The Tabernacle Community

"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12

Dear Family and Friends:

Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragements. Many of you had emailed us and spoke to us how much the last two newsletters had impacted you. We praise the Lord because He is faithful and always true to His word that it will never return void. Recently we had our first graduation for the year 2008 in Canaan, Colombia. Three men completed the program; two of them are married and went back to their respective communities and one stayed for servant leadership training. As I was listening to their testimonies I had commented to our director here in Colombia that only the Lord can do such a thing and it is worth everything. The testimonies had a common thread in them, each one were tempted to give up, throw in the towel and go back on their commitment to the Lord. The grass seems greener on the other side, but they decided to stick it out, let the Lord use their circumstances to heal and finish what the Lord has started.

No matter what stage in life we are in we all face this kind of temptation from time to time, to take the easy road where everyone travels on, not the lonely dirt road less traveled. When times get tough especially in answering the call of God we seem to compare ourselves with each other and feel that we got shafted with the wrong end of the stick. Our tendency is to get out of this situation as fast as possible. This is the temptation, to look at what others have and covet the same "privileges." But how sweet it is to savor the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ! Only through enduring and staying put no matter what storms come our way do we become approved and blessed with the crown of life. It is how testimonies are formed; it is how history is made. I want to encourage you all missionaries and children of God in the US and abroad, the Lord sees your faithfulness and love for Him, endure for you have a crown of life waiting for you in heaven. What you are doing right now is forming your testimony; it is what gives us the privilege to minister to others.

My father told my brother something that impacted me so much, I took it to heart for myself. He said, "Everyone has something to say, the key is to find the vehicle to express it." Each one of us needs to find our vehicle to express what God has placed in our hearts as a testimony of His goodness and grace. "Look up for your salvation draws near!"

We love you all!

Roni and Vivian