This month I feel like I could write and write. There are so many good things to say. There is also the reality of living in a fallen world. For the sake of time, I would like to share an example of a high and a low.
A high. This past month the Lord has given both Mary and me more opportunities to meet with people for discipleship and to encourage them in their relationships with the Lord. In fact, several times, when we thought we would encourage them, we have been encouraged to hear of their faith in the Lord in the midst of a variety of trials in their lives.
A low. Without going into details, some families within our church have experienced tough marital problems. (Mary and I are grateful to the Lord that our marriage is doing well, but we are reminded how vigilant we must be to protect and strengthen it.) And here is the question we have asked ourselves – if we know of these families that are struggling, how many more marriages within our churches are struggling, unknown to anyone but the husband and wife?
We are reminded to pray. We are reminded to constantly depend upon the Lord. We are reminded to continue to preach and teach the gospel of the grace of God. We are reminded to patiently love. We are reminded to constantly share the hope and the true joy that is only found in Jesus.
Sunday Services
We are extremely thankful that we have been able to meet in person since March 7! Due to social distancing restrictions, we now have three services on Sunday mornings.
The place where we rent has a larger room that can hold up to 100 people under the current restrictions. (It is the room we rented for Easter Sunday.) Although it is more expensive than the smaller room, we believe the church can afford to rent it once a month. Therefore, we have decided to rent it once a month at least through July, so that we can have one service with everyone together. The other Sundays of the month we will continue to rent the smaller room and have two services those weeks.
Update on Property / Place to Meet
We did receive another proposal from the developers of Costa Verde. They are offering to sell us a larger piece of property, but the price is still $100/square meter.
What have we decided to do? We are going to continue to pray and wait on the Lord. Our responsibility is to trust and obey. We can pray, share the gospel, make disciples, preach and teach the Word of God and honor Him with our lives – as individuals and as a local church. We are encouraged to know that we do not have to have property or a building to be a local church. A property or a building is just extra. Granted, it is a nice extra and something we desire. However, the fact that we do not have a permanent place to call our own does not limit us from being a biblical local church.
Once again, what do we do? We trust and we obey. We allow God to do what only He can do. And the truth is that He knows infinitely better than we do.
Please continue to pray with us that we, as a family and as a local church, will remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. Also, please continue to pray that God will do for IBCV what only He can do, and that He will get all the glory.
Prayer Requests & Praises
- We praise the Lord that IBCV has a place to meet for Sunday morning services.
- We praise the Lord for those who are growing in their faith.
- We praise the Lord that, beginning May 16, the maximum capacity of persons for a church service has been increased to 40 from 30. This sallow us to have two services instead of three.
- Please pray for several families in our church that are having marital problems.
- Please pray that the Word of God would go forth in Costa Verde and that many people would put their trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
- Please pray that we, as a family, will remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.
The Suddeth Family 