I sit inside a warm room and hear the rain falling – a gentle, steady rain that has gone on for two days and promises to continue through today. I am thankful to be in a warm, dry place since the rain is not only wet, but is bringing cold weather with it. The season is changing.

I also can sense there is a change in the season in my life. These past six months have been a season of movement and travel. I packed up all my things and moved from Senegal after five years there with Corey and Katie to an unknown future in the USA. Upon arrival at SIM USA I discovered God had gone before me and prepared a job for me orchestrating the collection and distribution of the prayers of his people through By Prayer, SIM’s bimonthly prayer calendar.

August through October I traveled around the USA and to Abu Dhabi to visit with many of you, informing you of God’s plan for me for this season and hearing how God has been moving and acting in your lives as well.

Much of what I heard encouraged me, but I was also saddened to hear of the hardships many of you endure: sickness, loss of work, downsizing to smaller homes due to lack of income, years of static salaries in the face of constant inflation, increased expenses due to children attending college – and on it goes. Life can be hard, and we can become discouraged. It is when we find ourselves discouraged that we must adjust our viewpoint and look to God to clear our vision.

At just the right time, in my devotional time, God changed my outlook as I read about the Macedonian church in 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

 

I see now how I have discouraged some of you, and I see how some of you encouraged me. As I met with you, there were some I discouraged from supporting me financially by saying I understood you had such a small income you couldn’t afford to support me. How faithless I was! Please, forgive me from robbing you of the privilege of giving; and robbing myself of the blessing of receiving your sacrifice of partnership in service. There were others I visited whose poverty of worldly goods was unnoticeable because of the overflow of godly joy in life and the blessings they enjoyed. Their spontaneous generosity was displayed in their eagerness to partner with me financially, giving a sacrificially generous promise of support. I see how poor I displayed myself to be! I find I have been living in an attitude of poverty, allowing Satan to rob me of the certainty of God’s provision for my life.

As always, it was at this low point that God surprised me with an outpouring of blessing! Through the obedient generosity of some caring donors and SIM missionaries, new or increased gifts for support given through February 29, 2016 will be matched. This means all new or increased gifts that are deposited to my SUPPORT account between now and the end of February will be matched with an equal gift. If you have promised to support me, but haven’t done so yet, this will be a great time to start your gift! It is also a great time to share any end-of-year funds you have been praying over how to use. By giving in this time frame, every dollar you give will be doubled by this generous matching fund! Please prayerfully read the letter from our SIM USA director regarding these matching funds.

This is an opportune time to join financially in this ministry, knowing your gift will be doubled! Please know that ALL gifts, regardless of the size will be precious in my eyes and the eyes of God as they are given with a grateful and generous heart. Becoming a financial partner helps put action to your prayers and forges a stronger link of connection in our ministry team. The tangible evidence testifies every month as I receive your financial as well as prayer support to help sustain me in God’s work.

To view more pictures click here.

The letter from
Bruce Johnson,
President
SIM USA