APRIL 2017 Letter LIVING WELL

Debt is a huge issue in our culture.

The average household that has credit card debt owes $16,000. That number is $27,000 for auto loans, $48,000 for student loans, and $169,000 for mortgages. Some people are trying to pay off their personal debt. Others consider themselves to be “debt free.” 

Imagine having a debt so large that you could never pay it off. And the debt has a deadline. If you do not pay it off by the deadline, you will die. What do you do?

Some people would run around trying to get enough money to pay off the debt, even though it was insurmountable. Others would try to borrow enough money. Some people might think that they are persuasive enough to talk themselves out of it. People of high position might think that they are too important to pay the penalty of death.

We each have a personal debt that is too large for us to pay – it is the debt of sin.

 

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14

First, we have to acknowledge that we have sinned and have a debt to pay to be able to receive Christ’s forgiveness. We have to admit that we can’t pay the debt and we are not good enough to escape its penalty. After we receive the forgiveness of our sin, then what do we do? 

We trust Him. We look forward to that day when we will stand before His throne, repeating the wonder that He died to save our souls. Yes, we will trust Him today, and forsake the foolish pursuits that used to consume our lives. We will stop condemning ourselves for past sins. We will relinquish the shame we’ve harbored for so long and we will abandon our self-absorbed efforts to make ourselves worthy. We will turn from our sin, we will trust him, and we will sing. We will sing and, “Praise the One who paid our debt, And raised our lives up from the dead.” John Piper

We pray that you will receive His forgiveness and praise Him as we focus on His death and resurrection during this Easter season.

We are meeting, planning, and praying for our next mission trip to Zambia in June this year. If you would like to give to this mission, DONATE HERE. We are still praying that the Lord will provide the remaining $5,200 to fund the mission costs at the school.

Thank YOU for your prayers and support as we work with couples and as we support and develop WISDOM Christian School in Zambia

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards
P.S. Please pray for our June mission trip.

FEBRUARY 2017 Letter LIVING WELL

Thank YOU for your prayers!

We just returned from our mission trip to Zambia. The mission was very successful!

Pastors Marriage Enrichment Conference:

• The pastors and their wives responded very positively to the Biblical teachings that we brought them, even when they went against their changing culture. 
• Marriages in Zambia are at an interesting juncture. Many of the people were born in a day when their fathers had more than one wife. At this time, polygamy is not common in Zambia, especially in urban settings. Their culture is very male dominated but that is also changing. Even though Christian men may have only one wife, many of them still operate with the idea that the wife has the same status as their children and their possessions. 
• They are now recognizing God’s admonition to live with oneness in their marriages. They are still seeking to understand how to live that out. They expressed their need and desire to learn how to do that. The beauty of sharing Biblical truth is that it is clear and applicable to every generation and culture. Please pray that these couples can implement what they learned and share the truths with their congregations.

WISDOM Christian School:

• What a blessing to visit WCS as the new school year is beginning!
• We saw the food service crew cook and feed 3rd & 4th graders one day and the 1st & 2nd graders on another day. The children are getting some form of protein in every meal. Currently, the children get one lunch per week. As funding increases the lunches served will increase.
• We got to open the barrels that we shipped at the end of October. Everything arrived in good shape! The teachers were excited to get the school supplies and many books that we sent through YOUR donations. 
• We met with two contractors about another classroom building, which we will begin as soon as the funding is complete. We need about $20,000 at this time.

The CHILDREN of WISDOM are excited about school. We can’t wait to go back in June and bring more friends!

Is God calling you to go with us?
We will finalize a team by the end of February. Please contact us ASAP if you are interested in going!

We are also preparing for our 6th annual Together Forever marriage celebration on February 24. It will be a great evening of food, photos, door prizes, and laughter! Please join us. See pcbc.tv/events for more info.

February is a month of love and Valentines Day, see more on LOVE AND ROMANCE here!

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards

P.S. Praise for a successful mission.
Pray for God’s people for our June mission trip.

The water that I will give him will

become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. 

John 4:14b 

LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.