Those words through the prophet Isaiah describe well our experience over the last few weeks. Though fully vaccinated and in reasonably good health, both Mary Alice and I fell sick with Covid during our most recent mission retreat in New Mexico.
Immediately, plans were changed, certain meetings canceled. and we embarked on the unfamiliar path of Covid recovery. Yet, at each step, God's faithful guidance and provision have brought encouragement to our hearts and renewed health to our bodies. Though presently in quarantaine at a family home in Missouri, we hope to resume our itinerary later this next week.
In a moment of reflection, Mary Alice penned the following words in gratitude to God for those who have so graciously ministered to us in recent days:
By your Spirit and the precious acts of your godly ones,
each in their own place and gifting of service,
You bring holy, tangible expressions of your person.
This not only changes water into wine, satisfying our present need,
but also calls us forward to serve in our place of calling.
May you be blessed forever in the assembly of the godly!
Our precious Saviour, Spirit, God, the great Three-in-One.
Next on our itinerary is a visit with friends and supporters at First Evangelical Church in Memphis, Tennessee (May 12-16). This is a special privilege, as my dad served this church as Sr. Pastor from 1969-1982 (see picture to right).
Recently, First Evan has been prayerfully reflecting on how to reach the increasingly ethnically diverse community of their metropolitan area. On Saturday, May 14, I'll have the joy of teaching a seminar on this topic based on my book God's New Humanity: A Biblical Theology of Multiethnicity for the Church. I'll also be preaching on that same topic on Sunday morning, May 15.
Would you join in prayer with us for these two opportunities to encourage the church in responding to God's heart for the nations of the world?
I'm very thankful that the book project I've been working on over the last several years will be released in the coming weeks.
This book, Life with a Limp: Discovering God's Purpose in Your Pain, is all about walking and growing through suffering. In it I recount our own experience of the accidental death of our first-born son, Jonathan, in 2004. But far more than that, this volume provides a robust, biblical reflection on such questions as:
How do I handle my grief?
How can I grow through suffering?
How do I reconcile suffering with belief in an all-good God?
Do all things really work together for good to those who love God?
Following the example of the biblical poets and prophets, this volume is a form of prayer, a quest carried out on the knees as much as in the head. My prayer is that this reflection will also help others who are seeking to understand their own suffering in the light of God’s infinite goodness and wise, loving sovereignty.
If you would like to read more about Life with a Limp and what others are saying, click here or on the book cover.
Details regarding purchase and date of publication will be included in our next update.
Finally, on this Mother's Day, 2022, Mary Alice and I give thanks for the gift of life that finds its true source in the Word of Life, Jesus Christ. He alone is sufficient for our every need and worthy of our total trust!
In grace,
David and Mary Alice
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