Courage Archives

Forge Speaker

This past summer I was reminded why directing a unique training program called Stranded is worth it.

One of the eight goals of Stranded is for students to leave with a burden for a dark, dangerous, or a despised place. We shed light on nine groups in those regions hoping and praying that God will raise some of them up to be ambassadors of hope…true unusual soldiers. Those nine groups are currently known as the: unengaged, isolated, restricted, impoverished, convicted, infected, hunted (refugees), enslaved, and the marginalized.

I have been amazed to see what can happen when a student gets a burden to make a difference in one of those places. A few weeks ago, I was on a panel of missionaries at Forge’s Deep Camp. We were asked to share one of our greatest ministry moments. As I looked at the panel, I realized that over half of the panel had been through Stranded or on a trip with me. One of the people we trained now stays with convicts in cells in Central America, two of them are translating the Bible for an “isolated” tribe in Africa, one of them has freed multiple enslaved children in Asia, and yet another man on the panel had just joined me in Southeast Asia to locate unengaged tribes.

After hearing their stories, I was blessed to see what the Lord was doing through Forge and Unusual Soldiers training programs and I simply answered his question, “I’d have to say that today is one of my greatest ministry moments.”

Greeting from freezing cold northern Michigan! Our ministry with FORGE continues to be a blast as God uses this speaking ministry to set hearts on fire. A recent ministry highlight didn’t involve John preaching at all however. Instead, he was invited to be a coach for FORGE Firebrands at their Denver Intensive in November. Firebrands are speakers-in-training, and the intensive involved 2 days of listening to sermons from 10 speakers and offering constructive feedback (American Idol style). The Firebrands were amazingly receptive and John was encouraged to be a part of helping train the future of FORGE.

On the home front, 2018 is a big year for Vermilya-Nation. Our daughter Isabel will be married to Jakob Crawford in August, and Lilian will leave for college soon after. In a span of 2 weeks our home will go from 5 kids to 3! We will probably need therapy, so please pray for us. We also need to figure out which of our younger kids to sell to pay for it all. (Joking, calm down).

We are grateful to everyone of you as you continue to bless us with your giving.

Much love and thanks for your support,

John & Darcey Vermilya

Forge Firebrand

Hello everyone!

I hope that your summer has been amazing! We just wanted to give you a small update about this summer and what God was up to!

Talia had a busy summer this summer with different basketball camps as well as several speaking opportunities. God used her in powerful ways throughout this summer to impact many people’s lives through her messages and the work she did through basketball camps!

I was able to join forge for a couple weeks this summer and help with the summer training programs. It was incredible to see God move in the students’ lives and see them equipped to return home with the love of Christ. I was also able to do a camp in Michigan and travel to Mexico City in the month of July! God moved in some incredible ways in both locations as people responded to the messages I shared.

You will be receiving some more information about my newest project that I have been working on for the last year and a half in upcoming newsletters. I will be releasing my first book #Relationshipgoals this fall! I am excited for the message that God has put on my heart and I have written in the book. Please be praying for the people who will be reading this book and who I will be speaking to about the message of discovering God’s relationship goals for our relationship with him!

Here is a photo from the conference that I spoke at in Mexico City!

In Christ,

Garrett and Talia Kahrs

Forge Firebrand

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

There is one word that goes through my mind as I stop and reflect over the past few summer months at all that the Lord has done and is continuing to do and how willing YOU are to partner with us in it all. How together we are CO-working to see God’s kingdom advance, His love poured out into hearts and lives impacted in many different places. That word is WOW!This summer nearly thirty students from high school to college age met with Jesus in some life altering ways. At other camps, many received Christ while others were overwhelmed by the love and presence of Jesus. At a crusade we saw God invade a prison, open people’s eyes to see others in their town and are now ministering to areas that were previously unnoticed. All of this is simply a few of the things that God did and is still carrying out in a variety of people and places. And the exciting thing about it all is that He is doing it through YOU. WOW! There is so much more to accomplish. Thank you for your willingness and consistency to pray and give. So let us continue to pray and give and share the word about what God is doing through us TOGETHER. God is growing opportunities not only in Mississippi but in other states as well. May our days be filled with the WOW of God as we trust Him step by step. Thank you!

Dates:

August 29^th– Starting point back to school rally. Byram, MS.

September 5^th– Hope church tupelo MS, youth group

September 15^th– Black jack Baptist church- youth night. Vaughan, MS

September 22-29- Denver CO, Forge Intensive

Chief Operating & Financial Officer

At the close of five different (2018 Summer) FORGE EQUIPPING programs––our staff pushed pause to catch our breath after a massive summer schedule and to spend time praising God. It has been an incredible summer of…changed hearts and lives, forgiven pasts, transformed countenances, altered futures, life-calling for many, families and parents transformed, new emerging laborers for Christ’s harvest fields equipped for their unique callings and future assignments, miracles, and such profound answers to prayer! With a full Fall ministry season ahead, what a fantastic experience to collectively “remember the wonders God has done” and know His plans and purposes ahead are just as glorious. Together––with you––we Forge Forward for the glory of our God and King. Thank you for YOUR ministry with us and profound it is. God is setting “hearts on fire” and “lives on purpose.”

Director of Finance

Summer 2018 is in the books! I always find it so cool to look back at the end of the summer training programs and see how what began as just a detailed schedule on a calendar, fills to be a time of transformation as unique as the students who come through the doors. This summer, in addition to getting to share with the Experience students about biblical stewardship, I had the joy of walking alongside a couple young ladies in particular. While their journeys were very different from each other, I wish you could have heard the cheers and shouts for joy when they shared at the Experience graduation how God had met them uniquely and begun a new work in their lives. It truly was a time of celebration – both for what God had done and what is yet to come!

The last few months have brought quite a bit of newness for me personally as well. As many of you know, I graduated from Liberty University with my Bachelor’s degree back in May. In order to continue on the journey to earning my CPA license, I’ve begun my Masters in accounting through Western Governor’s University. I’m currently three classes in and loving it! I also adopted a little kitten named Dora a few weeks ago (while she is quite the explorer, I actually chose that name because it means “gift” and she has been such a gift to me in many ways). J

As always, I am so thankful for your prayers and support! While I get to have a front-row view of the work here at Forge, it truly wouldn’t be possible without the partnership of others!

Vice President of Ministry Expansion

Dear Friends and Support Team,

It is hard to believe, but his was our 7^thSummer of ministry here at Forge. It may also have been our best. God did mighty things in lives. There was a prevailing attitude among the student teams of being willing to go deep with God. Many went to difficult and painful places and found the freedom that God and only God can provide. It was so beautiful to watch. Just this week Lorene got a text from a young woman thanking her for loving and serving them and saying how much she missed her.

God is also teaching us the value in simply being faithful. So often, we desire and expect certain results that we don’t always see. Yet that doesn’t mean God is not at work. Our responsibility is to be obedient. We are constantly learning to turn the results over to Him and be at peace with that. That is the case with the small church that Ron is co-pastoring. Some weeks it seems momentum is hard to gain. Then, God brings someone along who He touches and uses and we come back again to the value of faithful service. Pray that we lead faithfully in that arena.

On the family front, we are enjoying having our kids and grandkids close by. What a blessing and one that we were not anticipating when we moved here. We are excited that we will be welcoming a new granddaughter (our son Reid and his wife Maria’s first child) this October. The softer side of Ron is having trouble staying hidden!

To all of you how make our work possible, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You mean more to us than you can know and the impact you are making will live on into eternity.

Love, Ron and Lorene

Chief Content Officer

Cupp Family Update

Cupp Update – Fall 2018

Back to School! It’s a crazy season of transition…new classes… new friends…new opportunities. As a family, it has been a time to reflect on what God did during our summer ministry at Forge. One story summarizes what we saw God do this summer…

A young woman, Jess, came to The Experienceprogram as a shy “wallflower.” After a class Rob taught, she started a deeper conversation with Rob about some of the darkness she’d been experiencing in her life. Later, Bridget shared and blessed Jess with some truth God wanted to share specifically with her. As the summer progressed, we simply encouraged what Jess with what we were seeing in her. By the end of the program, Jess had stepped into her gifting and was leading the team spiritually and logistically! She is now going back to her college campus equipped to not just deal with the darkness in her own life, but invade the darkness of those around her with the Light of Christ. It was so much fun to work with God to uncover the precious jewel He had created in Jess! And this is just one of many stories from our summer ministry.

And now as school starts back up, we continue as a family to seek what God wants to do in the individual lives of the students and parents we interact with in our daily lives. Pray for us as Sophia (10^thgrade), Chase (8^thgrade) and Foster (3^rd) grade go back into their school routines. Pray that as a family we can invade the darkness in the lives of others with the Light of Christ!

Discipleship Training | International Ministries

For the Hoot family, summers at Forge are FULL! For two months, we pour our hearts and—hopefully more of Jesus—into the lives of kids, youth, young adults and adults from around the country and world.

On June 28^th, Joy and I had the privilege of baptizing our oldest, Kelsey (14), in a mountain lake at Forge’s multigenerational “Deep Camp” near Winter Park, CO! What a gift! Immediately after her baptism service ended, God sent a majestic bald eagle to circle the lake several times—for us, a sign declaring His work of freedom and victory in each person who was baptized! No doubt His Name and transformational power was on display this summer. Join us in celebrating other God-sightings…!

A man struggling to make sense of recent news of his son’s debilitating diagnosis met God’s heart of compassion and love through lament. A young lady found herself weeping as God broke her heart over the wide-spread idolatry in Mexico City. A father, for the first time, embraced the truth that his past mistakes did not disqualify him from passing the Heavenly Father’sblessing to his son. A mother, consumed with living a life of performance, embraced the beauty of God’s grace. A young man found freedom deep in his soul after forgiving his mom and brother for past abuse. Another young man recognized his life was consumed with building his kingdom instead of surrendered to God and His Kingdom advance.

God transformed us and hundreds of others this summer declaringthat He is: VICTORIOUS, FORGIVING, GRACIOUS, COMPASSIONATE, LOVING & GLORIOUS! Thank you for being part of this with us!

Speaker Ministries

Hayes Happenings

I’m pleased to report that we have graduated and commissioned another group of high school and young adults as Kingdom Laborers. Looking ahead to almost thirteen years on staff with this ministry reminds me that God is unchanging. Lot’s has changed over my tenure as a staff member at Forge but God is still doing the same work. Lasting work that changes the direction of people’s lives, gives them a hope and a future, frees them from sin, depression, and hopelessness, and grants them identity and purpose in Him.

Jonah was a participant in the high school program, called Surge, this summer. I asked myself if what I had seen God do in the lives of so many others would actually “work” for my son, too. You’re probably laughing at that question. OF COURSE! God does the real work that only HE can do. Forge creates the place and space and asks God to fill it. God IS faithful. That’s just who He is. God faithfully took Jonah to places in his heart that God needed him to be and peeled back another layer toward Jonah’s true identity in Christ. Amen!

As always, we are so very thankful for YOU. Without you we could not be involved with this ministry that God continues to use in powerful ways; Faithfully. May God be glorified in you today.

Hospitality | Ministry Relations

Dear Friends and Support Team,

It is hard to believe, but his was our 7^thSummer of ministry here at Forge. It may also have been our best. God did mighty things in lives. There was a prevailing attitude among the student teams of being willing to go deep with God. Many went to difficult and painful places and found the freedom that God and only God can provide. It was so beautiful to watch. Just this week Lorene got a text from a young woman thanking her for loving and serving them and saying how much she missed her.

God is also teaching us the value in simply being faithful. So often, we desire and expect certain results that we don’t always see. Yet that doesn’t mean God is not at work. Our responsibility is to be obedient. We are constantly learning to turn the results over to Him and be at peace with that. That is the case with the small church that Ron is co-pastoring. Some weeks it seems momentum is hard to gain. Then, God brings someone along who He touches and uses and we come back again to the value of faithful service. Pray that we lead faithfully in that arena.

On the family front, we are enjoying having our kids and grandkids close by. What a blessing and one that we were not anticipating when we moved here. We are excited that we will be welcoming a new granddaughter (our son Reid and his wife Maria’s first child) this October. The softer side of Ron is having trouble staying hidden!

To all of you how make our work possible, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You mean more to us than you can know and the impact you are making will live on into eternity.

Love, Ron and Lorene

Content Team & Prayer Team Coordinator

Hello friends and family!

Another summer has come to an end here at Forge! I find great excitement in believing the new beginnings God made possible have only just begun in the many hearts and lives who participated in our equipping programs. I have no doubt these high school students and young adults will soon see how God’s unfolding Kingdom story is taking shape through them as they return to school, work, and home environments with transformed hearts and perspective, and with new vision to live life on purpose.

I had the opportunity to lead another international trip to Mexico City this year with a group of young adults whose passion, hunger, and openness to experience more of God and take risky steps of faith renewed my own heart and inspired so many others. Forgiveness took place, false identities were washed away in light of God’s truth, new ministry and missions callings were birthed, deep community was experienced, and we witnessed God showing up all around us. To all of you who continue to pray and help financially enable me to participate in this ministry—THANK YOU! The work God was about in these lives is truly a part of your Kingdom legacy.

As the Fall approaches, Josh and I would love continued prayers over our busy schedules with work and school. I will be half way through my counseling program in December, and Josh will finish his management/HR program next Summer! We are seeking God daily for guidance on future direction, as well as trying to create more balanced life rhythms for connection and rest.

We love you and are so grateful to be linking arms with you in watching the gospel transform lives. May God surprise your heart in new ways with reminders that He is with you this Fall!

Love,

––Lisa and Josh Zimmerman

Discipleship Training / Forge Speaker

Summer 2018 has held some major milestones for me. This season marked my tenth summer in Colorado. Though I have lived in other places throughout that time, I always found my way back to this high desert for the summer, to be connected with Forge and the work of discipleship and equipping that is happening here.

This was my second summer serving as the Director of the Experience, and my first year getting to plan the calendar beforehand and make adjustments to the program, which was incredibly fun and challenging and affirming.

In June, I was officially commissioned as a Forge Speaker, after working through the Firebrand Program for the past three years. This was an incredibly powerful and humbling experience, being surrounded by some of my closest friends and mentors and people who have trained me and encouraged me and cheered me on for years, calling me forward and inviting me to step into this work, blessing me as the first female itinerant speaker on the Forge Team in a long, long time.

On top of these major events, I am looking forward to another big transition: I am in the process of moving back to Indiana, to set up my home base to travel and speak from there. I am so excited about this next chapter of my life and ministry, and ask that you would continue to pray for me, for guidance, connections, and provision.

Cheers to a new season!

Further up and further in.

Speaker Coordinator | Administrative Assistant

This past summer has been characterized by seeing and experiencing God’s faithfulness. I work with many details at Forge, and the amount of times God came through and made everything come together so beautifully and lovely was astounding. One of the examples of this was being able to baptize multiple people at Deep Camp this past June. When I went through the Experience three summers ago, I was able to be a counselor at Deep Camp to a few of the daughters of staff members here at Forge. That summer became a launching pad for growing relationships with the girls. Last summer I was able baptize one of those girls at Deep Camp, and this summer I was privileged to stand in the water alongside the other. A few hours before the baptism began, we were notified of a forest fire that was gaining ground and we needed to be prepared to evacuate if it continued to get closer to the campground. We were to baptize multiple students that day, and right at the end of the baptism, a bald eagle flew through the air in all of its majesty. That moment brought me full circle from when I was a student, to standing in the water baptizing these students as a staff member. God is so faithful, and continues to prove Himself faithful throughout this journey. Thank you so much for your prayers and support during our busy summer months! I am looking forward to sharing more with you about the exciting opportunities I have coming up this fall!

Love,

Kersha

Writer | Content Team

Boyd Family Update

8, 95, 11. I know you want to say, “hut, hut!” Those numbers, however, are not in a quarterback signal-calling sequence, but significant numbers for our children. 8 is Maggie’s number. She will be getting married September 8^thin Nashville to Chris, whom we love and welcome to our family with open arms. 95 belongs to Audrey. After a year of trying things on for size in Nashville, Audrey has moved back to Colorado to take on a full-time marketing position with Spur Coffee in Denver. 95 is the street number of the business. That leaves 11 for Aidan. He just started his junior year of high school (11^thgrade). Crazy, but true. It’s more believable when you see him standing shoulder to shoulder beside me.

Shannon and I continue to navigate life and ministry in an ever-changing world. We both continue to write, learn, listen, and journey with people all over the spectrum of life and faith. “We want to know Christ,” as Paul says. We want to share and experience the power and hope his resurrection brings. And, we choose to stand with Jesus and others in the hard, painful, and tension-filled places of life—all with the purpose of drawing closer both to Jesus and others.

Now in our 8^thyear of ministry at Forge, Shannon and I continue to give thanks for the many people like you who have walked with us in helping others experience the life and purpose only Jesus gives. Thank you!

Content Team

Julia Newsletter Update—I’m leaving

I am finding myself in a sweet season of transition. Not only did I just get engaged to an amazing man of God, but I am also stepping forward in saying goodbye to Forge and my time at the ministry.

For some time, God has been stirring new things in me—giving me a sense of conviction and peace about the idea of leaving Forge. After much prayer, and a commitment to be here throughout our chaotic and amazing summer, I’m sharing that this month of August will be my last at the ministry.

Change and transitions are scary, but I want to walk fully in faith that God knows what He has next for me even if I don’t have the full picture. I will continue helping at a part-time job I have making letterpress stationery, but am also open to other opportunities that the Lord may call me into in these coming months. As I navigate the changes of this season, your love and prayers are more of a blessing than ever before. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my team! It has blessed me more than I can express.

If you are interested in continuing to support Forge as a ministry through the general Forge Fund, or if you wish to end your support at this time, email me at [email protected]and I will be sure to adjust/end your donation accordingly!

If you want to know more or have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected]! Love you all, Julia

Forge Speaker

This summer was a busy one and the Lord has done great things! We are so grateful and humbled to be entrusted with so many different ministry opportunities. We’ve also been blessed with a family of God that is eager to serve him and come alongside us in building the Kingdom of God. This summer we had 3 student ministry interns that blessed us by joining us for 6 weeks of ministry and others that joined us for parts of the summer. From serving alongside youth groups for two weeks to minister to the poor through Smoky Mountain Outreach to a week of ministering to inner city youth at Bristol Outreach to the Jesus Rally tent revival for several days to a week of family ministry at Deep Camp in Colorado to being in leadership for 10 days at Indian Springs Holiness camp to our weekend retreat together, we’ve come to love each one of these young people like they were our own immediate family.

These students are all outstanding young people that give us hope for the future and make us think of the scripture in Philippians 1:3-11 that says, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart…”

To these young men and women of God- We have built wheelchair ramps for those in need, cleaned yards for our special needs friends and the elderly living in poverty, spoken the Word of God to children living in situations that we could never imagine. We have confided in each other, leaned on each other, dug into the Word of God for hours upon hours together. We have cried, we have laughed, and some of us almost died in the Dodge together (literally). You pushed yourselves through sickness, exhaustion and beyond the comforts you longed for all in the name of Jesus. We are proud of what God is doing in the lives of young people. Jesus, in you, is incredible.

To the rest of you—Thank you Thank you Thank you! For your prayers, your support and your love. We can’t thank you enough.

Forge Speaker

Hey Forge Family!

The Lynch Family has been in some great transitions this year and we want to thank you all for your prayerful support! D’Ann and I just reached a beautiful milestone in our lives: we celebrated our 25th year Anniversary! We are so thankful that God blessed us 25 years ago and would have never thought that we would have come so far as we were two little kids in love. We went to Washington D.C. to celebrate this great moment and it was really a pleasant get away!

Asia is doing great as she has entered her Jr. year in college and has really intensified her pursuit of her calling in ministry! Personally I have been blown away as I watch this once little girl who has grown into a beautiful young woman grow in her love for God and others. Asia has seemed to have ‘caught the ministry bug’ because she is totally fired up to go on The Experience this Summer with Forge!

We are also so proud of Jordan, and he is ready to take the next step in his life. Jordan is excited about graduating and looking forward to following his sister to Texas A&M to pursue a degree in Counseling and Social Work to follow in his great-uncle’s footsteps to open a practice to as a licensed counselor. We are so grateful for where our children are at in their lives.

We love you and look forward to seeing many of you this summer!

Forge Speaker

So much has been happening! God orchestrated things for Ann-Marie and Tyler to get out of their apartment lease early and move into a new house. Many details were taken care of by God’s gracious answers to prayer. Another great blessing is that Ann-Marie is expecting a baby in December!! We will be grandparents! A few days ago, Lolly and I talked on the phone about Exodus 4. Her pastor in Dallas is preaching through the book of Exodus and each message is available online. We are viewing the messages and discussing them. What a blessing for me to talk about “Jesus things” with my daughter!

I recently spent several days in LaFollette, TN., speaking at the Fields of Faith Event sponsored by FCA. Wednesday morning, I spoke at three school assemblies and later that afternoon I challenged the LaFollette High School Football team and coaching staff. That night at the event, 1,500-2,000 people were in attendance. The Spirit prompted my heart with these words, “You give the gospel and I will bring them home.” The Spirit moved in hearts and before the night was over 150-200 people had surrendered to Christ in salvation and other areas of their lives.

Know your prayers and financial investments make a difference! You have a part in all that God is doing. Thank you so much.

President/CEO & Founder

Are you discovering God, not only in the “infinite”, but in the “infinitesimal” details of life? We often ask crowds, “Has God ever shown up for you?” Affirmative hands fly into the air—some even energetically providing two-handed responses! That God “shows up” for His children is exactly what our world needs to know and hear. God didn’t once show up in the pages of scripture—He STILL shows up! Even in the smallest of details! A young man in this summer’s FORGE Experience program exclaimed, “My Cherokee mother did her best on our Indiana reservation to raise me into a strong “man”. However her best efforts couldn’t provide what I truly needed. HOW did God set me to become totally encircled this summer by a “tribe” of caring, godly men who’ve guided me toward a fuller understanding than I’ve even experienced before of what a true man of God is? I’m not a weeper, but I feel like I could cry for two hours! How did God “show up” for me in this crucial detail of my life? My mother’s best intention couldn’t provide this detailed need—but God did! He hit the bulls eye of my young-man needy heart!” A Surge student tried to describe the detailed “freedom” and “peace” that entered his personal story and heart as he was led by God to forgive the ones who had murdered his brother. When he came up out of baptismal waters during an outdoor Deep Camp baptism, God sent an American bald-eagle to “fly-over” the small lake (not a “dove”, an EAGLE), as if to pronounce from Heaven, “I see you, I love you, and in my Son you now have FREEDOM”! A couple at Deep Camp exclaimed, “Last year at this very time we were divorced and only one of us was here praying for our marriage and wondering how God could ever “show up” for us after the painful divorce we went through. But here we are, a brand new start, our 2nd marriage to each other—indescribable. How did God SHOW UP in the details of our relationship in this way?

God still shows up in the infinitesimal details of our lives! And this summer we watched His miracles unfolding everywhere! Glory to GOD!

Dwight

Discipleship Training / Forge Speaker

MORE… the word of the season – Jesus doing more than we could ever imagine! Since March we have seen at least 11 young people saved, 60 surrender their whole lives to Jesus, 130 lay down their chains and hidden darkness, and 85 commit to sharing the gospel with their friends as God’s laborers, while preaching at various churches, chapels, camps, and events. We also led a high school discipleship training and hosted a contact from Asia, making local connections with him as well as strategizing for the future.

One of our favorite stories is how one student came to summer camp as an emotionally struggling atheist and left as a fired up and set free Jesus-lover, proclaiming “I fully believe in Jesus now! I am a changed person because of Jesus.”

We are now preparing for a September trip to various parts of Asia: Dara will join me (Charlie) for a portion to focus on partnering with locals working against sex trafficking; I will then scout an unreached area seeking to bring the gospel… for both portions we will be envisioning what the Lord has ahead!

And still we pray for more! We have witnessed Jesus do ABUNDANTLY MORE than we have asked or ever imagined. Yet we pray for more – Jesus do more, bring more of your Kingdom to earth… more slaves set free, more lost saved, more unengaged people groups engaged, more nations reached, more laborers sent so this can become a reality. Will you join our prayer?!

Forge Speaker

Hey All! I have had a whirlwind of a summer. I went to Florida to do a big retreat. Revival broke out and it was fun watching the Lord work! Then we moved and remodeled a house in record time because I was about to leave the country to go to Israel! I spent 13 days in the Holy Land and my life was changed. Everything was geographically closer than anything I had ever imagined. One place in particular shook me. We read at one point that Jesus was next to the temple in a place that I saw is twenty feet from ten purification baths. Jesus put mud in the eyes of a blind man and then told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. Why Siloam? Why not one of the baths? We went to Siloam next and it was a difficult trip down a steep slope. I was worn out when I got down there after sliding half the way. I could see, but the blind man, not so much. Why did Jesus send him down some treacherous pass? Seems that Jesus wanted him to work (step out in faith) if he wanted to see and the man did it!

After Israel, I was home for 2 days and then travelled to Argentina to hunt and share Jesus. Unfortunately, I picked up a bug there and spent 6 days in the hospital after I got back followed by 16 days of nasty headaches that put me on my back. Nasty stuff. I am just beginning to feel somewhat normal and I am getting ready to begin a busy fall schedule. Please pray for our upcoming events, for the Lord’s hand on my family and that we sell our previous house, which would be a huge relief for us.

Love you guys and thank you for everything you do for our ministry. You are awesome!

Courage

Rob Cupp

Chris Emery

Fred Lynch

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