God is helping us to get back into the rythm of ministry. I was able to get out street preaching on Monday morning. I always pray for a place to preach and that God would prepare that place. Edinburgh was very busy yesterday morning as it was an English Bank Holiday weekend. Sunday had also been the Edinburgh Marathon. So, there were many bagpipers in locations where I could have preached. 

Thankfully, the Lord had a place for me further down the road where I have preached before. It's usually open. It doesn't look like a great place, but it has a crosswalk near it. It also has storefronts on the other side that allow those passing by on that side of the road to hear. And, it has a tram stop not far away where people congregate. It was obvious yesterday that some who were standing nearby were also listening. I also had some encouragement from passer's by yesterday and very little opposition to God's Word. Please pray for God's continued enablement and blessing as I get back into street evangelism. 

Yesterday, Nelson helped me put out several hundred church flyers in a nearby village. A family that is very close friends with us live there. It is the intent of the father to attend with his children this coming Sunday. Would you please pray for God's special help for him as he brings them?

We loved every church that we visited while we traveled in the States. But, as the saying goes "There's no place like home." What a blessing to be back with our people in our church building in Loanhead. God blessed us with two visitors who honoured God on their travels and spent the morning with us. It was a joy to meet them.

Our SS attendance was not high, but we had some back who had been absent since our departure. The morning service was better attended. God blessed us with some  attendance who had been gone for quite some time. It was a sweet reunion Sunday for sure.

This Sunday is a bit of a vision Sunday for our church. There are a couple of texts that God encouraged my heart with during our furlough. I shared one of those this morning, "Christ, Our Fountain" from Psalm 107. Tonight I will share the second from Deuteronomy. God gave us a good time around His Word.

This week is our first "normal week" since our return. That is a good thing. The week following I will drive to London to pick up a mission team from Tabernacle Baptist in Virginia Beach. The team is led by our son-in-law and daughter. (John and Kay Lee Owenby) We'd appreciate your prayers for this team as they get ready to participate in our ministry. 

God's good. His hand of blessing is evident today. Thank you for your prayers.

Thank you for all your prayers for our travels, health, safety, ministry, family time, provision, etc. Thank you as well for tangible help along the way as we visited your churches. God was VERY GOOD to us. We experienced wonderful ministry time, family time, and had extra special blessings along the way.

Just to illustrate the extra which God gives... Parker was able to get his driver's license while we were traveling through WI by taking his tests at two different locations. Our kids were able to tell us in person about their pregnancies. We were able to be at our niece's adoption party and our nephew's graduation party. We saw Washington D.C. NYC, Niagara Falls, and the Gulf of America. And... yesterday on our first flight Katie said, "We have a 7 hour layover in Philidelphia. Why don't we go to see the Liberty Bell." It was SOOOO MUCH MORE FUN to do that outing that sit in the airport for 7 hours."

God has been SO GOOD to us in answer to your prayers.

God has given us safety on all of our travels. We have seen many interesting close calls and are thankful for the Lord's protection. The last trip was the most hours in the car as we went to Southern Florida. Thankfully, we were able to have some fun family experiences while enjoying time with two supporting churches.

We are now back in Lattimore, NC and depart from Greenville, SC on Monday. Our 20 year old son, Logan, is also getting ready to leave as he departs tomorrow to Chicago for Neighborhood Bible Time training. Our nephew, Charlie, will also be traveling with NBT this summer. Please pray for these young men as they serve the Lord this summer.

Another exciting event tomorrow is the adoption of a niece by Katie's brother's family. Mahala has been in the family for a few years, but the adoption process is finally coming to completion.

God has blessed us with great family time. We get to enjoy a littlle bit more of that before we leave. Benson and Christina are in Lattimore. Most of Katie's family is also nearby. God is good!

The past 3 months have been very interesting. I don't know that another period of life has ever gone so quickly. It has been great to connect with many of you at your church home. We've enjoyed beeing with those who have laboured with us in prayer for our church and our country. Thank you for holding the ropes.

Here is the update I sent to our church this morning. There are some fun happenings in the very near future.

Thanks for praying!

Good afternoon church family,

The past 3 months have been very interesting. I don't know that another period of life has ever gone so quickly. It has been great to connect with many of you at your church home. We've enjoyed being with those who have laboured with us in prayer for our church and our country. Thank you for holding the ropes.

Here is the update which I sent to our church this morning. There are some fun happenings at Southside Free Baptist Church in the very near future.

Thanks for praying!

Good afternoon church family,

It is difficult at time to remember where we are in the USA. Thankfully we know who we are. :) God continues to keep us safe and help us in our travels. My back is great. Mac's cough was nearly gone, but came back last night and is getting worse again. It seems evident that it is allergies and changes of location affect it. Thank you for praying for healing. We've seen a lot of improvement.

Thank you for keeping up with us. I have met several of you in your churches and your informed intercession is extremely helpful to us. We thank the Lord for His enablement at each church and know that God's people are praying.

Below is the update I just sent to our church family. We can't wait to be back with them and are excited to be at this point in the furlough. However, we continue to enjoy the ministry of furlough and our time with our supporting churches. God blessed us with a new supporting church recently. (First Baptist Church in Napoleon, MI.)

Good evening church family,

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, [4] Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, [5] For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; [6] Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: [7] Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. [8] For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

Thank you for praying for our travels and ministry. God continues to bless and guide. We appreciate your prayers very much. I asked prayer online for my back and that night I was pain free. It was very unexpected and I am very thankful for God's grace. As you will see below, God has answered prayer for Mac though we still covet your prayers for his complete healing. The doctor thinks Mac's cough may be more allergy related than asthma.

Here is my update to our church family.

Good afternoon from sunny and cold Michigan,

Sent from my iPhone

We are still enjoying furlough and God has blessed our busy week. Thank you for praying. Each church has been a blessing to us. Katie also enjoyed attending and ministering at an area wide Illinois Ladies' Retreat. We will be in Michigan for the next 3 ministry days (tonight included).

Below is the update which I just sent to our church family. Thanks for praying!

Greetings all,

I remember as a counselor at the Wilds hearing the skit song, ''We've been everywhere man, crossed the desert (something) man...'' I didn't realise then that it was written by a missionary family. (Tongue firmly in cheek.)  God has kept us safe over the many miles of travel, but we do feel like we have been everywhere!

Sunday morning found us in Superior, Wisconsin. On the way up we saw a bull moose in a snow covered field. On the way South the boys saw a wolf coming out of the woods by the roadway. What a blessing it was to be with a smaller supporting church and get to hear their Easter music on Sunday AM. In the Sunday PM we were in a city with two supporting churches and the sister church pastor's family joined us for the meeting. They also had the service at 7PM to allow for us to drive just over four hours that afternoon to get there.

In family news, last week Parker took his written driver's test in Hudson, Wi. Yesterday, he took the actual driving test in La Crosse, WI. Praise the Lord, he passed both tests and got his driver's license. We were only in Wisconsin for 9 days and he wouldn't have had a second chance if he failed. (Life can be pretty interesting as an MK.) 

Wednesday night we enjoyed a meeting in Sauk City, WI before heading on to Mendota, IL. This morning I enjoyed speaking at chapel at a supporting church in La Salle. We stopped and saw another supporting church pastor in the area as well. God's really blessed our travels and our connectivity. We're thankful for each opportunity to connect with our churches.

Tomorrow and Saturday, Katie will be doing a workshop session at an area ladies' meeeting. Sunday morning we are in Chicago and Sunday night in Georgetown, Illinois. Monday is the semi-annual meeting of BWM in Indianapolis. We're looking forward to speaking with some of the board members and other missionaries.

Thank you for praying for us. We've traveled in very heavy rain, winds and snow in the last week and God continues to keep us safe. We also continue to have the energy we need for a demanding schedule. God's good to answer your prayers!