Psalm 62:7-8
WOW, I can hardly believe it, 2010 is almost over and the year 2011 is only one month away. This past year flew by so fast, and I find myself wanting more time so that I can reflect more on the Faithfulness of God He has shown our family throughout 2010. This past year is just one of the many which God has been faithful to our family, and our time here in Thailand. I have been blessed to call Thailand my home for the past NINE years, and have also been blessed to be able to serve in full time ministry for over the past THIRTEEN years. Many of you have so faithfully supported me during those first few years while I was single, you have continued supporting me as I wed my beautiful wife and wonderful partner Maam in 2004. Your support continued as our family grew with the addition of Gracie in 2005, Joy in 2006, Hope in 2008 and our newest addition Kyle born earlier this year. Through your prayers and your financial support, the Rutledge family has been able to serve full time in Christian ministry here in Northern Thailand. From the time I boarded a plane from Pocatello to Orlando, Florida to join the JESUS Film, we have been a team, working together to share the wonderful message of God’s love to those we meet. As a new year approaches, I want to take this time to personally thank each of you. Your prayers are so vital to our work here, your financial gifts are such a sweet offering to God, and your letters and emails are always so encouraging. We would not be here without you, and I am not just saying that. The truth is 100 % of our financial income comes from you our supporters. Your prayers keep us healthy, give us strength and wisdom, and your emails and letters give us hope and a desire to continue to press on. THANK YOU, THANK YOU
, THANK YOU.
You have been so faithful over the years, and God is always faithful. We know that God is always there, and will always provide, and time and time again He has provided. But as 2011 is approaching and the preparations for our move back to the States progresses I am starting to feel the stress of uncertainty. In about five months time I will be taking our family of six and moving back to the USA to live for about two years. This move is going to be the biggest step of faith I have ever taken. When I first moved to Thailand, back in 2001, I only had to be worried about myself. If the move didn’t work out, or the finances were not available, I would be alright. I could live on rice and water if needed. But now I am a husband, and a father of four. This move back to the US is a huge challenge to my faith. We are leaving all that we have here, to move back to the US were we have nothing. No house, no car, no clothes, no beds, nothing. In Thailand we live on about $1600 a month all of this from your financial gifts. Well we be able to live in America on that amount? To be honest, I am scarred. This move is a huge challenge, and we are only doing it because we believe the Lord is calling us to. Our goal for the move is to spend more time with my parents as they are getting older, and I woul
d like them to be able to spend some time with my children. Also I know it would be really beneficial for our children to spend some time in America and for us to spend some time getting reacquainted with our family and supporters. Also, we feel the time has come to further our education with the goal to enhance our ministry opportunities. Maam and I both feel the need to reach out to families here in Southeast Asia, and I am looking at working on my Masters in Christian Family Counseling during our two year stay, in hopes of returning to Thailand and using that education to train and equip local pastors and church leaders to care for their families and those in their church body. This is a lofty goal, since there are very few family councilors in Thailand and no Christian ones. Our vision is a strong family, a strong church, a strong village, a strong country, a strong world. God started with the family before he started with the church, and that too is where we would like to focus. But in order to achieve this goal, we first must relocate back to the US and I need to go back to school. While we are states side we desire to remain in ministry as I am working on my degree, and so my church has offered me a place on their ministry team. We will be working with my church while I am also doing distance learning for my degree. In order for all of this to take place we do need a LOT of help.
First we need you prayers as we make finale plans and preparations for the move and for our time in the States.
Second we need your continued financial support. You all have been so faithful and we are grateful for all you have given. Currently we have 12 partners who give monthly and I feel bad asking them to give more. But as expenses are going to increase and I know we are going to have to raise more support. So I ask if you are giving now, please continue to give and invite your friends to give as well. If you are not yet on our team, but feel led to give, please contact me. I am looking at spending the first month back trying to visit as many people as possible to help meet our support needs. So please let me know if you or someone you know would like to partner with us.
Third we need stuff: I hate saying that, but it is true. We need a house, we need a car, we need things. Our goal is to stay Stateside for about 2 years, so we only want what we need, and second hand or borrowed is best. If you have a house for rent or that we could use in Pocatello, please let me know. If you have a van we could buy or borrow please let us know. Or if you have things that are needed for a house, please let us know. We are fully dependent on two things; God and Him working through others to provide for our needs. He has been faithful over these past 13 years, and I know He will continue to be faithful. Our hope is in the Lord.
I leave you now with the words from a song I heard the other day. I was feeling down, and a little stressed about our finances and how was I going to provide for my family. Then a new song came on that I had never heard before and the words penetrated my fears and brought light to my day. The words were these and as you read them, remember where your Hope is.
“Day after day our God is reigning, He’s never shaken. My hope is in the Lord. Time after time our God is faithful. Trustworthy Savior, my hope is in the Lord.”
“But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
Psalm 71:14-16
