Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
If there is ever a time where the truth of Proverbs 3:5–6 is needed, it is now as 2022 opens up with its many opportunities. Thankfully, there is so much to be encouraged by, particularly with regard to all that currently surrounds the life of Coastline Baptist Church. The Lord has been blessing with visitors, and some have continued to attend. Our church is venturing into a new area that has not been systematically canvassed for lost souls before. Ulverstone, located 12 miles to the west of us, is a growing community, with new housing popping up everywhere. We are asking the Lord to prosper our soul-winning efforts in this community.
Before Christmas, Laura and I were praying for a young man named Tim. He is the friend of a family we reached a few years ago. He and his girlfriend invited us in when we stopped by with a gift box of cookies. He graciously allowed me to show him how he could go to Heaven. There in his living room, he bowed his head and prayed, asking the Lord for His gift of salvation, obviously, the greatest gift he received that day.
This past Sunday, it was a blessing to see a new family, who have been attending church for the past three months, bring a young visitor named Sonny. At the tender age of just 17, he owns his own retail business. The excitement from the rest of us came when he heard the Gospel preached during the morning message. He also realized his need of the Saviour. So, right there in the auditorium, in front of several other members, Sonny bowed his head to trust Christ.
Meanwhile, please continue to pray for Laura’s ongoing cancer challenges. The spots in her lungs have continued to grow, her tumor has started growing rapidly again, and the last scan showed a lesion on the liver. The last type of chemotherapy failed to help, and there are no other viable treatment options available here in Australia. After seeking godly counsel, I am preparing to get Laura to the Hope4Cancer clinic in Mexico.
Prayer Requests
1. That Tim will begin to come to church faithfully
2. That Sonny will return and grow in his Christian walk
3. That appropriate visas and paperwork will be sorted quickly—we anticipate being in the States as long as necessary for Laura’s health to improve, which will also allow us to return for follow-up appointments in Mexico. Also, since this is a “last-minute” trip, pray that the Lord would guide us regarding accommodation and transportation while in the States.
4. That the Lord would bless as our church endeavors to get the Gospel to every soul in Ulverstone and that there would be much fruit as a result
As challenging as the past year has been to many of us, none of the COVID hindrances ought ever to be an excuse for any of us to quit on God. Remember, Jesus is always faithful. Thank you for sharing the same burden of making a difference in our mixed-up world.
Once more, all to the glory of God and our wondrous Saviour,
Bro. Andrew L. Steers
