June 2025 Newsletter

Greetings, friends/family in Christ!  Grace and peace to you from Kentucky.  We pray you’re well and that you’re enjoying Jesus and His presence!  We also pray blessings to you, especially to all the fathers.  We’re grateful our family got to spend wonderful time together for Father’s Day with Jill’s parents.  The Lord is good!  We call forth our heavenly Father’s good plans for you and for us!  Amen.

We’ve been preparing to leave on our Texas mission trip July 7th, Lord willing.  We’re excited to go, just as we have been each July for years!  On the 9th, we’ll be at New Beginnings AG in Harker Heights, on the 13th, we’ll be at Pathway of the Cross in Lubbock, the 16th at Fritch AG, the 20th at Harvest Time Church in Midland with VBS the 20th-23rd, and Jerusalem AG in San Angelo the 27th with VBS the 27th-29th, and then at Eldon AG in Eldon, MO,  on August 3rd, Lord willing!  We’re asking the Lord for salvations, healings, prophetic words, and all He wants to do through us!  We value your prayers, love, and support!  We hope to see you soon!  Love in Christ and Lord bless!

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  We want to encourage you to keep running your race! We are in a race of faith and are to continue in that faith throughout our lives, no matter what comes our way.  Through the years, our kids have competed in cross-country races.   The fans line up along the course so that when the runners go by, the fans yell encouragement to the runners.  They call out phrases like:   “Go go go!”  “You can do it!”  “Press in!”  “You’ve got this!”  

During that long race on hills, fields, and mud, the runners get hot, thirsty, weary, and some are even ready to give up. But when they hear their coaches, parents, and friends cheering them on, they get a second wind!  Those words urging them onward, help them to get to the finish line with a greater determination and joy.  According to Hebrews 12:1, we have a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on. Not only that, but the Holy Spirit is within us and He enables us to move forward in His Spirit!  “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of might and the Spirit of power, and that’s the Spirit He has given us. So it’s Him in us, cheering us on! 

He is the One enabling us to keep running our race, and He knows there are times when we will get tired and weary.  Just like runners need drinks of water and words of encouragement, the Lord placed the River of Life inside of us to flow out of us like rivers of living water. He also has given us His Word that strengthens us, enables us, and gives us His life to move forward!  We need to dig deep into His Word and into that River of Life to receive what we need to finish our races strong as overcomers, not barely making it.

Another challenge in our race is the enemy of our souls that tries to discourage us.  The discouragement tells us that we can’t do it, and that there is no use to try to finish. He also brings condemnation that we’re not running as well as another runner, or that we don’t have what it takes to complete the course ahead.  But what are we as Christians, supposed to do with thoughts like that?  We are to be “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).  We are to listen to God’s Truth to be strong and courageous in Christ and His finished work on the Cross!  He has already won the race!  All glory to the Lord for His victory!

Remember to encourage yourself with scriptures like: “I can do all things through Christ to strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  “It is Him who works in us both to will and to do according to his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).  “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:46).

“We went through fire and through water, but You [God] brought us out into a wealthy place” (Psalm 66:12).  “Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection.”  (1 John 4:18, The Passion Translation).

We can focus on the Lord and His love for us and walk in His freedom!  Run your race!  Keep it up!  You’re doing good!  Keep your eye on the Prize: Jesus!  He is worth the effort, for He laid down His life for us!

Grace and peace to you in all that you do in the name of the Lord.  We call forth restoration for you and your family, for truly the Lord heals, delivers, and saves! Be encouraged: the best is yet to come!   

Love in Christ, Steve, Jill, Judah, Yisaac, Jonah, Yissachar, Jakin, Yezekiel, Jerusalem, and Justice