November Update...

I fear that I may have spoiled some of you with 2+ posts per month earlier in the year...:)

Time absolutely flies when you're having fun, if I may turn a rather tired phrase. We are definitely having fun, and we are also incredibly busy. Last Saturday was the first day, weekday or no, that I recall being able to do absolutely nothing but rest in quite a very long time. It was needful rest, too. I've been fighting a head cold for a good while, and the rest I was able to take on Saturday has finally kicked it for good, methinks. Even though we are busy, we still have opportunity to see God's hand at work.

I have begun my first bus route with Durham School Services. This is the second week that I have had full responsibility over it. I have 6 special needs students on my route, one of which is in a wheelchair, but he has been in and out of the hospital so much that I have yet to actually transport him to or from school. I don't transport all of them at the same time, as some of them go to a different school than others. This is giving me between 20-25 hours per week at $12/hour. I wish it was a few more hours per week, and indeed it can/will be in the future, but God's providence is so good. I wake up between 0500-0530 each morning, start my route from the bus yard by 0640, and then my morning route is finished by 0930. Normally, I pick the kids up from school at 1445 in the afternoon, and my afternoon route is usually done by around 1600-1630. So, I have all that time in between to work on church stuff, sending these updates out, or help Dulcy at home with the home-schooling, whichever is more needful that day. It is only a Monday-Friday job, too, which was needful for my responsibilities at the church. So, while it isn't as many hours as I was hoping intially, you can see how God has provided a job that works well with my responsibilities with the church, which is exactly for what we were praying...PTL!

A new family has begun attending our church during the mid-week services because they have 3 children, the youngest of which is autistic, and the church they are attending now doesn't have any provision for the autistic boy. This left the parents in somewhat of a dilemma, as the boy wasn't cooperating during the adult service that the parents were attending, which left them not being able to pay attention and not getting anything from being at church. So, they began coming on Wednesday evenings, and Dulcy and Katherine have been taking the autistic boy into the nursery to play and have a short Bible story with a simple activity, while the parents went into the adult service and their other two children took part in their respective groups. They came last night to our evening service on Sunday for the first time, and they repeatedly remarked how warm, friendly, and receptive our church has been to them. PLEASE PRAY that our church and its members will continue to be a service to this new family, and that they will find a new home here.

Our pastor is away at a conference with his son, David, and David's fiance. He'll be gone for a little over a week, which has me with the preaching responsibility next Sunday morning. I'm looking forward to preparing the message in the next few days as God has been working with me and speaking to me about a lot of things lately. I am excited to see what He will lay on my heart for the message. I am resisting the urge to simply put together a nice, quaint Thanksgiving message, but if that's what God would have me speak, I am willing. I noticed something out of the blue a few days ago...I am currently reading no less than 5 books, all of which are academically theological in nature! Those of you who know me know that this is truly something remarkable. I'm not one to read, especially in an academic sense, but God has given me the opportunity to study these various volumes, and I am happy to do so. Pastor Rushing 'expects' (that is to say, 'enables') me to use part of my church responsibility time for uninterrupted study, and for that I am truly thankful. It is refreshing to be able to sit at the feet (so to speak) of men like John MacArthur, Samuel Ward, J. Oswald Sanders, Charle C. Ryrie, and C.H. Spurgeon, as they expound the Scriptures, and impart their wisdom from so many years in the ministry.

Dulcy will be beginning a ladies' Bible study with some Beth Moore materials around January 1st. She and some of the ladies are currently planning the specifics, so PLEASE PRAY that they will be able to work all of those things out. We will be ordering the materials soon, so that they will be here on time to begin after the holiday season. Dulcy has also had opportunity to spend some time with a lady with which we play board games frequently. The lady has expressed an interest in doing more with Dulcy including joining the ladies' Bible study she will be organizing. So, pray that Dulcy will be able to be an effective minister in Christine's life, as she continues to spend time with her. Dulcy is also tasked with taking care of Josiah, the autistic boy of which I spoke earlier when he is here. So, pray that she will contiune to have new ideas each week for things he can do during their time together.

There isn't much news with the kids. They're all plugging away quite dutifully at their schooling. Home-schooling continues to be a challenge for our family, but the task is being done. PLEASE PRAY that the kids and Dulcy wil remain energetic and focused for their school time. Also, PLEASE PRAY that God would guide us in what He would have us do next year for schooling. Neither of us wish to continue home-schooling the kids. So, PLEASE PRAY that God will provide either a teaching position for me that will take care of tuition at a Christian school in the area, or lead us into some similar situation with similar benefit.

Well, that's about it for now. I welcome and encourage any emails with questions or comments from anyone. So, please feel free to email me, even if it's simply to say that you read the update, and are praying for us. That alone would be an incredible encouragement.

In His Service in Northern California,
Sam, Dulcy, Michael, David, and Katherine Healey
Mark 10:45