Passing of the Baton
Rough Spots
This has been a tough month for us. We have been very busy working at the church and have seen many signs that God is working on people’s hearts. We have also felt an increase in spiritual attack. Frustration and a general feeling of oppression have come on strong at times. Derek has had a particularly difficult time this month. We know that we are where God wants us to be and that is not what the evil one wants! Please pray for our spiritual walk that we will grow stronger in our faith each day despite the difficulties.
We are dealing with a number of struggles with our church kids. There is such a strong need for quality counseling in the Canyon! One family is dealing with anger issues that have resulted in episodes of running away and physical cutting. Another young lady has been repeatedly in trouble for fighting and smoking illegal substances. She has been under house arrest several times and was recently returned to the Juvenile Detention Center. She is upset because her mom has threatened to send her to Arizona to a camp for troubled teens. She cries about that possibility but then states that she can’t behave and will probably “smoke weed” again. It is so frustrating to watch the kids make bad choice after bad choice!
On a Positive Note
We had another baptism this month! A Pizza/Ultimate Pong/Cards night at the church had a huge turnout! There were over 40 people there, many from the community. The Adult Bible Study and the Adult Worship Service are still going strong. We also have 24 people interested in working on their GED through the church! The Flathead Valley Community College has agreed to send us an instructor since there is such a big interest and because several of the participants have been laid off recently. Word is spreading that Canyon Baptist Church is finding ways to reach out to the community.
We have taken each Sunday School class out to Pizza Hut this month after church. It has been fun to get to know the kids better and to see them in an environment other than church. We wanted to reward those kids that make the effort to get up on Sunday morning to attend. (Most get up and get ready without any assistance from their parents.) They have all been very well behaved during lunch. When we decided that we would like to take each class out we considered how we were going to pay for it. The next day we received 2 unexpected checks in the mail with the note, “spend however you feel led”. How cool is that? God even cares about pizza parties!!!!
The Search is On
We are still searching for a new place to live. Our quest has led us to some wonderful homes as well as a few “fixer uppers”. So far, God has not led us to the one He has picked out. Our prayer is that we will find one before we head East on May 3rd .
Spring is Here
Well, according to the calendar spring has arrived in Montana. It has been a bit sneaky in arriving. We have seen a small warming trend and the permanent winter snow cover in our yard has finally melted. Today we were blessed by more snow flurries. We have learned one lesson since we moved here…the weatherman isn’t paid for accuracy!
We borrowed snowmobiles from a friend last week and headed out to the frozen lake at Thompson Lake Baptist Camp. Things were a bit slushy on the top of the ice but it was still frozen solid underneath. The pace was much too fast for Brenda’s taste but the “boys” loved it!!!
Nature is sending us all sorts of “hints” of spring! Sam and Ray were blessed with a Moose sighting yesterday. The great migration is upon us and there are huge flocks of ducks and geese resting and then setting off again on their journey. The first bear of the season was spotted in Glacier National Park last week!
Prayer Request
-Please pray for the Canyon Baptist Ministry Team as we transition into our new roles. -Derek will be turning 14 this Saturday!!! Pray that he will feel God’s love in a special way.
-Brenda has been experiencing some of the familiar signs of depression off and on this month. Pray for victory!
-We will be leaving for GA on Sunday, May 3. Pray for “helping hands” to come forth to teach for us while we are away.
-We are gearing up for an extremely busy summer of ministry. Pray for all of the mission teams that will be working in the Canyon and for a productive summer!
-Clear direction on where God wants us to live.
-Sam will be leaving us for the summer to take an internship for youth/worship for the Outdoorsman Church in Frenchtown, Montana. He has to finish his high school classes before he can go. PLEASE pray that he will be motivated to finish soon.
-Jim and Mary have just listed their home for sale. Pray that God would bless them with a quick sale if it is his will for them to return to Texas.
Canyon Baptist Summer Calendar
April 12 Easter Celebration after Church
April 25 Kid’s Day Event (K – 5th)
June 14-16 Youth Retreat at Thompson Lake Baptist Camp
June 21-26 WOW Week
June 27-July 5 Acteens Mission Trip
July 6-9 Sports Camp
July 6-9 McNear Work Crew
July 9-13 McMinn/Meigs Work Crew
July 20-24 Children’s Camp at Thompson Lake Baptist Camp
July 27-31 Youth Camp at Thompson Lake Baptist Camp
Canyon Baptist Church
P.O. Box 190307
Hungry Horse, MT 59919 (406) 387-4148
http://www.canyonbaptistchurch.com/
The Crabtrees
PO Box 8478
Kalispell, MT 59904 (406) 752-7719 (770) 441-7719
5crabtrees@centurytel.net
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