Dear Pastors and Praying Friends,
God is so good to us as Christians. He has given us a home in Heaven for eternity and the opportunity to live for Him here on this earth. All this was given as a result of our simple faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. What a life-changing decision this was for each of us! We should always be seeking to share with others how God can do the same thing for them. Psalm 16:11 states, УThou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.Ф What a blessing! God gives us the path of life to walk in, His presence to guide and sustain us, and His pleasures to enjoy from now until eternity. What more can we possibly ask for?
And miles to go before we sleep:
We thank the Lord for blessed meetings in Maryland, Georgia, Rhode Island, Virginia, and North Carolina in January and the beginning of February. There was a great spirit in the meetings with some of the churches partnering with us and others promising consideration for support in the near future. On our trip to New England, Josiah added 4 new states to his list of places been (16 states in total). Pretty good travel log for a 5-month-old. He is developing quite a personality and is working on some teeth. We are amazed at the new things he figures out every day. The time has gone by so quickly.
Thank you for your prayers for our safety and spiritual well-being. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is watching over us. One afternoon in January as we were traveling through Ohio, our car spun off the icy road and into the median. Praise the Lord that we are okay and that our car was not damaged. Praise God for those who are faithfully praying for us!
Blessings:
We recently learned that a loved one we had been praying for came to know the Lord as personal Savior. It is exciting to see God answer prayer and encouraging as we continue to pray for the salvation of lost family members and friends.
Our new web-site is finally completed. Also, the new prayer cards (with Josiah included) are ready to go.
As I was preparing our schedule for a Sunday in February, I realized that we had an open Sunday morning. The Lord laid on my heart a pastor in the area that we had been with nearly a year ago. I called him and we made plans to be at his church during that time. When we arrived, the pastor testified that he had been praying over our prayer card just a little while before I called. He felt the Lord was confirming in his mind the need to partner with us for support. Thank the Lord for His perfect plan and how He directs our footsteps.
Support Update:
The Lord continues to shower us with His blessings. On our January statement, we were excited to see 6 more supporting churches and 1 new family supporting us. We have seen God supplying money for our travel and set-up expenses and are so thankful for those who have sacrificially given. As we see God working, we are more eager every day to get to Perъ and begin the work God has called us to. During our time of deputation, the dollar has continued to decrease in value in Perъ. Because of this, Macedonia has suggested that we raise some additional support. We ask you to pray for 20 more supporting churches. We hope to be in Perъ as early as April and are assured that God is working on our behalf in getting us there.
Resting in Him,
Robert, Sara, and Josiah Stover