From: David Jones [david.jones@lbfc.org]
Sent: Sat 7/6/2003 8:29 AM
Subject: News from Emily and Dave

July 6, 2003

Long Beach Friends,

Good Sunday morning! Another week has passed, bringing with it new challenges and new opportunities. Emily began school this past Tuesday. She finished her first paper yesterday (after writing it twice) and is beginning to get back into the swing of school after being out of school for five years. In addition to that, she is entering her class a month late so she is the new kid on the block and has catching up to do with relationships and readings. I have been impressed by how she has weathered the first week and we are going into the second week optimistically.

I am in the process of finding a job. Kansas has a considerable amount of paperwork that I have to do for transferring my license. This paperwork, as well as applying to different school districts, has kept me at work this past week.

There have been a few times when I have become discouraged and started thinking about how easy things were for us in Long Beach- friendship base, tight-knit church community, job-security, beautiful weather, good food, etc. Then, God reminds me of His calling on our lives here in Kansas. For example, we have been praying about where and how God will use us while we are here. One morning when Emily had left for class and I was home alone, I was on a discouragement journey when a letter arrived in the mail. It was a letter from a local church that had somehow heard we are new to the community. So I gave the pastor a call. Thirty minutes later I put the phone down on the receiver and had to say, "Ok, God. I'm sorry I didn't trust You. But thanks for the encouragement." The pastor's name is Waylon Ingle and my first impression is that he is a forward-thinking man of God. He has a vision for the youth of Eudora and longs to see people brought into the kingdom of God. Just as LBFC's motto is "Christ's family in the city" the Eudora church's motto is "Preparing a new generation for some of the same old challenges." As we talked, his enthusiasm for Jesus and for people encouraged my spirit at just the right time. So, today Emily and I are going to visit the church and see how God may use us there. We'll let you know how things turn out.

We are praying for you and you are continually in our thoughts. We have put some things up around our place and the church family photograph you gave us is in our hallway so that we see it often and are reminded of you. Continue to love one another with a sincere love that you may show the community what it means to be Christ's family. I'll leave you with Paul's words to Timothy in I Timothy 1:5: The goal of our work is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Trusting in His promises,

Dave and Emily

Here is our address and phone number. We look forward to letters and phone calls!

1410 Ash Court
Eudora, KS 66025

(785)542-1822

Oh, and here are some prayer requests we have:

  1. God would give us a clearer vision of what He is doing here and how we can be part of His work.
  2. Emily and I would grow continually closer to God and each other.
  3. Emily would be a light to others in her program.
  4. Tommy and Erin (our next-door neighbors) and their two-year old girl, Liberty: God would use us to speak grace and truth into their lives and that we would have the privilege of seeing them give their lives to Christ.

Trusting in His promises,

Dave and Emily