Thank You ...

A few weeks ago we in Canada celebrated Thanksgiving, our friends to the south of us, will celebrate their Thanksgiving soon. In the midst of all the commercialization of Thanksgiving, we sometimes wonder how much do we really give thanks? 

Let me give you something Chi Chi Rodriguez wrote as his thanks to God - (you may remember Chi Chi, the golfer with that great smile ... the man that could hit a ball hundreds of yards away and cause it to dance to that distant hole. Yea, the Chi Chi who came out of great poverty to become one of the great golfers of his generation.) Here is what he wrote;

Thank You God!

“For my parents, who taught us seven kids respect for authority and taught us that even though we were poor in material things, we were rich in spiritual things.

For healing me of rickets when I was four years old and given six months to live.

For my guardian angel.

For my beautiful wife, Iwalani, and my healthy daughter, Donnette.

For revealing to me that I was to do the work of Jesus, giving to others yet never expecting to get anything back.

For allowing me to provide two schools where disadvantaged children can go to get another chance in life.  This enables them to grow and to learn how to give something good back to others.

For the opportunity to play golf for a living and to participate in tournaments like the Legends of Golf for Seniors.

That I am at peace with myself and am prepared to accept Your perfect will for my life.” 

 Chi Chi Rodriguez

 Paul Weresch 

An Appeal for the family of Pastor Artur Suleimanov ...

Zina and Artur Suleimanov were pastors of Hosanna Church in Dagestan's capital city, Makhachkala

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Since the day those words were spoken by Jesus, many have followed that
commission given to us all ... and many have given their lives in the pursuit of that task. And, for every believer who has literally gone into the world of non-believers as well as seekers, many thousands have provided prayer and support for them.
Our brother in Christ, Pastor Artur Suleimanov, has Thursday, July 15, 2010 given the ultimate sacrifice in his attempt to reach the lost. Having been martyred in Dagestan in the North Caucasus region of southern Russia, he leaves behind, along with a successful ministry, a wife and children.

Christ will make sure that the work started by Pastor Artur will continue by raising up
another to fill his shoes. And, He will also take care of the surviving family, (wife and five children) by giving us ... those who stay behind to pray and support ... a chance to help that family with our love, prayers and financial support.

Out of your love for Christ and the Suleimanov family, will you please contribute
financially to that effort?

European Christian Missions is collecting the funds that will be delivered, in total,
directly to the family of Pastor Artur. You may send your contribution to:
European Christian Missions, P.O. Box 1006, Point Roberts, WA 98281.

Canadian friends may send their contributions to:
European Christian Missions, 5097-47A Ave., Delta, B.C. V4K4G5, Canada
Make your checks out to ECM and note: “For Suleimanov Family Support“

In His service,

Paul Weresch

What a Great Time For Thanksgiving!

In the United States we will soon be celebrating Thanksgiving. And, as I thought about the many things I have to be thankful for, I am reminded of a song.

Song writer, Irving Berlin, penned a little ditty for the 1940’s musical “Annie Get Your Gun.” I can still see in my mind, Ethel Merman singing:

“Got no check book .. Got no banks .. Still I’d like to express my thanks, I’ve got the sun in the morning and the moon at night.”

In this present time, 60 years later, it is still a great attitude to have. People around the globe are gnawing on their knuckles wondering what is going to happen to them as their world seems to be draining into the sewer! Enormous ego’s and giant greed has reduced their sight to a tunnel that leads to disaster.

The financial crisis has spread throughout the world and is no longer a problem for just the Western Hemisphere.

In the Los Angeles area over 500 high end houses and mansions have been burned down in wild fires this past week. And still war and starvation and abuse continues to blight the whole world.

However, believers know that no matter what storms swirl around us, there is one thing that endures forever … the love of our almighty God! We DO have many things for which to be thankful.

We do not judge our worth by our finances or by our position in this world … we judge our worth by what Jesus Christ did for each of us. We judge ourselves by the fact that God … the Creator of EVERYTHING … loves each and every one of us.

The apostle Paul gave us such a beautiful truth in Romans 5:1-2 when he said “… since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”

And on top of that, my friends, “we have the sun in the morning and the moon at night.”

As Thanksgiving time approaches, let us take our minds off of the secular world for a week. Don’t think about what you don’t have. All of us DON’T have something. Don’t think about what you may have lost. All of us have LOST something. Take time to think of what you HAVE and be thankful for it.

I guarantee … the Lord will be pleased … and knowing that … you might like to express your thanks.

Larry Abele, Editorial Team