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Rogers Update - 8/26/2013
August 26, 2013

Dear Friends,

I remember as a child visiting my grandparents and my Uncle George.  Uncle George was always special to us because when he went out on business trips, he would usually return home with a present for each of us kids.  He was a fun uncle for a lot of reasons that we perhaps did not appreciate at the time.  Uncle George also liked country music.  (I am fully aware that country music often has some very serious misrepresentations of moral values – not to mention improper use of English grammar! – but I was young back then and liked the presents.)  Well, this week one of the songs he use to play popped back in my head, and I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind.  (That only demonstrates how powerful music is and can affect us!)  Anyway, here are the words to the chorus that has repeated over and over in my thoughts:

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands.

The reason these words have stayed with me is I keep applying them not only to my father, but also to God.  My Lord is wonderfully kind when I am passing through the difficult challenging times of life.  My God is also determined to change me into the image of His Son.  He will do what is necessary in my life, even if it is hard, to accomplish the divine purposes He has for me.  God does this because of His unfailing love.  I am so thankful for Abba Father who cares about my spiritual maturity.  Galatians 4: 6 states, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”  When I understand God in this personal, relational way, I am free to enjoy Him and trust Him because I know He will do the right and caring action in my life.

God’s caring action last month was to allow me to return to Utah and be involved in ministry in the same valley where I spent 18 years in church planting.  I returned to Orem, Utah, to work again with Daniel and Aja Long in their new church plant.  I was there last year in the very early stages when Daniel started his Bible studies.  It was very special spending time with this precious couple who love the Lord and serve Him faithfully.  Daniel has found a wonderful way of reaching out to others through his love of fishing.  He has developed friendships with the local university fishing team as well as workers in area recreational stores.  This is a very wise approach to building relationships in a community where religion is often the focal point of conflict.  Daniel is also faithful in door to door calling and is a good Bible teacher.  His wife, Aja, is wonderful with the ladies and children she comes in contact with.  The manager’s wife at the motel where the Longs hold Sunday Morning service has asked if her daughter could attend the children’s service which opens the potential door for other workers’ children to come.

While in Utah I had opportunity to do door to door calling with Daniel as well as help with some of the legal issues a new church plant has.  I enjoyed discussing future plans with Daniel and Aja as they look ahead at what the Lord is doing in their ministry.  They also will be having their first baby at the end of September which will change and enhance their ministry.  New babies are a wonderful conversation starter anywhere, but especially so in Utah!  When Beabea and I were church planting in Utah in our early years of ministry, we would do door to door calling with our children.  It almost always brought positive results as we greeted people.

During this Utah trip, I visited with good friends as well as several other churches in the area.  It was great spending time with them and learning what God has been doing in their lives and ministries.  I also connected with a lady who as a teenager was part of our early ministry.  I had not seen her for many years.  I was very pleased to learn that she is now married and is attending a Bible teaching church in the area with her husband.

Toward the end of the Utah trip, I spent a couple of days with a dear friend, Garry Coon.  I’ve known Garry since he lived in Topeka, Kansas, and attended one of my supporting churches there.  Through our friendship, God very graciously opened the door for Garry to move to Utah and work in a “tentmaker” type ministry with a good Baptist church in Sandy, Utah.  He has a heart to share Christ and does so regularly.  Garry and I drove up in the mountains one day and took a tram to what felt like the top of the world.  (I should know.  I just spent 10 weeks this spring in northern Alaska which is indeed the top of the world!)  While sitting having lunch at a picnic table that was available, a hiker named Don arrived at the top and shouted, “It’s good to be alive!”  He had finally made it to the summit.  I offered him a bottle of water which he took thankfully.  He then accepted my invitation to sit down and visit.  God did indeed guide the conversation allowing Garry and I to share the good news of the Christ of the Bible.  We talked for quite awhile about spiritual things as well as some of the challenges his family was facing.  We finished with me praying for him and his family.  Please pray for Don as he has to make some very challenging decisions ahead in regards to his family, but most important, pray he and his family will come to Christ.

While away I was missing my dear wife, Beabea, who stayed home on this trip to work and earn some money to pay bills.  Since our support is a little over 40%, she has to stay behind on some of the trips.  God did enable us to pay our bills in a unique way this month, though.  My dad had a small insurance policy that finally paid.  It was divided among his children.  The portion I received paid our bills almost to the exact penny of what was needed.  God’s provision was amazing, and it was special to have my parents help us once more to serve the Lord (even while they enjoyed heaven with the Lord).

The next few months I will be in Indiana and Iowa speaking.   I am enjoying being home with Beabea as we both anticipate the coming of additional grandchildren from both of our children.  Christy, our daughter, is due the first part of October, and Jessica, our daughter-in-law, is due the middle of November.  Please be in prayer for both of them and all the grandkids, born and not born yet.

Looking forward to future adventures in Christ,

John

 

John (and Beabea) Rogers

jtrbem@gmail.com

 

7265 West 320 South
Russiaville, IN 46979
(765) 319-3090

 

Commissioning Church: Shepherd Road Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1054, Mulberry, FL  33860

 

Barnabas Enrichment Ministries
P.O. Box 229
Elkhart, IN 46515-0229

(765) 667-2532