From Mary Ann's Desk.....
“…those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
It certainly is for LTI. With all the plans for this year, we are going to be busier than we have been in several years. That is exciting! That makes us happy!
Some time ago, we began waiting for the Lord to show us the “next step” to take. No answer came right away so we continued to wait on the Lord.
The first inkling came as a stirring in Mark’s heart concerning Romania that grew so strong he discussed with me the possibility of an exploratory trip to see if God had something there for LTI. That trip happened last March, and sure enough God did. Romania was/is an open door.
Around the same time another “possibility” presented itself. This time in Kenya. As it turned out, a friend of Mark’s had recommended him to the leader of this multi-faceted work that was/is in great need of help. The friend, who knew Mark’s calling and his heart for the world, thought he was just the one to recommend. So, in conjunction with Mark’s second trip to Romania last November, he went to Kenya, and concluded God had something there, as well, for LTI. Kenya was/is an open door.
Romania and Kenya are now fields of endeavor that we have entered into, and we embrace these new assignments joyfully and with great vigor. Mark and Julie discuss more about these new fields in their column. I know you will be invigorated when you read all about it.
Now that God has opened new doors to us...
We need Him to speak to additional hearts to become financial partners with us in these endeavors. We know that where God leads, He provides. We also know that God wants us to ask Him for what we need even though He already knows our needs. So, we are asking you to make this a matter of prayer with us, believing that God already has in mind those whom He will touch and bring alongside us for this important work.
In addition
If you want to be more involved than you presently are, we welcome any amount of increase you may choose to give.
In the midst of all these happenings
It has become clear to me that my days of overseas ministry are over. In some ways, this has been a difficult decision for me because I love overseas ministry. In other ways, the thought of having to pack and fly all those miles drains every ounce of energy from me. The truth is, I have served my generation overseas in my time, and it is now time for me to put all of those responsibilities in the capable hands of Mark and Julie.
My tasks will now be different. Instead of being one of those who “go,” my role is to mentor and give oversight to the “next generation.” The wonderful part about this is that everyone is in agreement with this decision. That makes me happy. I am at peace, and I joyfully look forward to the years ahead.
And, there’s still the writing and publishing of teaching materials. More will be said about this later.
Remember, the trumpet has not yet been blown, so the work is not over. We must work while it is day, for the night will surely come when no man can work.
May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ rest upon you every day in your journey with Him.
Because there are over 4.4 billion people in the world who still need Jesus, I remain
Yours in missions,
Mary Ann Cassidy
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