Hello, family and friends, December 18, 2021
Carol and I don’t always do this since I send a calendar each month and the 52 Week Plan every Saturday morning, but this year we wanted to let you know some of the high points as well as a few of the struggles we have faced this year. I will try to be brief…really.
This year we welcomed grandchildren #’s 8 and 9. Dave and Jeanne(Lewis) Dahl had #8 – Silas Amyx Dahl (Silas) was born on January 10 in Rochester, MN; and Benedict James Lewis (Ben) was born July 13 in Little Rock, AR, to Paul and Erin Lewis. Both are super special and so fun to be with – when we can get there! Ben was born with a rather serious heart issue, but in God’s mercy, he is now recovering beautifully from his surgery of a month ago.
Carol and I are putting about 3,000 miles a month on our Camry Hybrid (thankful for 45 mpg especially now that gas prices are way up), but the travel is all worth it as we are serving as Pastor of Mission and Ministry at Mt. Bethel Church in Mt. Bethel, PA, in a part time role. We are usually there for 10-12 days a month. Some of those miles are for visiting AR and MN.
The Basic Idea Ministry – Mexico in Queretaro, Mexico, continues to grow in impact and scope as Martin and Mayte Macedo train leaders and lead couples through Intimate Encounters (Spanish version), of course. I will get to visit them early in the new year and train more couples alongside them in 3 cities in Mexico and some leaders in Nicaragua via Zoom. Martin has Latin America on his heart to win people to faith in Jesus and to equip them “to live loved and give love freely…starting at home”.
Local ministry continues with discipleship for some single men, more couples engaged in IE marriage ministry, potential new relationship training for men through Whisper ministry, and in some of the churches where we’ve trained leaders over the last 10-11 years. I am blessed to get to develop long-term friendships with men who’ve worked with us and supported us in finances and prayer for many years. We are also very blessed to be with the good people at Helen First Baptist Church when we are in town.
Carol and I are doing very well. We are thankful for good health and reasonably good energy. Paul just got a new job, and along with Erin and their other three children (17, 15, and 12) they are enjoying their #4 child Ben. Suzanne and Nathan and their four (14, 12, 10, and 7) are going strong and playing lots of music. She also just started a part time interim job. Jeanne, her husband Dave, and Silas are braving the cold of MN and loving life. We are so blessed with each of these wonderful family members, though we are not without challenges along the way. God is faithful.
Please pray for increased impact on individuals and families in this new year of 2022. We have been sustained and blessed with more than adequate resources to do what God has called us to do. We continue to eat, wear clothes, and live indoors. That sounds scriptural doesn’t it! Carol and I hope your Christmas focus is on our Savior Jesus, the glory of God our Father, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit living inside believers…we pray that is true of you and yours!
God bless you, Dave and Carol