Blessings in Disguise

What are some of the highlights for you during this COVID season? Oh, we know there are plenty of challenges and bad things happening, but as we come out of Thanksgiving and move into Christmas, we wanted to take a few moments to share some of the good things happening:

 

Expansion of our reach.

Between Trauma Healing Trainings and Evangel: School of Church Planting Chad has led online trainings and worked with people representing some 30 people groups and nations. Previously the focus was Los Angeles metro area, but now the focus is truly global.

 

Opportunity to reset and refocus.

We have realigned our priorities better during this season, letting go of some good things that were not as fruitful to allow us to focus on more important things. This season has also been a great teacher for us in balancing self-care and looking outward towards so many big needs socially, spiritually, relationally, and emotionally. It is great to hear and be led by God on when to engage and when to be patient.

 

New ministries and new churches.

This season brought the renewal of a key partnership and the launching of a food ministry which has put us in front of a great problem: ‘How can we effectively reach out to hundreds of Spanish speakers in the community and not only meet their physical needs, but their spiritual needs as well?’ It has been so fun to be part of this ministry both on the ground (distributing the food and praying for 100s of people in their cars during the weekend) and as a coach/consultant (on strategies on how to follow-up and move those hungry for God into a Gospel-community). Please pray for a church to be birthed through this effort!

 

Seeing God’s healing and provision.

Many people around us have had COVID and thankfully the majority have gotten over it, but sadly not all. God’s grace, provision, wisdom, and comfort have been on display throughout. At our church, easily half of the people lost their jobs. It has been beautiful how church members with very little have made sacrifices to provide jobs or resources for their brothers and sisters in Christ even when that meant less food on their own tables. Our family has been taken care of both physically and financially during this time too enabling us to be on the front lines to help with spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial needs.

 

Growing as a family.

We have had more time to engage in the lives of our children in their schooling and create some fun family moments together as we spend more time together at the house.

 

Thank you for your continued support – financially and through prayer and encouragement.

 

We wish your family a wonderful and blessed Christmas celebrating the birth of our amazing King!