JANUARY 2020 Letter LIVING WELL

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun;
all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 

Ecclesiastes 1:14

The writer of Ecclesiastes uses the word “meaningless” 35 times (NIV). He pronounces so much of our lives as meaningless – seeking after pleasure, work, being wise, education, wealth, prestige, and more. He never said that they didn’t have value or that they were wrong; he said they were meaningless.

After righting 12 chapters about meaninglessness, Solomon ends with:
.... here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments . . . . 

 Ecclesiastes 12:13

What brings meaning to life? 

He is saying is that all human efforts apart from God’s will are meaningless.

Each one of us wrestles with the question of our purpose or meaning in this life. How we answer that question makes all the difference. How will you bring meaning to your life in 2020?

We have chosen to invest our lives in the children at WISDOM Christian School.

Will YOU join us in investing in these children? YOU CAN make a difference. YOUR investment will reap many dividends in WISDOM Christian School. Invest in the future of these children in the slum and experience joy in your own life.

HOW TO INVEST in WCS:

• GIVE to the operation of WCS (100% donated to WCS go directly to WCS)
• GO with us to WCS May 27-June 8, 2020
• SEND someone else to WCS

We leave January 14 to return to Zambia. We will be surveying the progress of the high school building and what they need to be fully equipped. We will also be buying supplies (including curriculum) for the school for the upcoming school year. Please consider supporting this mission trip. We still need about $6,000 for this mission. [Includes the cost of school supplies for the 2020 school year] DONATE NOW

THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We could not do what we do without YOU!

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards

P.S. Please pray for our year-end donations and the funding of the January 2020 mission ($6,000 still needed).

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.

DECEMBER 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

Did you know that some children
have not heard about Jesus?

God gave us a way to make His name known to children in a slum in Zambia. By providing the children with an education at WISDOM Christian School, we have the opportunity to teach them about Jesus.

We are returning in January to WCS as they begin their new school year. We spend that time learning the needs of the school for the new year and purchase the resources they need for the classrooms. We also meet with our colleague, Brother Charles and the teachers. We discuss the needs of the children, the community, and for the future development of the school.

Our need for the mission trip is $9000 (DONATE HERE) - for resources for the school and expenses for our travel. Please pray that the Lord will provide for the trip before we depart on January 14, 2020.

Accompanying us on the trip will be John and Darla Holinsworth, Sherry Beair, and Laurelyn Sheffield (Minister of Childhood Education at PCBC). Laurelyn is going for the first time to see the CHILDREN of WISDOM. She has lead the AWANA program and VBS to give offerings for the needs at WCS. Under her leadership, the AWANA kids at our church will be giving this year to buy Bibles for the CHILDREN of WISDOM. She is excited to see the recipients of their giving!

Every year at this time, we point people to a page with the names of Jesus on it. Meditating on those names will deepen your understanding of our Lord.

There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible
for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because
He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express. Billy Sunday

We pray all year for those that God may want to send with us to Zambia. Are you one that He is calling to going with us to MISSION ZAMBIA 2020? The dates are May 27 – June 8.  Please click here to find out more about the mission.

THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement.

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards

P. S. Please pray for our preparations for the January Mission Zambia 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.

NOVEMBER 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

Can you believe it’s November already? 

The Thanksgiving holiday is speeding towards us. One day is not enough to express sincere thankfulness!

One of the healthiest habits that we can acquire is to be thankful. We teach our kids to say “thank you” but how often do we say it?

When I make a habit of acknowledging what others do for me, I also profess the value that someone else adds to my life – no matter how small or large. I am also saying that I am not living life alone or independent; I am interconnected with those I encounter, whether at home or in business.

Being unwilling to recognize the need and value of others is often the barrier to giving thanks. In a word, it is PRIDE. I may think it diminishes my own value or strength when I express appreciation, gratitude, or thanks to others.

Then, we transfer that concept to the larger scale of giving thanks to God.
     I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
     I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1

Giving thanks to God shows my realization of all of the good that He does for me, but my thanks also points to my need. On my own, I cannot provide all of the good things in life. Giving thanks says I know there is someone there that is bigger than me, more powerful, and loves me enough to demonstrate it.

Due to popular demand, a couple of pages from last November are getting an encore in today’s letter. Please take time to read more about:

What does Thanksgiving mean?

Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?

The high school building for WISDOM Christian School continues to progress. The roof is going on. Please pray for the completion. We thank God for providing for this next step for the school. See more here.

MISSION ZAMBIA is a work in progress every day! We pray that you will consider going with us to MISSION ZAMBIA 2020! The dates are May 27 – June 8.


We will be sharing about the school and the next mission trip in some informational meetings (see the list to the left) Please come and find out more about the mission.

THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement.

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards

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.

OCTOBER 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

What type of person do you find it easy to be around?
Someone that is accepting, not judgmental or critical. Someone that loves me as I am. Someone that will forgive me, even when I mess up.

It’s really easy to spend time with that type of person. We long for that kind of acceptance and forgiveness from others. That is a “grace-full” person. The “grace-full” person exudes God’s grace in their relationships. They are “grace-full” and “grace-filled.”

We all want to be on the receiving end of that kind of grace. Am I willing to give that same grace to others?

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed. 2 Corinthians 9:8

God promises to give us the grace that we need to show to others, both in speech and in deed. We do it all to honor Him and draw others to His grace. [See more on this page.]

The high school building for WISDOM Christian School continues to progress. The walls are almost up! Please pray for the completion. We thank God for providing for this next step for the school.

Our THANKS to everyone who gave to the school lunch program for the CHILDREN of WISDOM. We completed the $10,000 match!

MISSION ZAMBIA is a work in progress every day! We pray that you will consider going with us to MISSION ZAMBIA 2020! The dates are May 27 – June 8. Please contact us if you are interested!

THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement. 

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards

P. S. Please join us in praying for the completion of the WCS high school building and the next MISSION ZAMBIA team!

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.

SEPTEMBER 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

Most people know our story – we believed we were called to connect people to the Lord through ministering to marriages. That call took us to East Africa to train and teach pastors about marriage and family ministry.

In our mission travels to Africa, we were introduced to a school in a slum of a slum in Ndola, Zambia. God spoke clearly to us that we were to bring Christ to these kids through the support and development of that school.

This story is not about about WISDOM Christian School; it is about the joy of following the Lord. Being a part of a ministry at a school in a slum of Africa is not what we had ever envisioned. It was not in our skill set; it wasn’t even in our interests. We certainly understand some of the confusion that some Old Testament prophets felt. “God, we want to follow you ... but this is really different from anything we have done!”

What we found out is that when you follow the Lord, He gives you what you need when you need it!

As the cliché goes – the rest is history. Except it’s not only history of what has happened, it is about what is still happening. 

Since that day in January 2012, we are sprinting to keep up with God. We thought His vision for that school would not be accomplished in our lifetime. What we have realized is that He has His vision on a fast track!

       

We knew that WCS needed to expand to 12th grade. We couldn’t even envision how that would happen. But when God puts you in a place, He provides! A family came to us and said they wanted to provide 100% of the cost to build a high school! [more info and photos here]

If you love to travel and thrive on joy, follow the Lord and He will take you on the most amazing journey!!!

And He has provided 80% of the matching donations for the school lunch program! Will you help us to FEED the children of WISDOM? We have about $2,000 to go for the full $10,000 matching funds! DONATE HERE

Have you ever sensed a distance in your relationship with your spouse or someone else? You realize that you aren’t as close as you once were. The distance can be bridged. Read this blog  on Closing the Gap.

THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement.

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards

P. S. Please join us in praying for the CHILDREN of WISDOM and their lunch program.

AUGUST 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.... Matthews 25:34-35

Jesus’ teachings on how we treat “the least of these” brings a clear message to His followers. When we take care of the needs of these people, Jesus says that we are taking care of Him and God will bless their actions.

Many of the children at WISDOM Christian School suffer from improper nutrition. We see many children that are extremely small for their age and show signs of malnutrition. We have the opportunity to make a real difference in the health among “the least of these.” A family has pledged $10,000 in matching funds for school lunches at WCS!

Will YOU help us feed the CHILDREN of WISDOM?

Each meal costs about 50¢. For example – for every $25/month + matching funds, we can serve 100 meals. For every $112.50 + matching funds,we can serve all 450 children a lunch. We are currently serving about 450 children lunch two days/week. All of their lunches contain plant protein to make it more nutritional than they would otherwise eat. We know that children learn better when they have adequate nutrition. We can serve more meals each week with the matching fund donations!

We all see lots of opportunities to feed “the starving children.” What makes this opportunity different?

• 100% of your donation goes directly to feed the children lunch.
• You can be assured that the money will be used as intended.
• There is a great need – we raise all of the funds to support and develop WCS. No one else provides for the children in that community.
• Your donation will make a difference. We know these children by name. We know their faces. We see them every year.

You may go to our donation page for Feed the Children of WCS.  Or you can mail a check to LIVING WELL, PO BOX 720828, Oklahoma City, OK 73172.

Even as our population grows, we seem to be less connected to those around us, even in families, churches, communities, and in marriage. Yet, we are built for intimacy. See this page for encouragement on emotional intimacy.

THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement.

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards
P. S. Please join us in praying for the CHILDREN of WISDOM and their lunch program.

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.

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JULY 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

You are not racist. You hug us and love us.

Samuel in center

 

 Response by Samuel about what he liked best about the week.

The translator further explained that it was like most white people they were around treated them like they had leprosy.

Samuel is in the 7th grade has been at the school for several years. He was part of the team that dramatized the lessons this year at Camp Wisdom. One of our team members, Charlie Beair, spent time in a small group with all the kids on the drama team. In one of their sessions, Samuel shared that statement with Charlie.

We were grateful and hope YOU are encouraged that our teams represent Christ well!

Words fail to capture all that happened on this mission trip.

• Logistics went well – all luggage arrived there and back home, we got on flights that got us there and home (delayed start and rebooking the whole team on our first flight, but arrived on time; delayed flights getting home).
• We were able to accomplish the mission that the Lord set before us, had Camp Wisdom for 450 children, built a playground, painted an outdoor mural.
• Saw many students profess Christ as their Savior.
• The kids and teachers enjoyed the week.
• Trained locals in Celebrate Recovery, saw one woman receive Christ (seem more about her below)
• All 19 team members worked well together, stepped up, and did what ever needed to be done without complaining.
• The Lord was glorified.

Check the WISDOM Christian School site for updates and more photos.

Three of our team stayed longer in Zambia to train some people from the local community in the Celebrate Recovery program. Alcoholism and abuse are huge issues in that area. Language did not prove to be a barrier to conveying the love of God to a local community woman that is illiterate and did not usually attend church. Her neighbors made fun of her that morning as she cleaned up to come to the Chapel for training. During the first small group she replied that she felt like a dark cloud had been lifted from her. At the end of the afternoon lesson the group was invited to repeat a prayer of commitment to Christ. Afterwards, the same lady said it was the first time that she had ever prayed to accept Jesus as her Savior. 

THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement.

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards

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.

JUNE 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

I am the resurrection and the LIFE; he who believes in Me will LIVE.  John 11:25

This verse is our theme for the week of Camp Wisdom in Zambia. The graphic is the on the t-shirts that we will give to each of the kids.

Our theme this year is the story of Mary and Martha.We will have a lot of emphasize on faith and the importance of choosing to follow Jesus and have eternal life. In the U.S., the phrase “choose life” carries the connotation associated with pro-life vs. pro-abortion. Abortion is viewed very unfavorably. In Zambia, they do not have that conflict . . . yet.

“We live in constant tension between the urgent and the important. The problem is that the important task rarely must be done today or even this week. Extra hours of prayer and Bible study can wait. But the urgent tasks call for instant action—endless demands pressure every hour and day.” (Charles Hummel, quoted by Joanna Weaver in Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World )

We teach the lessons through drama, music, and even the crafts that we do.

This year, we are doing something new!

 Three members of our team from Tulsa are staying three days longer in Ndola to train Brother Charles, Pastor Rogers, and other leaders of Wisdom Christ Church in the Celebrate Recovery program. CR has been used successfully in Africa. Alcoholism is a huge problem in the slum around WISDOM Christian School. We pray that this program will bring healing to those in this community.

We are leaving for Zambia in less than a week - May 29! We are excited about the mission, seeing the CHILDREN of WISDOM, and about our team. God has supplied the people we need. We are thankful to Him and to them for answering His call.

We have seven people on our team who have not been to Zambia before. Part of our excitement is seeing them experience Africa and the mission for the first time.

Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement.

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards
P.S. Please pray for the Zambia mission! May 29 - June 10

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.

MAY 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

What is the most common reason for marriage problems?

That’s a question that we often get. The answer is easy – selfishness. And it’s not just a marriage problem, it is a problem in any relationship.

Selfishness rears its head in the way we spend our money, our time, and even in our relationship to God. Basically, selfishness says,“My focus is on satisfying me.” I may not say that out loud or even put it into those words in my head but that is the summation of what I am thinking or saying. See this blog where we delve further into the topic – what does it mean in relationships, what are the red flags, how do I overcome it?

The Zambia mission team has met three times already to prepare for ministering at WISDOM Christian School. We will have one more meeting before leaving on May 29. Every year, we have new people on our team. One consistent remark is how well we plan and train our teams. We share that, not to bring attention to us, but to let you, our supporters, know that your investment in LIVING WELL has prepared many for the mission field.

We prepare our team for the culture and how the differences impact what we do on the mission. We train them on the Bible lessons, the music, the games, and the crafts. We believe that it should be a time of spiritual growth for each of us – not only for the Zambian children.

We emphasize working together as the body of Christ in many aspects. We have developed the whole CAMP WISDOM (VBS) through the collaboration of many team members as they contribute ideas to make each mission successful. Each member of the team is to follow the Lord and the leadership of where they are working on the mission. We stress the importance of being willing to adjust to the situations as they present themselves, doing whatever needs to be done to accomplish the mission that the Lord has set before us. We pray for each other and together.

We educate them on the logistics of traveling so far and to a third world country – taking care of themselves physically and emotionally. And most of all we let them know that there are some things for which we cannot prepare them. We do want the team to trust God on the mission but to be equipped for doing our very best to honor the Lord in all that we do!

THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We could not do what we do without YOU!

Donna and Ed Edwards

P.S. Please pray for our Mission Zambia 2019 team and for the remaining $1,900 (out of $14,000) that we need to complete the mission.

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.

APRIL 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

We are excited to announce our MISSION ZAMBIA team for 2019:

• Ed and Donna Edwards, team leaders 
• Charlie and Sherry Beair (4) 
• Chris* and Paula Cobb (3)
• John and Darla Holinsworth (many!!)
• Travis (2) and daughter, Madison* Lake
• Steve Lewis*
• Brian (3) and Tara (2) Matlock 
• Mary Kay McCormick (5)
• Anita Powers (5)
• Larry and Judy Wilkinson*
• Dennis and Mary Winters*

* Going for the first time. The others have a number by their name indicating the number of times this trip will be for them.

We are always excited to have people go with us for the first time to Africa. We enjoy seeing their reactions and thoughts about their first encounter with the culture. And we also love having people with us who have been before. As you can see, out of 19 people going, we have 12 former members and 7 newbies. Our repeat mission team members are committed to the CHILDREN of WISDOM, in the same way that we are. They are investing their time, their money, and their heart into following the Lord to Zambia.

We appreciate your prayers for the days ahead as we raise funds, plan, and prepare for the mission. We will minister to about 450 children! Our part of the mission costs $14,000 – that includes our flights/lodging/food, camp wisdom t-shirts for the kids and workers and craft supplies, playground and construction materials, ground transportation, and more.

We all have heard about the “ME” generation. But we are ALL born with a “me”-centered mindset. Self-centeredness takes a slant that you may not have considered. Please read our blogs on this idea.

THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement.

We could not do what we do without YOU!
Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards

P.S. Please pray for our Mission Zambia 2019 team and for the remaining $8,700 (out of $14,000) that we need to complete the mission.

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FEBRUARY- MARCH 2019 Letter LIVING WELL

Can we say anything new about love?

Maybe not new, but we can restate some powerful points about love. Please read this blog post for more about love.

Our mission trip to Zambia in January is one that we will never forget! 

WISDOM Christ Church
First Worship Service - January 20, 2019

We were there for the first Sunday in the new chapel at WISDOM Christian School. We went out to see it on Saturday before the first service. Several church members and Pastor Rogers paced the interior of the building – praying for what God would do on their first Sunday and in the future. 

The space seats about 200 – the church was almost full! Brother Charles preached a powerful message dedicating the church to God’s service. In the African way, we did lots of praise and worship. The Holy Spirit was present! WISDOM Christ Church is a beacon in that community!

Brother Charles preaching, Brother Rogers translating
WISDOM Christ Church

THANK YOU for sending us and being a part of what God’s is doing in this slum in Africa! YOUR prayers and support offer HOPE to a community besieged with poverty, alcoholism, crime, and broken families. This mission is making a difference for many families!

Chapel, January 2019

We are assembling our summer Mission Zambia 2019 team. If you are interested in being a part of the remarkable work God is doing or want more info, please contact us. [email]

THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement.

We could not do what we do without YOU!

Our love in Christ,

Donna and Ed Edwards

P.S. Please pray for our wisdom as we minister to couples in distress. And for God’s people to join the Mission Zambia 2019 team.