The Gift of Another

Tis the season to be cozy

Good Afternoon as they say!

Merry snow has long been drifting, Christmas glitz has come and been tidied up, Semester two is off to the races before we can say giddy up!
Before we jump on that horse, lets just step back a moment recount all the goodness of the Lord in these past few months.

Mawande has joined me with 'The Loft' ministry (Taking care of people and their basic needs within our local community) at our Church on Wednesdays, and we continue to be amazed at the stories of provision and courage our patrons walk up those stairs carrying in hand.
Having a cup of coffee with these dear folk re-adjusts my heart to the things that really matter in the Kingdom constantly. They continue to teach me much about simplicity and pure, raw faith in spite of everything that rails against the human soul in this life.

Our Family we have been staying with and loving dearly!

We had the annual Christmas banquet setting up for the most people ever to join, about 75, and wow what a celebration it was. A high lite of the evening for most was an open mic sharing slot where anyone could speak about what Christmas meant for them. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye in the room as it finished.

One of the most remarkable stories was shared by a mama of a large family who reminisced about a time when she had scraped together the last dollars to manage to purchase everyone in the family one Christmas gift. Well, what do you know, on Christmas Eve upon arriving back home, they discovered of what simple gifts had been under the tree, a thief had come and stolen every last drop of festive joy Mama had worked so very hard for. They gathered around as a family and decided they knew better then to cry, but to create homemade gifts out of whatever they had left to exchange. She shared that it was the most meaningful Christmas they ever had, and made a new family tradition to only make gifts for one another to remind themselves of what is truly important, the gift of each another from that year on.

'The Loft' Christmas baking donations 

On another church note, new prayer fires are being stoked at our Church as we have started to meet together every Sunday morning, believing God has called us to invest more time into prayer as a Body, His House Shall be called a House of Prayer indeed. As we know many of our members are faithful prayer warriors, we believe that the more the saints can gather together to pray, aiming our arrows together at one target, by faith we will see more of heaven established in our lives, communities and the Global Church at large. All major revivals around the world began with people taking seriously this call to pray, so here we go! A few families and kids sometimes have come, "do not despise small beginnings" has been our moto! Come watch and wait for the Lord on our knees and become the faithful Bride our Lord is coming back for soon!

And last on ministry news, College and Career aka Young Leaders is also going well, we have some really exciting new ideas for outreach and ways to bless the body and become better connected within its multi-generations. We long for these highly favored, gifted and brave young people to grow into the fullness of their call and not an inch less! So far we have had an average of 15 folks come with much enthusiasm and willingness to give of themselves however they can, what a joy they have already been to us.

Christmas banqueting with beloved friends at SBC

And, as I mentioned Mawande has begun school again, pray for his focus, and I have actually gotten another job besides house cleaning and cutting hair, also now Nannying for a local family. Please pray for this family as there are some major health issues that need the healing power of God to intervene.

I know this is getting pretty lengthy, but too lengthy to mention GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH A HOME OF OUR OWN?! For the same price as we would be paying for rent in Steinbach, 10 min walk from Mawande's school, a little white home labeled cozy and quaint on the real estate ad, now has MANI on the property title! Literally an hour before walking in to talk to the bank about the possibilities of purchasing, a combination of generous support came into our account that secured the amount needed EXACTLY for the down payment required!!!

Can I get an amen anyone out there?! We are crying at his Faithfulness once again.

After 15 years of asking Landlords about every pinhole I pin, I CAN PAINT MY WALLS PEACH IF I SO JOLLY PLEASE! We have a home of our own, something I only dreamt of from afar, never believing even I could be so blessed.

Until we get possession of  the real one, this photo will have to do!

This gracious little white gift is one that we must hold with an open hand from day one, please pray that its doors welcome whomever He has in mind.

I deeply encourage you today, those prayers you have prayed, and then given up on praying, start praying about them again, our Father truly truly knows the desires of our hearts like I continually cant believe. Send us an email, we would love to join with you in those prayers as well.

Surly Goodness and Mercy shall follow us all the days of our life and we will dwell in the House of God forever...

Mi Casa, Tu Casa,

The Manis