Commit Your Work to the Lord…
Commit your work to the LORD… and your plans will be established. —Proverbs 16:3
[dropcap4 variation=”coprper”]W[/dropcap4]hen we set out to serve God, we often have ideas or limitations that have already shaped our plans and desires. And then when the outcome and our plans do not match, we are tempted to question if we are really serving God!
We have struggled through thoughts like this over the past year, though we are most thankful to God for His wonderful, loving care for us, and are very grateful for our Pastor Jerry Wragg and for the leadership of our mission. We realize that our lives are a journey of service, and although we have desires and plans, our foremost desire is to follow God’s directions. We had originally thought about going toItaly full time, but we are content in knowing that for the time being we should stay and minister from theUS. As we have found peace in this new plan, God has been kind to clarify, through our leadership and circumstances, what our next steps should be.
David is now working full time in a secular job, as well as working part-time for The Expositors Seminary and continuing his responsibilities with Cornelius Ministries. As you can imagine this has been quite a transition, since he is also still teaching Bible studies in two different groups ofGraceImmanuelBibleChurch. Loredana is also being faithful is her responsibilities, discipling various women of the church, volunteering at the church and working one day a week.
[pullquote1 quotes=”true” variation=”mossgreen”]For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
—Ephesians 2:10[/pullquote1]
Italy is still on our hearts and we continue to strive for the proclamation of the Gospel there. We have had the opportunity to speak in a few churches in the last few weeks and are excited to know that more of God’s people are aware of the need there and are praying for us and forItaly!
We are involved in the literature ministry in Rome, as David gives direction and help to the ministry that Bill and Maria Teresa Standridge continue to do faithfully there.
We are also excited for the possibility of mentoring three couples who are preparing for ministry inItaly. We will share with them from our own journey,that they also need to be faithful to serve where they are, as they wait upon God for clarity for their futures.
We should never forget that serving God is our duty and that we need to be faithful in whatever situation God places us. We are not disappointed in our new season of life and we certainly covet your prayers, as we diligently minister where we are right now.
Another of our goals is to continue to provide books and literature that will be useful both for the local churches in Italy and their leaders. David is working on a booklet he wrote on the 23rd Psalm that is now out of print, but has been a useful, both as an evangelistic tool and an encouragement for the believers. We would like to translate and publish other books, as God makes the funds available.
We are sincerely and deeply grateful to God for the privilege we have of being His children and His servants. We encourage you also to be faithful wherever God has placed you, knowing that is where God wants you to minister faithfully.
David and Loredana