Praises
  • Thanks to the many donors who provided year-end gifts that really helped us with our Greatest Priorities fund; we praise God for each one of you!

 

El Salvador

  • We are praising God for increased interest in our El Salvador mission trips.  This is another opportunity for people to be involved in “hands on” missions ministry.   

 

Guatemala

  • Praises for the new Roots initiative/partnership between Lifeline and New Day Christian Church in Port Charlotte, Florida; they are Lifeline’s official first partnership to plant churches in foreign fields and New Day has chosen to partner with our Guatemala churches.

 

Haiti

  • Several of the Lifeline staff made it safely to Haiti over the past several day.  And all the ladies for the women’s team arrived safely, except 2 whose flights were delayed because of weather.
  • Praise that the new Children’s Home in Grand Goave is about to become “home” this coming Friday for about 50 children.  The staff for the Home have all started working and we worked together doing clean-up and getting ready for the move in.  The women’s work team plugs in for more work!

Prayer Requests
  • Please pray for safety and unity among the women’s work team members, as the ladies are coming from all parts of the country.  Pray for a productive trip for the Lord.  
  • Prayers for the Ladies Day Rally this Saturday for all the women of the Haiti Lifeline Churches; that it will be a time of refreshing and praise and worship.
  • Prayers for safety and effective ministry for the upcoming teams to both Haiti and Honduras, including the Leadership Seminar to Honduras, The Gideon’s Team from Canada going to Honduras to distribute Bibles and the Health Team going to Haiti.

  • Pray for more ministers to join us on MEET teams to see what their missions are working on.  Contact JD@Lifeline.org for additional details.
    • Pray for needed upgrades to our Navajo work, where broken water lines caused worship to be cancelled this past weekend.

  • One of our Navajo families lost a loved with who was killed in a domestic fight. Pray for Kristen and Gertie in the loss of a brother/son.
    • Many great matters to lift to our Lord in prayer; seems like so many of our faithful friends and supporters are struggling with family members having illnesses, needing our prayers.
    • Rob DeVoe’s condition has worsened. Rob is Lifeline’s Database Manager and has been battling cancer.
    • Lisa Barbee’s mother is near death; Lisa was scheduled to come to Haiti with the women this week but of course needs to be home with her mother.
    • Wayne Beebe is having severe back problems; pray for him as his wife Martha is coming to Haiti this week for the women’s trip.
    • Heidi LaCorte (Bertie’s daughter) had surgery; she is recovering but has a lot of pain.

     

    Roots
    Together, let’s go beyond the surface 
    to help rebuild lives and communities.
    Because when the roots of Jesus’ love — stability, depth, vibrancy, nourishment, purpose, belonging — are planted within, new life begins.

     

    www.Lifeline.org/Roots   

    devotion
    Happy New Year!

    There is an excitement we feel when we get something new.  Moving in to a new house provides a sense of excitement: new decorating, a change of pace, a new location and routine.  Buying a new car is fun – no costly repairs for a while, and of course there’s the new car smell! 

     

    As with all things however, the newness wears off.  After a few years the house needs repairs, a new roof and other repairs.  What was once a shiny new car now is in need of repair, the finish dulls, and the new car smell fades away. 

     

    The dawn of a new year is exciting, whether it is welcomed with family and friends, or quietly.  Twelve months of new possibilities stretch before us.  The old year with all of its joys and triumph, challenges and difficulties is behind us, and this year is going to be different.   We make resolutions, go on diets, and set new goals.  Head held high, we set out in to the new year with a sense of expectation and a determination that we will stay the course.

    But after a while, the “new year smell” begins to wear off.  We become discouraged as the realities of life set in.  Some issues are beyond our control.  Some difficulties are brought on due to our own poor choices.   Soon, the good intentions of  “this year is going to different” fades in to the background.

     

    As we set out in to the year 2015, there are two thoughts from scripture that can help us to keep our focus and put our priorities and perspectives in the right perspective.

     

    In Christ, we are made new.  “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  — 2 Corinthians 5:17

     

    For followers of Christ, through His blood our sins are forgiven.  God makes us new, the old life is gone, the new one is here.  Not just earthly life, but eternal life.  What a relief to know that it is not through our own power, New Year’s resolutions or strength that our lives are made better.  It is through Jesus and what he has done and continues to do in us that makes us new.   We simply need to continue to place our faith and trust in The One who has given us new life.

     

    In Christ, our hope is made new.  “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’

     

    He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new.’ ” – Revelation 21:1-5a

     

    Our hope can be focused on a future that is secure because God is making all things new – a new heaven and a new earth.  A new place where God lives with His people.  A new place where there is no more mourning or tears.  A new place where the old is gone.

     

    When life gets bogged down, when what we perceive to be the promise of a new year begins to fade, remember that our hope is made new.  We look can look forward to eternal life in a place that God makes new.

     

    We don’t know what the new year holds, but God does.  The year will have its share of joys and trials, but through it all God continues to make us new in Christ.  He continues to make all things new.  Happy New Year! 

     

    by Keith Dimbath, Laborlink Work Team Director

    memorials & honorariums
    Gifts Given to Remember

    In honor of Doyle & Charlotte Hatfield, given by Chet & Carol Hagel

     

    In honor of Chet & Carol Hagel, given by Doyle & Charlotte Hatfield

     

    In honor of Bob & Gretchen DeVoe, given by Renee Mead

     

    In celebration of Christmas, given by Terry Bittner and the Christian Church of Demotte

     

    In memory of Lola Jones, given by Harold & Patricia Arthur, Conneautville Church of Christ, David & Paula Duncan, and Glen & Faye Marsh

     

    In memory of Dorthy Dodds, given by Darman & Judy Sherman