I am thankful for ministry partnerships where we can join in on what the Lord is doing through the Body of Christ. I just got off the phone with a fellow at Samaritan’s Purse’s Canadian Response Centre in Calgary, where they are looking to get more supplies to First Nations people in remote communities of Canada. These Community Preparedness Kits are being distributed in partnership with ministries that work with First Nations groups.The kits contain items like hand sanitizer, masks, gloves and other supplies to help protect people against the pandemic.
An important aspect of these kits includes a resource that explains the Gospel message, and that is where GoodSeed comes into the picture.
Another 5 cases of The Story that Matters heading to remote northern communities. Sending along the Gospel Message
Along with these medical and sanitation supplies, Samaritan’s Purse wanted to include a resource to explain the Gospel, so they approached us here at GoodSeed to see what we could supply. The Story that Matters is a short Creation-to-Christ explanation of God’s plan of salvation, and Samaritan’s Purse has already distributed 500 copies of this book in this outreach effort and will be sending another 500 out soon. They plan to send out more of these kits as they receive donations to help pay for the supplies.
Please pray with us that these evangelism booklets will have an impact on the lives of those who receive them.
Watching our church’s Sunday morning live stream has certainly made for a different Sunday routine. One of the nice changes is we have made time to have a big breakfast together on Sunday mornings. This past week that coincided with Mother’s Day, so it was the kids’ turn to make breakfast – french toast and sausage.
In January we shared some of our plans for 2020, knowing full well they may not happen. At the time, I (Troy) was closely watching events unfold in China and knew that if it broke out around the world, then my wife and children likely would not be able to travel to the other side the world. Even now, like so many people, we are unsure if ANY of our plans for the year will materialize.
Now, with COVID-19 here, like everyone else in the world we are trying to keep up with rapidly unfolding history.
Things we are thankful for:
Flexibility in schooling: We were able to pull our kids from school early as their curriculum is easily transferred to a homeschool environment. Naomi was already homeschooling a couple kids to a certain degree, so shifting to full-time with all three wasn’t a big adjustment.
Flexibility at work: While practicing social distancing, we are still going to the office (sometimes bringing the kids too), while our other co-workers work from home. This way, we can continue to ship evangelism and discipleship resources out and keep other parts of the ministry going.
Family: Spending lots of extra time together, and we pray it will be a positive experience.
Sharing Hope in Uncertain Days
In these uncertain times, as we watch people at all levels of society struggle to cope with the fallout from COVID-19, we want to do all we can to help you present hope and answers to those around you. Many people who were resistant or indifferent to the Gospel before are suddenly much more receptive at this time. Let’s be ready to provide the answers to those who are seeking.
First of all, please do take advantage of the many e-books we have on our website, available in many languages as well. These are great to send electronically to friends near and far. We don’t want financial considerations to limit your ability to reach out to those who need it, so please utilize the code GOODSEEDFREE if you need to.
Also, the VideoBook for The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus is available for free viewing on our website. While great for personal study, this course would also be ideal for online Bible studies or Sunday school classes. Churches may wish to utilize this course for taking their congregations through an overview of the Gospel.
When all is said and done, may we be known for the love we have shown and the hope that we have offered as believers during this incredible time.
Baptism
A few weeks ago, Ethan took a step of faith and was baptized. He had wanted to do it last year when his sister was being baptized, but he broke his arm just days before. We are thankful that we were able to do this before our church was closed.
Ethan was really nervous but our pastor was great and really helped Ethan feel at ease. Some of his friends cheered when he went on stage. He shared a bit of his testimony and his grandfather shared a few words too. Ethan said that when he went under the water it was so quiet and then coming out of the water he heard people applauding and cheering. It was a very special day.
Birthday
Last week we also celebrated a birthday in our house. Ellie turned 15. Fifteen!
Our party was a bit smaller because of the ol’ social distancing thing, and we had to delay our usual family birthday adventure, but had a good time at home as a family. We’re thankful for this young woman and the joy she brings into our lives.
Lastly, I thought I would share a letter from my home church in Sackville, New Brunswick, which we thought was very well-written to address some of the issues Christians now find themselves facing. May it encourage you as well.
Thank you for praying for us. May God bless you and keep you safe!
Troy, on behalf of us all
“I sat down to write this letter a few times this week, and each time I did, the next day brought news that changed things for us as a church and for the people we love and live with. You know that we are living in unique days. Some of our people remember epidemics from the past, but now we have more information and disinformation than ever before. We want to know what is happening and some of us are anxious over what is happening. It is vital that we think through this situation and our lives with courage and wisdom.
1. We will remember that God is still God, and we choose to trust in Him and not fear.
Many Scripture passages instruct us not to fear. We all know that there are some healthy fears – like not running around on the highway – and there are destructive fears, like being anxious about tomorrow (Matthew 6: 25-34). It is easy to be at rest when things seem to be under control, but the rest God wants to give our souls is His peace in the middle of challenging circumstances. Our help comes from the Lord (Psalm 121). We are called to be still and remember that HE is God (Psalm 46:10). He has promised never to leave us, and He will help us (Hebrews 13:6). No matter what comes, we know that God is FOR us and loves us (Romans 8: 31-39). The righteous is not afraid of bad news; he trusts in God (Psalm 112:6-7). God is still sovereign over viruses. He is faithful and kind. We must preach these truths to our hearts in this time.
2. We will be compassionate with those who are affected.
Faith does not negate mourning or sadness in this life. Our trust in God does not mean that we always understand what is happening. So, as we trust God, we will remember our humanity and not ridicule those who are upset in ways we may not be. We cannot say “It’s not a big deal”, or “It will all work out” because we do not know. It is possible that people we love will get sick and even might die from this virus, and we will be called to mourn them while hoping in God.
3. We will neither become news-addicts, nor news-ignorers.
God has given us opportunities to be aware of the world around us so we can pray and prepare. From our government and other places, we can get real facts about what is happening and what we can do to mitigate our exposure. We are told to wash our hands well, use hand sanitizer, and not touch our faces. We may be told that we cannot congregate for a time. We will not look at the government as either our Saviour or our enemy. We will seek to obey and trust our authorities in every way that does not specifically violate Scripture.
4. We will continue to minister well in all the ways we can. In doing so, we will seek to both love well and lay down our lives for others, and for the gospel.
There seems to be two parts of this. The first is loving our neighbours well. This means that we stay home if we are feeling ill, are frail, or have been exposed. It means that we cannot shake hands for a while and that we might need to stand away from people we care about. Those actions of love are attempts to keep our loved ones and others as safe as possible. But love also means that we check on our neighbours and friends and seek out ways to help them. We might need to do grocery shopping or get meds or help walk their dogs.
Love also means laying down our lives for others. Christians throughout the centuries have, because of their hope in the gospel and the resurrection of the dead, run in where others are scared and running away. Some of us might be called to dedicate ourselves to the care of one ill person or family and isolate ourselves with them if our hospitals are over-run with patients. All of us will have to reach out by phone or other means to care for others. Isolation is not an excuse to think only of ourselves.
5. We will look for ways that God is using this unique chapter in human history to cause people to see the insufficiency of what they are trusting in, and point people to the gospel.
It has been interesting to watch as things we thought “would never be moved” suddenly are shaken. What we have treasured and put our security in – economic systems, scientific breakthroughs, sports and entertainment, control and power, ease and comfort – have all been radically challenged by the impact of this virus. People are feeling vulnerable in ways that they have not often felt. God is using this time to point people to the brevity of life for all of us at all times, and the need we have to find our salvation in the cross of Jesus Christ. We will look for ways to point people to Jesus, the one who saves the repentant sinner and gives him or her an undeserved destiny with Him forever, because of His grace.”
This past weekend we were involved in an evangelistic retreat. Attendees received ten hours of Bible instruction, going from Creation to the Cross, exploring God’s plan of salvation and how Jesus fulfilled that plan. This was all done in an objective, non arm-twisting way, simply laying out what the Scriptures say. During the teaching everyone went through GoodSeed’s new booklets in the No Ordinary Story series, where they read hundreds of Bible verses explained in context.
There were 77 adults and teens and 25 children aged 6-11 who were there for these Gospel presentations. Around half of the adults in attendance were not believers, many having never been to church before. We are still in the process of collecting feedback from various sources, though we know that a number of lives were eternally changed over the weekend. One young woman who was purchasing a Bible told me that the weekend was “life-changing!” Another gentleman talked to Naomi and repeatedly exclaimed his appreciation and said it has really helped him understand the Bible.
Naomi assisted in the reading of the material being taught, Troy helped with sound and tech, Ellie attended the seminar with a friend who had been invited, Adelaine helped in the nursery, and Ethan was a helper with the children’s program. It was a very busy two and a half days!
Thank you for your prayers for this important event. We trust that many lives were indeed changed for eternity.
Birthday!
In family news, today happens to be Naomi’s birthday!
I’m so thankful for this young lady. We were able to sneak out and enjoyed a nice lunch together.
Here in Alberta we are coming up to the Family Day long weekend. For the third year in a row, we will be attending an evangelistic retreat at a local Christian camp. This retreat, called No Ordinary Weekend (NOW for short), is a time for families to get away and spend time at a camp enjoying the winter activities and indoor facilities. The main purpose, though, is to have a time away from distractions and have an opportunity to learn about God. We are using the new GoodSeed series, No Ordinary Story, taking these people from Creation-to-Christ in these evangelistic booklets. In total, there will be around 140 adults and children in attendance.
Some of the people who are coming have been to a previous NOW event, and are now bringing unbelieving friends or others who are not strong in their faith. Children of attendees are also going to be learning the gospel message as they are taught lessons that are also Creation-to- Christ.
Things kick off on Friday evening and run through Monday afternoon, with around 9-10 hours of Bible teaching.
Please pray for our team as we teach or assist, and please pray for the attendees that they would have open hearts and changed lives as a result.
In our last ministry update we looked back at 2019, but we want to share about our plans, hopes and dreams for the coming year.
Looking forward at 2020:
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
We have some big dreams for this year in our family! We are trusting the Lord for three big things:
1) A trip south (waaay south) – It has always been our desire to expose our children to other kinds of missions, other cultures, as well as life in third world countries. This summer our family has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do all three – experience remote tribal missions.
The village our family would be staying in.
Naomi’s cousin, Becky Preheim, has been a missionary for 20 years with Ethnos 360 (formerly New Tribes Mission). She and her team recently completed the translation of the New Testament into the Mengen tribal language, a remote tribal group in Papua New Guinea (PNG), the same country Naomi grew up in as a missionary kid (North of Australia). This summer they will be having a dedication service for the new Bible translation.
The Mengen New Testament
We’d be going to the largest island to the east of the big island of Papua New Guinea
We have long supported and prayed for Becky over the years and are excited about this major milestone. Becky will be traveling back to PNG for this celebration, and Naomi and our three kids have the opportunity to accompany Becky to see the fruit of God’s work among the Mengen people. We have been praying for something like this for years and are really excited about this opportunity!
One of the village children reading.
Naomi’s cousin, Becky, and one of the village women holding a copy of the book of Acts.
2) A trip east – Our last trip to the Maritimes and Ontario was our cross-country road trip of 2017. If the Lord supplies, we desire to get back again to reconnect with family, friends, and supporters (as well as keeping some Maritime salt in the kids’ veins) this summer.
3) New bedrooms – Our girls are getting older (currently 13 almost 15), and bigger. The little room they are sharing is pretty tight, with them literally on top of each other with a loft bed. For several years, we have wanted to take an all-purpose room in our basement and break it into a small storage room and two bedrooms. To do that, we need new windows that allow emergency exits, and also walls, doors, heating, etc. The fix-or-replace-broken-things-palooza of 2019 caused it to be delayed another year, but we are really hoping not to put it off for another year yet again.
Other 2020 plans:
Naomi has been invited to be the speaker at a mother/daughter equestrian camp this summer, and we are exploring having Ellie (who will be 15 then) stay after that as a camp volunteer.
Ellie getting her learner’s permit to start driving. 😳
In February our family will also be participating again in an evangelistic retreat weekend featuring the new No Ordinary Story books.
On the ministry end of things, Troy is currently getting budgets ready for the coming year for the various goals we have in GoodSeed. These include translation work and printing materials in various languages, reprints of English materials, ministry travel, moving various creative projects ahead (such as an audiobook and the musical), shipping materials to and setting up distrubution channels in Australia, UK and Europe and all the expenses that go along with seeing these things accomplished.
Doing a budget is essentially an exercise in faith, but the Lord has provided wonderfully for us as a ministry. We have a full warehouse of books, and the finances ready to reprint four more books in the next two months! We know the Lord is more than able to undertake for many more things in 2020.
Truly, while we think our plans for the year are wonderful and exciting, we are looking to see how the Lord leads and guides us.
These are some big dreams. Please pray for us as we make plans, consider our options, and try to save up funds. Please pray for wisdom and provision for these opportunities and our family.
Another 5 cases of The Story that Matters heading to remote northern communities.
