Messick March 2024

Dear Ones in Christ,

The three months have really flown by since we last wrote and it’s hard to believe we are already starting into Spring.

On January 5th we received word that Bev’s sister, Jeanne Collier had passed away in Indiana.  We were able to fly back for the  funeral and spend a few days with family.  Jeanne had a great love for her Savior and it was her joy to share the good news of the gospel with those in the health care facility she was in the last few years of her life.  She would often pray with the other residents there and even started a Bible study group that is still active to this day.  Bev was the youngest of nine children, and Jeanne was her last living sibling.  We miss her greatly, but rejoice to know she is enjoying being with Jesus and many of our family members, and that one day we’ll be together again!

It is a blessing to attend services at the little Native American Church on the Clarkdale section of our Reservation.  Our pastor is 88 years old, has some health issues, but continues to be faithfully preaching God’s Word.  The first Sunday in March, Pastor asked Gary to conduct the Lord’s Supper service.  After being hospitalized recently for a UTI, he asked Gary to preach in his place.  It was a blessing to share God’s Word to our dear church family.

Satan is alive and very busy.  One Sunday, an Anglo man from California came in late.   Pastor had offered the opportunity to give testimonies, and this man began to say that he was an archangel, and we are to pray to Sophia and many other very strange things.  We later learned he was even seen earlier outside the church waving burning sage.  It “just so happened” that the message Pastor had prepared that morning was “beware of false teachers.”  The man didn’t stay around very long!  Yes, Satan is hard at work, but what a blessing to know God is in control!

Ryne, as a young teenager, went with our youth group to church camp for several years.  He is now a young father struggling with addiction.  Gary has been able to meet with him twice for a time of counseling and Bible study.  Ryne now has a job and they are trying to work out a schedule when they can meet regularly.  

God has been so good to meet our physical needs.  Bev’s recuperation from the knee replacement surgery in November is coming along well.

The last of March, Gary became dizzy and fell, hitting his head on the fireplace.  After going to emergency and a battery of tests, the doctor said all tests were good, there was no concussion, and the conclusion was that it must be vertigo.  How thankful we are; it could have been so much worse.

PRAISES:

*Answers to Prayer

*That things are going well at Living Waters Baptist Church

*God’s constant supply for our needs

*Joy and peace in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

*To glorify God in all we do

*Counseling and Bible study with Ryne

*Our health

*Opportunities to preach