“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” (Poverbs 31:10)
We send Thanksgiving gratitude and Christmas greetings to you all from our whole family! Twenty-six years ago this month, we left the Navy to answer God’s call to the mission field. What a journey! Our appreciation for your faithful financial and prayer support has grown each year.
Lana and I just celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary. What a blessing she’s been to me, as well as to so many others! When God called us to leave careers in the medical field to serve as missionaries, she said, “Yes.” When He directed us to war-torn Nicaragua, she said, “Yes.” When the Lord used unforeseen circumstances to lead us from home, friends, and dreams on the field to return to the United Sates, she said, “Yes.” When God’s providence led us from the best friends we ever had in the church network where He’d prepared us for His work to serve in a newly founded mission agency in a distant state, she said, “Yes.” When the growth of FBMI led to two more church changes and more friends were lost, she said, “Yes.” And now, for over 14 years here in Indiana as the children have grown, she has said, “Yes,” as the Lord has added more and more responsibilities. Praise God for a Proverbs 31 wife!
Through you God enables us to serve pastors, missionaries, and churches worldwide, including the faithful wives. We should consider what the wives of God’s servants face each day:
• Illnesses that often don’t respond well to treatment—alternative or traditional
• Difficulties in their marriages or in raising their children
• The need to encourage their husbands as they balance home and ministry needs
• The need to help their husbands negotiate misunderstandings with others in the ministry
• The need to support their husbands through financial struggles and decisions
• Along with their husbands, the need to care for the present while preparing for the future
By God’s grace, as we help God’s servants in times of crisis, we learn from the changing landscape of the ministry to continually improve training and support. The investment of time and resources to see missionary families reach the field is incredible. The challenges they face are great. It’s great to be part of this vital support team with you.
Through it all we keep our focus on reaching lost souls with the Gospel of Christ. This past Saturday I met a couple and their grandson. Inviting them to our church Christmas program, the man admitted his need for the Lord’s help. Presenting the Gospel, he gladly received the Lord as his Saviour. We rejoiced together to experience this evident, divine appointment.
Please continue to pray for the Lord’s wisdom, direction, and provision. God has chosen for us, as your missionary representatives, to face what they face so we might better know how to help.
And please don’t hesitate to call if we can be of any service, whatsoever.
That all might hear the Gospel everywhere,
Dan and Lana Siemer
