The snow was great, but brought out a feeling of aloneness and helplessness that caught me off guard. Getting the car out of the driveway was a two-day process involving 5 hours of shoveling. But it also provided opportunity to connect with at least one neighbor, who gratefully took me out to dinner last Sunday after I found I still had the strength to shovel them out, too.

How easy it is to become side-tracked and forget the Lord’s provision for me! I was so humbled when a few days after my temper tantrum over the snow God sent a random man who pulled over his SUV beside the road to offer me a ride when he saw me walking. I chose to walk and didn’t need the ride, but I was severely rebuked for my lack of faith when God, in His great mercy, reminded me that He has me in His hand and cares for me more than I can comprehend. The “random” guy was the father of several of the kids I worked with in AWANA for several years a number of years ago now.

Please pray with me that I might finish well and never bring dishonor to my King and Father. Pray that I would trust Him and rest in His provision no matter what happens. It seems as though He has chosen to use me in the lives of students more in the past few months than in all the previous years I have served at IBC. Oh may I walk worthy of His calling and do nothing to bring shame to His name! The greater the opportunity, the greater the responsibility.

The students will be leaving on their Ministry Immersion Trip March 23 and then will be on Spring Break the following week. In the meantime, we will have our annual missions’ conference this coming week with four days of messages on the topic of creatively gaining access to countries that are closed to the Gospel. My next-to-the-last class with Columbia International University (online) will begin March 11. Please pray for wisdom in choosing a thesis topic that will be helpful not just for me but IBC and the larger Native Christian community.

Thank you again for your partnership. Your prayers are invaluable to me.
Gratefully,
Martha Gushee