NTM

Well, it is January 27th, just barely, and we are basically packed for the return to Sanford.  We just have to load up the van, wash some floors, eat breakfast, and hit the road.  We are hoping to be on the road by 9 am and planning to be somewhere in Pennsylvania by supper time (6pm).

Unfortunately our arrival in Pennsylvania is going to coincide with the arrival of an apparently nasty winter storm with 6-9 inches of snow predicted for Wednesday, January 28th, in the area we are likely to be in.  This may mean that we will stay an extra night in Pennsylvania and delay our return to Sanford until Friday.  Please pray that we will make wise decisions as we travel.  We are ready to be home, but we want to make sure we make it.

Well, we’ve been in NH almost 3 months and I have had enough snow and cold!  This past week the temperature was from the low teens to thirty below.  That is cold.  Today we are having another big (6+ inches) snow storm.  It’s quite enough.  I’ve had enough shoveling!

We spent yesterday (Saturday, January 17th) at West Paris Baptist Church in West Paris, Maine, for a 40th anniversary party for Alice’s parents, John and Mary Jane Ames.  Their anniversary is actually in May, but having the party now, while the Tignor’s (Alice’s sister’s family) and we are in the area, seemed like the best idea.  The Tignor’s are missionary’s to Ecuador with Baptist Bible Fellowship and home on furlough.  It was wonderful that Mary Jane is healthy enough to enjoy the party and fellowship with the ~130 people who came to the party.  It was a good time for all.  Thank you for praying for Alice’s mom as she is doing well enough for us to return to Florida.

We are planning to begin our return on January 27th and, depending on weather, arrive the evening of the 29th.  Please pray for good weather during this time, and continue to pray for Mary Jane as she still has revovering to do and needs help around the house.  She and John also need rides as they do not have a car, and we are encouraging them not to buy one.

Again thanks for your prayers.

First of all, thanks for your love, support, and encouragement over the past year.  There were many good times this past year and some difficult ones as well.  Many times I wonder how people who do not know the Lord get through the difficulties that come up in everyday lives.

We are about one and a half year’s into our 4 year Associate commitment to NTM, and, to be honest, it seems like more should have been accomplished.  It has been awesome to see how God has met our needs through His people.  We are still well below our recommended support level, yet have not really had to dip into our savings.  We still plan to try to do some partnership development in Florida, and were just getting ready to start when we had to return to New Hampshire to help out Alice’s parents.  So continue to pray for wisdom and desire to contact churches and individuals in Florida when we return home.  We still desire to remain with NTM after our 4 year commitment, but will definitely need to improve our financial support for this to happen.  I am finally learning how to network and now need to learn how to take advantage of my personal and professional networks to get to that goal.

Alice’s mother is doing well enough, that we still plan to return to Florida the last week in January.  It will be nice to get back and will certainly increase my productivity as it is much easier to focus at the office than at home.

My goal for the year is to complete the Gravity project and to accomplish that I will need to improve my web development skills.

Thanks again for your support and happy new year!