July-August 2013
Dear Supporting Church Families & Friends,
“… Is it well with thee?… And she answered, It is well.” Greetings from Southern AZ. I am very thankful to be able to answer that in our lives “it is well!” We never know what may “fall upon a day,” but I do “know that my redeemer liveth” and that He will never leave nor forsake us! What an encouragement our Lord and His Word are!
Our busy Summer season is finally winding down… which leads to the next busy season! “Back to school” usually means “back to Bible Club” too, for the kids on the reservation, and we look forward to that ministry being recharged in the coming days. Please continue praying for the children and the Bible Club ministry!
We are thankful for the opportunities we were blessed with during the past two months. In July, I had the opportunity to visit and preach once again with Bro. Dale Vance and his youth campmeeting in Virginia. This meeting is always a blessing and encouragement in my own life, and I pray it is in the lives of the many young people that attend as well! It is always encouraging to take part in the good fellowship with friends!
We were also blessed to attend the annual retreat of our mission board, Independent Baptist Indian Mission, Inc. It was hosted by veteran missionaries Gary & Bev Messick in Camp Verde, AZ. This meeting is always a great time of fellowship with our fellow Native missionary families. Please remember to pray for the entire Mission family of missionaries and their respective fields, and pray that the Lord would send more laborers into His fields of Native America!
We continue to be blessed with permission to meet monthly in the Nation’s nursing care facility. Attendance has been great the past few months, and we always so enjoy getting to have a service there with those dear folk. We appreciate your prayers for the elderly of the Nation, for their physical and spiritual needs.
We enjoyed a great visit by one of our longtime friends, Tom & Elaine Baucom, missionaries on the Six Nations Reservation in Ontario, Canada. They were out for our Mission Board retreat, and spent some time with us after. We so enjoyed the preaching, singing and great fellowship with this dear family. We are grateful for the many wonderful friends God has given us along this journey!
As many of you know and were praying for, my dad had prostate cancer surgery in August. We are very grateful for how the Lord has helped throughout the process. His grace and peace are always super-sufficient and ever present! We are thankful that the surgery was successful, recovery is progressing, and Dad is doing good. Please continue to pray for his recovery over the next few weeks. We are thankful that his cancer was found in its early stages, and was treated successfully!
Our family is continually blessed. Lilly (10th), Rebecca (3rd) and Brandon (1st) are all back to school now. Please pray for them, and Louann as she helps them in their homeschooling! Benjamin (3 years) is still deciding which classes he will be attending this year, but enjoys sampling the classrooms of each of his siblings! Thanks again so much for all of your faithful prayers and support, which have a huge part in making the ministry here possible!
Working together with you for HIM,
Brian & Louann Shannon & family