February 2012

We’re Home!!

Hello Everyone,

My family and I are back in Texas. Heather and I are very excited to be home. We truly loved living and ministering in Nicaragua and in Ireland, but there is, as they say, no place like home. The children are settling in to a small Christian school in Brownwood which is a part of Heather’s home church, Victory Life Church. Everyone has received them, and us, with such warm Southern hospitality. We are grateful. Our kids were all born in Ireland and have only known that as their home… they are still trying to throw their “rubbish in the bin”!! It is such a big change for them but the local folks here have already made them feel like family. We have a lot going on… looking for a temporary house for a family of six to move into, getting the different type of insurances, setting up the ministry, etc. Please continue to pray for us all during this time.

Also, since I am back stateside now, I would like to extend our ministry to all of our friends and partners. If there is anything that Heather and I can do for you, now is a good time to get us. It would be an honor to provide any sort of pastoral care. If you have a family member that really needs the Lord, a visit, marriage counselling, etc, just contact us. I’m sure we can organise something that could prove helpful to you and yours. You may contact me anytime at: pksanford@gmail.com.

The message that God has been speaking to me lately is out of John 7. Jesus said that they that believed in Him as the Scriptures taught, “...out of their belly would flow rivers of living water. This spake He of the Spirit which they that believed in Him would receive…” (v. 37, 38). This seems particularly pertinent to us right now as we are “moving”. One thing about a river is that it has a flow to it and a direction of its own. You can’t control it. Remember that the Lord was speaking back in chapter four of John that He would give water to thirsty people that would be “in them a well” as a type of Salvation (v. 18). Both a well and a river have water. But the river has a powerful current that can carry life, transport great ships and even produce electrical power to run cities! It is one thing to be “saved”. A person can have Jesus (that well of eternal water on the inside of them) and still not be found in the plan of God for their life… fulfilling their God-given purpose. And to get in the flow of the plan of God for your life, you cannot remain stationary. When we believe in the Scriptures, it opens up a flow of the Holy Spirit through our own hearts that will lead us into our divine destiny. We MUST participate by walking by faith! Please note that this Spiritual River was to flow “out of their belly”. In other words, it is just like the Rock in Exodus (a type of Christ). It was smitten and the water flowed out of it for the people of Israel. Well, when we receive Christ, the Rock is now within us. The potential for the flow is there, in every believer. But we must open up our hearts through believing (and therefore speaking which I will speak on next time) and allow the plan of God to come forth. One thing about going down river, the scenery is constantly changing. The Holy Spirit will keep you moving in life. You can tell when a person is following the call of God on their life. Things keep changing around them. When a person, or a Church, stops changing, they are probably no longer in God’s divine flow. So don’t be afraid of change… its God’s plan from glory to glory! And, boy, has the scenery changed for us! And remember this, you don’t even have to know where you are going. The River knows! We kind of feel like Father Abraham: He went out not knowing wither he went! Just get in the water today and let God be God.

More on “how to” get into the flow and to stay in the flow next time. Until then, we love you all. Keep praying for us. Thanks for the faithful support. We have really needed during the transition.

God Bless,

Kevin, Heather, Hannah, Abbey, Matthew and Elisabeth