July Prayer Letter

July 2012

Dear Praying Friends,

The waves hit my back with chilling frequency as I watched him in his white robe wade out to join me.  A small group of church members watched from the shore as we prepared to follow our Lord’s command. 

A few years ago, we were on a short furlough and in the middle of a missions conference.  Michele was at a ladies meeting and Joshua and I were in the hotel room for a few hours.  He had been asking about salvation for a few weeks but hadn’t understood completely until that day.

“Dad,” my son insisted, “I want to be saved right now.”  I took him through various verses and then questioned him to make sure he comprehended what he was asking to do.  His answers showed me that he indeed understood and was ready.  We knelt down by his bed to pray when there was a knock at the door.  The hotel maid entered to replace our towels.  After she left, Joshua again asked to be saved, so we knelt down only to have another knock at the door.  This time it was the pizza delivery man with our lunch.  My son would not be deterred, for as soon as I had paid and shut the door, even with the aroma of pizza filling the room, Joshua insisted he wanted to be saved.  I joyfully led him to the Lord that day.

This year Joshua completed our discipleship class and now I had the privilege of baptizing my son as he publicly showed his faith in Christ.  As he boldly stood beside me, my heart was filled with joy for his salvation, for his spiritual growth and for the privilege to have led him to the Lord, disciple him and now baptize him. After I brought him up from the sea, we embraced and waded back to shore together. Joshua has already surrendered his life to the Lord to do anything God wants.  Please pray with us for him that God would reveal His will for Joshua’s life.   I am a very blessed father!

Praising the Lord,

Mark Hale