tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-222125552024-03-13T06:16:30.421-05:00Living WellGiving Life to MarriagesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger404125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-47994824506930569292023-10-27T14:33:00.002-05:002023-10-27T14:33:58.441-05:00CELEBRATING 20 years of LIVING WELL<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #01676b; font-size: medium;">YES, 20 years ago we started LIVING WELL!</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #01676b; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnKKww-P7wxBVOsRlhRtQ0iUTZqFUI_b0-hpP6VNK8tpbnBJOm53r0ysL9NRL_7fb2VfRyEQvV1nsgYXtZVdOCZU-SfH8h2-u9kRXQsomc4OmNZ-sf3sAD8jZUgA0IwNy3CbCV9BiH3QSf4tCRCfJU4wiOZHd9RkNplruHonsxnBz-CudO9IU3A/s1230/LW%20color%20logo%2020%20YRS.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnKKww-P7wxBVOsRlhRtQ0iUTZqFUI_b0-hpP6VNK8tpbnBJOm53r0ysL9NRL_7fb2VfRyEQvV1nsgYXtZVdOCZU-SfH8h2-u9kRXQsomc4OmNZ-sf3sAD8jZUgA0IwNy3CbCV9BiH3QSf4tCRCfJU4wiOZHd9RkNplruHonsxnBz-CudO9IU3A/w176-h200/LW%20color%20logo%2020%20YRS.jpg" width="176" /></a></div><div><b>20 years ago – </b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We were a lot younger!</li><li>Our children were beginning their adult lives.</li><li>Ed had been serving in vocational ministry at our church for 16 years (served there for 5 more years before joining LIVING WELL full-time)</li><li>Donna had been serving in vocational ministry for 12 years at Scope Ministries.</li><li>We had been involved in marriage ministry for several years.</li><li>Had started training pastors in East Africa in marriage ministry</li></ul></div><div><b><span style="color: #01676b;">To summarize 20 years of ministry at LIVING WELL would be impossible!</span></b><br /><br />It’s been 20 amazing years of spreading God’s love and joy through our <b>marriage teachings and training church leaders in marriage ministry.</b> We feel so blessed to have been able to impact countless couples and families, helping them to build stronger and more fulfilling relationships. <br /><br />In those years and before, we have been privileged to see many young couples begin their marriages and their families. Some of those young couples now have children that are getting married. <b>Watching those couples grow in their marriages and in their faith brings us great joy and gratitude!</b><br /><br /><b>Our journey has taken us to the heart of Africa</b>, where we have been dedicated to empowering communities through education and ministry. We have trained pastors in marriage ministry, providing them with the tools and skills they need to build strong and healthy relationships within their congregations. <br /><br />Additionally, God led us to take on the support and development of <b>WISDOM Christian School in a slum in Zambia</b>, providing children with access to a quality Christian education and giving them hope for a brighter future. We believe that by investing in education and empowering leaders, we can create lasting change and transform communities for Christ for generations to come. <br /><br /><b>In 2020, we semi-retired. </b>We continue to work in marriage ministry and to raise funds and direct the support and development of WCS – educating about 600 children and employing 16 people in the community. <br /><br /><span style="color: #01676b;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">THANK YOU for being a part of our journey!</span></b><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">We could not do what we do without YOU!</span></b></span></div><div><br /><b>Our ministry to marriages continues</b> through writing. See <a href="https://livingwellinmarriage.blogspot.com/2023/10/observations-on-marriage-part-2.html" target="_blank">this link</a> for more info about common problems and solutions. </div><div><br /></div><div>Please let us know how you are doing. Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. We are no longer taking new appointments, but will see people that we have seen in the past. <b>THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. </b></div><div><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-66137224034188711112023-07-30T16:09:00.000-05:002023-07-30T16:09:07.225-05:00AUGUST 2023 Letter LIVING WELL<b>In the last month, we attended four funerals</b> – family and church friends – all were only a few years older than we are.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UF3j8v_9hY6PW_J2KSywAnuRKF9fMX3Opbs_J5zyZSLSaB_6lwBpQ--lzUZNTffMI3rbi0Tvhgdnq73jrpShazRRl8wXzLxjCwXBhjDKhQxObrCcGajpXob43lA5tZoyVnzL2nNWJWASJYIWc41eBM_jMBcSZV6wc8x7H2iKsyp0NugyICe78Q/s750/Ed%20and%20Donna%20composite.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UF3j8v_9hY6PW_J2KSywAnuRKF9fMX3Opbs_J5zyZSLSaB_6lwBpQ--lzUZNTffMI3rbi0Tvhgdnq73jrpShazRRl8wXzLxjCwXBhjDKhQxObrCcGajpXob43lA5tZoyVnzL2nNWJWASJYIWc41eBM_jMBcSZV6wc8x7H2iKsyp0NugyICe78Q/w166-h166/Ed%20and%20Donna%20composite.jpg" width="166" /></a></div><br /><div><b> Each loss makes our own lives seem more fragile.</b> As is the custom today, <b>we viewed a lifetime in a few pictures. </b><br /><br /><b>We started talking about the pictures</b> – which ones we would want to reflect our lives. <br /><br /><i>How much of our life is reflected in those pictures? Do they tell the whole story?</i><br /><br />The pictures are just a snapshot of a moment in time;<b> they can't convey the full depth of our emotions or experiences.</b> As we look back on these images, we must remember that they are just one aspect of our lives; there is so much more to who we are than what can be captured in a photograph. <b>They don’t reveal the struggles, disappointments, and adversity that weave into the fabric of our lives and character.</b> Those moments are not caught in a photo, but are some of the most important. <br /><br /><b>We have spent the last 35 years+ on a quest to strengthen marriages and families.</b> We started our service in church working with teenagers. We realized that there was only so much we could do. Their parents made the biggest impact. God showed us that working with the parents was the best way we could help kids. Along the way, we have made <b>many observations about marriage</b>.<span style="color: #cc0000;"> <a href="https://livingwellinmarriage.blogspot.com/2023/07/observations-about-marriage-problems.html" target="_blank">See this link</a></span> to read those problems and solutions.<br /><br /><b>Please pray for Kenya.</b> We have many friends there. Right now, <b>that country is going through a lot of strife.</b> Many political decisions have set off the current problems.<br /><br />Most of the <b>students at WISDOM Christian School</b> will be on break during August. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKr_m9Ohav9LvBvDQc2i0oGQ5JOygy0JEGcxU6g8BdbPcLDccaKXiog0KmYTVWxNmsxhFnhnN3JlVtADwQdb2Mof85pj3o6ycQmdvHge-VS1fSVHmkMHfPxxGK0eoeqnx-bCowCTFAV5kXfPpTPHdS6D9iyhEDG4NPVucLXAm8rrHWAjm65MKoww/s1024/Standardized%20testing1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKr_m9Ohav9LvBvDQc2i0oGQ5JOygy0JEGcxU6g8BdbPcLDccaKXiog0KmYTVWxNmsxhFnhnN3JlVtADwQdb2Mof85pj3o6ycQmdvHge-VS1fSVHmkMHfPxxGK0eoeqnx-bCowCTFAV5kXfPpTPHdS6D9iyhEDG4NPVucLXAm8rrHWAjm65MKoww/w249-h188/Standardized%20testing1.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>Right now, they are taking standardized test.</div><div><br /></div><div>But the<b> 7th and 9th graders will continue to go to school during August to prepare for their final exams.</b>These exams determine whether they can continue in school and at what level. Please pray for these students! See more about WCS <a href="http://wisdomchristianschool.com" target="_blank">here.</a><br /><br /><br /><b>Brother Charles has made great progress on his health</b>. Please continue to pray for his healing.<br /><br /><b>Please let us know how you are doing.</b> Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. We are no longer taking new appointments, but will see people that we have seen in the past. <b>THANK YOU</b> again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <b>We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br /><br /><div>Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br />P.S. Please pray for the students, staff, and funding at WISDOM Christian School.</div><div>To donate to LIVING WELL, <a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/57110-living-well" target="_blank">click here.</a></div><div>To donate to WISDOM Christian School, <a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/57177-wisdom-christian-school" target="_blank">click here.</a></div><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-75069857767488423812023-04-20T16:35:00.000-05:002023-04-20T16:35:14.178-05:00APRIL 2023 Letter LIVING WELL<b><span style="color: #00b8c2; font-size: medium;">At our age, any kind of update starts with a health report!</span></b><div><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfb-sUVnWttclCZeXpdvNW6ZO7q-EcZ6ES37ylRhhYhyj4a3644wmZOX4YY-OC2iEAY1Pt3utFD1TfZNamdsYzFyDCNvRLBfF4f1OiIpaZvNdBhMptKifeZgkdRsoI8HQGF_cRvMBb-jrkcni5ctssO8hbFKN_rSSyQyMaBh60NIMV_9RwXSI/s436/Good%20health%20graphic.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="436" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfb-sUVnWttclCZeXpdvNW6ZO7q-EcZ6ES37ylRhhYhyj4a3644wmZOX4YY-OC2iEAY1Pt3utFD1TfZNamdsYzFyDCNvRLBfF4f1OiIpaZvNdBhMptKifeZgkdRsoI8HQGF_cRvMBb-jrkcni5ctssO8hbFKN_rSSyQyMaBh60NIMV_9RwXSI/w247-h211/Good%20health%20graphic.jpg" width="247" /></a></div></b><b>Ed is doing well since his knee replacement in January. </b>He still has pain and swelling but is getting around much better. Thank you for your prayers! Please continue to pray for his progress.<br /><br /><b>Donna had COVID for the first time in March.</b> Thought she was immune! Ha! Her version of COVID included a nasty cough but she is much better now. And we are both struggling with allergies this time of year. . . like most Oklahomans!<br /><br />As we write this letter, <b>our colleague in Zambia, Brother Charles, is having some serious urological issues. </b>Even though they have a major hospital in Ndola, they seem unable to deal successfully with his problem. He is seeking more skilled help in Lusaka, the capital. We will update on his condition by email. <b>Please pray for his recovery.</b><br /><br />A question that we posed recently – <b><i>Do you know Christians who attend church and read their Bible, but have unhappy marriages?</i></b><br /><br /><i><b>What would be your answer?</b> </i>In our years of marriage counseling, we have seen many couples who fit that category. Most of us have seen Christian couples who divorce. <br /><br />Many people think that if couples in distress will read the Bible and pray, everything will be ok. But very often they aren’t. <br /><br /><b><i>What is missing?</i></b> There are many answers to that question, but the big one is that they don’t know how to apply the Word to their situation. <br /><br /><b><i>As individuals or as the church, how can we help those couples?</i></b><br /><br /><b>We have some suggestions. </b>Most people will not seek counseling or they wait until the marriage is hard to save. But friends, colleagues, and fellow class members can<b> give encouragement and direction to help avert some of the marriage crises.</b> <div><br /></div><div><b>For our suggestions, <a href="https://livingwellinmarriage.blogspot.com/2023/04/encouraging-marriages.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>.</b><br /><br /><b>Please let us know how you are doing.</b> Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. We are no longer taking new appointments, but will see people that we have seen in the past.<b> THANK YOU</b> again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <b>We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br /><br />Our love in Christ, <br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br />P.S. Please pray for our health and wisdom as we minister here and long-distance with WISDOM Christian School.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>The water that I will give him</i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>will </i><i>become in him</i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><b>a well of</b> water springing up to eternal<b> life. </b></i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">John 4:14b </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i><b>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</b></i></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-6545719813945400232022-12-28T15:49:00.001-06:002022-12-28T16:42:42.784-06:00JANUARY 2023 Letter LIVING WELL<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #06cae6;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlMZvgnNtWEd8API1ZqVvoFe_JJ4txDXt4Tn2uFyzFc9n24GRanuBCaAJU4UmMMECVzISD0IqrhWy4NqayyiouPR0MXaK3QUdCsx7Xydv3fyw5WbEr48ZS1a24q5o80z0YfXZhDtnVohmEIDusu2XXPoPnZv1poQ3w-ICZtfyafzJLUTnqiM/s1394/Happy%20New%20year%20'23.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="1006" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlMZvgnNtWEd8API1ZqVvoFe_JJ4txDXt4Tn2uFyzFc9n24GRanuBCaAJU4UmMMECVzISD0IqrhWy4NqayyiouPR0MXaK3QUdCsx7Xydv3fyw5WbEr48ZS1a24q5o80z0YfXZhDtnVohmEIDusu2XXPoPnZv1poQ3w-ICZtfyafzJLUTnqiM/w204-h282/Happy%20New%20year%20'23.jpeg" width="204" /></a></div></span></b>We are all still glowing in the warm feelings of Christmas and looking forward to a new year. <b>A new year brings thoughts of a new start, another blank slate to write on.</b><br /><br />At Christmas, we think about the birth of Jesus. As Christians, we know that Jesus did not begin in a manger. That Christmas scene portrays His incarnation, the time that He left heaven and came to earth as a human.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> His birth did not turn out as many had expected. <b>He didn’t come as a conquering king but as a suffering savior. He brings us great joy!</b><br /><br /><b>As we begin a new year,</b> 2023 may not turn out as we expect or hope. For us it certainly has already taken<b> a turn that we had not planned. We will not be able to go to Zambia in January.</b> Ed is having a knee replacement instead. We had hoped to postpone it until after the trip but his pain prevents that. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: large;">We appreciate your prayers for his surgery (January 10) and recovery</b><span style="font-size: medium;">. We are praying about what that will mean for the rest of the year.</span><br /><br /><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">WISDOM Christian School has baby chicks!</span></b></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIffgshu-ir7dt2xevx_1-y-qgX3DhsC8pUTkQO9gZ4o_3HUKJoewg9C2wSPF3SIwGnVT7NJvtnA8w7AkX2YQrDLxdOnAbK_Cp_6gmwrREnVsNOunq9eNwLSMFGxLL267t1e8J1inKC1JdVBRggqvIcN4mYCoo2Ktu25Fc5CWJy7yGm-ULbA0/s1219/Baby%20chicks%201%20day.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIffgshu-ir7dt2xevx_1-y-qgX3DhsC8pUTkQO9gZ4o_3HUKJoewg9C2wSPF3SIwGnVT7NJvtnA8w7AkX2YQrDLxdOnAbK_Cp_6gmwrREnVsNOunq9eNwLSMFGxLL267t1e8J1inKC1JdVBRggqvIcN4mYCoo2Ktu25Fc5CWJy7yGm-ULbA0/s320/Baby%20chicks%201%20day.png" width="266" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Baby Chicks - 1 day old</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span>THANK YOU</span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> to the donors who have made this project possible! The building is complete. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Upon completion of the building, we purchased 100 baby chicks and all that goes into raising them. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvcQzCtpMkFgN8GkFXlsDrAm-pvGzw2oADqQDiRUc8ANUXW-jNL-PGSLst65S8D638ztXYxSCmbrQSkE-96P9sJVMK46oNmJSc7Tf7SBeq_4gS91k4cC_No4BVe28ZmRmyGz7wYEFqqw5imX7uXR1lA-aaW2m9GPvfbGoapGNbsA1QU0glGE/s1213/baby%20chicks%2017%20days.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="1014" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvcQzCtpMkFgN8GkFXlsDrAm-pvGzw2oADqQDiRUc8ANUXW-jNL-PGSLst65S8D638ztXYxSCmbrQSkE-96P9sJVMK46oNmJSc7Tf7SBeq_4gS91k4cC_No4BVe28ZmRmyGz7wYEFqqw5imX7uXR1lA-aaW2m9GPvfbGoapGNbsA1QU0glGE/s320/baby%20chicks%2017%20days.png" width="268" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Baby Chicks - 17 days old</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Recently, we purchased another 100 chicks. The first group moved to a different room. </span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">They are presently separated. In about 4 more weeks, the first group will be ready to eat and sell.</span></span></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The chicken project is a new endeavor that is still a learning process. </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Please pray for the wisdom of those involved in the project.</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtgYtajni6RMgY8Z0A2yumNI7GqtlAZvhtpkLOpieSMNyjpknG2BTBS-UKrDywyu5wTm2ioV6jDr7NcT8r8an40HW0JT4QIkCXdAXRwl0oKqrg6SyZVB4CHbSeXsXukrm3iBIMbT_TUkdYJJSwzXsBXDMpW6SbrUZIqHpq_JCwTuJC7d9WcQ/s1024/1cf259ab-ed1d-47c3-9bec-2ecf1e35fdf6.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtgYtajni6RMgY8Z0A2yumNI7GqtlAZvhtpkLOpieSMNyjpknG2BTBS-UKrDywyu5wTm2ioV6jDr7NcT8r8an40HW0JT4QIkCXdAXRwl0oKqrg6SyZVB4CHbSeXsXukrm3iBIMbT_TUkdYJJSwzXsBXDMpW6SbrUZIqHpq_JCwTuJC7d9WcQ/w286-h215/1cf259ab-ed1d-47c3-9bec-2ecf1e35fdf6.jpeg" width="286" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Every year as the school grows, we have more expenses. Their new school year begins in January. </span></span><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">WISDOM Christian School needs at least $2,000 for supplies to begin the new school year.</span></b></div></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Please consider LIVING WELL and WCS for your end of year giving! </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>You may give by check. Mail to</b>:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">LIVING WELL</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">PO BOX 720828</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">OKLAHOMA CITY OK 73172</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">(if postmarked by December 31st, it will be credited to 2022 giving) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Or online:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/57110-living-well" target="_blank">LIVING WELL</a></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/57177-wisdom-christian-school" target="_blank">WISDOM Christian School</a><br /></b><br />Please let us know how you are doing. Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. We are no longer taking new appointments, but will see people that we have seen in the past. <b>THANK YOU again</b> for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement.<b> We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br /><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br /><b>P.S. Please pray for year-end gifts for LIVING WELL and WCS. These gifts are vital for continued ministry.</b></span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-30872932869050911772022-11-01T18:47:00.001-05:002022-11-01T18:49:25.852-05:00OCTOBER 2022 Letter LIVING WELL<i><b>Give thanks </b>to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.</i> Psalm 107:1<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWU4k7JljfrrKH98KJm_UVsZi8To_6sd1JrO0OsdrAVqPnRmQ_YdQI7R5TADtNxcLhWAknH1nuLfev0Ekat476bItTA3JHCT4v6MBQF1y3jKtNF1NNSpjyrnIKmuLzBLUjMixPwp5u0_Ca2t-uE-2Go0cDyi1MvYmKpDr1a8aD7ol9dtR0scA/s432/Thank%20you%20color.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="406" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWU4k7JljfrrKH98KJm_UVsZi8To_6sd1JrO0OsdrAVqPnRmQ_YdQI7R5TADtNxcLhWAknH1nuLfev0Ekat476bItTA3JHCT4v6MBQF1y3jKtNF1NNSpjyrnIKmuLzBLUjMixPwp5u0_Ca2t-uE-2Go0cDyi1MvYmKpDr1a8aD7ol9dtR0scA/w188-h200/Thank%20you%20color.jpg" width="188" /></a></div><div>We are entering a season that focuses on <b>giving thanks.</b> We are thankful for so much in our lives ...... <i>but who do we thank? </i><br /><br />As Christians, <b>we thank God</b> who is the source of all of the good in our lives. <br /><br /><b><i>Every good and perfect gift is from above</i></b> .... James 1:17<br /><br />After we thank God, we can follow Paul’s example and thank others. <b><i>Did you know that gratitude in a marriage or any relationship can transform it?! </i></b><br /><br />Shaunti Feldhahn is a Christian, a researcher, writer, and speaker. Her books are based on solid research. In several of her books, she writes about the power of gratitude and kindness in marriage. In her book, <i>Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages</i>, she shares, <i>I heard these kinds of comments over and over in the interviews with highly happy couples. They were casual remarks about something that really wasn’t casual at all:<b> a deeply felt gratitude</b>. This “attitude of gratitude” can transform your marriage from good to great. <b>Highly happy couples give their spouses most of the credit for their relationship success—and they live in regular, conscious gratitude as a result.</b></i><b> </b>Read more about transforming a relationship with gratitude<a href="https://livingwellinmarriage.blogspot.com/2022/11/give-thanks.html" target="_blank"> <b>at this link.</b></a><br /><br /><b>WISDOM Christian School is on its way to raising chickens – thanks to numerous donors. </b>The building is almost complete. They will start with 100 baby chicks. As they grow, they will add another 100 babies. These chickens will be large enough to sell or cook in about six weeks. We know that it will be a learning process.<b> Please pray for the wisdom of those involved in the project. <a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-place-for-poultry.html" target="_blank">[see progress]</a></b><br /><br />We continue to <b>pray that we will be able to return to Zambia in January. We are anxious to see all of the staff and the students! The needs have grown greatly since the secondary school was added. </b>Please pray for the students, teachers, and their support. <br /><br /><b>Please let us know how you are doing.</b> Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. We are no longer taking new appointments, but will see people that we have seen in the past. <b>THANK YOU </b>again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We <b>could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br /><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<p class="BodyA" style="border: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="BodyA" style="border: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">P.S. Please pray for us to be able to return to Zambia, for protection and support of WISDOM Christian School.</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="BodyA" style="border: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-23204337742244732182022-06-27T14:52:00.001-05:002022-06-27T14:52:39.556-05:00JUNE 2022 Letter LIVING WELL<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Do you ever feel like the world is spinning out of control?</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSx94OZPSvcrfMmJqzwIQByxsB5CJxP-VLtgrTUq1uY-LxHza1SBm9V-bg65I4tnbuSHTidFEMbYM0kmCSxxpwn0ERWD2RjprazMEhVUIwxmtrQdUoztIlizlD1OdCVHdeMYu2GEJnxNjgNgyL6xHreRC89OZfQEtpUYyscES0mZRczHzS3U/s1610/earth%20spinning.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1610" data-original-width="1334" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSx94OZPSvcrfMmJqzwIQByxsB5CJxP-VLtgrTUq1uY-LxHza1SBm9V-bg65I4tnbuSHTidFEMbYM0kmCSxxpwn0ERWD2RjprazMEhVUIwxmtrQdUoztIlizlD1OdCVHdeMYu2GEJnxNjgNgyL6xHreRC89OZfQEtpUYyscES0mZRczHzS3U/w194-h235/earth%20spinning.png" width="194" /></a></div><br /></i></b><b>First, the pandemic,</b> a crisis that none of us have experienced before, which impacts every part of our lives. T<b>hen we add racial violence</b>. On top of that, we add <b>supply disruptions and an erratic economy. </b>The <b>politics</b> of our country divide us. An <b>aggressive Russian military </b>kills many Ukrainians and drives millions from their homes to become refugees in other countries. Now, the horrific, g<b>rowing levels of gun violence and deaths.</b> Classroom <b>killings of young children threatens to overtake our emotional exhaustion.</b><br /><br /><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>How do we endure it all? </b></span></i><div><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>What do we do when life seems to be unraveling?</b></span></i><br /><br />As long as we look at our circumstances, we can easily get depressed. <br /><br />In the Bible, God uses the word picture of a <b>“rock”</b> to mean something or someone that is dependable and unchanging. The psalmist calls God “the rock” or “my rock.” The following verse describes who God wants to be in each of our lives.<br /><br />The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2)<br /><br />He is The One who protects us, delivers us, and is our safe place. A rock is solid and doesn’t change. The description of Jesus portrays this concept. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)<br /><br />With a world that is in constant change, <b>we have The One who does not change</b>. When <b>we are focused on The One,</b> <b>we can have peace and hope,</b> regardless of how much our world changes. <br /><br />When we seem overwhelmed, <b>we can go to Him</b>. <b>We can seek Him</b> through His Word. We can be assured of <b>His love and compassion for us.</b> <br /><br /><b>We continue to pray</b> that we will be able to return to Zambia soon and start taking teams again. The needs have grown greatly since the secondary school was added. <b>Please pray for the students, teachers, and their support. </b><br /><br />Please let us know how you are doing. Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. We are no longer taking new appointments, but will see people that we have seen in the past. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br /><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br /><b>P.S. Please pray for us to be able to return to Zambia, for protection and support of WISDOM Christian School.</b><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>The water that I will give him will</i></div><div style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div><div style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">John 4:14b </div><div style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div></div><p class="BodyA" style="border: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 11pt; text-align: justify;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" style="text-align: start;" /></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-60145068130267343752022-03-30T16:37:00.000-05:002022-03-30T16:37:30.325-05:00March 2022 Letter LIVING WELL<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Wow! The last 10 years have been astounding! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvs6P_5yl8uw0NtsCLmgLFmY4Wvb2bVLca36JzAdSef2bgKrX24raBTkpSnJwkDtDl94uhKVNebO5O6Dx9XmDcXoyFekJRA4m1RfPTMoY9hh1MjOirEHG68rRhihiCoL4tG0yBeGqux8z2MV-s58v5wJ_rttReh2h1uOtxJxqCc0EqOa-O3TU/s721/10!.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="721" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvs6P_5yl8uw0NtsCLmgLFmY4Wvb2bVLca36JzAdSef2bgKrX24raBTkpSnJwkDtDl94uhKVNebO5O6Dx9XmDcXoyFekJRA4m1RfPTMoY9hh1MjOirEHG68rRhihiCoL4tG0yBeGqux8z2MV-s58v5wJ_rttReh2h1uOtxJxqCc0EqOa-O3TU/w200-h109/10!.png" width="200" /></a></div></span></i></b><div><br /></div>When we formed LIVING WELL ministry in 2003, <b>our focus was on strengthening families here and in Africa. </b>We have done that through personal guidance, classes, training church teams, and training pastors in Africa. We have tried to be faithful to take the next step wherever the Lord led.<br /><br /><b>In January of 2012, He presented a new mission endeavor. </b>While we were in Ndola, Zambia, working with pastors on marriage ministry, our colleague there introduced us to a school in a slum of a slum. Another ministry had started WISDOM Christian School (originally named Wisdom Community School), but was leaving Zambia that month. The school was going to close without support – at that time, the need was $400/month. The school had one building made of mud blocks with two classrooms. It served 140 children in grades 1-4, who would not be able to attend school elsewhere. They had three teachers and a caretaker.<br /><br /><b>The Lord spoke to us about keeping the school open by raising support.</b> We did that for the first year through the Bible study class that we taught at our church. <b>Then God gave us a plan</b> to continue to develop the school with more buildings, school supplies, and taking teams to give the kids a VBS type experience each summer.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>As they say, the rest is history!</b> </span><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">We think it’s time to celebrate all the God has done.</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div>He has moved at an amazing speed to grow this school and its development. <b>We are so thankful for the people that He has involved</b>, both in person and as donors.<br /><br />We have lots of info on the WCS website about the growth and developments at WISDOM in the last 10 years. <b>Please look at the 10 year celebration on the <a href="http://wisdomchristianschool.com" target="_blank">WCS website</a>,</b> you can see year-by-year summaries - lots of photos and info.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixae5z15varWMR4WRLl6RO5dMz4__rW7PC5k3Stn-O2ytnCkbbkCZ6GA1RnGBamohST_8QSwfQ9G0KdCiGVXoZRGjPApOgcch4YH3HKJswiP47rlpsC7JSeceM3B8MY-tVBos1WBsw9v5jqKbC8sSrlKxTAdjqKXUK7jxF1gAsdRRPNX_HWkw/s2400/Group-photos-animated.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="2400" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixae5z15varWMR4WRLl6RO5dMz4__rW7PC5k3Stn-O2ytnCkbbkCZ6GA1RnGBamohST_8QSwfQ9G0KdCiGVXoZRGjPApOgcch4YH3HKJswiP47rlpsC7JSeceM3B8MY-tVBos1WBsw9v5jqKbC8sSrlKxTAdjqKXUK7jxF1gAsdRRPNX_HWkw/w400-h225/Group-photos-animated.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CAMP WISDOM Year-by-Year</td></tr></tbody></table><b>We continue to pray that we will be able to return soon</b> and start taking teams again. T<b>he needs have grown greatly since the secondary school was added.</b> Please pray for the students, teachers, and their support. <br /><br /><b>Please let us know how you are doing.</b> Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. We are no longer taking new appointments, but will see people that we have seen in the past. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>THANK YOU</b> again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <b>We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br /><br />Our love in Christ, <br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br /><b>P.S. Please pray for us to be able to return to Zambia, for protection and support of WISDOM Christian School.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>The water that I will give him will</i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">John 4:14b </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-53906647313455111792021-12-27T12:43:00.003-06:002021-12-27T13:16:31.269-06:00December 2021 Letter LIVING WELL<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibGh1db9eLdglsgB6x8_DptCO9k0ju0ZpiGHocjbLC9WWYeGb1USOxfwkutlSEyen1L-44XFyplKf0a78mLZTQF2N2ZgtfAHzQ6tfyk7-zufqYxVwhVKvPX5AFal7eMH_gHV392qaMRviTsm1Ddwu9QHQD0iL-Aj4jA6kx-sCJjvVMBo55Njc=s1024" style="clear: right; float: right; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator"><i>We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. </i></div><br /><b>We pray that you had a meaningful Christmas!</b> During this Christmas season, we are reminded of our hope. He is our hope! When we have hope in Him, we have everything we need.<br /><br />We are thankful for all of <b>YOU</b> who pray for us and support us. We don’t take <b>YOU</b> for granted. We know with all our hearts that we could not go on with this ministry without <b>YOU</b>. We know that we could not continue to provide an education for hundreds of children in a slum in Zambia without <b>YOU</b>.<br /><br /><b>YOU</b> may not realize how important you are. Every prayer offered to the Lord and every dollar that is given is important to us and to WISDOM Christian School. <br /><br /><b>People have asked us about a mission trip to Zambia.</b> With the upheaval in the whole world over the COVID virus, it makes it impossible for us to plan a mission trip. If a surge erupts or a new variant, the Zambia government changes the rules for international travel and for schools. When the omicron variant appeared, Zambia made it compulsory for international travelers from a “high risk country” (U.S. is considered high risk) to quarantine for 10 days in a place they choose. If we had planned a trip for that time, we would be stuck or would have to cancel. If there is a surge, they will shut down all the schools. If we plan a trip and that happens, we would be unable to minister to the children at WCS. For now, we minister from a distance.<div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHssX_15ozpBahUN5dfMS85tcBsmeuPPLSiOvRnQAZEGjcFD3kuZo7Leaw2o6GI2NrYltr2JtW0mPQqG9RvQ_jQcFUWs0S_LU9OJCiIlQVviugBwCQBW0iyd1-B8c_clFCmCSCuw3y4__BWWUs3TjFgLAYVVCD2eJbjFIm_NEbDLWFZdZGjyE=s1024" style="clear: right; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHssX_15ozpBahUN5dfMS85tcBsmeuPPLSiOvRnQAZEGjcFD3kuZo7Leaw2o6GI2NrYltr2JtW0mPQqG9RvQ_jQcFUWs0S_LU9OJCiIlQVviugBwCQBW0iyd1-B8c_clFCmCSCuw3y4__BWWUs3TjFgLAYVVCD2eJbjFIm_NEbDLWFZdZGjyE=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/57110-living-well" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">DONATE HERE</span></a></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>The 2021 school year has ended in Zambia.</b> The kindergartners graduated (see photos on the WISDOM Christian school Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WCSZambia" target="_blank">here</a>). The teachers planned a wonderful graduation ceremony for them and their parents. The 7th graders have tested to see whether they can progress to high school. <br /><br />As the new school year begins in January 2022, WCS will add the 9th grade to the school. As they add another high school grade, there are many more new materials that need to be purchased – more extensive curriculum, more equipment for the science lab and Home Ec classes, and some upgraded computer equipment.<b> Please consider a donation to help meet the new needs of the school. </b><br /><br /><b>Please let us know how you are doing.</b> Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. We are no longer taking new appointments, but will see people that we have seen in the past. <b>THANK YOU</b> again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <b>We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br /><b>P.S. <i>Did you know?</i></b><i> </i>if you've reached the age where you need to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your traditional IRAs, <b>you can avoid paying any taxes on the distribution by sending the funds directly to a nonprofit.</b> If you are interested in donating your RMD to LIVING WELL or WISDOM Christian School, please contact us!<br /><div><br /></div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>The water that I will give him will</i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">John 4:14b </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-83734467197754902021-09-10T22:06:00.000-05:002021-09-10T22:06:18.238-05:00SEPTEMBER 2021 Letter LIVING WELL<div class="separator"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hyoh5dQe4qU/YTwWDAqf9eI/AAAAAAACTDE/Iu_LJrwTfwAN-E15WEZViMDzisB2W1KkACLcBGAsYHQ/s1473/CHANGE%2Bword.png" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="1473" height="53" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hyoh5dQe4qU/YTwWDAqf9eI/AAAAAAACTDE/Iu_LJrwTfwAN-E15WEZViMDzisB2W1KkACLcBGAsYHQ/w265-h53/CHANGE%2Bword.png" width="265" /></a></div><br /><br /><i><br /></i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>When you read that word, what do you feel? </i><div><i>Excitement? </i><i>Anxiety? Fear? Hope?</i></div><div><br /><b>That one word is emotionally charged. </b><br /><br />We are living in time that is <b>changing daily,</b> sometimes dramatically. <br /><br />If you have ever been hit by a tornado or a hurricane, you know your whole life is forever <b>changed</b> in an instant. When you have a child, your life <b>changes</b>. In a very short amount of time, the pandemic has <b>changed</b> the way of life for most people. Other <b>changes</b> are more gradual. We wake up one day and think – what has happened?<br /><br />The family dynamic in the U.S. has <b>changed</b> over the last 50 years. In 1960, 12% of adults ages 25 to 34 had never been married. By the time this age group hit their 40’s -50’s, only 5% had never married. By contrast in 2010, 45% of the 25-34’s had never married. “If current trends continue, 25% of young adults in the most recent cohort (ages 25 to 34 in 2010) will have never married by 2030.” (Pew Research) <br /><br />In summary, we see 5% never-married in 1980 compared to a projected 25% never married by 2030. This cultural shift contains a myriad of other complex relationships. It contains many implications for the future. We have seen the evolution of these <b>changing</b> relationships in our marriage counseling over the last 25 years.<br /><br />Most of us like some<b> changes</b> – better economic situation, less stress at home, happy marriage. Many of us dislike other <b>changes</b> in our lives – aging, death of a loved one, loss of job. <i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Q304h4oj80/YTwcnTKjxSI/AAAAAAACTDQ/Tp540LPA08YacVbi0QYko6CYv1oQi-lOgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1677/Change%2Bquote%2BNewton.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="1677" height="211" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Q304h4oj80/YTwcnTKjxSI/AAAAAAACTDQ/Tp540LPA08YacVbi0QYko6CYv1oQi-lOgCLcBGAsYHQ/w243-h211/Change%2Bquote%2BNewton.png" width="243" /></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div>How do we cope with <b>change?</b><br /></i><br />In an <b>ever-changing</b> world, we have an anchor, a rock, that<b> never change</b>s. <i>Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.</i> (Hebrews 13:8) When we feel that the world is spinning around us, we can focus on a God that <b>never changes</b>. That truth brings peace, comfort, and stability. <br /><br /><b>WISDOM Christian School has resumed classes after a six-week break</b>. The COVID surge in Zambia is coming down and more vaccinations are now available. Thanks to the faithful contributions of many, we are able to pay all of the staff during these challenging times. Please see <a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/2021/09/school-resumed-in-zambia.html" target="_blank">this page</a> for more school news and photos.<br /><br /><b>Please let us know how you are doing</b>. Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. We are no longer taking new appointments, but will see people that we have seen in the past. THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We could not do what we do without YOU!<br /><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br /><b>P.S. <i>Did you know?</i></b> if you've reached the age where you need to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your traditional IRAs, <b>you can avoid paying taxes</b> on them by donating that money to charity. If you are interested in donating your RMD to LIVING WELL or WISDOM Christian School, please contact us!</div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>The water that I will give him will</i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">John 4:14b </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-37512407739020498992021-06-11T13:33:00.000-05:002021-06-11T13:33:28.292-05:00JUNE 2021 Letter LIVING WELL<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-os7XlFikykk/YMOmdWLw9QI/AAAAAAACSw0/IQATS5WCv-4rHyerlB0HWlHkC-Ha6ytawCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Hands%2Bwith%2BAfrica%2BAdobeStock_24891971.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="2048" height="169" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-os7XlFikykk/YMOmdWLw9QI/AAAAAAACSw0/IQATS5WCv-4rHyerlB0HWlHkC-Ha6ytawCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h169/Hands%2Bwith%2BAfrica%2BAdobeStock_24891971.png" width="200" /></a></div><b><i>Why is LIVING WELL involved with supporting a school in a slum?</i></b><br /><br /><i>When you hear the word “missionary,” what do you think?</i><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A missionary lives in a foreign country.</li><li>Something that was done in the past but doesn’t relate to me now.</li><li>Missionaries are super spiritual Christians. Or ......</li></ul><i>When you hear about people going on a short-term mission trip, what do you think?</i><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It’s a way to go on a vacation.</li><li>There is plenty to do here at home; they don’t need to go to abroad.</li><li>They should be having large events to share the gospel. </li><li>Bible teaching is the most important thing to do.</li></ul>We have had heard all of those thoughts and we have had some of them. But we have changed a lot in our thinking over the last 30 years. <b>What we have learned is:</b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>We are all on mission</b> – hence, we are all missionaries. We are not super spiritual.</li><li>Being a missionary in our home location is important. But if we are only missionaries at home, <i><b>how do some populations learn about Jesus?</b></i></li><li>Missions are important as long as we live in this world. <b>The method of the mission may change, but the message does not</b> – there are many ways to share the gospel, including schools, businesses, clinics, and more.</li></ul><b>At home, we consider ourselves marriage missionaries. </b>We share our faith through helping people overcome a marital crisis or by strengthening their marriage. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gFb20aL_5hA/YMOoUn1lm_I/AAAAAAACSw8/n5Dm1PLIHeEeFAzCXEMeOW5o2hnb-lK8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1124/Ed%2Band%2BDonna%2BWCS%2B2018.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1124" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gFb20aL_5hA/YMOoUn1lm_I/AAAAAAACSw8/n5Dm1PLIHeEeFAzCXEMeOW5o2hnb-lK8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Ed%2Band%2BDonna%2BWCS%2B2018.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><b>In Zambia, </b>we are both short-term, in-person missionaries and long-term support missionaries. <br /><p></p><p><b>While teaching the Bible to pastors in East Africa, </b>we encountered Christians in a variety of ways – they may be a waiter or other service provider. When we asked them how they came to Christ, many shared that <b>they became Christians through a Christian school or clinic supported by Christians from the U.S. </b>or Europe.<br /><br />We have also found out (through the research of others and our own personal experience) that <b>many Christians today are very interested in missions IF they think they can make a difference</b>. God presented us with an opportunity to make a difference through a school in a slum in Africa.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K7wxqwqbUbo/YMOr5xDlA0I/AAAAAAACSxE/lqP7G31-Yn4OeLWNDuLQIAQ_gy0rk9fngCLcBGAsYHQ/s1089/Hands%2Band%2Bcross%2BAfrica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K7wxqwqbUbo/YMOr5xDlA0I/AAAAAAACSxE/lqP7G31-Yn4OeLWNDuLQIAQ_gy0rk9fngCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Hands%2Band%2Bcross%2BAfrica.jpg" /></a></div><p><b>The mission at WISDOM Christian School absolutely makes a difference in the lives of hundreds of children.</b> </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Every child gets an<b> education</b>. </li><li>Every child learns about God and hears <b>the good new</b>s about Jesus Christ. </li><li>Every child receives <b>grace and love</b> from the staff and the mission teams. </li><li><b>Every dollar makes a difference in the life of a child. </b></li><li><b>Every member of every mission trip to WISDOM can influence a child in this slum.</b></li></ul><p></p><p>And, as every past team member will tell you, it is not a vacation!<b> But it is refreshing to our soul and spirit.</b><br /><br />Please let us know how you are doing. Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. </p><p><b>THANK YOU</b> again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We could not do what we do without YOU!<br /><br />Our love in Christ,<br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br /><b>P.S. Please pray for the health and support for the students and staff at WCS. Zambia is experiencing their “third wave” with COVIC-19; vaccinations are negligible. </b><br /></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>The water that I will give him will</i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">John 4:14b </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
p.BodyA, li.BodyA, div.BodyA
{mso-style-name:"Body A";
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:13.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;
text-underline:black;}
p.Body, li.Body, div.Body
{mso-style-name:Body;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;
mso-style-textoutline-type:none;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth:0pt;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap:flat;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join:bevel;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit:0%;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash:solid;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align:center;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound:simple;
text-underline:black;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:.5in .7in .6in 1.9in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.6in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:320427422;
mso-list-template-ids:442658216;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.25in;
text-indent:-.1in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:751779049;
mso-list-template-ids:376606022;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.15in;
text-indent:0in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2
{mso-list-id:1296788373;
mso-list-template-ids:1680403612;}
@list l2:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.15in;
text-indent:0in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l2:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l2:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l2:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
-->
</style><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
p.BodyA, li.BodyA, div.BodyA
{mso-style-name:"Body A";
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:13.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;
text-underline:black;}
p.Body, li.Body, div.Body
{mso-style-name:Body;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;
mso-style-textoutline-type:none;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth:0pt;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap:flat;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join:bevel;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit:0%;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash:solid;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align:center;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound:simple;
text-underline:black;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:.5in .7in .6in 1.9in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.6in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:320427422;
mso-list-template-ids:442658216;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.25in;
text-indent:-.1in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:751779049;
mso-list-template-ids:376606022;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.15in;
text-indent:0in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2
{mso-list-id:1296788373;
mso-list-template-ids:1680403612;}
@list l2:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.15in;
text-indent:0in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l2:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l2:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l2:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l2:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
-->
</style><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-25949118229094163352021-03-22T14:39:00.000-05:002021-03-22T14:39:19.380-05:00MARCH 2021 Letter LIVING WELL<b><span style="font-size: medium;">One year. </span></b><br /><br /><i>Who would have guessed that we would still be dealing with COVID-19?</i><br /><br />Thankfully, it appears that the worst of the virus is behind us. <br /><br />The sadness of this past year is heartbreaking. People dying – alone. Racial turmoil. Political upheaval. Extreme weather in Oklahoma. <br /><br />But today the sun is shining. Many have been vaccinated. <b>And we have hope</b>. Our hope does not lie in politicians solving our problems. Our hope is not in finding medical solutions. Our hope is the Lord and His love for us and His work on our behalf. Our hope is in His Presence today and for eternity.<div><br /><i>I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know<b> the hope </b></i><i><b><div class="separator" style="display: inline !important;"><i>to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people.</i> Ephesians 1:18</div></b></i><i><b><br /></b></i><br /><b>We have both stayed well and active.</b> We spend most of our work time devoted to WISDOM Christian School. We miss not being able to travel and see the students and staff at WCS! But, thanks to the internet, we correspond with Brother Charles, our colleague in Zambia, on a regular basis. He sends pictures to help us stay in touch. It is not the same as being there but gives us joy to see their smiles. We plan to take a team to WCS in June of 2022. Hopefully, we will be able to visit before that.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7NZaal9c7Q8/YFjvBV5f22I/AAAAAAACSo8/ZR8nvQtVdaglQKMklkKcOjltz-sa9-bnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1656/They%2Bhave%2Bhope%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1656" height="267" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7NZaal9c7Q8/YFjvBV5f22I/AAAAAAACSo8/ZR8nvQtVdaglQKMklkKcOjltz-sa9-bnwCLcBGAsYHQ/w446-h267/They%2Bhave%2Bhope%2Bcopy.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><div><br /><b>Zambia had a large spike in COVID cases </b>around the first of this year. School was delayed for all ages. Their new school year begins in January normally. The students in kindergarten through 7th grade returned to classes on February 1st. The 8th grade students returned on March 1st. Since 8th grade is the beginning of secondary school, we furnished new and different uniforms for the 8th graders. They are very proud of their new uniforms and excited about learning. The government mandated capacity for 8th grade is 60 students. WCS 8th grade is at full capacity! For more info and pics, <a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/2021/03/growing-growing-growing.html" target="_blank">click here.</a><br /><br /><b>Thanks to many donors,</b> we were able to furnish the uniforms, the resources (including equipment for the science lab and 2 sewing machines for the Home Ec classes), textbooks, and lunches. The school hired more teachers, a necessity for having teachers certified in secondary education. The monthly costs to educate the Children of Wisdom continues to climb to meet their needs. If you are interested in meeting those needs, see below.</div><div><br /><b>Please let us know how you are doing.</b> Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. <b>THANK YOU</b> again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <b>We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br /><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>TO DONATE - </b>all funds go to Living Well but may be designated for WISDOM Christian School (100% of the money designated goes to WCS).</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Mail to:</b></div><div>Living Well</div><div>PO BOX 720828</div><div>Oklahoma City OK 73172</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Online:</b></div><div><a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/57110-living-well" target="_blank">Click here to donate to LIVING WELL</a></div><div><a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/57177-wisdom-christian-school" target="_blank">Click here to donate to WISDOM Christian School</a></div><div><br /></div><div>You may also have a monthly withdrawal made directly from your account. Please email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a> for more info on how to do that.</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-74429603355058387132020-11-11T16:25:00.001-06:002020-11-12T15:01:15.079-06:00NOVEMBER 2020 Letter LIVING WELL <div class="separator"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n9VG1712jCo/X6xcAo_9-dI/AAAAAAACSW4/gSnQY9l3lk0KEj6baEyXvhyettve64yxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Iced%2Bbouganvillia%2Bcrop.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1598" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n9VG1712jCo/X6xcAo_9-dI/AAAAAAACSW4/gSnQY9l3lk0KEj6baEyXvhyettve64yxQCLcBGAsYHQ/w501-h640/Iced%2Bbouganvillia%2Bcrop.jpeg" width="501" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n9VG1712jCo/X6xcAo_9-dI/AAAAAAACSW4/gSnQY9l3lk0KEj6baEyXvhyettve64yxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Iced%2Bbouganvillia%2Bcrop.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.666666984558105px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator"><b><span style="color: #dc1361; font-size: large;">Just when we thought life couldn’t get more difficult . . . . . . . IT DID!</span></b></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Oklahoma ice storm</b> at the end of October was very distressful for all of us. We were without power for nine days and iced in for two. Looks like every tree in Bethany has damage. We have been through this before – twice in this house. This time we were more prepared. We bought a generator several years ago – in anticipation of another ice storm, but have never used it for our home. We powered our furnace, fridge, and a few other things. So, we were warm and had food. Our camping gear came in handy! <b>We are thankful for the heat and food!</b><br /><br /><b>We hope that you are surviving these days successfully and staying well.</b><br /><br /><b>If you have ever wanted to own a Thomas Kinkade painting,<span style="color: #dc1361;"> NOW IS THE TIME!</span> </b>One of our supporters donated several Thomas Kinkade pieces of art work for us to sell to raise funds. <b>We are in the process of doing that now! </b>What a great opportunity to buy for yourself or a loved one for Christmas. <br /><br />We wanted to alert our supporters before we put them out for the general public. <b>All of the pieces are priced at least half of the retail price</b>. You can see more info <b><a href="https://livingwellokc.blogspot.com/2020/10/art-for-wisdom.html" target="_blank">online here</a> (photos of all pieces of art and prices)</b>. You can also see them in person at our office by appointment. Please email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a> if you are interested. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-joE13CoVDXE/X4THQHe9sOI/AAAAAAACSTE/zKk7NnLsMA4qJlA0Y7wDC8I4V3PEDN3eQCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/Mountain%2BMajesty%2BEnd%2Bof%2BPerfect%2BDay%2BII%2Bcanvas.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2048" height="270" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-joE13CoVDXE/X4THQHe9sOI/AAAAAAACSTE/zKk7NnLsMA4qJlA0Y7wDC8I4V3PEDN3eQCPcBGAYYCw/w320-h270/Mountain%2BMajesty%2BEnd%2Bof%2BPerfect%2BDay%2BII%2Bcanvas.jpeg" title="End of Perfect Day" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">End of Perfect Day</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1m53RbI38U/X4TI2g3lTsI/AAAAAAACSTQ/k_WafM37oWQkvzV_AciZxI25pwagLfEhgCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/Garden%2Bof%2BPrayer.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="2048" height="270" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1m53RbI38U/X4TI2g3lTsI/AAAAAAACSTQ/k_WafM37oWQkvzV_AciZxI25pwagLfEhgCPcBGAYYCw/w320-h270/Garden%2Bof%2BPrayer.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Garden of Prayer</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><b><br /></b></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><b>All of the money</b><span style="font-size: large;"> from purchases will go towards </span><b>funding WISDOM Christian School</b><span style="font-size: large;">. The sale of these pieces of art will make </span><b>a huge difference for the CHILDREN of WISDOM! </b></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />The latest news at WISDOM is that <b>ALL of the students returned to school near the end of September.</b> They are trying to catch up for the 6 months that they missed. Please pray for their health, safety, and school work.<br /><br />We heard that<b> our shipment of computers and science lab equipment has arrived in Ndola. </b>The shipping company delivered the containers yesterday!<br /><br />This year has certainly been one of the most difficult that we have experienced. To keep from hitting bottom emotionally, <b>it is important to focus on all the good in our lives.</b> <b><a href="https://livingwellokc.blogspot.com/2018/11/what-does-thanksgiving-mean.html" target="_blank">This page</a></b> about thanksgiving and gratitude is one of the most well-received that we have published. It’s an encouraging reference to have on hand and go back over. <b>Having a habit of gratitude is important all year!</b><br /><br /><b>Please let us know how you are doing.</b> Our office is only open by appointment but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We could not do what we do without YOU!<br /><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br /><b> P.S. Please pray for us as we seek to raise funds with our art sale.</b></span><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>The water that I will give him will</i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">John 4:14b </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-11580240523238253682020-10-19T14:56:00.005-05:002020-12-11T16:25:39.373-06:00Art for WISDOM<p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Have you always wanted to own a Thomas Kinkade painting?</i></b> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>NOW IS YOUR TIME!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A generous donor gave several pieces of art work by <b>Thomas Kinkade</b> to LIVING WELL for the purpose of raising funds. All of the money from purchases will fund <a href="http://www.wisdomchristianschool.com" target="_blank">WISDOM Christian School</a> in a slum outside Ndola, Zambia.</span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: medium;">The retail prices listed below are what you would pay at a store or art dealer. </span></span></p><p><span><span style="color: #df0707; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">We are selling all of our Kinkade's for 50% or less!</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #ff7070; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Many are no longer available to purchase anywhere!<span style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> <b>If you are interested in viewing or purchasing a Kinkade, please email Donna - <a href="mailto:dedwards@livingwellokc.org">dedwards@livingwellokc.org</a> .</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Wherever it says "canvas", those pieces are canvas lithographs. They are printed on canvas and many have been highlighted by hand by an artist in the Kinkade studio. "A/P" means artist proof and is a more limited edition than the S/N (signed and numbered).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">You can click on any picture to enlarge it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">All pieces are available to view in the LIVING WELL office at 6636 NW 39 Expressway, Suite 106, in Bethany. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyTs10dDbdI/X4TJKmH1qXI/AAAAAAACSTU/QqDwd1qLD1YuR1ePnpEchhtcVk0QhbvxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Garden%2Bof%2BPrayer.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1729" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyTs10dDbdI/X4TJKmH1qXI/AAAAAAACSTU/QqDwd1qLD1YuR1ePnpEchhtcVk0QhbvxwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h338/Garden%2Bof%2BPrayer.jpeg" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Garden of Prayer</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>25"w x 34"h</span><span> A/P </span><span>Canvas</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Retail $2,795<br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">Your price $1,200</span><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KG0Jq2NMm8g/X4S10qk_VuI/AAAAAAACSSo/gwvhm-tndK45zwVm-nqcGB2kscc-BfjxACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Mountain%2BChapel.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1675" height="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KG0Jq2NMm8g/X4S10qk_VuI/AAAAAAACSSo/gwvhm-tndK45zwVm-nqcGB2kscc-BfjxACLcBGAsYHQ/w328-h400/Mountain%2BChapel.jpeg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Mountain Chapel</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">32"w x 40'"h A/P Canvas </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Retail $2,410</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Your price $1,200</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2Ep7U2D_Rw/X4S97Vbzx1I/AAAAAAACSS0/Le5OftZ43yAfvP93BMrjlR5DOXbAQro9gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Forest%2BChapel%2Bcanvas.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1845" data-original-width="2048" height="450" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2Ep7U2D_Rw/X4S97Vbzx1I/AAAAAAACSS0/Le5OftZ43yAfvP93BMrjlR5DOXbAQro9gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h360/Forest%2BChapel%2Bcanvas.jpeg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Forest Chapel</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">24"w x 30"h </span><span style="font-size: large;">A/P Canvas </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Retail $1,998</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000;">Your price $995</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-joE13CoVDXE/X4THQHe9sOI/AAAAAAACSTA/k67DfUMY0R0qEcqyQiiu0rBlEzfhTeynQCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/Mountain%2BMajesty%2BEnd%2Bof%2BPerfect%2BDay%2BII%2Bcanvas.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-joE13CoVDXE/X4THQHe9sOI/AAAAAAACSTA/k67DfUMY0R0qEcqyQiiu0rBlEzfhTeynQCPcBGAYYCw/w400-h338/Mountain%2BMajesty%2BEnd%2Bof%2BPerfect%2BDay%2BII%2Bcanvas.jpeg" width="450" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A Quiet Evening at Riverlodge</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">(End of Perfect Day II)<br />25.5"w x 22"h Canvas Retail $750<br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000;">Your price $350</span><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qVAeTJZiqWs/X4TVjvcoqoI/AAAAAAACSTs/roJPnOM65rshznH8uN7NSwR3NZu0t3epwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2046/Hidden%2BArbor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1765" data-original-width="2046" height="345" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qVAeTJZiqWs/X4TVjvcoqoI/AAAAAAACSTs/roJPnOM65rshznH8uN7NSwR3NZu0t3epwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h345/Hidden%2BArbor.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Hidden Arbor</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">20"w x 16"h</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A/P Canvas (with certificate 221/375) </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Retail $1,070</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000;">Your price $400</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxbkhWtsCkg/X4TVlPieWyI/AAAAAAACSTw/VXXoBRJw760JCI7ETKgP3DEWDUi-d72fACLcBGAsYHQ/s2006/Hidden%2BGazebo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="2006" height="341" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxbkhWtsCkg/X4TVlPieWyI/AAAAAAACSTw/VXXoBRJw760JCI7ETKgP3DEWDUi-d72fACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h341/Hidden%2BGazebo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hidden Gazebo</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">20"w x 16"h</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">S/N Canvas (with certificate 2172/2400)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Retail $860</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000;">Your price $400</span></span></div><span style="text-align: start;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUrsrkDSoao/X4Td0fWKKUI/AAAAAAACSUA/RXhxayZFaoc_31OY4lZdwRLG0gWbpfTyACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Christmas%2Bat%2BThe%2BAhwanee.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1782" data-original-width="2048" height="348" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUrsrkDSoao/X4Td0fWKKUI/AAAAAAACSUA/RXhxayZFaoc_31OY4lZdwRLG0gWbpfTyACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h348/Christmas%2Bat%2BThe%2BAhwanee.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Christmas at The Ahwanee</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">16"h x 20"w A/P Canvas</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strike>Retail $1200</strike> <b><span style="color: red;">SOLD</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000;">Your price $500</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--nAQem-XT0M/X4TfG0wuZ_I/AAAAAAACSUM/MQa6ydrsBogzgOclzEhi6yj1C-dg2GdpACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Moonlit%2BVillage.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1774" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--nAQem-XT0M/X4TfG0wuZ_I/AAAAAAACSUM/MQa6ydrsBogzgOclzEhi6yj1C-dg2GdpACLcBGAsYHQ/w346-h400/Moonlit%2BVillage.jpeg" width="346" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Moonlit Village</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">with verse from Fairest Lord Jesus</span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Paper<br />Retail $200<br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000;">Your price $75</span><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y1YR71Jf5vk/X4X-Tm5ZmbI/AAAAAAACSUY/S_kZOIG1CVs-vkxxI0f9cZasrf_rL3K0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/End%2Bof%2BPerfect%2BDay%2BII%2Bpaper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1663" data-original-width="2048" height="325" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y1YR71Jf5vk/X4X-Tm5ZmbI/AAAAAAACSUY/S_kZOIG1CVs-vkxxI0f9cZasrf_rL3K0ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h325/End%2Bof%2BPerfect%2BDay%2BII%2Bpaper.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A Quiet Evening at Riverlodge</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">(End of Perfect Day II)<br />34"w x 25"h Paper<br /><strike>Retail $800</strike><b><span style="color: red;"> SOLD</span></b><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000;"><strike>Your price $400</strike></span><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NVWr0FcDosM/X4YFw6t8PiI/AAAAAAACSUk/qXDKe59Exs0wZ6vchfzLy0bWfQR_93kCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Bloomsburg%2Bcafe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1691" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NVWr0FcDosM/X4YFw6t8PiI/AAAAAAACSUk/qXDKe59Exs0wZ6vchfzLy0bWfQR_93kCwCLcBGAsYHQ/w330-h400/Bloomsburg%2Bcafe.jpg" title="Bloomsburg Cafe" width="330" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bloomsburg Cafe</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">18”w x 22”h Canvas</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Retail $400</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Your price $200</span></div><span style="text-align: start;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SYrO1yQfDB0/X4YKklt2i8I/AAAAAAACSUw/lYBwg5ZL-S4BSUkdZkiT-l24GVZMxvh1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Beside%2Bstill%2Bwaters.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1985" data-original-width="2048" height="388" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SYrO1yQfDB0/X4YKklt2i8I/AAAAAAACSUw/lYBwg5ZL-S4BSUkdZkiT-l24GVZMxvh1wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h388/Beside%2Bstill%2Bwaters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Beside Still Waters</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">21"w x 22"h Paper</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Retail $120</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Your price $50</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(255, 0, 0); color: black; text-align: left;">If you are interested in viewing or purchasing a Kinkade, please email Donna - <a href="mailto:dedwards@livingwellokc.org">dedwards@livingwellokc.org</a> .</b></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-33140690892857241412020-07-30T14:28:00.002-05:002020-07-30T14:39:37.953-05:00LIVING WELL Letter AUGUST 2020<b>When we sent our last letter in April</b>, we had no idea that the COVID virus spread would be worse now than it was then. We had the attitude of many, “we can do this for a while; it will all be better soon.” We are now 4 ½ months into it! Now what?!<br /><br />As stated in a previous letter, <b>we are not taking new counseling appointments.</b> We have had some appointments by phone and by Facetime during our work-from-home time. <br /><br />Being confined at home for an extended time can <b>strain a marriage.</b> See <b><a href="https://livingwellinmarriage.blogspot.com/2020/07/work-from-home-marriage.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a> </b>to find ways to make the most of these times.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5LSdrh6I0k4/XyMVN8WPkjI/AAAAAAACSCk/6dKpvI7pkKgHNojbMHI6iVrA3rkSLzdnACLcBGAsYHQ/s600/Marriage%2Bmask%2Bturquoise.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="600" height="178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5LSdrh6I0k4/XyMVN8WPkjI/AAAAAAACSCk/6dKpvI7pkKgHNojbMHI6iVrA3rkSLzdnACLcBGAsYHQ/w256-h178/Marriage%2Bmask%2Bturquoise.png" width="256" /></a></div><b>We have been very busy with the Zambia mission </b>– at home. We ordered and prepared <b>20 computers</b> for the new computer lab at WISDOM Christian School. We use the <a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi </a>setup (if you are interested in computers, it's worth checking out). They come in a kit. <b>Ed assembled them. Donna programmed them. </b>The operating system and software all run from a micro SD card (used in many cameras). </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AN2opPnZjac/XyMVwaeWT_I/AAAAAAACSCs/aLSg32hYsqgaqk7cJOai3WOhWKFbI_qvACLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/Raspberry%2BPi%2Bsetup.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1440" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AN2opPnZjac/XyMVwaeWT_I/AAAAAAACSCs/aLSg32hYsqgaqk7cJOai3WOhWKFbI_qvACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Raspberry%2BPi%2Bsetup.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><b>Because of generous donors,</b> we were able to buy all the computers, keyboards, monitors, etc. that were needed. Then, Ed carefully packed them into three containers. We added some microscopes for the science lab. A shipping company picked them up on July 12. They leave the east coast on a ship soon and arrive in <b>Ndola in late October! [see photos and info about the computers <a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/2020/07/signed-sealed-waiting-for-delivery.html" target="_blank">on this page</a>]</b><div><br /><b>We had hoped to go to Zambia in early December</b> to set up the computer lab and science lab, but that looks doubtful at this time. We sent detailed instructions for setting up the computers in case we don’t make it. The COVID virus seems to taken hold recently in Zambia. <b>Please pray for protection of the children and staff.</b><br /><br /><b>Part of our June mission (that was cancelled) was to build the science lab with sinks and high, fire-proof counters.</b> Since we were unable to do that project, we hired our Zambia contractor to do the work instead. He is hard at work on it! <br /><br /><b>The 7th graders started back to school on June 1st.</b> The 52 students are divided into three classrooms right now with three teachers for each group. Normally, they are all in one classroom together. They wear masks, have their temps taken daily, and use hand sanitizer. They have exams at the end of the year to determine if they will pass to the 8th grade next year. Grades K-6 will not return to school until January 2021. This is nationwide and mandated by the government. [<a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/2020/06/wisdom-teaching-amid-covid19.html" target="_blank">see more photos here</a>]<br /><br /><b><a href="#" id="Wedding" name="Wedding">On a more personal note</a>, our daughter, Jacquelyn was married on July 4th to Sam Eagleson! </b>We are very excited about their future together. Their original plan was to have the wedding in Santa Fe with lots of friends and family. Instead they had it in OKC, outdoors, with a small group of friends and family. <b>Ed had the privilege of officiating the ceremony and it was a day full of joy for all of us!</b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-klzSGLm_Q/XyMaAYgnz6I/AAAAAAACSC8/KibGMo0WXkYsJvwazdLBBD9-vZOAERDAACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/854A5746.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-klzSGLm_Q/XyMaAYgnz6I/AAAAAAACSC8/KibGMo0WXkYsJvwazdLBBD9-vZOAERDAACLcBGAsYHQ/w333-h500/854A5746.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d3DSqa9H6eU/XyMee7eWNvI/AAAAAAACSDs/RDqdqJ4g4vUl353IvijyO6pKCPaC4q63QCLcBGAsYHQ/s439/Wedding%2Bwith%2Bconfetti.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="438" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d3DSqa9H6eU/XyMee7eWNvI/AAAAAAACSDs/RDqdqJ4g4vUl353IvijyO6pKCPaC4q63QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Wedding%2Bwith%2Bconfetti.jpeg" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qflxb1x6gBc/XyMaMJwSAXI/AAAAAAACSDE/uGXmxZX2hAIkrdZDrk6FFuduGTeqO6mVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/854A5168.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qflxb1x6gBc/XyMaMJwSAXI/AAAAAAACSDE/uGXmxZX2hAIkrdZDrk6FFuduGTeqO6mVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/854A5168.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /><b>And we added a puppy to our home – a Corgi named Molly!</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MI9o4VTRkjQ/XyMcA4G2e6I/AAAAAAACSDY/cblIitTfrkwC9FvIOCOA2VW-Qn5fVOFLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1164/Molly.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1164" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MI9o4VTRkjQ/XyMcA4G2e6I/AAAAAAACSDY/cblIitTfrkwC9FvIOCOA2VW-Qn5fVOFLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Molly.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>Please let us know how you are doing. </b>Our office is closed but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <b>We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br /><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards<br /><br /><b>P.S. Please pray for us as we go through this unusual situation in our world and for continued support for the ministry. </b><br /></div></div></div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>The water that I will give him will</i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">John 4:14b </div><div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6636 NW 39th Expy #108, Bethany, OK 73008, USA35.5111463 -97.628449321.204433803833396 -115.2065743 49.817858796166604 -80.0503243tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-58391952800729835822020-04-16T15:00:00.004-05:002020-04-16T16:50:27.387-05:00Be Strong and Courageous<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Tba0-85PUY/Xpi4ChDN6nI/AAAAAAACRLU/TKTopTSj0YUYmPyePEEY81TUEjpNhuVNACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_A9C11DEAA3E5-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Tba0-85PUY/Xpi4ChDN6nI/AAAAAAACRLU/TKTopTSj0YUYmPyePEEY81TUEjpNhuVNACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_A9C11DEAA3E5-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Be strong and courageous.</span></i></b><br />
Deuteronomy 31:6, 7, 23; Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 19; Joshua 10:25; 1 Chronicles 22:13; 1 Chronicles 28:20; 2 Chronicles 32:7<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>Don’t we need strength and courage right now?</i></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After repeating that phrase so many times, I think our God really means it. Anything that He calls us to do, He also equips us to do.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Joshua 1:9 goes on,<b> “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>What can we say about these unprecedented times that we live in?</i></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Certainly, we have nothing to say that is new or will change what we are experiencing. The phrase that we have used for so many situations applies today as well – <b>this too shall pass. </b></div>
<div>
<br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;"><b>WE ARE . . .</b></span></div>
<div>
<b>We are tired</b> of being confined . . . . of not getting to see the people that we want to see . . . . of being afraid of everyone we see when we go to the grocery store. <b>We are overwhelmed</b> by all the death and sickness. <b>We are sad</b> to miss coming together with other believers on Sunday. <b>We are anxious </b>about how this pandemic is affecting the economy. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>But we will make it through.</b> Our Lord has promised to be all we need when we seek Him. “How much more will your Father in heaven <b>give good gifts</b> to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11) “His divine power has <b>granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness</b>, through the true knowledge of Him.” (2 Peter 1:3)</div>
<div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;">THE POSITIVE</span></b></div>
<div>
<b>Our prayers are for some positive, long-term, side benefits in our culture</b>. We see <b>families </b>spending more time together than they ever have. We see people relying on <b>personal worship</b> in the absence of corporate worship. We see people <b>encouraging</b> each other. People are showing their creativity and humor to the social media world. We are all <b>s l o w i n g</b> down. We recognize that <b>the true heroes</b> in our world work in health care, the grocery store, teaching, food service, and delivery trucks. We can live without the athletic and entertainment superstars. <b>We can live without our hurried pace of life.</b> But we know that <b>we can’t live without each other and without HIM!</b></div>
<div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">PERSONAL</span></b></div>
<div>
<b>On a more personal note, </b>during this time, we went through a health care scare that had nothing to do with the virus. Ed had some pain in his leg. Went to the doctor. Had lots of x-rays and tests. For a week, we thought he had multiple myeloma. By the grace of God, he does not. He was diagnosed with a condition with the acronym MGUS. A small percentage of the people with MGUS do go on to develop multiple myeloma. He will have six-month checkups to monitor his condition. <b>Please pray with us that it will not progress to MM. </b></div>
<div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">ZAMBIA</span></b></div>
<div>
<b>We did cancel our Zambia mission trip for June</b>. We were all disappointed. We really need to go before the end of the year to help prepare the computer lab and science lab for the high school. Zambia closed schools starting the last week of April. They do not have very many cases that they know of at this time. But they do not have widespread testing and their health care system will be inadequate to cope with a widespread epidemic. In the slum where the Children of WISDOM live, there is no running water in homes. So, their ability to be hygienic during this critical time is very limited. <b>Please pray for our students and teachers, for their health and protection.</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Please let us know how you are doing. </b>Our office is closed but you can email us at <a href="mailto:info@livingwellokc.org">info@livingwellokc.org</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>THANK YOU again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br />
<br />
Our love in Christ,<br />
<br />
Donna and Ed Edwards<br />
<b>P.S. Please pray for us as we go through this unusual situation in our world and for continued support for the ministry.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="BodyA" style="border: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>The water that I will give him will</i></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
John 4:14b </div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-24980669941157987542019-12-26T21:34:00.001-06:002020-04-16T14:25:59.354-05:00JANUARY 2020 Letter LIVING WELL<i>I have seen all the things that are done under the sun;<br />all of them are <b>meaningless</b>, a chasing after the wind. </i><br />
<div>
Ecclesiastes 1:14<br />
<br />
The writer of Ecclesiastes uses the word <b>“meaningless” 35 times</b> (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.<br />
<br />
After righting 12 chapters about meaninglessness, Solomon ends with:<br />
<i>.<b>... here is the conclusion of the matter:<br />Fear God and keep his commandments . . . . </b></i></div>
<div>
Ecclesiastes 12:13<br />
<br />
<b><i>What brings meaning to life?</i> </b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
He is saying is that <b>all human efforts apart from God’s will are meaningless.</b><br />
<br />
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. <b><i>How will you bring meaning to your life in 2020?</i></b><br />
<br />
We have chosen to invest our lives in the children at WISDOM Christian School. <br />
<br />
<b><i>Will YOU join us in investing in these children? </i>YOU CAN make a difference.</b> <b>YOUR investment will reap many dividends</b> in WISDOM Christian School. Invest in the future of these children in the slum and experience joy in your own life. <br />
<br />
<b>HOW TO INVEST in WCS:</b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/57177-wisdom-christian-school" target="_blank">GIVE</a> </b>to the operation of WCS (100% donated to WCS go directly to WCS)</li>
<li><b><a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/p/mission-zambia_9.html" target="_blank">GO</a> </b>with us to WCS May 27-June 8, 2020</li>
<li><b>SEND </b>someone else to WCS</li>
</ul>
<b>We leave January 14 </b>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. <b>Please consider supporting this mission trip. We still need about $6,000 for this mission.</b> [Includes the cost of school supplies for the 2020 school year] <b><a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/88383-mission-zambia-january-2020" target="_blank">DONATE NOW</a></b><br />
<br />
<b>THANK YOU</b> again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <b>We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br />
<br />
Our love in Christ,<br />
<br />
Donna and Ed Edwards<br />
<br />
<b>P.S. Please pray for our <a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/57110-living-well" target="_blank">year-end donations</a> and the <a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/88383-mission-zambia-january-2020" target="_blank">funding of the January 2020 mission </a>($6,000 still needed).</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>The water that I will give him will</i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
John 4:14b </div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div>
<style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
p.BodyA, li.BodyA, div.BodyA
{mso-style-name:"Body A";
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:13.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;
text-underline:black;}
p.Body, li.Body, div.Body
{mso-style-name:Body;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;
mso-style-textoutline-type:none;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dpiwidth:0pt;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-linecap:flat;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-join:bevel;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-pctmiterlimit:0%;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-dash:solid;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-align:center;
mso-style-textoutline-outlinestyle-compound:simple;
text-underline:black;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:.5in 1.0in .6in 1.9in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.6in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:429008869;
mso-list-template-ids:1835570842;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.25in;
text-indent:-.05in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
</style>
</div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-74630432371070436592019-12-10T14:11:00.000-06:002019-12-10T14:11:14.975-06:00DECEMBER 2019 Letter LIVING WELL<i><b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Did you know that some children</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">have not heard about Jesus?</span></b></i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0XGLd6HGW8I/Xe_yNKwAoDI/AAAAAAACQTQ/aoVg4EZMZbgn1skufy1KMzjInJ6f4JnZACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_CCB853DEC2DD-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0XGLd6HGW8I/Xe_yNKwAoDI/AAAAAAACQTQ/aoVg4EZMZbgn1skufy1KMzjInJ6f4JnZACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_CCB853DEC2DD-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a>God gave us a way to make <b>His name</b> known to children in a slum in Zambia. By providing the children with an education at WISDOM Christian School, <b>we have the opportunity to teach them about Jesus.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5NbyZ7Zuopg/Xe_5bjMXUcI/AAAAAAACQTk/BahymIRXn4YhozgH3hxmCi18cBF00mEoACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_D1B0D96AD765-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="1400" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5NbyZ7Zuopg/Xe_5bjMXUcI/AAAAAAACQTk/BahymIRXn4YhozgH3hxmCi18cBF00mEoACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_D1B0D96AD765-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>We are returning in January to WCS as they begin their new school year.</b> 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.<br />
<br />
<b>Our need for the mission trip is $9000</b> (<a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/88383-mission-zambia-january-2020" target="_blank">DONATE HERE</a>) - for resources for the school and expenses for our travel. <b>Please pray that the Lord will provide for the trip before we depart on January 14, 2020. </b><br />
<br />
Accompanying us on the trip will be <b>John and Darla Holinsworth, Sherry Beair, and Laurelyn Sheffield</b> (Minister of Childhood Education at PCBC). <b>Laurelyn is going for the first time to see the CHILDREN of WISDOM</b>. She has lead the AWANA program and VBS to give offerings for the needs at WCS. Under her leadership, the <b>AWANA kids at our church will be giving this year to buy Bibles for the CHILDREN of WISDOM.</b> She is excited to see the recipients of their giving!<br />
<br />
Every year at this time, we point people to <a href="https://livingwellokc.blogspot.com/2010/12/names-of-jesus-merrychristmas-from-ed.html" target="_blank">a page with the names of Jesus</a> on it. Meditating on those names will deepen your understanding of our Lord.<br />
<br />
<i>There are <b>two hundred and fifty-six names</b> given in the Bible</i><br />
<i>for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because</i><br />
<i>He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express.</i> Billy Sunday<br />
<br />
<b>We pray all year for those that God may want to send with us to Zambia.</b> <i>Are you one that He is calling to going with us to <b>MISSION ZAMBIA 2020? </b></i>The dates are May 27 – June 8. Please <a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/p/mission-zambia_9.html" target="_blank">click here</a> to find out more about the mission.<br />
<br />
<b>THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement. </b><br />
<br />
Our love in Christ,<br />
<br />
Donna and Ed Edwards<br />
<br />
<b>P. S. Please pray for our preparations for the January Mission Zambia trip. </b><br />
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>The water that I will give him will</i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
John 4:14b </div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-48296783738789421002019-11-01T21:14:00.001-05:002019-11-01T21:14:52.134-05:00NOVEMBER 2019 Letter LIVING WELL<span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><i><b>Can you believe it’s November already?</b></i> </span><div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mf5VQSWzJPM/Xbzh9Fy2nzI/AAAAAAACP9M/AkEtdHOb36s8IVCAanT5n4q0Cc8OwuZCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Thanks%2Bhealthy%2Bhabit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="600" height="284" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mf5VQSWzJPM/Xbzh9Fy2nzI/AAAAAAACP9M/AkEtdHOb36s8IVCAanT5n4q0Cc8OwuZCwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Thanks%2Bhealthy%2Bhabit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
The Thanksgiving holiday is speeding towards us. One day is not enough to express sincere thankfulness!<br /><br />One of <b>the healthiest habits</b> that we can acquire is to be thankful. We teach our kids to say “thank you” but how often do we say it? <br /><br />When I make a habit of acknowledging what others do for me, I also <b>profess the value that someone else adds to my life</b> – no matter how small or large. <b>I am also saying</b> <b>that I am not living life alone or independent;</b> I am interconnected with those I encounter, whether at home or in business. <br /><br /><b>Being unwilling to recognize the need and value of others is often the barrier to giving thanks</b>. In a word, it is<b> PRIDE</b>. I may think it diminishes my own value or strength when I express appreciation, gratitude, or thanks to others.<br /><br />Then, we transfer that concept to the larger scale of giving thanks to God. <br /> <i>I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;<br /> I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.</i> Psalm 9:1<br /><br /><b>Giving thanks to God</b> 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.<br /><br /><b>Due to popular demand</b>, a couple of pages from last November are getting an encore in today’s letter. Please take time to read more about:</div>
<div>
<a href="https://livingwellokc.blogspot.com/2018/11/what-does-thanksgiving-mean.html" target="_blank">What does Thanksgiving mean?</a></div>
<div>
<a href="https://livingwellokc.blogspot.com/2018/11/why-do-we-celebrate-thanksgiving.html" target="_blank">Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?</a></div>
<div>
<br />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. <a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/2019/10/putting-top-on-wisdom.html" target="_blank">See more here.</a></div>
<div>
<br /><b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ot7tjlyiuFo/XbzargVulyI/AAAAAAACP9A/lGn9IeUCZEUHtjvrEYj5K779HVpD5yfWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/MZ%2Binfo%2Bmtg%2Bnotice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1507" data-original-width="1600" height="301" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ot7tjlyiuFo/XbzargVulyI/AAAAAAACP9A/lGn9IeUCZEUHtjvrEYj5K779HVpD5yfWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/MZ%2Binfo%2Bmtg%2Bnotice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
MISSION ZAMBIA</b> is a work in progress every day! <b>We pray that you will consider going with us to MISSION ZAMBIA 2020! The dates are May 27 – June 8. </b><br /><br /><br />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.</div>
<div>
<br /><br /><b> THANK YOU </b>for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <br /><br />Our love in Christ,<br /><br />Donna and Ed Edwards</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>The water that I will give him will</i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
John 4:14b </div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-60080872275724058182019-09-26T13:08:00.000-05:002019-09-26T13:08:17.048-05:00OCTOBER 2019 Letter LIVING WELL<span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><span style="color: #134f5c;">What type of person do you find it easy to be around?</span></b></i></span><br />
Someone that is <b>accepting</b>, not judgmental or critical. Someone that <b>loves me</b> as I am. Someone that will <b>forgive</b> me, even when I mess up.<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-74eDEI_2eDE/XYuXun9hJ7I/AAAAAAACPjM/lfaVFvskbUUeoOWsNzpTLl039h5R1TJtACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Grace%2Bfull%2Bfilled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="1580" height="159" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-74eDEI_2eDE/XYuXun9hJ7I/AAAAAAACPjM/lfaVFvskbUUeoOWsNzpTLl039h5R1TJtACLcBGAsYHQ/s200/Grace%2Bfull%2Bfilled.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
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 “<b>grace-full</b>” person. The “grace-full” person exudes God’s grace in their relationships. <b>They are “grace-full” and “grace-filled.”</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We all want to be on the receiving end of that kind of grace. <i>Am I willing to give that same grace to others?</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><b>Let your conversation be always full of grace</b>, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone</i>. Colossians 4:6</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>God is able to make <b>all grace abound to you</b>, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.</i> 2 Corinthians 9:8</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>God promises to give us the grace that we need</b> to show to others, both in speech and in deed. We do it all to honor Him and draw others to His grace. [<a href="https://livingwellinmarriage.blogspot.com/2019/09/are-you-grace-full-and-grace-filled.html" target="_blank">See more on this page.</a>]</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
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.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Our THANKS</b> to everyone who gave to the school lunch program for the CHILDREN of WISDOM. <b>We completed the $10,000 match!</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>MISSION ZAMBIA is a work in progress every day! </b>We pray that you will consider going with us to <b>MISSION ZAMBIA 2020</b>! The dates are May 27 – June 8. Please contact us if you are interested!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our love in Christ,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Donna and Ed Edwards</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
P. S. Please join us in praying for the completion of the WCS high school building and the next MISSION ZAMBIA team!<br />
<br />
<div class="Body" style="border: none; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>The water that I will give him will</i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
John 4:14b </div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-9050174823618360082019-09-02T15:21:00.001-05:002019-09-02T15:21:51.304-05:00SEPTEMBER 2019 Letter LIVING WELL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>Most people know our story</b> – 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.<br />
<br />
In our mission travels to Africa, we were introduced to <b>a school in a slum of a slum in Ndola, Zambia. </b>God spoke clearly to us that we were to bring Christ to these kids through the support and development of that school.<br />
<br />
<b>This story is not </b>about about WISDOM Christian School; <b>it is about the joy of following the Lord. </b>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. <b>“God, we want to follow you ... but this is really different from anything we have done!”</b><br />
<br />
What we found out is that when you follow the Lord, <b>He gives you what you need when you need it!</b><br />
<div>
<b><br /></b>As the cliché goes – the rest is history.<b> Except it’s not only history of what has happened, it is about what is still happening.</b> </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNtP6dj-SoQ/XW1qTRQwTeI/AAAAAAACPg8/A2x5BXZoTrs7ooX0oGniV-sugzOooL9QACLcBGAs/s1600/Running%2Bgods%2Bplan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNtP6dj-SoQ/XW1qTRQwTeI/AAAAAAACPg8/A2x5BXZoTrs7ooX0oGniV-sugzOooL9QACLcBGAs/s1600/Running%2Bgods%2Bplan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNtP6dj-SoQ/XW1qTRQwTeI/AAAAAAACPg8/A2x5BXZoTrs7ooX0oGniV-sugzOooL9QACLcBGAs/s1600/Running%2Bgods%2Bplan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNtP6dj-SoQ/XW1qTRQwTeI/AAAAAAACPg8/A2x5BXZoTrs7ooX0oGniV-sugzOooL9QACLcBGAs/s1600/Running%2Bgods%2Bplan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNtP6dj-SoQ/XW1qTRQwTeI/AAAAAAACPg8/A2x5BXZoTrs7ooX0oGniV-sugzOooL9QACLcBGAs/s1600/Running%2Bgods%2Bplan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNtP6dj-SoQ/XW1qTRQwTeI/AAAAAAACPg8/A2x5BXZoTrs7ooX0oGniV-sugzOooL9QACLcBGAs/s1600/Running%2Bgods%2Bplan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Since that day in January 2012, <b>we are sprinting to keep up with God</b>. We thought His vision for that school would not be accomplished in our lifetime. What we have realized is that <b>He has His vision on a fast track!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNtP6dj-SoQ/XW1qTRQwTeI/AAAAAAACPhA/y24N1M4izI8zPs88E-FgL1BkAFgbbh6MQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Running%2Bgods%2Bplan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oNtP6dj-SoQ/XW1qTRQwTeI/AAAAAAACPhA/y24N1M4izI8zPs88E-FgL1BkAFgbbh6MQCEwYBhgL/s400/Running%2Bgods%2Bplan.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
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! <b>A family came to us and said they wanted to provide 100% of the cost to build a high school!</b> [more info and photos<b> <a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=APq4FmD84kiYeIGb5mEuv_-HjZWymkuPYgXgjuu9NCAcKicRXGN7hTWu_hnEstRNuDwWYWdrPg-f0FnrskRndiajG8Pwd8McRFqHOSi-CIT_ON-M2EJ0_kKJg_O9ofqmEA7PzmNNjGTz&postId=6251494858917388531&type=POST" target="_blank">here</a></b>]<br />
<br />
<b>If you love to travel and thrive on joy, follow the Lord and He will take you on the most amazing journey!!!</b><br />
<br />
And He has provided <b>80% of the matching donations for the school lunch program! <i>Will you help us to FEED the children of WISDOM?</i></b> We have about $2,000 to go for the full $10,000 matching funds! <b><a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/77866-feed-wisdom" target="_blank">DONATE HERE</a></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLJ_Eebu23c/XW1wu10X21I/AAAAAAACPhI/BvxB2o9ObfAMer0lGZJbTuVo5K4YUqJDQCLcBGAs/s1600/Feed-chidren-ticker.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="706" height="144" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLJ_Eebu23c/XW1wu10X21I/AAAAAAACPhI/BvxB2o9ObfAMer0lGZJbTuVo5K4YUqJDQCLcBGAs/s320/Feed-chidren-ticker.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><i>Have you ever sensed a distance in your relationship with your spouse or someone else?</i></b> You realize that you aren’t as close as you once were. The distance can be bridged. Read<b> <a href="https://livingwellinmarriage.blogspot.com/2019/09/closing-gap.html" target="_blank">this blog on Closing the Gap. </a></b><br />
<br />
<b>THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement. </b><br />
<br />
Our love in Christ,<br />
<br />
Donna and Ed Edwards<br />
<br />
<b>P. S. Please join us in praying for the CHILDREN of WISDOM and their lunch program.</b></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-89166682850370309362019-07-30T14:40:00.000-05:002019-07-30T14:40:14.800-05:00AUGUST 2019 Letter LIVING WELL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmipfHn9NLk/XUCBWOxTOwI/AAAAAAACOxk/IqyjPA8QytADreMobSt3aUjU2xkZVriggCLcBGAs/s1600/kids%2Bbw%2Blunch%2Bwith%2Bverse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1216" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmipfHn9NLk/XUCBWOxTOwI/AAAAAAACOxk/IqyjPA8QytADreMobSt3aUjU2xkZVriggCLcBGAs/s320/kids%2Bbw%2Blunch%2Bwith%2Bverse.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>
<i>Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.<b> For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat</b>....</i> Matthews 25:34-35<br />
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Jesus’ teachings on how we treat “the least of these” brings a clear message to His followers.</b> 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.<br />
<br />
<b>Many of the children at WISDOM Christian School suffer from improper nutrition.</b> We see many children that are extremely small for their age and show signs of malnutrition. We have the opportunity to make <b>a real difference in the health among “the least of these.”</b> A family has pledged <b>$10,000 in matching funds for school lunches at WCS!</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0m-B09p23ik/XUCDbg4-VwI/AAAAAAACOxw/CGA4ixCEmKIsgjEYGNgZHCg59w5OQZm0gCLcBGAs/s1600/Lunch%2Bmatch%2Bgraphic%2Bonly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1600" height="243" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0m-B09p23ik/XUCDbg4-VwI/AAAAAAACOxw/CGA4ixCEmKIsgjEYGNgZHCg59w5OQZm0gCLcBGAs/s400/Lunch%2Bmatch%2Bgraphic%2Bonly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<b><i><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">Will YOU help us feed the CHILDREN of WISDOM?</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<b>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. </b>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. <b>We can serve more meals each week with the matching fund donations! </b><br />
<br />
We all see lots of opportunities to feed “the starving children.” <b><i>What makes this opportunity different? </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>100% of your donation</b> goes directly to feed the children lunch.</li>
<li>You can be assured that <b>the money will be used as intended.</b></li>
<li><b>There is a great need</b> – we raise all of the funds to support and develop WCS. <b>No one else provides for the children in that community.</b></li>
<li><b>Your donation will make a differenc</b>e. We know these children by name. We know their faces. We see them every year.</li>
</ul>
You may go to our <a href="https://livingwellokc.networkforgood.com/projects/77866-feed-wisdom" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>donation page for Feed the Children of WCS</b></span></a><span style="color: #0b5394;">. </span>Or you can mail a check to LIVING WELL, PO BOX 720828, Oklahoma City, OK 73172.<br />
<br />
Even as our population grows, <b>we seem to be less connected to those around u</b>s, even in families, churches, communities, and in marriage. <b>Yet, we are built for intimacy.</b> <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://livingwellinmarriage.blogspot.com/2019/07/emotional-intimacy.html?fbclid=IwAR2fixWJTNiNhjxiCoBf62UaRe2NUxCgXwCw6K7SBqp4Jn8AW1o_Lj0jCDg" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>See this page</b></span></a> </span>for encouragement on emotional intimacy.<br />
<br />
<b>THANK YOU</b> for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <br />
<br />
Our love in Christ,<br />
<br />
Donna and Ed Edwards<br />
<b>P. S. Please join us in praying for the CHILDREN of WISDOM and their lunch program.</b><br />
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>The water that I will give him will</i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
John 4:14b </div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div>
<style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
border:none;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
color:fuchsia;
mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p.Body, li.Body, div.Body
{mso-style-name:Body;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:13.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-hansi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:.5in 1.0in .6in 1.9in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.6in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:865145405;
mso-list-template-ids:-1913610704;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
</style>
</div>
--><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
border:none;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
color:fuchsia;
mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}
p.Body, li.Body, div.Body
{mso-style-name:Body;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:13.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-hansi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:.5in 1.0in .6in 1.9in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.6in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:865145405;
mso-list-template-ids:-1913610704;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
</style>
--><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-84238273294260952082019-07-01T14:55:00.004-05:002019-07-01T14:55:58.449-05:00JULY 2019 Letter LIVING WELL<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">You are not racist. You hug us and love us.</span></i></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="324" height="190" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ya5ET4mTHR8/XRpMMHvFVeI/AAAAAAACOq8/XTbimzz94Vw0qoSyNmkVGa4DvcQfbGPfwCLcBGAs/s200/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-07-01%2Bat%2B11.38.45%2BAM.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samuel in center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3TBsW7DhQE/XRpNf_epQBI/AAAAAAACOrM/oeupsZ2hGE44wr42ObT2K0VWy5Of4_DEACEwYBhgL/s1600/Samuel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1265" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3TBsW7DhQE/XRpNf_epQBI/AAAAAAACOrM/oeupsZ2hGE44wr42ObT2K0VWy5Of4_DEACEwYBhgL/s200/Samuel.jpg" width="157" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>Response by Samuel</b> about <b>what he liked best about the week.</b><br />
<div>
<br />
The translator further explained that it was like <b>most white people they were around treated them like they had leprosy.</b></div>
<div>
<br />
<b>Samuel is in the 7th grade</b> 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.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>We were grateful and hope YOU are encouraged that our teams represent Christ well!</b><br />
<br />
Words fail to capture all that happened on this mission trip.<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Logistics went well </b>– 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).</li>
<li><b>We were able to accomplish the mission</b> that the Lord set before us, had Camp Wisdom for 450 children, built a playground, painted an outdoor mural.</li>
<li><b>Saw many students profess Christ as their Savior.</b></li>
<li><b>The kids and teachers enjoyed the week.</b></li>
<li><b>Trained locals in Celebrate Recovery</b>, saw one woman receive Christ (seem more about her below)</li>
<li><b>All 19 team members worked well together</b>, stepped up, and did what ever needed to be done without complaining.</li>
<li><b>The Lord was glorified.</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6xCZIvaEo-4/XRpE6AVe6UI/AAAAAAACOqw/6R6K_SiHe2Yz4aPZk6c2pzYTzQch-1h5ACEwYBhgL/s1600/Celebrate%2Brecovery%2Bwoman%2Bedit.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="852" height="173" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6xCZIvaEo-4/XRpE6AVe6UI/AAAAAAACOqw/6R6K_SiHe2Yz4aPZk6c2pzYTzQch-1h5ACEwYBhgL/s200/Celebrate%2Brecovery%2Bwoman%2Bedit.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Check the <a href="https://wisdomcommunityschool.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">WISDOM Christian School site</a> for updates and more photos.<br />
<br />
Three of our team stayed longer in Zambia to <b>train some people from the local community in the Celebrate Recovery program</b>. Alcoholism and abuse are huge issues in that area. <b>Language did not prove to be a barrier</b> to conveying the love of God to<b> a local community woman that is illiterate and did not usually attend church.</b> 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 <b>she felt like a dark cloud had been lifted from her.</b> At the end of the afternoon lesson the group was invited to repeat a prayer of commitment to Christ. Afterwards, <b>the same lady said it was the first time that she had ever prayed to accept Jesus as her Savior. </b><br />
<br />
<b>THANK YOU for YOUR continued prayers, support, and encouragement. </b><br />
<br />
Our love in Christ, <br />
<br />
Donna and Ed Edwards<br />
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>The water that I will give him will</i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
John 4:14b </div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div>
</div>
<style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
border:none;}
p.Body, li.Body, div.Body
{mso-style-name:Body;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:13.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-hansi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:687607650;
mso-list-template-ids:968025028;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-suffix:space;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.2in;
text-indent:-.05in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
</style>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-67636726897787272019-05-22T11:21:00.000-05:002019-05-22T11:21:26.943-05:00JUNE 2019 Letter LIVING WELL<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lTMzaEb_hEI/XOVz0OohIuI/AAAAAAAAxJM/tmNcd4ff8yATzst7L2ExnqQdqelvJK9MwCLcBGAs/s1600/Tshirt%2B2019%2Bdesign%2Bblack%2Bfinal.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lTMzaEb_hEI/XOVz0OohIuI/AAAAAAAAxJM/tmNcd4ff8yATzst7L2ExnqQdqelvJK9MwCLcBGAs/s1600/Tshirt%2B2019%2Bdesign%2Bblack%2Bfinal.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lTMzaEb_hEI/XOVz0OohIuI/AAAAAAAAxJM/tmNcd4ff8yATzst7L2ExnqQdqelvJK9MwCLcBGAs/s200/Tshirt%2B2019%2Bdesign%2Bblack%2Bfinal.png" width="200" /></a><br />
<i><b>I am the resurrection and the LIFE; he who believes in Me will LIVE. </b></i> John 11:25<br />
<br />
This verse is our<b> theme for the week </b>of Camp Wisdom in Zambia. The graphic is the on the t-shirts that we will give to each of the kids.<br />
<br />
<b>Our theme this year is the story of Mary and Martha</b>.We will have a lot of emphasize on faith and t<b>he importance of choosing to follow Jesus and have eternal life.</b> 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. <br />
<br />
“<b>We live in constant tension</b> 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 <i>Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World </i>) <br />
<br />
<b> We teach the lessons through drama, music, and even the crafts that we do.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="color: #666666; font-size: large;">This year, we are doing something new!</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lS6poWLr7Qo/XOV0x-II4qI/AAAAAAAAxJU/F2FBE_Q1Kwk-aeM22oPrM2U34DcKuycNQCEwYBhgL/s1600/cr_web-logo_02.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="65" data-original-width="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lS6poWLr7Qo/XOV0x-II4qI/AAAAAAAAxJU/F2FBE_Q1Kwk-aeM22oPrM2U34DcKuycNQCEwYBhgL/s1600/cr_web-logo_02.png" /></a></div>
<b> </b>Three members of our team from Tulsa are staying three days longer in Ndola to<b> train Brother Charles, Pastor Rogers, and other leaders of Wisdom Christ Church in the Celebrate Recovery program</b>. 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.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<b>We are leaving for Zambia in less than a week - May 29!</b> 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. <br />
<br />
We have <b>seven people on our team who have not been to Zambia before.</b> Part of our excitement is seeing them experience Africa and the mission for the first time.<br />
<br />
Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <br />
<br />
Our love in Christ,<br />
<br />
Donna and Ed Edwards<br />
<b>P.S. Please pray for the Zambia mission! May 29 - June 10</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div class="Body" style="border: none; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-align: justify;">
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>The water that I will give him will</i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
John 4:14b </div>
<div style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-28727008693092743042019-04-30T09:56:00.001-05:002019-04-30T09:56:32.426-05:00MAY 2019 Letter LIVING WELL<i><b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">What is the most common reason for marriage problems?</span></b></i><br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NPNqHlp4m4k/XMcft2_NJ-I/AAAAAAAAxFo/2LIacaoO_lI4SmcXnVUJzMdFYBd6A28RQCLcBGAs/s1600/Selfishness%2BPiper.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="1152" height="232" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NPNqHlp4m4k/XMcft2_NJ-I/AAAAAAAAxFo/2LIacaoO_lI4SmcXnVUJzMdFYBd6A28RQCLcBGAs/s320/Selfishness%2BPiper.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
That’s a question that we often get. <b>The answer is easy – selfishness. </b>And it’s not just a marriage problem, it is a problem in any relationship.</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>Selfishness rears its head in the way we spend our money, our time, and even in our relationship to God.</b> 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. <b><u><a href="https://livingwellinmarriage.blogspot.com/2019/04/what-is-biggest-problem-in-marriages.html" target="_blank">See this blog</a></u></b> where we delve further into the topic – <i><b>what does it mean in relationships, what are the red flags, how do I overcome it?</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<b>The Zambia mission team has met three times </b>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. <b>One consistent remark is how well we plan and train our teams.</b> We share that, not to bring attention to us, but to let you, our supporters, know that <b>your investment in LIVING WELL has prepared many for the mission field. </b><br />
<br />
<b>We prepare our team for the culture</b> 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. <br />
<br />
<b>We emphasize working together as the body of Christ</b> in many aspects. We have developed the whole CAMP WISDOM (VBS) through<b> the collaboration of many team members </b>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. <br />
<br />
<b>We educate them on the logistics of traveling so far and to a third world country</b> – taking care of themselves physically and emotionally. And most of all we let them know that <b>there are some things for which we cannot prepare them. </b>We do want the team to <b>trust God on the mission but to be equipped for doing our very best to honor the Lord in all that we do!</b><br />
<br />
<b>THANK YOU</b> again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. We could not do what we do without <b>YOU</b>!<br />
<br />
Donna and Ed Edwards<br />
<br />
<b>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.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>The water that I will give him will</i></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. </i></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
John 4:14b </div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<i>LIVING WELL is a life source, not a life style.</i></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22212555.post-33278917608163264592019-03-27T12:38:00.000-05:002019-03-27T12:38:34.576-05:00APRIL 2019 Letter LIVING WELL<i><b>We are excited to announce our MISSION ZAMBIA team for 2019:</b></i><br />
<ul>
<li>Ed and Donna Edwards, team leaders </li>
<li>Charlie and Sherry Beair (4) </li>
<li>Chris* and Paula Cobb (3)</li>
<li>John and Darla Holinsworth (many!!)</li>
<li>Travis (2) and daughter, Madison* Lake</li>
<li>Steve Lewis*</li>
<li>Brian (3) and Tara (2) Matlock </li>
<li>Mary Kay McCormick (5)</li>
<li>Anita Powers (5)</li>
<li>Larry and Judy Wilkinson*</li>
<li>Dennis and Mary Winters*</li>
</ul>
* Going for the first time. The others have a number by their name indicating the number of times this trip will be for them.<br />
<br />
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, <b>we have 12 former members and 7 newbies.</b> Our repeat mission team members are committed to the CHILDREN of WISDOM, in the same way that we are. <b>They are investing their time, their money, and their heart into following the Lord to Zambia.</b><br />
<br />
<b>We appreciate your prayers</b> for the days ahead as we raise funds, plan, and prepare for the mission. We will minister to about 450 children! <b>Our part of the mission costs $14,000 </b>– 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.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We all have heard about the “ME” generation. But <b>we are ALL born with a “me”-centered mindset. </b>Self-centeredness takes a slant that you may not have considered. Please read our blogs on this idea.<br />
<br />
<b>THANK YOU</b> again for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement. <br />
<br />
<b>We could not do what we do without YOU!</b><br />
Our love in Christ,<br />
<br />
Donna and Ed Edwards<br />
<br />
<b>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.</b><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
border:none;}
p.Body, li.Body, div.Body
{mso-style-name:Body;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:13.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-hansi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:.5in 1.0in .6in 1.9in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.6in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1801998635;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1346374794 -1306918042 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.25in;
text-indent:-.1in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
</style>
</div>
--><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
border:none;}
p.Body, li.Body, div.Body
{mso-style-name:Body;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:13.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-hansi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
color:black;
border:none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:.5in 1.0in .6in 1.9in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.6in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1801998635;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1346374794 -1306918042 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
margin-left:.25in;
text-indent:-.1in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
</style>
--><div class="blogger-post-footer">?alt=rss</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com