Dear Family and Friends:

Again?? Yes, Hurricane Jeanne is going on as I begin this (thankfully, we still have electricity) and is, I’d say, somewhere between Charley and Frances. Stronger than Frances was, but not quite so wet; not as devastating as Charley, slower-moving, like Frances. We’re getting to be real hurricane connoisseurs, here in Florida.

Once again, we’re reminded to be grateful for the things we often take for granted. Some people are facing the total destruction of their homes, house after house has tarpaulins covering the roof, many are without electricity and are being told to boil water. As we bagged up our possessions in preparation for possible water damage during Hurricane Frances (just after our last letter) we were forced to focus on what is really important in life: our houses and our “stuff” or our families and our relationship with God and our eternal home. As a visiting evangelist to our church challenged us, “Do you really believe Jesus is coming back? Are you living like it?” (Mt. 24:44-46)

I sat outside under an enclosed patio during the storm and had some devotional time with the Lord. I read 1 Kings 17-19, where God called Elijah to unique service, to turn Israel’s heart back to Him from Baal. Following that event, after showing unbelievable boldness in facing down virtually the whole country, Elijah moped to God about the threats of Jezebel. God positioned Elijah at a good vantage point, then sent a great and strong wind, an earthquake and a fire; but Elijah recognized that God’s voice was not in any of these. Finally, a still, small voice spoke to him, and Elijah recognized the voice of God and His continuing commission for his life. Sometimes the impressive, dramatic events are testings and not the voice of God.

It’s been 44 years since Orlando has seen a hurricane like Charley, let alone three of them in a six-week period. Several friends have asked us what we think about Florida. We just have to say that God picked the place and the timing for us to be here. (Acts 17:26) We so appreciate your prayers and support, and we are as determined as ever to be obedient to God’s call that brought us here. We’d be afraid to be anywhere else. Not because God will “get us” so much as that the consequences of ignoring His call would be eternal. Imagine entering the presence of God and being shown a room full of blessings and rewards that we didn’t receive because we were disobedient.

Jesus told the story of the wise man who built his house upon the rock: “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them, I will compare him to a wise man who built his house upon the rock. And the rain came down and the floods came, and the winds blew and and fell against that house; and it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.” (Matt. 7:24, 25) Here’s how we can have joy in the midst of circumstances which test us, (See James 1:2-4): testing reveals the strength and support of the Rock. It’s easy for us to miss the point because we get all emotional about it – but a recent prayer by Emily sums it all up: “Thank you, Jesus, for sending the hurricanes so we could learn not to be so attached to our stuff.”

We’re so excited about the path laid out before us—there are going to be some amazing opportunities coming up. You may be aware that there are Christian ministries that have evangelistic hearts and may indeed have a web presence, yet do not use the web for evangelism. Then there are fewer that actually use the internet for evangelism, yet have little-to-no follow-up … and the latter may take days, literally.

Our WorldLINC team of CCCI provides two major assets to the world. First, any ministry may link to our award-winning evangelistic site Who is Jesus...Really?, which is #1 when a seeker looks for ‘Jesus’ in Yahoo and Google). Second, we offer a Ministry Response Center (MRC) staffed with volunteers ready to answer seekers’ questions online. [If you are interested, please sign up at http://www.responsecenters.org!] Our MRC can be attached to the back-end of any evangelistic site to handle questions seekers or believers might ask … and our goal is to provide feedback in moments or at least within 24 hours. There is nothing quite like it in the Christian world!

Our director has a plaque on his desk with the well-known saying attributed to President Harry Truman: “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”

One of the assumptions under which we work is that the time is short. As we sign each letter, “one day closer!” It’s high time to wake out of sleep, our ultimate salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; it’s time to put on the whole armor of God and join the battle in earnest, not seek comfort and complacency. (Rom. 13:11-14)

We want to thank you for joining us in this end! In being a member of our sending team, you have given things up in order to put God’s Kingdom first. In giving in support of our continued ministry, in spending time praying for us, and in seriously considering whom else you know that could join us all, you form the framework of this ministry founded on the Rock! Although God miraculously provided the support necessary to get us here this summer, our chief assignment is to find ongoing financial support of our ministry. Additional funding we find will effectively be doubled for this year!