Indescribable JOY despite a terrible disaster: by David Speer

I was in Baracoa Cuba last week assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew.  Of all the natural disasters that I have responded to over the years, I still wasn't prepared to see and experience the loss and devastation that had become reality of 158,000 Cuban people overnight on October 4th and 5th.

Not only was I surprised by the degree of devastation, I witnessed something I had never seen before immediately following a disaster--indescribable joy that bubbled to the surface in face after face of the believers who were in the middle of total material loss and devastation.

Last Thursday I was with a pastor, his wife and his two girls.   You'd never know that this presbyter and his family lost their home and had their earthly possessions blown away only a few weeks ago!  The joy that I discovered in my new Cuban friends can never be erased by a hurricane or any other temporary earthly condition, because it is not based on circumstances.

Their outlook reminds me of a passage that I read yesterday in Habakkuk 3:3:17-19, "Though the cherry trees don't blossom and the strawberries don't ripen, though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I'm singing joyful praise to God.

I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.   Counting on God's Rules to prevail, I take heart and gain strength.  I run like a deer.   I feel like I'm king of the mountains!" Message version.

The joy that my pastor friend and family had only comes from their deep trust that God has everything under control and is working things out for good.   It's this trust that caused the joy that I witnessed in their faces.

Kristen and I pray that this same source will keep you singing joyful praises to God even when you find yourselves in extremely difficult circumstances.   May there be joy in your journey.

David and Kristen Speer, Caribbean_US based Assistant Area Directors

New Assistant Area Director's Greetings

Dale's comments: Our warmest welcome to David and Kristen Speer,  Assistant Area Directors along with Paul and Lana Duda.

David's greetings:   Kristen and I are grateful for the opportunity we have been given to serve you as Assistant Area Directors.   Because we have not had the opportunity to meet many of you, I'd like to take this opportunity to share a little bit about who we are and our ministry.

We are both from Michigan, (Go Blue!) have been married for 25 wonderful years and we have two children and two beautiful grandchildren (we're not prejudice).

We began our missionary journey in 2001 in Mexico City.   Over the years, we have worked in outreach, church planting, construction and disaster response/reconstruction.   In May of 2014, we transitioned to the AGWM Strategic Missionary Task Force and began full-time work in Cuba.

We live in Springfield area and would love to have the opportunity to get to know you better.   So when in town, send us an email or give us a call and let's get together.

We look forward to serving with you.

David and Kristen Speer
Assistant Caribbean_U.S. Based Area Directors

Kristen and David Speer

Nana's first blog (that's Patti Coad to you non-grandchildren people)

Dominican Republic family trip celebrating Dale and Patti's 40th wedding anniversary

As a Nana I think my grandchildren are the most precious.  God has blessed me immensely with 7 girls and 2 boys.

I have learned to enjoy each day of the time God gives me to spend with them.  I love the joy they bring and pray for them often...As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!

ADs October Devotional

Integrity and Discernment in an Age of Spin News channels are ablaze with the pre-debate discussion of the first Presidential debate scheduled in four hours.   According to the pundits each debate will consist of two debates, the actual debate and the spin that each campaign will give to it after the event.   Spin, it’s a major component of politics. In a race for the US Senate in 1950, Floridian George Smathers was one of the most creative spin-makers of all times.   When he wanted to sling mud against the incumbent Claude Peppers, he accused Pepper of being “a known extrovert.”   He even went so far as to say Pepper’s sister was “a thespian” and his brother was “a practicing homo sapiens.”   Then to make it really personal, he charged his opponent of “openly matriculating” when he attended college.   Finally he asserted that prior to his marriage, Pepper had been “engaged in celibacy!”  Only a discerning person could see the comedic humor to his accusations. In this age of spin, truth still matters, now more that ever.   Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)  “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”  This passage (Ephesians 4:14-16) shows how our maturity in Christ keeps us from being tossed about by the winds and waves of our time. This world is spinning out of control.  It needs the stabilizing influence of a church that speaks the truth in love.   Let us be people of great integrity and spiritual discernment as we call upon God for Go His wisdom.   James 1:5-7 exhorts us to ask God for His wisdom and fully expect Him to keep us unwavering in these turbulent times.    The world is waiting for the people of d to demonstrate integrity and spiritual discernment in this age of spin.  With Jesus’ help, we can be those people.