A (semi) Personal Word From Karl

Dear Friends,

About 15 years ago while reading 1st Thessalonians I stumbled across the following verse in chapter 2: We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. I latched onto that verse. It resonated deep in my heart. Since that time I have discovered the joy of sharing my life with people in the context of ministry. And God has given me the opportunity to do so many times since then.

I've also allowed many people into my life and have allowed them to share their lives with me. You might call it 'bearing one another's burdens' or simple friendship. Perhaps you could call it listening, counseling, lay-ministry. I think it all boils down to sharing our lives with people. I've learned (maybe I'm still learning) that people need to be a priority--the priority, next to Jesus Christ.

I wanted to take just a minute to thank you for allowing me to share a part of my life with you--and the series of events that make up life in my awesome family. Thanks for your prayers, your emails, your kindness and your love. And thanks for your concern!

Perhaps I've communicated a sense of discouragement in some of our prior email updates. To be honest, the support raising process has its ups and downs--its emotional peeks and valleys. I think I would be less than honest with you if I failed to share that. Thanks for giving me the liberty to share my life with you (to do a 1st Thess. 2:8) without having to edit it or "white-wash" it!

So yes, there are times of discouragement. The sour with the sweet. But rest assured we are having a great time as well. Just about every Sunday we have old and new friends over. We're involved in peoples' lives! And this coming Sunday we're going to have Indian food at a (new) friend's house in Chicago. This Friday I am going to share some of my life experiences at a church ministry whose goal is to minister/mentor troubled youth. And Selene is still leading a Spanish speaking women's group at our home church. We're doing that 1st Thess. thing again!

And, in answer to your prayers, we received a letter from a family who has committed to support us on a monthly basis with an unexpected, sacrificial and substantial amount of money. We truly thank God for them and for your prayers.

Thanks for letting me share a little bit of my life with you (the good and the bad)!
Thanks for those small graces!

Encouraged!

Karl