Dear Church,
Thank you for taking time to read this letter and pray for our work here in Astoria. It is a privilege to labor together with you in the ministry. We are so grateful for your continued support as the economy under the current administration has presented us all with challenges we would rather not face. I’m so glad that in my Father’s house there are many mansions!
Several months ago, I shared a story about a man with a burden for his son. I met the man at a preacher’s fellowship, and he pleaded with me to get in touch with his son that I might share Christ with him. The next day, the man was so excited to tell me that I had already met his son. He began describing him to me and I realized we had, in fact met, the previous Sunday when I preached at the retirement home where he worked. The father was elated about the Lord’s timing and so was I.
Skipping forward to September… There is an elderly man who has been visiting Anchor Baptist Church for almost one year. We pick him up from this retirement home whenever he can make it. The man seems to understand Bible things at a very basic level and doesn’t talk a whole lot. I have certainly given a clear presentation of the gospel many times, but the man has never responded. I never have pressed the issue trusting the Holy Spirit to work in God’s time. Well, several weeks ago I went to visit on a Saturday. I sat down with this man and began to share the Gospel with a large print Bible opened on the desk.
Backing up a bit… Do you remember the man who was praying for his son? That son was standing right there working at the retirement home while I spoke with the resident. I went very carefully and deliberately through the Gospel of Jesus Christ while both men listened. The elderly man bowed his head and confessed Jesus as Lord, believing that God had raised him from the dead!
A week or two later, the father of this son called me to see how things were going and to share some news with me. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the young man who overheard me share the gospel had already visited his father a few weeks prior. During that trip, the father shared the message of salvation with his son and pleaded with him to trust Christ. This brother, overjoyed on the phone, told me how his son had trusted Jesus as Saviour. Praise the LORD! The young man never offered this information to me while I was there so I will do all I can to determine his understanding in the days and weeks ahead.
Through all of this, the Lord is building my confidence in the truth that He is working at all times behind the scenes and in ways we cannot imagine. Pray that God helps us to remain steadfast. Most of the family was sick with respiratory illness recently so please pray for good health. We still need signs on the side of our trailer so we can park it at the Shilo Inn. There are also some printing needs we have if your church would like to help out with an extra project. There is lots to do and many souls to reach. Thank you for reading, praying, and supporting the work here in Astoria!