Missions Corner December 2014

News from the Carnevales– December 2014

This past year I (George) have been doing Bible study in Genesis. As I observed God calling Abraham out to follow Him, I saw that He also made a covenant with him. God repeatedly stated to Abraham that through his descendants (more that the stars and sands of the seas), “I will bless you, your dependents and the nations.” This covenant was passed on from Abraham to Isaac and Jacob. As I watched the events that happened in each of their lives, over and over God stepped in and protected His people and His covenant. All of the enemy forces designed to destroy God’s people and God’s covenant was protected by our faithful and trustworthy God. The excitement I see for my own life is that my God is faithful to His Word. I am a living light of His promise to “Bless the nations of the world”. Join me as I boldly step out this year and let my life shine to the nations by the power of our faithful and trustworthy God.

Likewise, I (Norine) have been reading Max Lucado’s book, The Great House of God. This covers the Lord’s Prayer phrase by phrase. I was most encouraged by Lucado’s thoughts about Satan, our opponent, as a servant of God. Lucado shares a few embarrassing personal stories of his school days and his attempts in playing sports. Max concludes that he had a knack for scoring for the opposing team. He decided then that sports should not be in his future. These debacles taught him to see the dilemma that Satan also finds himself in. Max writes, “Every time he sets out to score one for evil, he ends up scoring a point for good. When he schemes to thwart the kingdom of God, he always advances it.” Then Lucado takes the reader into the Bible and shows passage after passage of just how Satan worked against the lives of countless men and women, only to have the power of God override his work. “Over and over the Bible makes it clear who really runs the earth. Satan may strut and prance, but it’s God who calls the shots.” proclaims Lucado. This so encourages me. It is too easy to give our enemy more power than he really has. My Father has my life in His hands, and nothing formed against me can prosper, except to bring about the results that only Father desires. This fills me with peace.

We want to thank our Father for His amazing grace that sets a hedge around us. Nothing can come against us that His power cannot redeem. He is the All-powerful, All-knowing, All-present King and He calls us His Children! There is such security living in the Family of God. Not that bad things won’t happen, but we can be assured that whatever happens, He has it all under control. My God is my Hiding Place, my Strong Tower of Refuge, my Rock in a crazy world.

Our hearts are full of gratitude for the loving, unique, earthly family that our Father God has designed for us. We are overwhelmed to see how it is changing and growing. Two granddaughters and three grandsons, with two more grandsons being born in the spring of 2015. We praise Him for the callings He has given to each of our children. And we are amazed as He lays before them the individual paths He intends for them to follow.

We lift our hands in praise to our Father for the support team that He has given us. Those who share their finances with us and those who pray for us, and those who do both! We could not be in Texas, working with Wycliffe Associates, without these faithful friends. They have made it possible to serve with WA since 1988. We are rich, indeed, because of these individuals. Their support gives us the blessing of contributing to the work of Bible translation that is reaching the world with the Good News!

We thank our Father for his care, good health, safety on the job, provision and protection that covers us when we are not even aware of danger.

• Gratefully we greet the volunteers who return each year and treat us like family. Gratefully we welcome new workers who will come for the first time. Together we work and worship, joining together to share our skills and talents to the glory of God and for the building up of His Kingdom throughout the earth!

Member Services Building is now getting much needed repairs.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! George and Norine