April Prayer Letter

April 2017 

Dear Praying Friends,

He was a long serving police officer, faithful husband and godly father.  As if that weren’t enough for the average man, he also sacrificed his hard earned money to financially support missionaries all across the world and was a tenacious prayer warrior on their behalf.  Over the years, he wrote us many notes asking for updates on people and situations we had mentioned in our monthly prayer letters. We knew we had a faithful prayer warrior in Thomas Holroyd!  But on Friday, April 14, at 6:22 pm, the Lord decided this super hero of a man had finished his course, had kept the faith and was ready to receive his rewards. 

We grieve for his children who have lost their beloved father, we grieve for the many missionaries (including us) who were the recipients of his faithful financial and prayer support down through the years.  He may not have been well known outside of his family and hometown, yet he is intimately known by His Savior and Lord.  Only eternity will reveal what his financial sacrifices and labors in prayer accomplished all across the world.  I am sure he is meeting folks right now that he was instrumental in seeing saved! 

Will you volunteer to take his place?  Will you ask God to use you as He did Thomas Holroyd?  Will you kneel before your Creator and Savior and willingly commit all He has given you to reach untold millions in this world?  Life is so short and we only have the time and resources God gives us to make an eternal difference.  Thomas Holroyd understood this and invested in eternal treasures.  Will you?

Praising God for prayer warriors,

Mark Hale

March Prayer Letter

March 2017

Dear Praying Friends,

It had been a hard couple of months.  Carnal Christians, lost folks under conviction by the Holy Spirit, financial pressures and physical illness had all taken a toll. That Wednesday evening, we all felt like staying home in front of the fireplace with a hot cup of tea in our hands.  Instead, we went out into the cold, wind and rain. Our family had come down with the flu and it was a particularly nasty variant that kept all of us sick for the two previous weeks.  Some of our folks had also been stricken and weren’t there, some because of work schedules had to miss and a few because of spiritual problems were skipping services and trying to keep others away. 

The service time came and went, but no one showed up.  I sat down heavily in one of the chairs discouraged and weary to the bone.  “Well, God” I whispered, “we came for you and that is enough.”  Just then Ana, came in apologizing for being late.  We had our song service, I preached and then we had our prayer time. 

At the end of the service, our dear sister Ana raised her hand and asked, “Pastor, may I say something?”  I nodded and she continued, “I just want to tell you that your labors are not in vain in the Lord.  Just remember that you will reap in due season if you faint not.”  This dear lady is married to a lost man who regularly blasphemes Christ and ridicules her faith, yet she comes to almost every service and this night, we didn’t minister to her, she ministered to us.  Needless to say, there were tears of joy that night. God knows exactly what we need and when we need it!

Praising God for faithful encouragers,

Mark Hale

Easter Sunday church dinner