We hope you are well and that you are enjoying the Spring weather. We trust that you had a peaceful Easter season. We had the joy of witnessing two baptisms on Easter Sunday. It was special because there were three church bodies represented in the service. It was encouraging for us and for our brother and sister that were baptized to have that support. It was a great time to celebrate Christ's death and resurrection.
Our days are becoming much longer here and the life of the city seems to be waking up. As we walk to work we pray for the city. We pray for the people to have an awakening in their hearts. We are praying that the Gospel seeds that are being planted by not only us but everyone here would find fertile soil. Our prayer for you is that the Gospel would not only be the Good News that we read about in the Bible, but it would be a joy that overcomes your daily lives. That it would change how you see your neighbors, your co-workers, and the lady behind you in the grocery store. We pray that it would give you hearts of compassion and a love for sharing this Good News without fear. The Gospel is daily transforming our lives here and growing our passion to see people love the Lord.
We hope that you all are well and we thank you for praying for us. We have many new things that we need you to be praying for. We have spent months praying about serving in a more full time role in the city of Budrio, and we both have a peace about serving alongside the team there. Currently, the majority of our finances come from our current jobs as English teachers. As English teachers we've had a strategic platform with the people since we moved to Italy. We both have learned so much through our jobs and we have made many friends. Now we are entering a transitional phase with our calling here and we will be temporarily stepping down from our teaching jobs here. We understand that this transition is a leap of faith for us but we have a peace and a hope for where the Lord has us.
In August we will be returning stateside with
the goal of raising financial support so that we can have more time to work
alongside this community of believers.
We are returning for a set period of time to make contact with
both individuals and churches who are called to support the Lord’s work in
Budrio, Italy. One of our biggest needs is a
sending church that would be willing to send us back to Italy. One of the
biggest regrets we have had with the past few years is not asking for more help
before we came to Italy. So it is our
prayer that God would send us partners that would help us. We need spiritual
encouragement, prayer, and financial support.
Please pray that the Lord would lead us to men, women, and families that
have a heart for the Gospel to be proclaimed and lived throughout the country
of Italy. Our heart
and passion is the pursuit of Jesus Christ and the advancement of His Kingdom.
Thank you
for praying for us!
Justin & Carli
