Friday, December 20, 2013

Closing Out for 2013 and Looking Forward to 2014!!

Wow - 2013 has flown by!  We have been a busy family and ministry!  Life has surely changed for us over the last few months.....the biggest being my decision to follow the Lord's leading to leave my full-time job and stay home to homeschool Courtney, currently in the 9th grade.  I could probably write 10 or more pages just about that adventure, but I won't bore you with the details.  It was definitely a calling from the Lord and is something I will always cherish and never regret - even on the tough days.  (Please feel free to email me if you have any specific questions on the homeschooling.  I'd love to chat with anyone who is further interested.)

Since the last blog posting of Dean's article with The Independent Weekly, we have ministered at the NC Pride Parade in Durham, continued with jail ministry with Bull City Outreach Ministries, continued weekend food distributions to needy families in the area, participated in the Stem Christmas parade (where "Jesus" was escorted up to the front of the parade line up to remind everyone of the real reason for the season), continued weekly Bible study/fellowship in our home, and joined a new, local, in-home, women's Bible study where we learned to "say YES to God" (Lysa Terkeurst video study).

This afternoon/evening is our next outreach.  We will be taking gift baskets and individual food boxes to each resident of Morning Glory Apartments in Butner (the elderly apartment complex).  We will also sing some Christ-focused Christmas carols to them.  All of these residents are older people who live alone, and we always want them to know that we are available to serve them with anything they need.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

I would like to thank three special donors that have made these gift baskets possible.  One will not allow me to mention his name, the other has never told me not to, so thank you Minette, and the last, but definitely not least, is Dean's mom, Marcia.  She is a vital part of our ministry in many aspects and is a faithful monthly donor.  Without her, we wouldn't be able to do half of the outreach activities that we do.





The cooler weather always leaves less time for outdoor ministry, and more time for introspection and growing closer to the Lord as we brainstorm for next year.  The last few months have seen some major spiritual battles with all members of our ministry group.  But we have held onto our hope, encouraged one another, and grown stronger through it all.  We "consider it all joy" and look forward to 2014 and what the Lord has in store for each of us as we continue to serve Him and follow the Spirit's leading.

Please continue to pray for us.  I hope to be able to update the blog soon with upcoming 2014 events.

Loving Radically Through Christ,

Melissa

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