First off…MERRY CHRISTMAS! And it is Merry Christmas as Happy Holidays just not mean the same thing.

Second off…It’s Almost That Time for each of you to follow the mission trip on the Mission Blog. For those of your reading this on Facebook or another media site, you can find the blog at http://www.4hisservice.com/Mission_Blog/.

If you register your email address on the site you will receive an email each time we post an update to the page. I will be encouraging every member of the team to put something on the blog each and every day so also share the Mission Blog web address with your friends and have them register as well. You can also “Like” the 4HisService Facebook page and you will be able to see the posts there as well.

We leave early on the 30th from Indianapolis in order to head to Comayagua, Honduras. There will now be 14 of us on the team since Amy is now recovering at home from her fall and pelvic break.

For those of you who are techno-geeks like me you can download the flight tracker app and follow our flight (see below). Also we simply ask that you continue to pray for the Team:

• Ashlei, Adam, Cassie, Connie, Greg, Isaiah, Lucas, Mark, Natalie, Rich, Tailar, Wes, Wesley, and Valerie

While you are praying for us you can also pray for the Missionaries:

• Terry, Arlene, Jennifer, Hans, Pamela, America, and the rest of the staff

Lastly, pray for the people of Honduras, that God will prepare the way for the gospel message to go forth.

God Bless,

Rich

• 12/30/2013 – 07:10AM EST – 08:50AM EST – DELTA #DL 1575 – INDIANAPOLIS TO ATLANTA
• 12/30/2013 – 10:08AM EST – 12:54PM CST – DELTA #DL 0849 – ATLANTA TO TEGUCIGALPA
• 01/06/2013 – 2:00PM CST – 6:27PM EST – DELTA #DL 0552 – TEGUCIGALPA TO ATLANTA
• 01/06/2013 – 9:55PM EST – 11:36PM EST – DELTA #DL 1898 – ATLANTA TO INDIANAPOLIS

Though she has a lot of recovery still ahead and will require much assistance in the weeks to come, our prayer was answered and Amy made it home today.

We are grateful to the doctors and nurses and to all the family who have blessed us during this time.

Keep praying.

You know, a few months ago, being home for Christmas had an entirely different meaning. Our prayer was that we would be home, in our new home, at our new church home by Christmas. This week the meaning changed. While I would still wish to be settled in the place God has in store for us to serve, Home by Christmas is now our prayer for Amy.

You see, Saturday, December 7, 2013, Amy fell off of a metal folding chair while looking for something on one of the many storage shelves that we have in her sister’s basement (the place we currently call home). In doing so she broke her pelvis in 2 places. She spent about 5 days in the hospital and is now in a rehabilitation facility in Alton (insert joke here about the pastor’s wife being in rehab). We found out today that she could be here 14 days, which is after Christmas.

She has a long way to go in her recovery and all the prayers are greatly appreciated and we ask that you continue to pray. Your prayers are felt and we also know that through the grace of God and through the prayers of His saints Amy will make a full recovery, and perhaps she just make make it Home by Christmas.

Amy, Isaiah, and I are currently staying with family in Brighton. Having resigned from our church in Eastern Illinois, we are temporarily staying at Amy’s sister’s house while we wait on God to see were our next chapter in ministry will take us. I was hurt when we were asked to leave the church, and if I could not see the truth for what it is, I would probably be scarred for ministry. However, I am not swayed.

The truth is, my former church needed a transitional pastor in order to properly mourn the loss of their former pastor, whom they loved for 25 years. I prayed hard that they would love us for that long as well because my goal in ministry is to build a ministry wherever God plant me for a lifetime. Sadly though, this did not happen. I wonder if we would have made different decisions about whether to accept that position had we known the whole truth up front. I wonder if anyone could have filled my predecessors shoes adequately for the church.

I have no regrets. I know that I preached God’s Word. I know there was no impropriety on my part. I know that I faithfully served my church, my association, and also my community. The church was seeing new growth through baptisms. The trouble was there were those who could not seem to divide the person from the position and the differences were overwhelming to a few; overwhelming enough that they sought to have me removed.

Troubling as it has been to move my family and to disrupt the lives of my wife and especially my teenage son, I know that God’s hand is in it, and I do not hold a grudge against anyone who may have played a role in this situation. Our lives are forever changed, but God is still God, He is still seated on His throne, and as long as breath remains inside of me, I will still serve Him faithfully. I pray for my former church and for its people as I hope they still do for me and my family and will continue to do so until there is no more breath in me.

However, as Paul would say, it is time to shake the dust off of our feet and look forward to the call to preach to those who have never heard the truth of Jesus Christ proclaimed. I am ready to find a church who is not in the business of playing church but who is ready to be the church, authentically. And I know God has great things in store.

This is where we are now, and I pray that God moves mightily in our lives so that we can give Him all the glory.

“What you meant for evil against me, God meant it for good” – Genesis 50:20

We have updated the page and are continuing to do so in the days to come. Feel free to check it out.