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Blog Hospitality Partnership Updates

Upson Downs 8.24.21

Greetings dear ones! It’s time for an update. The “summer of hospitality” continues as we say goodbye to three guests and welcome five more. What an honor and a privilege. I truly marvel that God has found us worthy to be a cup of cold water to our brothers and sisters. As Cassidie is on modified bed rest in order to maximize pregnancy health, God has graciously provided abundant help. That help has come in various forms such as light housework, dinner preparation, and primarily toting around that big baby known as Rocky. He is rambunctious and adventurous, so he needs some alert supervision. Our guests have generously offered assistance, and we are most grateful.

We started our very very early Bible study with our Burmese brethren. Friday morning is the next day in Myanmar and Jack and Scott hosted our first pre-dawn zoom gathering last week. As our brother Garu wrote, “The word of God is the only joy and hope for their lives which give us strength in time of difficulties.” We will be discussing the feasibility of adding another early morning session. Please continue to pray for Myanmar as it is under siege from many directions.
Other than a few colds, we are generally in good health here. Please continue to pray for Lyndsie as she struggles with chronic conditions and the ongoing attempt to ascertain further issues through more testing. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful and encouraged. We are finding ourselves in need of more space as our families continue to grow. We are on the lookout for housing, so keep your eyes and ears open. We’d be thankful for any helpful tips!
Our outdoor Bible study has resulted in some timely contacts in our neighborhood. It was a great blessing and joy to host the Garcia family and to offer housing to the teens while their apartment was being made ready. They are now settling in and making it a home. On Sunday we had two visitors who dropped into our gathering. I believe Rich would be very proud. I think he would be most pleased, but not satisfied, as he often said.
In our Jesus Centered Bible reading for August, in the introduction to Nehemiah, he is described as an “unstoppable hero with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other.” May we be found as well, with the word of God as our sword, and our sleeves rolled up to steadfastly continue the work of God’s Kingdom in this world.
Thanks again for your prayers, love, support, and partnership. Grace and peace to you all, blessings all ours with “ten thousand beside!”

Regan

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Blog Hospitality Partnership Updates Wineskins

Upson Downs 8.1.21

Dearest friends, please continue to pray for us as we welcome more guests. It is critical for us to welcome others and be hospitable; it is even more urgent that we extend that love and grace to those among us here. “Above all hold unfailing your love for one another..” (I Peter 4:8) We must be knit together in love in order to not become easily untangled. The church is both local and universal, yet it is in our day to day dealings with one another that Christ is made manifest and authenticated for others to experience. As Fran and Steve depart, Craig returns, followed by Linda, Liesl, Sean, Kirstin, and subsequently the Miller clan. I want to be full of thanks that the Lord has deemed us worthy and filled our plate with lots of good stuff! May our shoulders be broad enough and our sleeves sufficiently rolled up. Some of you ask about ways to participate in our lives here in Gardena. We have many things happening now and anticipate future events which need your prayers and any other more tangible help you might offer. We look forward to reviving Wineskins, to bringing a young Burmese pastor here to share in our life for an extended stay, to getting Abif back here for good, and to finally having a memorial remembrance for Rich. These are but a few. Many of these things are beyond our reach, so we covet your prayers, your financial support, and your continued friendship and support. Grace and peace to you all for Church of the Servant-King,

Regan