Dear Fellow Servant(s) of Christ:

 

Seasons!  There are many different seasons in our lives.  Winter is when we celebrate the season that our Savior and LORD, Jesus Christ, gave up His throne in heaven and came to change eternity forever.  Has He changed your eternity forever?

 

The seasons for Standing In The Gap are changing too!  It is the right timing to bring on board a faithful servant, Maureen Boeltz.  Maureen has a heart for the needy and hurting and her life is a testimony to this.  She and her husband, Art, live out what they believe.  Many of the women we help have been incarcerated and are just coming out of prison.  Maureen has many years of ministry experience in this arena.  Her addition to SITG will be powerful.  At the exact moment when we called Maureen to join SITG, she was reading and meditating on I Chronicles 28:20 – David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work.  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished”.  The Women’s NIV Devotional Bible shares this:  The world is filled with troubled people – people with so much hurt, turmoil and sin beneath the thin veneer of their lives that they spread chaos and pain wherever they go, but God’s people of godly character stand in contrast, a balm to the wounds of the world and a source of strength and encouragement to all who come their way.  What a privilege to be that balm to the hurting and discouraged people in the Pittsburgh and surrounding areas – the world that God has placed us in (Acts 17:26).

 

Over the last months, in regards to assisting precious, homeless people get set up in homes (no longer homeless!) or to those who just need a boost, we have been like the hotel advertisement where we’ve been everywhere!  Wilmerding, Southside, Castle Shannon, Northside, Wilkinsburg, Edgewood, Etna, Homewood, McKees Rocks, Carrick, West End, Canonsburg, South Park, Washington and Forest Hills.  In every case, there is a face(s) and name(s) and a story of pain and struggling.  How exciting it is to present the love of Christ through tangible ways.  It opens the door for sharing the gospel, prayer, encouragement and hope.  Some people say to us, “Don’t people take advantage of you?”  Our Savior reminds us in Matthew 5:45 that “…He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”   Many of our contacts are now our friends and assist us in the ministry.  Some know Christ and for others we are still “loving” them into the Kingdom.  God will accomplish this in His timing. 

 

Giving to those who are hurting financially, spiritually, emotionally and physically is taking place continually.  You helped a widow in Washington, PA; the “Lost Boys of the Sudanese” were blessed; a partial security deposit for a single mom was made; groceries for one of our struggling mentees; lunch for two of the women we have mentored (some of these women have never been to a place like Eat N Park before); miscellaneous household items for most of our women (toasters and coffeemakers mostly); parenting classes for a family; several winter coats for people at a Northside low-income housing unit; a prescription was filled and basic groceries were purchased for a woman (after paying all of her bills for the month, she had about $55.00 remaining for the month); groceries for a young, pregnant girl; soft foods for an elderly man who had his teeth removed; you blessed a missionary family from Equador starting over stateside – the mother has thyroid cancer and one of their daughters has a heart concern; you bought two kids bibles - one for Derrick, age 7 and one for Diona, age 5 (They are reading the bibles together!); a grocery gift card to a family of six where the dad lost his job; a gift card to Kohl’s for a 15 year-old girl who was abused and needed encouragement and clothing; a young couple and their first child - a 2 ½ lb. premature baby, received a grocery card gift; and a local family didn’t have enough money to buy a ticket to their son’s concert – you touched them too!  In addition, a widow received a gas card and an elderly, sickly couple needed food.  Also, many needs are met through individuals who have donated small furniture items and household items such as Lazy Boy chairs, end tables, small kitchen dinette sets, lamps, curtains, dishes, silverware, etc. This enables us to be frugal and good stewards with the monies that God provides through you.

 

For the last two years, the South Hills Assembly of God has assisted many of our single women with Christmas gifts for their children at a very reasonable cost.  You made a donation in this area.  We were made aware of a group called MOPS-Teens that are just beginning. They work with single-teenage mothers and disciple them.  We remember the day God called us to begin and the first gift we received!  We made a small donation to tell them “you go girls” for Jesus!

 

Continue to be obedient and we will too!   We covet your prayers.  Rejoice in the LORD always, I will say it again:  REJOICE! (Phil. 4:4).

                                                                                    Because He cares, lives and gives,

                                                                                                    

- Standing In The Gap is a non-profit corporation that has been determined to be exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the         Internal Revenue code.  Contributions, bequests, devises, transfers and gifts are tax deductible.