O God, we have heard with our ears,

our fathers have told us,

what deeds you performed in their days,

in the days of old:

you with your own hand drove out the nations,

but them you planted;

you afflicted the peoples,

but them you set free;

for not by their own sword did they win the land,

nor did their own arm save them,

but your right hand and your arm,

and the light of your face,

for you delighted in them.

Psalm 44:1-3

I recently concluded a workshop with these verses, but they make a great starting point too. Like the psalmist I want to take some time in this newsletter to recount the deeds of the Lord. In these past few weeks alone, we have seen Him protect us, direct us, sustain us and bless us. Our prideful human nature would often strive to insert our own glory in the front or back door of these testimonies, but the simple and glorious truth is that it’s all of His mercy.

At the office (aka 3rd floor) I continue to meet with the staff daily for ministry meetings. Thanks to screen share options we’ve even been able to maintain our production meetings where we review new and updated illustrations.

Production projects for me have also involved reviewing our family format story adaptions and providing rough sketches, reference pictures and notes to the illustrator for our upcoming story about retired missionary Elinor Young. It’s been a huge help to have input from Elinor herself on what certain scenes looked like.

The first chapter of the book focuses on Elinor’s diagnosis with polio when she was five-years of age. The fear of this disease has parallels to what we are experiencing with Covid-19. I was reminded through Elinor’s testimony that God often turns what is “evil” for good. The chapter closes with a twelve-year-old Elinor sharing Bible lessons in the hospital with other children in her ward—children who perhaps would not have heard the Gospel otherwise under “normal” circumstances.

This is my rough sketch of a scene in the first chapter where Elinor wiggles her left toe for the first time following her diagnosis!

One way God has directed us this year has been through our TEACH2REACH studio project. At the beginning of the year we began investing in some equipment to set up a regular studio at the office where we could record teacher training lessons or conduct live workshops.

For no clear reason besides God’s providence, we decided to invest in a backdrop, sound and lighting equipment that were portable. When then coronavirus forced us to move to our present work-at-home situation, the studio moved too! It’s presently set up in a back bedroom of our house and being used regularly.

One use I didn’t anticipate for the studio equipment was to record BVI Bible lessons and stories. Our ministry philosophy has always been (and continues to be) that we don’t supplant the teachers, we support them by providing tools for THEM to share God’s Word. However, present circumstances mean many teachers aren’t able to gather with their children. To help, we’ve recorded our story of George Mueller that teachers can share through links to our Youtube channel. After I record, Betsy edits each chapter and uploads it to YouTube.

Teacher training is also taking place in the studio. Unless you’ve been living in a complete bubble, you’re now familiar with Zoom. This video platform serves as a great medium for us to conduct live workshops. Over the past couple of weeks, my coworker and I have met with some dear friends at Good Life Ministries in India to conduct a workshop.

I can’t begin to tell you how much this brings joy to my heart! This is a specific answer to prayer for us to be able to help our ministry partners in this way.

Many of these faces are familiar to me from the trip our family made back in January of 2019. There are people in this picture who themselves became christians as children under the direct ministry of GLM. Now they are reaching the next generation.

Love the Spring blossoms

Thank you to whoever decorated and left these stones in the park on Resurrection Sunday!