The children continue to do well in home school and have recently added some new artwork to A Brush with Life. In addition to the excellent artwork, they began a lovely new calligraphy room in the Young Ladies of God gallery called A Scribe Unto the Lord. You can find all their Recent Artwork here.
Meanwhile, we have begun in earnest our search for another place to live. At the time of this newsletter, we have little more than eight weeks to move out of the guesthouse we are living in, and the church has informed us it is a firm date! So we've been online, diligently searching for homes to rent. But in terms of the monthly payment, they are typically more expensive to afford than making mortgage payments on a low-budget, purchased home that we would own. We are grateful that Len has the VA loan benefit, which we have used in the past when we owned a home. That allows us the benefit of zero money down on a home.
So we have redirected our search into the area of inexpensive homes for sale in North Carolina, since those in New Hampshire are out of our range. We need a four-bedroom, two-or-more-bath home within our price range, which will need to be quite limited due to our income level being what it is. Currently we are in the process of getting pre-approved for a loan, and cannot yet begin scheduling home showings until we get that.
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life." (Mk 10:29-20).
More photos.
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| Denis |
Denis has also volunteered to handle all our mail that we receive at our post office box, and make the bank deposits. We have also offered all our partners who send paper-checks in the mail to try the optional method of electronic payments, in order to reduce the incoming mail and the need for bank deposits. This is always optional and not required, but for those who elect to switch to electronic it will help to automatic and streamline our processes. As always, we will continue to receive paper checks for those who prefer to give that way. These are some of the ways the Lord has provided and helped us throughout this past month. God is good!
Meanwhile, Len is still in contact with one of the pastors from Burma, discussing a possible ministry trip there sometime this year. The visa issue seems to be the main issue right now, and it is not a small one. Please pray for the Lord's will to be done.
Concerning the invitation to Pakistan, we feel we have received some direction. In the character investigation process, or vetting of the pastor that invited him, Len has discovered some red flags that have put this opportunity completely on hold. We will leave it at that for now.
We mentioned last month that Len had witnessed to a man from Morocco named Abdel. He promised to read what we gave him when he had time, check out the More Than Dreams videos, and call Len to discuss it afterward. Jennifer saw him recently at the store and he said to tell Len that he still plans to get together to discuss these things. Please pray that he will examine the claims of Christ, believe the gospel, get in touch with Len, and give his life to Jesus.
But the main topics the Lord has led us to emphasize during the past three years are holiness, righteousness, and truth. We continue to lay great emphasis on these areas while still upholding the importance of the others, as the Lord has us serving Him by helping the Bride to make herself ready for Christ's return. He is calling His people to prepare for His coming, and that is precisely what we are doing. This ministry has always been about making disciples who multiply disciples and developing leaders who multiply leaders, and that continues to be our mission by focusing on these areas that we have mentioned through the creative means the Lord is making available to us.
Our beloved ministry President, Dr. Andrew Stenhouse, is a retired medical doctor with over fifty years of experience as a physician. He has been walking with the Lord since he was a teenager, and received the call from God to the medical field as a young college student of geology, when the Lord spoke to him in church through an audible voice. He still hears from the Lord quite well, and since his retirement from medicine, he is now focused specifically on intercession. He has a map of the world in front of him as he prays, and prayer changes the course of history. Please pray for him, as he is a wealth of wisdom and godly counsel for us. Dr. Stenhouse asked Len to let everyone know through our newsletter about our current emphasis on holiness, righteousness, and truth, as we have just outlined for you in this update. He believes like we do that these are the last days, and that the people of God must now prepare in holiness for the Lord's return. Therefore, he fully supports our emphasis in this area. As he often does with Len's articles, he read the recent one titled, A Warning for Christian Married Couples, and he strongly agrees that this is a very important message from the Lord for the church at this time. If you have questions or concerns about these matters, please read Restored Truth, as well as A Warning to the Nay Sayers, and take it to the Lord in prayer. The Lord will be faithful to give discernment and understanding to you, if you ask for it.
Since we began our new emphasis three years ago, we have been persecuted a lot for the work we are doing. Even friends, family, and ministry partners who were near to us have walked away. May the Lord have mercy on them. Yet we still have some true friends, whom the Lord has also given us, who refuse to leave us or forsake us. They refuse to engage in division. For example, like one dear older brother in Christ, who emphatically assured Len of his continued support despite the rejection we may be receiving from others. And the Lord has also brought wonderful, new friends and ministry partners into our lives as well, who love holiness and righteousness, which we are very grateful for. Some of those are in the United Kingdom; therefore, we are praying about Len making a ministry trip there later this year.
The Lord is also bringing to us new friends from other parts of the world as well, such as a young, twenty-nine-year old man from India named Jai wrote to Len with a great word of encouragement about how he agreed with the article for married couples. Part of what he said was, "Brother Len, I strongly agree with what you said [that it] is from our Lord and from [His] Word, which is so true. May our Lord God bless all your efforts to help the Bride of Christ. You have great reward, brother. All glory to God."
He continued, "...This subject is debatable in most of the churches who love falsehood (lukewarm followers of Christ)...If we carry JESUS, the most holy of holies (Spirit of GOD ), how much more should we be holy compared to the worldly, so-called religious people." He also said, "...I have started to work among the Muslim Evangelism & among International Students, even [among the] Roman Catholic community, as I come from that background. [The Lord] enabled me to save an Arab, he got baptised recently, [and] soon will be baptised with Holy Spirit [with the] gift of tongues...Please pray for the persecution in India among the missionaries and churches. God is purifying the body of Christ. We should endure and be faithful till the end. You will be in my prayer list for sure, brother Len. Take Care. With love of GOD, Jai."
Likewise, a pastor from Portugal also wrote to Len saying, "This article is very good indeed and it clarifies most of the doubts about how can a married Christian couple should behave in their matrimonial bed....God bless you! I'm pastor Luis Guerreiro from Portugal. I will wait for an answer send me an email. I would like also to know more about your biblical studies."
A sister we know in New Hampshire wrote in response to the article for married couples, "Hi Jen and Len, Thank you so much for your message of love and encouragement. We are also sensing that the day of the Lord's return is closer then ever and we all know that it's just a matter of time, and we His church need to be focused, alert, and extremely attentive and prepared for His coming. Its not time for the church to be the sleeping giant, but its time for the church to Wake up, rise, and pray for the salvation of its people. I sense this New Year will be a year of God's preparation and refining of His church. The Lord will be removing everything and everyone that is not wholeheartedly serving Him with reverential fear and trembling. He is seeking a people of sincere relationship to Him and He will purge and remove the church of its idols and everything that stands between us and HIMSELF. The fulfillment of His word, will, and purpose shall prevail and no obstacles shall derail Him from coming."
Also a young, nineteen-year old man from Romania named Dinu recently wrote to Len saying he has been reading the testimonies on his Eternal Destinations blog and "loves" it. He was asking Len for some advice on which church to attend, as well as training on evangelism, which Len sent to him.
Another lady by the alias "Medic Maria" commented on Len's article, Hearing the Lord's Voice, "This was an amazing article. I pray that you reach many with your devotion to the Lord."
In February, we were pleasantly surprised to receive a generous offering from a sister named Jennifer, whom we have never met in St. Paul, Minnesota. There has only been perhaps one other time when someone we did not know gave to our ministry online, and that was someone who got saved through our ministry. When we sent Jennifer a note of thanks, she informed us that she found out about us through Pastor Olugbenga of Peterborough, England, whom Len wrote about in December in his article for married couples. She stated:
"Hello, I found out about you through Complete In Christ Church. I am from MN, but I saw the marriage video and responded to [Pastor Olugbenga] with questions, and eventually he told me about your blogs which I love and learn from a lot. I really believe this is the true gospel about holiness, something that is very rare. Years ago the Lord had me learn from Dr. Owour and it has just progressed from there. I was raised in charismatic Christianity my whole life, but found out in my 20's (I am 42 now) I really wasn't saved at all, thinking I was the whole time. I noticed that as I prayed to obey the lord to be pleasing to Him, He has opened the teaching of holiness to me more and more. I have always been teachable and not doubting His Way, and I am so shocked at the resistance of other believers to not believe in holiness. My family are ministers and yet not embracing this. What I really learned from Dr. Owour is the western prophets are really not prophets at all, I really stay clear of them...I have seen their error and I stay as far away as possible. I believe in the rapture and that it is imminent. I will be sowing into your ministry as it is truly teaching me and feeding me. Thank you so much for [being] obedient to the Lord. You have a way of writing and explaining that is clear to me. God bless you. Jennifer."
Finally, one of our ministry financial partners in Texas recently sent us a wonderful bit of encouragement. He said, "...We are also Very Thankful that He's chosen you and your family to be true Warriors for his Kingdom and helping spread the good word." And in another email he wrote, "God is definitely blessing us and so many times when I think of where to give, God keeps guiding me back to you and your ministry and what your family stands for. We love you guys, God bless!" Their encouragement is always such a great blessing to us.
"Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." (Ps 115:1)
Resources: This month we would like to suggest an article Len has recently written called, Persecuted or Popular?, Restored Truth, The Marine Kingdom and Queen of the Coast, and James Agboola Revelation of Heaven and Hell. All of Len's latest articles are available at Old News That's Still Fresh - February 2015. Len's entire collection of his most popular blogs are at Writing for the Master.
In closing, we have much to praise God for, and many opportunities for you to join us in prayer.
Praise the Lord with us for the many answers to prayer:
- For the anniversary and birthday celebrations in February.
- For the good health the Lord has blessed us with.
- For the lovely new artwork and calligraphy He has enabled the children to create.
- For the opportunity to trust Him for another home.
- For leading Denis Lacroix to remain on as our volunteer bookkeeper through the end of the year, and to handle our incoming mail, as well as bank deposits!
- For leading Travis Claypool to take over as bookkeeper whenever Denis resigns.
- For the lives being touched for Christ around the world through our writing ministry.
- For the many words of encouragement we have received from people.
- For the partners who have chosen to stand by our side, as well as the new ones who have begun to support us without our asking.
- For the strong support we have from Dr. Stenhouse in our emphasis of calling the Church to holiness in preparation for Christ's return.
- For the Lord to draw to Himself and save the people we have been witnessing to, especially Abdel from Morocco.
- For the Lord to send his angels with Len’s messages to those who need them, and for an open heaven over them when they receive his messages.
- For the Lord to put a hedge of protection around our ministry president, Dr. Stenhouse, and multiply to him an abundance of grace, mercy, peace, and wisdom, as well as grant him good health.
- For the persecution in India among the missionaries and churches that the saints would endure and be faithful till the end.
- For the Lord to give Len guidance and provision regarding the open door for short-term work in Burma, which is the next opportunity.
- For the Lord’s guidance regarding a possible ministry trip to the United Kingdom.
- For the Lord to provide us with a four-bedroom, two-or-more-bath home within our price range, along with all the various items we will need to furnish and equip it.
- For the Lord to open new doors of opportunity for ministry for us, and that we would be fruitful.
- For the Lord to continue to raise up new faith partners.
- For the Lord to provide for us.
with love from all of us,
The Lacroixs
There are two ways to donate to Doulos Missions International. You may either send a check or money order by mail to:
Doulos Missions International
PO Box 5526
Manchester, NH 03108-5526
Donate Online
Doulos Missions International
PO Box 5526
Manchester, NH 03108-5526
Donate Online
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