We have been a part of three Missions Conferences in the past couple of weeks. One thing that stuck out to me and each church was those who have been Faithful. Over the 23 years we have been in Missions those who have stayed the course through all the bumps and bruises. One lady remembered when we first came to her church, she said, we were such an encouragement to her. I said, seeing you here today 20 years later THAT is an encouragement to me. I remember our kids looking up to some of the Pastor's kids and them taking our kids under their wings for the week. I saw my son do that this past week to the Pastor's sons children. To watch people's families grow and blossom in the church over the years is so rewarding. Most people don't get to visit the many different churches we are in. The relationships we have acquired. Sometimes I don't like traveling, it gets weary, but THEN, encouragement comes. I think back to the time we met those families, the dinners in homes, the friendship acquired and then the traveling doesn't seem so inconvenient. How soon we forget. Like the children of Israel. They forgot all what the Lord has done for them. You just crossed the Red Sea, Hello? We are just like that, we forget the blessing of God in our lives. I wish I had a picture for everyone whose crossed our path over the years. My photo album who be busting at the seams.
On another note: I am super excited. It took us over 13 weeks, but we finished Discipleship. We had Christmas/New Year and a day of not feeling so good, but we made it. I have enjoyed going over the book "Continue" by Paul Chapel. I have seen her grow as she learns more about Christ and her faith. Her and her husband were invited to "Friend Day" by someone in our church, maybe two years ago, they came, got saved and baptized. We were in Africa at this time but soon came home on a short furlough and met them, and we became friends. We then went back to Africa and now a year later they are still in church and growing. She asked me if I would do a Bible Study with her and we got together once a week and went through discipleship.
