The school year is a rollin’!
“I have a lot of anger towards my family and I heard Jesus can help.”
This was the response of 4th grader Archimedes when we asked the students why they wanted to join 180 Club earlier this month. With nearly 200 students in regular attendance across four elementary schools, Minding the Gap has officially started its fourth year. We’re excited to see that the saving power of Jesus is becoming the obvious answer to life’s toughest problems for these kids.
In another victory, the Lord has answered our prayer for the Gospel to enter Ruskin High School. Minding the Gap only focuses on elementary schools, but our family has been praying for the highschool down our street for years. Recently we found out that a partner ministry was able to establish a Bible club in the school with 80 highschoolers attending last year. Some of them were Muslims who continued to attend to hear God’s Word even while they were fasting during Ramadan! It was proof that they weren’t only coming for the snacks.
Family
Our family has had a tough year and we realized the need for two things: oversight and accountability, and some inner healing. To address the oversight and accountability, we became members at Grace Point Baptist church. We have met with the leaders and are greatly encouraged by the wrap-around care and words of wisdom we’ve received. Grace Point also has a history of partnering with our work already with many members being volunteers, and will provide valuable oversight for our family as we continue to see a generation raised to follow Jesus from a loving relationship with Him.
Secondly, we took some time in September to attend a healing seminar to process through pain, repent where needed, exercise forgiveness, and realign ourselves with God’s truth. Thank you to those who have been praying for us in this area!
Prayer Requests
Stable housing continues to be a difficult obstacle for us. In our last newsletter we celebrated what appeared to be the miraculous provision of home ownership. Two months later it is still a miracle story in the making but one that has not yet ended. We’ve been through multiple failed attempts to close for multiple reasons and have been told that the only way left to land the closing is with a month of W-2 pay stubs. Tim is taking a month to work for a friend who owns his own business in our community who will provide this while giving enough flexibility to maintain our work in the schools. Please pray for the Lord to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way.
Illness also continues to be a difficult reality. Rebecca especially has been sick much of this year. Most recently we had to take her to the hospital because of meningitis. She is home now and recovering well but we need a breakthrough.
And of course, would you continue to ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers into His harvest field, open doors for the Gospel, and see His Kingdom built? He is answering!, but there is more He will do and our prayers play a part in it. Please pray for the Gospel to enter the homes of the kids we work with.
Thank you for your love and support! We love playing our part in this work with you and thank God for your place in our lives. Through all the struggles we still believe that He is worth it.