JANUARY 2015 Letter LIVING WELL

Happy New Year!

As we begin the new year, we can reflect on the year past and look to the coming year.

It’s a great time to really see how we have grown in our faith and its practice. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6)

For all of YOU who have prayed and supported us in 2014, we see YOUR faith in the Lord and YOUR love for us and for the families we touch with God’s love, both here and in Zambia.

How have YOU demonstrated faith through LOVE 
with those that YOU are the closest?

God created man and woman to have an intimate relationship with Him first, then with each other. The family unit was intended to be the means by which faith was passed from one generation to another. The family is the delivery system of His Heart to those who come after us. The family was created before the church. The family is be a domestic church. “The Church” is a gathering of domestic churches. The strength of the family defines the strength of the church. The family is where God’s love is best nurtured and lived.

Yet, most families today leave the spiritual development of their family to the church. They want the church to do their job. Only 5% of families today have a plan for the spiritual teaching, training, and development of faith in their home with their children. Unfortunately, most parents don’t know how to begin or what to do. When our children were young, we faced the same dilemma.

A church that is truly devoted to sharing the gospel and spiritual transformation must be intentional in strengthening marriages and equipping parents for leading and developing faith in their children or others in their sphere of influence.

Impress them on your children.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7)

First the commandment to love God with all your heart, soul, and strength must be on YOUR heart. Then YOU impress them on YOUR children. Consider:

• How have YOU seen the Lord work in YOUR heart during the last year? 
• Do YOU have a testimony of faith beyond YOUR salvation? 
• Do YOU recognize God’s love and grace in YOUR life every day? 
• Do YOU communicate and demonstrate God’s love and grace to each other and to YOUR children wholeheartedly?

Our church is beginning a year devoted to the family. Will YOU join us in focusing on how to pass YOUR faith to the next generation? See our next post!

Please pray for us as we lead this endeavor. Thank YOU for YOUR prayers and support so that we may continue to lead our community and those in Zambia in sharing the gospel through God’s primary institution, the family.

We will lead another team to minister to the children in an Africa slum in Zambia.

Will you go with us? 
Apply by January 15th.

Click for more info.

Click here for an application.

Our love in Christ,
Donna and Ed Edwards

P.S. Please join us in praying for the team God is raising up for Mission Zambia 2015 and for His provision for 2015!

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.

The God Way for Parents

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:5-7

When our kids were growing up, we wanted to be godly parents and raise them to love the Lord and to live their lives to glorify Him. But how do you do that? 

We took them to church ... A LOT. We read the Bible to them and with them at home. We prayed with them every night, prayed with them before they left the house to go to school. They saw us serve others. But having family devotions was challenging. Talking about the Christian life often lost their attention. We were so busy trying to keep up with their school work, health, etc. How do you stay focused? We felt we were doing what we could, but was it enough?

God’s intention is for parents to teach their children about the Lord. We are to transmit our faith to them as we walk and talk in our daily life.

As parents, we feel very inadequate in knowing how to transmit their faith. For many of us, our parents didn’t do it for us. We don’t know where to start to do it for our children.

In the last 50 years in the U.S., the local church has become very adept in teaching children of every age. As the church becomes more proficient, parents become less confident and involved.

The church has the child for one or two hours per week; the parent has the child for many more hours each week. One hour is not enough! The church does teach the children, but it’s the parents’ responsibility to be the primary teacher and trainer. 

How many hours a week does your child spend learning a sport or a musical instrument or playing video games or watching TV?

How many hours a week does your child spend growing in a personal walk with the Lord? 

There is nothing wrong with those activities if they are not done in place of spiritual training. And the gospel of God’s grace can permeate all that we do if we are intentional about it.

We believe that the history of the world is but the history of His influence and that the center of the whole universe is the cross of Calvary.  Alexander MacLaren

The ultimate purpose of parenting is not to hang on, but to let go; not protection but empowerment. We certainly hope parents don’t interpret that approach as advocating a sloppy, carefree approach to parenting where you put your kids in unnecessary danger. But many Christian parents fail to grasp that God entrusted their children to them to train them up for His purposes, not theirs. J.D. Greear

Where to start ….

Many parents make futile attempts at family devotions, giving up after time demands and whining children interrupt. Family devotions can certainly be part of teaching and training children, but there are many more options. 

Foster deep relationships within the family and church so that: 

1) the gospel can be spoken into their lives in strategic ways and 

2) they can see the gospel lived out in day to day life. 

Good gospel teaching is explaining to kids what they see lived out on a daily basis. It is not preaching it, but walking and talking a gospel of grace. 

Parents begin by looking at the relationship that they want their children to have with the Lord, and ask themselves, “Am I demonstrating that relationship with my life? Am I devoted to the Lord in all that I say and do? Do I value my time and my conversations with my children? 

Is it more important to you that your children are liked by others or loved by God? 

Is acceptance by others a priority over acceptance by God?

Tech Free
For many parents, it will mean that you put down the devices and go “tech free” when you are with your kids. Dinner time (yes, you sit down to dinner as a family) becomes a tech free zone. Driving in the car around town becomes a tech free zone, interacting with your children without distractions. 

Walking and Talking
You talk about the news of the day in relation to God’s big picture. What does domestic violence have to do with God’s heart for the family and marriage? Why is there never-ending fighting in the Middle East? What do we do about the poor in our city, state, nation, and world?

We wish we had know more when we were young. We were still growing in our faith. We knew we were doing more than our parents did for us. The good news is that our children are now adults; our children and grandchildren do love the Lord. We feel blessed.


Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road......

Read related article: The Center

JUNE 2013 Letter LIVING WELL

It’s hard to even write this letter as we have such a heavy heart for our community. We are extremely sad for the devastation of the latest tornadoes. The power of the weather still amazes us - a reminder that we are not in control. Lots of prayers for those who are involved.

We are in the final days before leaving for our mission trip to Zambia. The team has planned, prayed, and prepared. We are ready and excited to see what God is going to do in those who are going and in those to whom we minister. We appreciate your prayers [see mission summary, prayer requests, & schedule below]. Keep in mind that we are getting up about the time you are going to bed - a good time to pray for us! 

One aspect of the mission is to show the Jesus film outside on the Saturday night after we minister at the school that week. This community is not a planned community; it was just settled by people. So, there are no water or power services to the community. The community is a slum area. The homes are made of mud bricks with tin roofs, which are not secured; they have rocks on top to keep the roof in place. Many homes are occupied by single parents or even homes headed by a 16 year-old child with younger siblings. 

Even though their culture has a lot of exposure to Christianity, much of their religion is mixed with superstitious or wrong beliefs. We are anxious to see their response to the film. Our challenges include using a generator for power, projecting the audio loud enough, and making sure the projector is bright enough. Since there is no power in the neighborhood, the movie will attract a lot of attention. Please pray for the Lord to bless that film viewing and our interaction with the community. 

Thanks to the support of many of you, the funding of the mission trip is complete! We always have unexpected expenses, but the Lord always provides for these expenses through His people. Please remember that you are all part of this mission as you pray for us! 

You have probably seen the faces of African children in magazines or on TV. Those pictures tug at your heart. But ours are not nameless faces in a magazine but are children that we know. Part of our goal with at Wisdom Community School is to give them hope. We want them to know that there are people who care about their education, their lives, and their spirits. 

Each one of our team working with the children will have a group of six children in the morning and six in the afternoon. We want to get to know each child and their life situations. We will be able to share God’s love with them individually and personally. We want to be able to pray for them and support them emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. We will share some of their stories when we return so that you can join us in those prayers. 

One of our concerns while we are gone are the people with whom we meet for marriage problems. Please pray for those people to seek the Lord for their marriage while we are gone. 

Thank you for your continued support through prayers and donations. We could not continue this ministry without you! We love and appreciate you and your support of what God is doing! 

Our love in Christ, 

Donna and Ed Edwards 

P.S. Please praise the Lord with us for supplying the funds and the team for this mission!

Mission: Ndola, Zambia, 

•       Wisdom Community School:
• Paint exterior of school & out-buildings, install ceilings in classrooms, concrete steps, flagpole, landscaping, drainage, and misc. repairs 
• Conduct Camp Wisdom (VBS type) with 120 children, grades 1-6; open house with their families 
• Disciple & train teachers 
•     Preach in churches 
•     Show the Jesus film to the slum community where the school is located. 

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Good health; logistics to go well, safety in travel (10 plane flights for trip), luggage arrival 
• We will honor and glorify Our Lord in all that we say and do; that we will communicate well; unity in the team 
• Preaching in churches - share God’s Word and encourage 
• Camp Wisdom at school - Camp team will be able to communicate the love of God, activities to go well (teaching, games, music, crafts, Bible verse memory, stories) 
• Wisdom Community School: Construction team will be able to complete all painting, ceiling installation, concrete steps, landscaping, and other needs 
• Wisdom Community School: Help teachers: grow in their faith, learn more about how to share Christ with students, and help them be more skilled at teaching children to read 
• Jesus Film outreach - many people in community will hear the gospel and respond 
• A quick adjustment to time changes and restored strength after we get home. 

SCHEDULE:

• Wednesday, May 29, 6:35 pm Leave for Zambia (fly Dallas/London/Nairobi) 
• Friday, May 31, 12:00 noon* (5:00 am, CDT) Arrive Ndola, Zambia (35 hours flying/layovers, no bed) 
• Saturday, June 1 Meet with local ministry partner, buy supplies 
• Sunday, June 2 Attend local churches, preach in 3 churches 
• Monday - Friday, June 3-7, 8:30am-5pm*(1:30-10:00 am, CDT) daily Camp Wisdom, construction work, train & disciple teachers at school  
• Saturday, June 8 Open house children/families, show Jesus film outside to slum community 
• Sunday, June 9 Travel to Nairobi, Kenya 
• Monday-Wednesday, June 10-12 Rest, visit local culture/sights 
• Thursday, June 13, 11:50 pm* (3:50 pm CDT) Depart Nairobi 
• Friday, June 15, 5:40 pm  ARRIVE OKLAHOMA CITY! 

[*Zambia time is 7 hrs ahead of CDT]

YOU and MISSION ZAMBIA

FEBRUARY 2013 Letter - LIVING WELL

We’re back! We thank you for your many prayers and support! As we write this letter, we returned less than a week ago. Besides the physical recovery from the long trip, we have finished writing and presenting for two events here in OKC since our return.

We enjoyed seeing the children of Wisdom Community School again and many of our pastor friends. We were able to spend time at the school, getting to know their community and the children better.  We spent time learning from people who are running community schools.

Please read Ed's letter about God’s message to him while were there! We are already planning our next trip. [see details] God is giving us a big mission for this summer! Please consider whether God may be calling you to be a part of the mission.

We also made some significant progress towards providing year-round, clean drinking water with a new well for the children of Wisdom. Please pray with us that the project will go forward. What a great opportunity for those children! Right now, they drink from a hand-dug well that is dry during three or four months a year (no water to drink or wash their hands).

At the follow-up to our pastors’ conference, we heard many testimonies from pastors of what has happened since last June when they spent a week with us. One young pastor shared how he took four couples in his church through the material that we had taught him. Now those four couples are teaching other couples.

A well-dressed, articulate man got up to speak. He said that he had something to say even though he had not been at our conference and was not a pastor. He shared that his pastor had been at our conference and had taught his church the lessons on marriage. The man identified himself as being a high court officer in their government. His office processes divorce requests. He explained to these pastors that the number of people seeking divorce now in Zambia is increasing at a staggering pace. In his government office, using what he had learned from his pastor, he had been able to reconcile three couples! He also challenged the pastors to spend more time strengthening marriages and help slow the growing swell of divorcing couples. What an unexpected blessing we received as we heard him speak and challenge these pastors!

We are leading a team that is presenting an event on February 23 to celebrate marriage. Together Forever is open to the public (for married/engaged/seriously dating couples) and is featuring Michael O’Brien, a Christian recording artist. We heard Michael sing and share his marriage testimony a few years ago. His music appeals to all ages and his testimony is very powerful. Our evening includes specialty coffee bars by Café Evoke (and other drinks), photos (photo booth, portraits, party pics), great door prizes, and exquisite desserts. We will honor couples who have been married 50+ years and encourage those who are in their early years. The event is at Putnam City Baptist Church; contact us or visit the church website.

You are a valuable part of our ministry! We love and appreciate you and your support of what God is doing! Our love in Christ,
Donna and Ed Edwards
P.S. Please pray with us about our next mission to Zambia. 

Christmas Gifts for Children of Wisdom

After ministering at Wisdom Community School, outside of Ndola, Zambia, last summer, several of the mission team wanted to send Christmas gifts to the 175 children who attend Wisdom. They inspired their friends at Putnam City Baptist Church to give toys and candy for the children. We acquired all of the children's ages and gender, so age appropriate gifts could be sent.

The group packed 12 boxes full of Christmas love for the children.

The boxes were mailed near the first of November and have successfully arrived in Ndola. They recently arrived. The children go to school year round; December is one of the months that they take their break. Before leaving for break, the children were asked to return on December 21st to receive the gifts that our team has sent.

Hot Wheels and Trucks abound!

And myriads of dolls!

Pat Foster, Tommie Clemmer, and Martha Battle
Sort and pack LOTS of gifts!



Pat is packing them in!




12 Boxes of Gifts
Each box number corresponds to a list
Telling which age & gender receives the gifts

Ron and Kathy Jackson, part of the Zambia Mission 2012, were the impetus behind putting together the boxes. Their friends not only purchased and packaged the gifts but also gave $900 to cover the shipping of the boxes.

The generous heart of these people demonstrates the love of Jesus to these children who live in a slum and are predominantly orphans. We pray for their well-being!



DECEMBER 2012 Letter - LIVING WELL

Most of us approach Christmas with the strange paradox of excitement and dread, of joy and anxiety. We love the season - the good cheer, the time with family, the music, the celebrations. We dread the shopping, the attempt to keep the reason for the season, the family tensions, the crowds, the money we spend on gifts, deciding what to buy…..

How did we ever get caught up in the frenzy of buying gifts and spending so much money?

Most people believe that the idea of buying gifts may have started in reference to the gifts the Magi brought to the baby Jesus as recorded in Matthew 2:11, ... they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

Accounts of St. Nicolas giving money to the poor in the 4th century shaped the beginnings of the Santa Claus tradition.

The examples of giving were 1)as worship and 2)to the those in need.

What would happen if we used those examples as our criteria for giving?

Would our children suffer? Would our dads still have enough ties?

Perhaps this season we might re-evaluate how we spend our time and money to celebrate Christmas. We could look at the messages that we convey about what we value.

When thinking of the investment of prayers and donations of many during the past year, you can rejoice and praise the Lord with us in remembering how they have touched many lives. 

Some of these people include:

• 160 poor, young children in Zambia who can continue to attend school.
• A young boy named Albert who was overjoyed at hearing about Jesus and John who prayed with him in that Zambian slum.
• The marriage of a young couple was restored after almost losing it because of pornography addiction.
• A couple now has sound finances and a marriage that is stronger than ever after being overwhelmed with debt which caused intense marital strife.
• A young girl was able to unload her burden of despair from losing her parents and being mistreated by her caretakers, after hearing Karen share her own story of hardship.
• A couple can now communicate and resolve conflict for the first time after years of hurt feelings and pain in their marriage.
• A woman carrying the burden of years of abuse and pain who can now be a healthy, Christian wife and mother.

The end of the year is often a time when people consider their giving to the Lord in a special way. We are very thankful for the people who support this ministry. These end-of-the-year donations are a vital part of our budget. Please pray for God to supply our needs at this time of the year. [to donate]

You are a valuable part of our ministry! We love and appreciate you and your support of what God is doing at Living Well!

Donna and Ed Edwards
P.S. Please pray for the Lord to provide the remaining $8700 for our mission to Zambia in January.

LIVING WELL Zambia Mission Team Shares

The Economics of Marriage and Divorce

A company in the U.K. put this graphic together, using the U.S. population as their database because of our size, diversity, and high rate of marriage. The graphic is only about the economics of two-parent families versus single parents.

THE NEXT STEP

What is my next step in my career? ..... in my marriage? ......in ministry? .... in my life?

We all face those questions. The question is easy; the answer doesn't always seem clear.

We have had a lot of people come to us with those questions. Usually, we want to know what is at the end of the road first and, secondly, how to get there. We have found that God doesn't always show us the end of the road, but He will always show us the next step.

Our answer to most people is "do what you know that He wants right now for your next step." After we take that step, He will show us the one after that.

School girl running after our bus
as we left

What's our next step in Africa?

We know that the Lord wants us to continue to help the children at Wisdom Community School in whatever way we can right now.

Our supporters and Zambia mission team have invested financially, emotionally, and spiritually in the school.

We believe that our next step is to provide security bars for the three doors and the one regular window of the school. The school is in a high crime area. When the vandals in that area learn that there are new books, etc. in the school, they will break in and steal whatever they could sell. The cost is about $650.

If you are interested in donating towards the security of the school, go to our donation link here.