Happy New Year

Greetings, faithful readers, in the name of Jesus! Yesterday, I arrived with Yamilka back in the Dominican Republic. It was a rainy day, but a most pleasant one at that, considering the tropical temperatures of about 75F.  We are praising God for the wonderful time in Canada with family, friends, and supporters! Time there seemed to go so quickly, and I was sad and excited at the same time. I was sad to say good-bye to my precious family, whom I love dearly, but excited to return to the Dominican Republic with my fiancé Yamilka to continue to teach, train, and prepare Christ's church.

It was a blessed time in Canada, and I feel refreshed and rejuvenated. 2011 will be an exciting new year of God's blessings, advances in the Kingdom of God, strategies for growth and training, plans for the future (and an upcoming wedding!), and sharing with the precious believers here in Nagua.

My prayers for you this year is that you may grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are two key aspects to this prayer:

1. Grace: May He grant you grace that calls us to relationship with God and extends to us phenomenal, divine favour through Jesus Christ to BE victorious, sanctified disciples, and to MAKE disciples of all nations. This is your call, and it is sure and exciting. It is by grace through faith in Christ that you are saved, and it is by God's continued grace that we can walk with Him every day looking forward to our goal as Christians: our final, eternal, and glorious redemption in heaven with Jesus.
2. Knowledge: May He grant you great desire to know Him better, in a deep, intimate, experiential way. May you pursue this relationship with Him through diligent study of the Word, prayer, obedience, worship, and fellowship. In doing this you will shine brighter than ever before as a light in this world for Jesus, and you will give off in greater measure the sweet fragrance of Jesus Christ. As you know Him more, you are changed more and more by the Spirit to be like Him. This is the desire of the Father for you.

I would ask you to please pray for the following important items this year:

• For myself and my ministry partners and pastors, the Thomases and Larsons, as we work to expand the pastoral teaching, training, and church construction projects to additional needy areas.
• For the Integral Worship training series, as it is developed further to strengthen the churches in this needed area of teaching.
• For the Dominican leaders we are training to help with the teaching, training, and administration of the ministry here.
• For Yamilka and myself as we prepare for our wedding towards the end of this year and our future life together!
• For strength, provision, protection, health and steadfastness of all of us missionaries here in the Dominican Republic.

Thank-you for your prayers and support! May God bless you as you start this new year!