Greetings from the deputation trail! As one year has drawn to a close and another is beginning, I am reminded of David’s admonition in Psalm 103:2 which says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” As we look back over this past year and count our blessings and benefits, our hearts are filled with gratefulness to God. We remind ourselves often that all these good things have come from Him. In 2024, our family traveled nearly 30,000 miles through 19 different states, visited 29 churches, and participated in 7 Missions Conferences. We are currently at 35% of our needed support.
December was our fourth month of deputation and the slowest one yet. Our sole meeting of the entire month was with Liberty Baptist Church of Princeton, West Virginia. Liberty Baptist holds a special place in my family’s heart for several reasons. My dad was reached as a young teen through this church, and it was our sending church during my parents’ time on the mission field. We had a sweet service with them and were delighted to reconnect with several people who have loved and invested in my family for many years. We would like to say a special thank you to Pastor and Mrs. Kinzer for their kindness and hospitality.
Our slow schedule this past month afforded us the opportunity to spend quality time with both sides of our family and get some much-desired rest after what seemed like non-stop travel for three months. The simple prospect of storing our clothes in a dresser rather than in a suitcase was exciting! We spent the first part of the month with my family in West Virginia and then traveled to Illinois to be with my wife’s family and our sending church over Christmas. Being home allowed us to be a part of the ministries of our home church. We were able to host a teen Christmas party, help in the nursing home ministry, teach Sunday school, preach, and go soul winning with our church family. God has blessed us with a wonderful sending-church family and pastor!
Thank you to all those who sent our family gifts over Christmas. We are humbled and grateful for your kindness and generosity. Thank you for your prayers and faithful support.
Till next time,
Jared, Tiffany, Emerson, & Darcy Stalnaker
