We are blessed to be co-laborers with pastors and leaders from different parts of the world that are facing the reality of witnessing people they have been called to serve suffer because of no food, water or medical help. This is especially true for countries in Asia and Africa and their requests for prayers and support through Whats App, Messenger or emails are endless and you can feel the reality of the pain they live with every day. They represent about 2.5 billion of the world’s population. Our prayers are with them and the message to them is simply:

It is difficult to witness so many suffering in the world, but God created the world and mankind not planning that our journey on earth would be fair or without suffering or that we would choose to remain here forever. Each person’s journey here has been established by God and our response to it, fair or not, will determine whether we believe in His love and omnipotent power. His ways and His thoughts are higher than ours. We know that what He could prevent with His power, He allows in His wisdom. His promise and provision for us lies in His Word.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My Mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:8-11)

Most people will not choose to believe.

Those of us that choose to believe in Christ have the promise of eternal life.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev 21:1-4)

“Lord Jesus, we lift up every believer around the world that is being tempted to give up on the promise. We pray that they will choose to allow Your Holy Spirit to give them the power to overcome doubt and fear and be a witness to the truth of Your goodness, and that many people that are in Your Presence will come to faith in You and the promise of eternal life that You willingly died to make possible for us. Empower your servants to overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony so they may not love themselves so much as to shrink from death. Open their eyes that they may see the hills full of horses and chariots of fire and know that those who are with us are more than those who are against us.  In Jesus Name, Amen.” (Rev 12:11 & 2 Kings 6:8-23) 

    We are so thankful for Blake & Kylee Walker who along with a myriad of other responsibilities like maintaining a marriage, being parents and home schooling three children and running two businesses, also serve the Lord as the liaisons to Harvest Vision Ministries in Snohomish County. This includes sharing with other parents and guardians the vision of the Harvest Kids which was started with Madilyn and Hailey’s desire to help young orphan girls in central Africa have a bed to sleep in instead of sleeping on the floor of the school. That desire became a reality to Blake and Kylee and quickly involved other families and continues to bring these young people together to learn how to be true disciples, helping their own community and meeting the basic needs of children in Africa for over 7 years. The kids have raised and donated over $37,000 to purchase mosquito nets, beds, medicine, school supplies, provide clean water and land to farm and built toilets and schools.

    Thanks to everyone that helped expand this vision and get this little project completed. Now we need the pea gravel and the garden planted.

    The world sees it as a playground.

    To those of us that have a kingdom perspective – it’s not a playground – it is a battleground.

We hope and pray that everyone that visits will find a relationship with our Father in heaven.

   Great phone conversation with Wayne and Pastor Martin in Africa. Lot’s of prayers as we are looking forward too helping our co-laborers in central Africa share the love of Jesus in their communities. Thanks to Cheryl and everyone helping prepare the fields for planting crops that will build up the Body of Christ and help spread the gospel to all the nations. Thanks to everyone that is helping with the “Bird on a branch” neighborhood ministry that is bringing a message of hope during these seemingly uncertain times. The home-made cookies are just a bonus. Simply: “A bird on a branch is never afraid the branch will break, because it knows that God gave it wings.”

“Those that hope in the Lord, will renew their strength and soar on wings like eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Jesus doesn’t care as much about what we give, as what we keep to ourselves.          

    Jesus came and gave us a “Preview of Coming Attractions”:

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My Son, Whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

And then….

“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your Hands I commit My Spirit.’ When He had said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46)

“When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene…Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country…Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating…He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever do not believe will be condemned….After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right Hand of God.” (Mark 16:9-20