My nearly three weeks in Canada is drawing to a close, but my expectations are high for the remainder of this weekend! Let’s begin, though, by recapping the week that was.

 

Northern New Brunswick

Last week I made reference to driving some of the back roads of NB and this week I got to do a little bit more.

Saturday saw me drive up Route 7 from Saint John to Fredericton before hopping on the #8 that would take me clear across the province, through the Miramichi River Valley… home to some of the greatest Atlantic Salmon fishing in the world.

Stretches of lonely road, flanked by evergreen forests and stands of Tamarack, roll by for the roughly 4-hour drive, which also takes you across Miramichi’s impressive Centennial Bridge. The Tamarack is nice because it maintained a bit of yellow in the forests even after the deciduous trees have lost their yellows, reds & oranges.

Even in the light rain, it was a beautiful drive.

 

Bathurst & Campbellton

Sunday, I attended three services; morning & evening services in Bathurst (Dan & Danielle Desroches) and an afternoon service in Campbellton (Mike & Laura Noel & Ian & Naomi Watson).

Campbellton has recently begun holding French services on a monthly basis and last weekend the church’s youth pastor was able to bring her elderly grandmother with her…. she normally doesn’t come, but given that the service in French, she made the effort and went away blessed.

Services in Bathurst are bilingual and it was so good to be with our very special friends, the Desroches. God is doing a work among the French in New Brunswick & we are encouraged by that.

The Value of a Pastor

I don’t know what I’d do without this couple right here… Pastor & Mrs Brent Carter were well known in the district but they became instrumental in our life and the life of our church in 2012, when Pastor Carter took the helm. Spending time with them this week has been incredible.

No Christian is meant to live & survive alone, and attempting to do so is dangerous. Your Christian walk will be so much better and so much more biblical when you walk with and under the protection of a pastor.

 

Fredericton

What a privilege to close off my time in New Brunswick with Pastors Raymond Woodward & Jack Leaman and the great people of Capital Community Church!

Both the Woodwards & Leamans were at the church in Saint John when I first came into Pentecost so theirs are voices that I both trust and respect greatly.

Similarly, Pastor Anthony Mangun (Alexandria, Louisianna), has spoken into my life on a number of occasions so it was a real treat to hear he & Sis. Mangun minister. After having done a lot of speaking myself over the past two and a half weeks, I desire God to do a new work in my own life this weekend… it’s nice to be fed.

 

Money Matters

I came home needing to raise roughly twenty thousand dollars as a short-term boost to our missions service in France…. and God has humbled me with the response.  In only three weeks pastors and fellow Christians have committed roughly $13,000.00 to the work that we’re doing.

You truly cannot outgive the Lord!
The response has been incredible but we are still in need of either one-time donations or monthly financial partners. If you are interested in becoming part of the work in France, click here.

 

Misc.

• I have taken a lot of pictures with a lot of precious people over the past three weeks – didn’t get everyone… but when the dust settles, look for a post showcasing all of these greats!
• Please pray for the next two days… tomorrow (Sunday) I will be with Pastor Dieudonné Kahozi in St. Laurent, QC for service before flying back to France that evening.

Thank you for once again making us part of your internet reading routine… your prayer & support means more than you know.

Praise the Lord, great things he hath done & is doing!