I love this time of year.  Hopefully soon we will have some snow that stays around.

Yesterday I was able to go with a group of friends to visit Jeff and Shellie Smith. They are in good spirits but need our prayers. Shellie has set up a caring bridge site if you want to pray and follow along. Jeff Smith

God has given a couple divine appointments recently that I didn't mention. Ian fixed our cooker (stove) on Saturday. The Lord gave us a good frank discussion about religion, Scotland and salvation.

And on Sunday as we were walking back from church I talked with a 32 year old young man. It was of the Lord. We talked for about 15 minutes until his bus came. Please pray for fruit to be produced through these opportunities.  

We were able to meet for prayer last night at 9. There were three of us. Praise the Lord. Thanks for praying that nothing would hinder these times. It was a refreshing time in prayer.

It is still cold here. Although we don't get much above 70 in the summer, we also don't normally spend much time below freezing. We've had about an inch of ice on the ornamental pond out back for several days. If you've noticed the sunrise and sunset times on the homepage, you are aware that our days are getting very short. That means when the sun comes up, it is very low sunlight. Tonight we are excited because there is a chance of snow.

We are getting in the Christmas Spirit. This morning we enjoyed singing Christmas carols. The Lord gave us a very good day. I preached on, "The Sure Word" from II Peter 1:16-21. Tonight we had our Bible study and enjoyed the Lord's Supper.

Please remember Katie's Ladies Christmas Tea at our home this Friday. There is a very good group of ladies coming. Katie and Kay Lee are really looking forward to it. We enjoyed decorating our home this past Friday. I'll include some pictures below. Thanks for praying for our ministry today.

The view from our back garden. (Sadly, no one can see our back garden. But we get to enjoy it.)

Alec's wife, Elizabeth, gave each of the children an advent calendar. As you would imagine, the kids are enjoying their daily surprises.

Please pray for Jeff and Shellie Smith who are missionaries in Scotland. Jeff has a couple brain tumors. One has put him back in the hospital today. Please pray that God would make Himself known to them as they go through this trial and that His healing hand would touch Jeff's body. Thanks for taking their need to the Lord.

Yesterday afternoon the Lord gave me the opportunity to put out flyers in Edinburgh. I enjoy going down to a large park near Edinburgh University. Over half of those to whom you speak appear to be students or at least college age.

The first young lady I witnessed to was from Spain. She believes that all religions are worshipping the "same" God. 

John is agnostic. He grew up Catholic but turned away from organized religion. We had a good 10-15 minute conversation.

Another John was in his mid 60's. He is almost homeless and seemed tender to our conversation. He had a good sense of humor. He has grown up in Edinburgh and when I invited him to our church, he said, "Loanhead, I'd have to get my passport out."  (Our church is about a mile outside the city limits of Edinburgh and about 5 miles from where we were talking.)

Mark was the best opportunity. He is Canadian. Interestingly he is taking a class on the "Evolution of Language." His studies focus on pathology and philosophy. We talked for about 45 minutes. It was a very obvious divine appointment. Someone else had talked to him about the Lord earlier in the day. He thought I was with that guy. Thanks for praying for divine appointments.

The Hikin family is still ill. Please pray for the Lord to strengthen them. About a month ago Mark and I decided to meet for prayer on Monday nights at 9. The first meeting was cancelled because my children were sick. We met the following week and then have had to cancel two more due to illness. (There is a lot of sickness going around just now.) We appreciate your prayers that illness would not hurt our ministry. Thanks for praying.

Evangelist John Van Gelderen is making plans to be with us for an evangelistic meeting in February. Please pray for brother Van Gelderen's travel plans and for God's guidance in planning the meetings. I will be seeking to get information out to our community in January. 

We desire that week to awaken hearts to their eternal needs. Please pray for God's power for brother Van Gelderen as well as for the lost to come out to the services.

Our Christmas flyer has been ordered. Please pray as we advertise our Carol Sing Service on Christmas Eve. 

This morning I was able to put flyers out in Rosslyn again. I enjoyed listening to Pastor Chuck Phelps on my ipod while I was walking. I didn't have any opportunities to share the Gospel. But, as I was walking through town after lunch I was able to witness to a man from Nepal.  We have friends who are missionaries there and I told him about them.  He took a tract. Please pray that God will open his heart.

As we've started the church, we've often quoted that verse and we have found it to be absolutely true. (I know you are not surprised.) The Lord met with us this morning although we were not a large group. The Hikin family is experiencing some illness and were unable to attend today. Constance missed her bus and had to wait an hour for the next one. We were happy to see her at the end of the service. (She was able to join us for lunch.) So, it was Adele, Alec and our family this morning.

I preached on the cross from I Peter 2:24-25. The Lord enabled and if no one else was blessed by the message, it spoke to my heart.  We looked at His humiliation, substitution, incarnation and crucifixion. We also saw our identification, resurrection, restoration and submission.

I'm praying about what we will do tonight for our service. We may have a prayer and praise service.  Thanks for praying for our ministry.

Yes, we do miss Thanksgiving with family when we are on the field. But, the one day that really makes me homesick was this past Saturday.  It was opening day of gun deer season in my home state of Wisconsin. My dad and brother got to go out and God provided a deer for my dad. If you have been blessed with venison this hunting season, please send a picture and story to missionaryshore@gmail.com (Hunter's therapy)

I was able to get out this morning and do flyers in a neighboring village. It has been pretty warm the last few days with temperatures in the mid to upper 40's. The wind was down today as well making it very pleasant. I put out a few hundred flyers. My F.D.T. (flyer distribution tool) caused one slight problem today. George put a small stand with glass beads in front of his mail slot. So, when I pushed the flyers through the slot his stand tipped and sent what sounded like a hundred marbles scattering across his tiled entry floor. I rang his bell to apologize and enjoyed a good chat. So, that was an interesting divine accident.

Last night I had a good opportunity to witness to David in his home. I bought the painting from him and returned for a couple frames he had for sale. Please pray that God will open His heart. I sensed God's conviction in our conversation and trust David will take our chat to heart. Thanks for praying for these open doors.

The Lord gave me the opportuntiy to witness to an American today. We are still getting some things for the home. God provided a cabinet for the boys room. It just so happened that a young man from Virginia was selling it. I talked to him for about 20 minutes. He was really kind and I was thankful for the God given opportunity to speak him about the Lord. Please pray for the Spirit of God to work in this young man's heart.

Mark and I had to cancel our prayer time last night due to sickness in his home. There are a bunch of bugs going around just now. We'd appreciate your prayers that the Lord would protect us. Last year illness really impacted our services. God will give grace either way but we'd like to have everyone able to be there. Thanks for praying.

The Lord gave us a fun day today. I preached this morning on, "Earnestly Contending for the Faith." There was a good spirit in the service and we had good attendance. We had 24 total this morning with kids and adults.

Tonight we had a good group as well and enjoyed having everyone over to the house for hot chocolate and popcorn. (Sounds yummy huh?!) Wish you could have been here. :)

The Lord continues to provide fun and needed items for the house. I'll put a couple pictures below to two things that I got yesterday and today. I got a sofa for our bedroom for 10 pounds. And I splurged and got a really old oil painting for 20 pounds.  (Hand forged nails and a hand carved gilt frame.)  Thanks for praying for God's provision. He has given us exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or think.  Thanks for praying.

(You'll also see a wrought iron bed frame in the picture. That was the Lord's provision for a good price as was the FREE super nice nearly new mattress.)

Today was our first sunny day all week. So, I was glad to get some studying done and then get out to do flyers. I was praying for an opportunity to speak to someone and God gave me that opportunity.  I saw this man a good while before getting to where he was and asked the Lord for help in speaking to him. We had a good 15/20 minute conversation. He is middle aged and spoke to me about how the UK is changing quickly in it's position against Christianity and values. It was interesting to meet a nonchristian with a correct perspective on what is going on. Please pray that God will continue to work in this man's heart.

Our service last night went well. Nelson had a fever yesterday and so Katie stayed home with him. That means that I got to lead the children's class. I'm sure that they will be glad to have Mrs. Shore back next week. They did enjoy my game time. :)