week I was offered the opportunity to continue my role with Christian Life Center as the volunteer coordinator even when we are transplanted to Chicago in August of 2008. The great thing about my primary duties in Waveland is that they are done through the internet or over the phone. As I would have to get a part time job in Chicago during school anyway – CLC has decided to let me continue with my current duties from a distance. PRAISE GOD!!! I am thrilled to be able to continue to be a part of this ministry – it’s going to be difficult to leave the ministry and the people of Waveland, but I am excited to be able to continue to support the ministry from afar.
PRAYER AND FINANCIAL NEEDS
Our prayer needs are simple, but essential. As Heather and I enter into our first year of marriage together, we will be spending the first 4 months continuing in full-time ministry here at Christian Life Center, and the following year we will both be full-time students working part-time jobs. We would ask that you please pray for our upcoming marriage, and that in the busy life of ministry and school we would have focused time to grow in our relationship with each other and our relationships with the Lord. Please also pray for our finances, and that God would continue provide for us, and that we would be wise stewards of that with which He has already entrusted us. Please also continue to pray for the ministry of Christian Life Center and the church plant that is part of the ministry here; that the people of Waveland and Bay St. Louis would continue to grow closer to God, and that we would continue to see God’s hand in the restored hope and life of the communities which were so devastated by Hurricane Katrina. I have seen countless lives changed because of God’s work through the ministry of CLC – and as far as I’m concerned, this is the most exciting thing about serving God – He’s capable of ANYTHING and you never know whose life He is going to transform next. What a blessing to work for His Kingdom!
As I mentioned above – God has sustained me and I have been truly blessed over the last 2 years here in Waveland, and I want to thank each and every one of you for the parts you’ve played in that, whether it be through financial support, your faithful prayers, or through your friendship and encouragement. Looking toward the months ahead, I have no doubt that as Heather and I continue to follow God’s leading, God will continue to provide. However, at this point, it looks as though I am going to be about $4,000 short for support over the next 6 months (taking into account those already supporting me). Although I have been able to sustain my living expenses to this point, if I am unable to raise the additional support that has been lacking over the last 6 months, I will not have the finances to begin school when needed. In order to go into the mission field immediately following our education at Moody (which is the calling we are sensing at this point in time, and the plan of action we have in place), we will need to graduate without any debt. Obviously, I will continue to work 20 to 30 hours per week to help offset these costs, but in order to graduate debt free, I will need to continue raising support, as my work here in Mississippi has prevented me from being able to save any money toward my education for the past 2 ½ years.
From a financial standpoint – you can support me one of two ways: 1. one time donation or 2. Monthly donation – I know it seems like a little doesn’t help, but if 25 people supported me with $25 per month – that would cover the deficit. (If you would like to support me as I continue my ministry here and at school, please contact me for more information on how to do that).
Thank you for all of your prayer and support as I continue down this path that God has set before me. Heather and I often reflect and marvel – “who would have thought it?” 2½ years ago, I was working as a loan officer, living in financial stability and comfort as I sought the Lord for His will, and now I find myself right in the middle of His plan; in Waveland, Mississippi reflecting on 2 ½ of the most challenging and miraculous years of my life, preparing to begin Bible School full-time at 30 years of age totally dependent on God for everything in my life (Proverbs 3:5-6). “Who would have thought it?” I wouldn’t have it any other way.
PS. I know that this letter is both long and long overdue. My goal through the next 6 months is to send much smaller updates out every 2 to 4 weeks. |
