ANABELL'S LETTER

I was very excited to read my latest letter from Anabell.  She wrote the most informative letter yet.  I just had to share it with you.

To my dear sponsor Stacey Stouffer.  Dear sponsor I greet you affectively and may God bless you next to shoe around you. I tell you that my family is very well and I'd like to tell you that we celebrate New Year with all our family.  We celebrate Mother's Day and it's a day for them.  I tell you that pigeons are pretty and I'd like to see them more often every day.  We also celebrate Easter at church and I accepted Jesus since I was 9 and I'll be 14 on October 11.  I'm well.  My dog Oso is black with white strips.  My favorite letters are the ones you send me and I keep them in a folder.  I tell you that we're learning about our inner self and our teacher is Paty and she's very good with us in my class we're 28 kids.  My favorite food are tacos and pizzas.  I've a twin sister and my mom is 44 years old.  My sister has my same age.  My mom's name is Feliciana and my sister's Ana Martha and I'm Anabel.  I thank you for your sponsorship and all the letters you send me and for the birthday gift, with which I bought a pant, underwear, and a pair of shoes, also socks and the amount I got for this was 491 lps.  May God bless you always and protect you wherever you are.  I ask your prayers to God for me and my family.  With affection.

MY SON FROM TOGO

I just discovered this updated picture of my son in Togo, Emmanuel.  He is 9 years old.  Isn't he a handsome young man?  I am so proud of him, even though I have only sponsored him since April.
 
I call him my son because that's how I view him; he is my son.  Emmanuel lives with his grandparents.  He has a younger brother named Winner.  Don't you just love that name?

I look forward to many more years of sponsoring Emmanuel.  I am his first sponsor, and I pray I am the only one he will ever have.  The Lord has burdened me with him, and I know that He will use me to influence this boy's life for Him.

MANY TROUBLES

Psalm 34:19

Many adversities come to the one who is righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all.

Troubles are a part of life, whether you believe in Jesus or not.  For the Christian, though, we are promised many of them.  This makes you pause, doesn't it?  Jesus never promised a life free of trouble or pain.  He said, "in this world, you will have trouble."  Have you noticed that we usually don't experience one trouble at a time, but they heap on us rapidly?  And we wonder how much more we can take.

Even though many troubles come, we as Christians  have hope.  We know Who to turn to.  Our hearts and minds become fixed on Jesus, the only One who can rescue us.

Jesus promises to deliver us from the troubles that come.  Whether it's an unexpected bill being paid, or physical or emotional healing, or even in eternity, we will be delivered.  Jesus hears our cries, and He will act.  

As I reflect on my past, I can testify that Jesus has delivered me from a lot.  Past abuse, emotional problems, anxiety, partial loss of income, and so many more.  Through it all, I have found that Jesus never fails.  And, when the next trouble comes, I can boldly say, "Bring it one!"  Jesus and me, we can handle anything.

Is your life full of troubles today?  Are you losing sight of Jesus?  Cry out to Him.  Expect Him to deliver you.  He will fulfill His promise.  He will be with you.

Jesus, thank you for your faithfulness, for your love, for your joy.  Deliver me from these troubles that are heaped upon me.  Reveal Your power and your strength to me.  In Your name, Amen.