Sunday, October 23, 2011

Search and Rescue And Dancing With Jesus and Grace

Below is our October 2011 Newsletter.

Please click on page- it will come up in a new window. If you will then click on that again it will enlarge so that you can read it!
For some reason it is not wanting to enlarge so the content of newsletter is below picture of newsletter
(will I ever get this computer stuff figured out????)

God continues to amaze us with His delightful  and unusual ways of using His children - Hope you will enjoy reading a few of those unique encounters.


Search and Rescue


   Labor Day Mary and I decided to take the day off and drive up to Cordova Pass at 11743 ft. elevation. This pass is closed because of snow more than it is open. Here you are in the shadow of the Spanish Peaks and the view is spectacular. Soon after beginning a short hike we heard a Sheriff’s deputy calling someone’s name. Wondering if we could be of help we circled back and met up with the deputy. He had determined the lost man was somewhere out on a ridge off to the right. We found out the lost man’s name (Tim) and said we would take the top of the ridge and try to intercept him. Without going into all the details, Mary and I found Tim out on the ridge. We chatted for a bit and then began leading him out of the woods. We soon met up with the deputy who had gotten a little turned around. On the way out Mary and I each asked Tim if he had been doing any praying while he was lost. We were hoping this would open up some conversation. Each time Tim just said “no”.
    As we were coming out a deputy who does Search and Rescue showed up with a 4 wheeler. We made it back to the cars and the 2 deputies, Tim, and Mary and I were standing around talking. The deputies told Tim how “lucky” he was to have been found and brought to safety so quickly. They assured him they would have found him, but also explained that they have never had it happen so quickly.
As we talked, Tim turned to me and said “you know when you asked me if I was praying and I told you no. Well I want to tell you that I had a peace about the situation out there.” Mary interjected “well we were praying for you”. Tim went on to tell how when he has been in the area before, his cell phone has never worked, BUT it did today. It seemed to me like a great time to give thanks to God and I asked them if they would mind me praying with them. No one objected so we stood in the parking area of Cordova Pass and thanked God for His provision and care that day.
    It is moments like that and many other situations that make InFaith a great name for our mission and what we do.



Dancing With Jesus and Grace
     
   “Grace”  has End Stage Alzheimer’s/Dementia and on my prior visits I have wondered if any ministry was actually taking place. But today we found “Grace” in her room and asked her about her pictures. You can’t understand most of what she is trying to say. Grace likes to hum and as we stood talking to her she began to hum. Mary listened close to try to figure out what she was humming. Being unsuccessful, Mary asked if she could sing Amazing Grace. She smiled. As Mary sang that and several other songs Grace took our hands and swayed with the music and smiled the biggest smile. That day there was no doubt that Jesus was in the midst of that room ministering to Grace.
   We walked across the street to see “Joy”. As she came to the door and saw us she exclaimed “God sent you when I really needed you”! Not only has she lost her husband this year, but last month her sister who raised her passed and she was having a really rough day. For the next couple of hours we encouraged her with God’s words to us to comfort and strengthen us in times like this. We also talked about how He uses these situations in our lives to stretch us and equip us for what He has ahead of us.

Same Mission– New Name
 
  The mission we serve with, which has been known in the past as The First Day Society, The Adult and Sunday School Union, The American Sunday School Union, and (most recently) American Missionary Fellowship, has changed its name to InFaith.  As missionaries, we walk in faith daily, depending on the Lord to meet all our needs, and to place us exactly where He desires to use us each moment as we serve Him right here in the United States.
  InFaith missionaries are called to a variety of ministries around the nation, but we are all united in our faith in Christ and our desire to tell others about Him. In changing our name, we have not changed our core theology, our day-to-day ministry, or our focus on the United States. We have simply changed the way we present ourselves publicly, in the hope that we can better communicate what we do as a mission.

Thank you for being such a vital part of this ministry with your prayers and support! We are so blessed to have you as part of the team!