Family

How’s Toby Doing?

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Great picture of Toby - if you can not see it, choose 'unblock images' / 'show pictures'

Several of you have asked about Toby. Where would we be without your prayers, incredible compassion and sharing with us during this season of life?  THANK YOU a thousand times for your kindness!

As you know, Toby was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in early June.  This was a surprise to us.  No one in our family has Type 1.  This disease is triggered genetically – there was nothing we should have or could have done to prevent it.  Basically it means Toby’s pancreas has stopped producing insulin – which allows your blood to change glucose into energy for your body.

It’s been an adjustment.  But the Lord’s grace has been beyond sufficient. This is a disease that’s very manageable by insulin injections – usually 2 or occasionally 3 daily.

photo: our world of needles and monitoring

378 = estimated number of shots Toby’s received since June 9th.

Yes, Shannon and I’ve learned to give shots.  And quickly. It is much better if you just do it fast and get it over with.  In the last couple of weeks he has grown a little more nervous when it’s injection time – especially when he’s in the middle of playing and has to be interrupted.

Holiday feasting and snacking also bring some slight challenges. Lots of cakes, cookies, chex mix, etc are around these days!  All of these Toby can eat, yet any food with carbohydrates must be folded into his total carb count for the day.  It’s really the carbs that we measure, not sugars.  As long as he doesn’t eat too many carbs all at once, we can work in a cookie or two at the right time. This means planning ahead.  And moderation.  Therefore it can be difficult for a 6yr old not being able to just grab sweets and inhale them on demand – especially when he sees other kids doing this very thing.

Pray that Toby will not grow frustrated, now or in his later years. Particularly his teen years.  Some parents have told us that their teen diabetic kids went through periods of resentment – ignoring their treatment schedule and ignoring dietary common sense.

Another prayer item: provision for increased monthly finances. Due to several factors, we need more monthly support.  Recurring gifts from folks like you who wish to partner in our ministry are our only source of income.  Here are the specifics of what we’re trusting the Lord for in finances.

We’re so grateful.  Truly we are.  We wouldn’t have tasted the level of goodness the Lord has given us without going through this season.  All this has given our ministry – a work of communicating the extreme goodness of God – a new level of importance.

Thanks for asking about Toby.  He’s doing great.  Jesus is so gracious.

Our son Toby, 6 yrs old; great picture - if you can not see it, choose 'unblock images' / 'show pictures'

See more:
Video:  What is Type 1 Diabetes to a 6 year old?

Current Financial Needs

Cru Digital Ministry

Your iPhone as Spiritual Conversation Starter

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Our culture loves movies.

I’ve posted previously about the Global Short Film Network – an amazing new start-up ministry within Campus Crusade for Christ International.

Cooperating filmmakers worldwide post their short movies to GSFN’s web site.  Most films are less than 10 minutes in duration and all are “clean” and have some thread or angle which relates to spiritual topics.

The beauty is that you can download many of these movies to your iPhone, iPad or mobile device. What then?  Watch them merely for your personal entertainment?  Yes, but more importantly you can share them with people who yet to know Christ.  It even could be effective as a new form of street evangelism: find some young people hanging out at a park, bus stop or campus and ask if they will give you their opinions on a new movie.  Let them watch it and then ask, “How do you think this movie represents God? … Does this movie make you think differently about God? … How do you see yourself in this movie?  … Do you think most people think like or act like the people in this movie in relation to their spiritual beliefs?”

Don’t have an iPhone or mobile device capable of playing movies?
Then why not invite over a small handful of pre believing friends to watch a few of the films on your DVD player at home?

The scoop:

If you can not see the video above, try this link.

Ministry

North Korean Student Story

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(Permanent link to the video above is here.)

Wow.  And wow.  Just watch this and worship God.

This girl is only 18 years old yet surely God is doing an amazing work in and through her yielded life.

It’s a sad story about the terrible plight of North Koreans and several tragedies with her family, so grab your tissue box.  But truly amazing.

Ministry

Incredible Student Led Movement in Ethiopia

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(Permanent link to the video above is here.)

While we’ve received amazing reports of the Lord moving in Ethiopia the last couple of years, this story really captures the heart of what God is doing.  We implore you to watch this brief video on YouTube.

Certainly all credit is due to God’s grace and power at work in the lives of students.  Truly, this is “a God thing” and not a credit to Campus Crusade’s strategy:  We have less than 14 full time staff in the entire country.

Poor Are Rich?

From childhood I remember haunting news media images from Ethiopia of famine stricken Ethiopian children.  Today the famine is over, and while Ethiopia is still a relatively poor but growing country I sense that the Lord is bringing marvelous redemption there.  Just think:  some of the very children who survived the famines 20 and 30 years ago are now sharing the “richest of fare” in real life with Jesus.

As described in Acts, Jesus will turn the world upside down through university students who follow Him wholeheartedly.

See these other stories of God’s remarkable work in Ethiopia:

Jesus Reaching Nations by Oppressed Nations

Ethiopians Reach Out, Build Trust in Rwanda