Minus 40 Report
2012 Final Furlough Report
Dear Praying friends,
The scriptures tell the believer in Ephesians 3:20, Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
This has always been one of those verses that I believe – because it is in the Bible, but had never really thought it was going to happen to me. (The part about, “above all I could ask or think”) Now the Lord has always fully met my need and more. He has met the desires of my heart. He has been absolutely wonderful every hour of every day and faithful with every heartbeat and breath.
But recently that, ‘above all we can ask or think’ part came to fruition twice. While in Florida a small, inexpensive part failed in our truck and in the end caused the clutch and surrounding parts to fail. We were looking at nearly two thousand dollars worth of repairs. Lois and I figured how to scramble up and redistribute some funds within our checkbook, never thinking the finances would come from sources outside our own bank account. But God provided the total cost of the repair through a supporting church in Florida who knew of our plight. I never thought that it would not be our personal funds paying for the repair – but God had a better plan!
About that same time we received news that an offering had come in from the membership of a supporting church to cover the cost of a new snowmobile! Now I had thought and asked for the funds for a snowmobile, and three thousand dollars had come in toward that, but this topped off the remainder of the need and… The gift was so magnanimous that several thousand dollars were left over and were designated to go toward the renovations needed for the apartment within the church building in Tuktoyaktuk! Now I hadn’t even thought about that! Clear as a bell and without a doubt, God did that which was exceeding abundantly above all that I asked or thought!
I think about the souls in Tuk learning of and believing in Jesus Christ for salvation. I think about Tuk Baptist Church being solidified and strengthened into a lighthouse of truth in Tuk. I think about lives chained by sin and Christ breaking those chains and freedom experienced by the Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic. I think about believers in Inuvik and Aklavik who have faithfully prayed for their relatives to be saved, receiving a call to hear of a loved one trusting Jesus. Oh, I can do some thinking. And God can and will do exceeding, abundantly above that, more than I have even thought about!
So far this furlough we have reported to many of our supporting churches and the Lord has seen fit to add six new supporters! Three opportunities remain to present our ministry and three whom we have already presented to will make a decision soon. There are two churches that are prayer supporters and will financially help us if they can. We are humbled at this and consider our furlough a success.
On or about the 21st of May we will start driving North. This newsletter will be the last of my furlough letters. Lois and I will once again leave behind family, friends, loved ones and the familiar sights and sounds of our childhood, youth and early adult years. Goodbyes will be tearful. But we will set our compass North. Toward a truly forgotten people and land. And as our tears dry a resolve will set in our jaw and an expectation in our heart to see the Lord do that which is exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Thank you for your prayer and support.
Steve & Lois Donley