Wow! We serve an amazing God! I believe that is perhaps the greatest lesson that we’ve learned since traveling on deputation. From God supplying needs that only He knew to seeing people saved and called to ministry, it is a joy to see God do what only HE can do! This past month was packed with so many blessings and open doors, I hope I have space and time to share them all with you.
First and foremost I want to praise the Lord for the numerous ministering opportunities we had in January. We had a few meetings in the Chicago area and were able to go soulwinning with our home church. While it was wonderful to be out in our area, it was also the morning of a winter storm. We had gotten several inches of snow already and it was windy. For me anyways, it wasn’t a morning where you jump out of bed and are begging to go outside for anything. We had knocked quite a few doors with people showing little interest or no answer at all. We were almost finished and I met Dennis. Dennis was immediately very open to talk with us. He invited us in and after explaining the Gospel and answering some questions he had, he told me, “How could I not want to accept Christ as my Savior? I’ve never heard it explained so simply like this before.” Here was a man that had grown up in a Catholic church and had studied Catholic theology fairly well. What a joy it was to see him trust Christ as his Saviour! My initial follow-ups have been through other people as we’ve been traveling. Pray that Dennis would follow the Lord in baptism and that his wife and 2 teenage sons would be saved as well.
Another witness came when we were in Florida. I was out with the assistant pastor and we met Michelle. I learned that her family had really never read a Bible or even been to church. I began to give her the Gospel, however, she had her hands full with her kids and asked that we come back the next week to share the Gospel with her. Jorge and his wife returned the next Saturday after we had left and she was saved. Praise the Lord for her decision and pray that she would be baptized and grow in discipleship.
Another wonderful time of preaching came at a county jail up in Wisconsin. I had the opportunity to preach to about 50 inmates during 2 different service times. I was reminded that true freedom comes from the Lord alone. I preached out of Romans 1 – Paul wrote that he was debtor, he was ready, and he was not ashamed. What a testimony and powerful truth for me today! Truly I am a debtor to His goodness and faithfulness! As a result of that, I must be ready to preach ashamed the Gospel
January found us in Florida for a short time. We thoroughly enjoyed a little time in the warmer weather. Thankfully during the “polar vortex” that Chicago area had we had no car issues and managed to stay relatively warm. (Just another reason we are so excited to get to Brazil – no polar vortices!) On the support front, I am so happy to report that we are now at 55% of our needed support coming in. I never count support until it has actually come in – but I have to praise the Lord for 6 churches that contacted us since our last letter that indicated they voted to take us on! This is an additional 14% of support. Lord willing we’ll be at 70% or better come springtime. It’s one of those reality check moments. By God’s grace, we will complete deputation this year. Would you please make it a matter of prayer for us to be able to see this goal accomplished? We know His timing is perfect and desire that above all else. But every day here is one where those dear Brazilians are slipping into eternity. Our ministry doesn’t start when we get to Brazil, it’s here. It’s today. But we do desire to get to the place and people that He has called us to and laid on our hearts.
There’s so much more that God has done. I don’t have space! We simply want to thank you for your sacrifice in giving so that we can carry the Gospel to the Sleeping Giant of Brazil and with those whom we meet along the way! Thank you for your prayers – we’re all well and God is FAITHFUL! Please continue to pray for Jamie and her pregnancy.
Keith, Jamie, Lainey, and Baby Putnam
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