Advent
Dear friends and Family,
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
It is officially December; the leaves are all gone, the
snow comes and goes and the freezing temperatures have arrived. Advent has
started and I am filled with joy from all the blessings that our Father has
given us, most importantly of all His Son and our Savior.
The last month has seemed like a whirlwind. We have been so
busy it is hard to recall all the events that have passed. But even now as I
look back, I am overwhelmed with all the blessings we have been able to be a
part of and receive in.
He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:26
I am so
happy to report that Chello and I(after 10 months) are officially married in
the eyes of the Slovak government! It was a hectic process and filled with a
LOT of paper work, but Chello is officially a Johnson now! Chello is still
getting some slack from his peers about changing his name, but I am still so
thankful for a husband who would put my well being first. I love him more than
words can say and I thank God for him every day.
Also, I
have received my permission (visa) to live and work in Slovakia for two more
years. Again it was a LOT of working getting all the papers, stamps and
contracts needed; but after two months of preparation, 6 hours of working with
the foreign police and more phone calls then I can count- I got the approval.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be
generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves
as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life
that is truly life.
1 Timothy 6:18-19
I also
hosted another Ladies’ Night. I had 8 ladies in my house making scrapbooks for
hours! My friend, Niki, invited two young ladies to come who have had no
experience with the church or our ministries. They were super shy, but had a
great time and said they want to come back to our next Ladies’ Night. I plan to
have one this month and we are going to making our own Christmas candle holders
and ornaments.
I have
really tried to be intentional about making time for my sisters in the church
and friends outside of it by trying to meet and just hang out with young women
in the community to deepen relationships. Sometimes we are doing crafts or I am
making them home made Mexican food (my specialty).
God has
really been blessing one relationship in particular. My dear sweet Niki, has
some big struggles in her life and in her faith, but also has a drive
and hunger to know Christ more. God has really blossomed the trust and intimacy
of our relationship and I am not just a mentor but a friend. She has been
seeking a big sister in Christ for a long time, and even though we are so very
different, God has made this match and it works.
Chello
and I were also blessed to receive an early birthday gift from my dear friends
Zuzi and Joey, who are from VK but live in Bratislava. Chuck Ragan (one of my favorite
singers) had a concert in Vienna; so they got us tickets for my birthday. It
was such a special time for us to get away for a few days and just spend time
relaxing, sightseeing and hanging out with amazing friends. We were also really
blessed by sitting in Starbucks for hours playing cribbage. And the real icing
on the cake was I got to meet Chuck Ragan and request my favorite song which he
played for me! It was one of the best gifts anyone has ever given me.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures
forever.
In the
teahouse we celebrated Thanksgiving together. We got a 20lbs turkey,5lbs
of potatoes, corn, green beans and gravy! It felt like a real Thanksgiving
dinner. We also played some games like “stuff the turkey” and “find the turkey”
but the really blessed part of the evening was when my brother, Noah, shared
about the roots of Thanksgiving and the Gospel of Jesus to a crowded room.
We were
also very sad to say goodbye to our dear friend, Wes ,who has been living and
serving here with us for the past three months. Wes is a true servant with a
heart for Jesus. His impact on the ministry, especially with the youth in the
teahouse is indescribable. He was willing and ready to help out in any way he
could and freed us up so much to minister elsewhere. Also, he and Chello formed
a brotherly relationship and grew to care for each other really deeply. There
is definitely a big gap now that he has gone home, but we are so grateful for
God’s leading him here and for the time we had. We are all greatly looking
forward to seeing him again next summer.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of
prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying
for all the Lord’s people.
Prayer Requests
That the
Lord will lead our steps and we will let Him.
For our
church in VK. That the Lord will start a revival among the believers, that
hearts will be healed, eyes will be opened and desire will replace complacency.
Also we will see some fruit and maturity among us so that we can be a light in
a dark place and VK will see Jesus through us.
Winter
camp is coming up on December 27th. That the Lord will have His
hands in all the planning and preparations and even now will be working in the
hearts of the students who will come and hear about Jesus and His love for
them.
Our next
Ladies’ Night on the 14th. That God will bless it and we will see
fruit from it.
Praise
God, Chello has been able to get some work in Veľký Krtiš. He is still doing
contract work on converting vans for refrigeration, but now they have a shop
here they can work out of. Please pray that God continues to bless this work
not only so Chello can provide for his family but also to bring jobs and money
into VK.
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my
Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on
all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things
for me—holy is His name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to
generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who
are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their
thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering
to be merciful to Abraham and His descendants forever, just as He promised our
ancestors.”
Beloved,
what an awesome God we serve! Thank you all once again for your service to this
ministry through prayer and giving. Thank you for sharing in the rich blessings
alongside us. I can’t wait to write you again and tell you the good news of
what God has done in Veľký Krtiš. God bless you all and we wish you a most
beautiful Christmas!
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