And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:10-11

Our kids were grateful to spend Thanksgiving with their cousins.

The holiday season is upon us, and our family is so thankful that we get to spend the holidays in America once again this year. Our kids are looking forward to Christmas and are praying that the snow comes soon because they so long to experience a truly white Christmas.  I too would love to see some snow, I was looking forward to introducing my kids to the joy of sledding, and so we are praying for lots of snow before winter is over. The holiday season is truly one of my favorite times of the year and I get so excited to sing Christmas carols, drink hot chocolate, decorate the Christmas tree, and buy presents for everyone I can. Christmas is a special time of the year but many of us will get caught up in the holiday cheer and forget what Christmas truly is about. This year our family is reading about the true meaning of Christmas and spending time discussing together the wonderful gift of Jesus Christ and what His birth, life, and death mean to all those who seek Him. It has been fun sitting around the cd player and singing Christmas carols together, the theology in those carols is amazing and I encourage you to set aside some time to really reflect on some of those amazing truths presented in those old carols. One thing that our family has been talking about lately is the blessings we have received from God and also the opportunity we have to pass those blessings onto others. I am grateful that our family has the opportunity to once again spend the holidays here in America and am also so grateful for all that God has blessed us with during our times in the States. In this SHORT letter I would like to share three things with you. First, how grateful we are for all that we as a family has received over the past two years. Second, we would like to share a little bit about some of our upcoming plans for the year 2013. Third, we would like to present to you some special requests for needs our family is currently facing. I ask you to please take a few minutes and read our short list of three, and then if you feel comfortable, email me with a short list of what you are thankful for, what your  plans are for the next year, and any prayer requests or needs we can join with you in seeking God to provide.

How thankful we are for all our family has been blessed with over the past two years. We moved here with a lot of questions and a lot of needs, but God was faithful and through the gifts of so many people we were able to live and minister full time for the Lord during our time here in the States. We have been blessed with a wonderful house to rent, a car to drive, furniture and other necessary items to help make our house a home. We have been blessed with the opportunity to make many new friends and also reconnect with some old friends. I am thankful for the health of our family and the chances we have been experience some of the natural wonders of Idaho. Our family is extremely thankful for the opportunities we have had to minister to international students, the children in our church, and also young families who have been a part of our weekly Bible studies. I am extremely thankful for the chance to work on my Master’s degree and also become better equipped for ministering to families and the local church when we return to Thailand. There is so much to be thankful for and I would love to share them all with you, but I wanted to keep this letter short so I will just add one more thing. Our family is so thankful for all the people who have prayed for us, opened their hearts and homes to us, and given sacrificially to provide the finances needed to help our family live and minister here in America.

After looking back on the past two years and all the blessings God has given our family, now I would like to share with what are some of the future plans our family is working on. For those who do not know yet, our family is planning on returning to Thailand on April 3^rd, 2013 Lord willing. When we return to Thailand we will be looking at starting a new ministry which will focus on helping local churches and the families of Thailand with the truths of God’s Word through the use of biblical counseling. I do not want to share too much with you right now, because we are working on a ministry name and information packet which we will introduce at the start of January. We are excited to return to Thailand and begin ministering again with the people of Thailand. I still have two years left in my schooling, which I will continue from Thailand and I am looking forward to applying what I am learning in my studies as our family seeks to help counsel other families with the lasting truths of God’s Word. From now until April our family will continue to minister with our church and to the international students at ISU. We will also be traveling to visit as many friends, family and supporters as possible before April and finally packing up our house and preparing for the move back to Thailand.

The next four months are going to be busy for our family and we are in need of some extra help from others. We would like to visit with as many as possible before we leave and so we need people who would like to visit with our family to contact us so that we can schedule a time to meet. Also we are in need of some help emptying our house of things we will not be taking back to Thailand, so if you are in need of couches, tables, beds, dressers, pot and pans, etc. let us know so we can schedule a time for you to come and take our things. We also are in need of some financial help. When we return to Thailand we will be looking for a house to rent and since the houses in Thailand come unfurnished, we are in need of raising some extra money to buy basic appliances and furniture. Our family is also in need of help financially to help cover our living expenses during the time remaining here in America. The past three months our support level has been low, and by God’s grace we have been able to pay for all our expenses. We are asking you to please prayerfully consider giving a special one-time gift during this holiday season to help cover some of our families living expenses and maybe some of our upcoming moving costs. Our family has been blessed to be able to serve fulltime in the ministry during our time here in the States through the giving of so many people. We are eternally thankful for all that we have received and are trusting that God will continue to meet our monthly needs and are inviting you to join Him in providing for our family. Please consider giving special during this holiday season and contact me if you are sending something special so that I can share the good news with our family.

Thank you again for taking the time to read this blog post and I am looking forward to hearing back from you soon. May you and your family have a wonderful holiday season and a very Merry Christmas?

Your fellow servants in Christ:

Dan, Mam, Gracie, Joy, Hope, and Kyle Rutledge

GIVING THANKS:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.           Colossians 3:15-17

This time of year is truly my favorite. The falling leaves, the changing colors, and the colder weather always excite me. As the warm long summer days turn into shorter cool ones, I find myself getting more and more excited for my two favorite holidays of the year. Thanksgiving and Christmas have always been my two favorites. As a child, Christmas always was number one with the long break from school and the excitement of wrapped presents under the Christmas tree. As I grew, the excitement of Christmas was joined by the gratefulness I experienced for all the blessings in my life. Thanksgiving has now replaced Christmas as my favorite holiday and I truly enjoy this special time of year where we can join with friends and family in expressing our thanks for all that God has blessed us with. I have noticed though that Thanksgiving is now being crowed out by the increasing materialism that starts before Halloween and lasts into the New Year. I believe it is important for us to remember to thank God for all His wonderful gifts He has bestowed upon us, not only during Thanksgiving, but daily throughout the year. In this update I would like to reflect on some of the countless blessings our family has experienced over the past year, and I trust that you too will set aside some time to thank God for all He does for us even though we do not deserve His gifts.

GIVING THANKS FOR FAMILY:

I would first like to thank God for the wonderful family He has blessed me with. My beautiful wife Mam is such a wonderful gift from God and not a day goes by that I am not humbled by her beauty and heart for God. Gracie, Joy, and Hope are so precious and I am so thankful for the gift of such special daughters. Then there is little Kyle, my son and a constant provider of excitement and humor for our family. Our family has been blessed with health and time to spend together as a family. There are days when the noisy kids and a messy house begin to weigh on my patience, but I would never trade those days for a quiet and spotless home. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and four amazing kids, and for them I am thankful.

GIVING THANKS FOR AMERICA:

The kids enjoying riding in Papa's cool car!

I would like to thank God for the past year and half that He has blessed our family with here in America. America is truly a great country and we as Americans are blessed with so many wonderful things that sometimes we forget how good life truly is here in America. Our family is grateful for the time we have been able to live here and experience some of the wonders of this great country. We knew that financially we would not be able to provide for our living expenses during our time here unless God worked mightily in providing for our needs. Thankfully since April 2011 all of our financial needs have been met and we have been blessed with opportunities to enjoy some of the fun activities America has to offer. Our family has enjoyed the time spent here in America and we would like to stay longer, but we are also excited for the chance to return to Thailand in April 2013 and continue our missionary work there. We are thankful for these two years spent in America and also for everyone who we have been able to fellowship with during our time here.

GIVING THANKS FOR SCHOOLING:

            I am extremely thankful for the chance to further my education and also enhance my ability to minister to the Thai people when our family returns in April. My classes have been very informational and also very challenging, but I am thankful for the truths I am learning and the time I have to study for my classes. I just completed my first 12 credits in the pursuit of a Masters in Biblical Counseling and I am looking forward to the remaining 28 credits I will be taking over the next two years. During the past few months there have been many long nights and early mornings, but by God’s grace I was able to finish all my reading, papers, and tests and still have time to minister to my family, my church, and the international students at Idaho State University. For the next four months I am only taking one 2 credit class and so that means I am going to have more time to spend with my family and in ministry before we move back to Thailand. In March I will register for my next 9 credits and will continue my studies from Thailand.

GIVING THANKS FOR MINISTRY:        

Some international students our family took to Scout Mt.to see the sights of fall.

I am so thankful for the chance our family has had to minister during our time here in the States. When we moved back to America we had three ways we wanted to spend our time during our stay. We wanted to spend time with family, we wanted to spend time studying and equipping ourselves for future ministry, and we wanted to spend our time serving our church and ministering to others in Pocatello. By God’s grace we have been able to spend time growing as a family and reuniting with my parents and siblings. We have also been blessed to be able to equip ourselves for ministry through my studies and other ministry opportunities at our church. Our family has been blessed with the opportunity to minister not only the international students  at ISU, but also serve others in the church through leading Bible studies and helping out in Awana’s and serving in the nursery. God has blessed us with countless ministry opportunities and we are so thankful for all we have been able to do during the short time we have been here in the States. By far one of the main highlights has been the ministry opportunities we have had with international students. We have been blessed to be able to serve them by providing transportation for grocery shopping, assisting them in their English learning, helping them get settled to life in America, and even providing them a place to come and enjoy some warm rice and spicy food similar to what they miss from back home. Currently we have around 15 international students that we are weekly involved with in ministering to them. This has been an amazing opportunity to serve with our church, and I am thankful that God has blessed our family with a chance to minister internationally even while we are here in the States.

GIVING THANKS FOR SUPPORTERS:

Some good friends and supporters our kids love to visit in Boise.

Our family has been so blessed and is thankful for so many things, but one thing we constantly are thanking God for is the wonderful friends and supporters who have prayed for us and given financially to help us continue in full-time ministry. We are so humbled that God has given us an opportunity to serve Him full-time, but also that others would give of their finances to help provide for all our living expenses. If you have given to help support our family, please know that we are eternally thankful for all of your prayers and financial gifts. Your faithfulness in praying and giving has enabled us to spend the past year and half serving God full-time here in Pocatello, Idaho. We are also thankful for your support which has helped me pursue my masters in Biblical Counseling and help our family become better equipped to minister to the families in Thailand once we return there in the spring of 2013.  We have been blessed by the willingness to give by our supporters and are thankful for the chance to partner with you as we seek to serve God together through His redeeming love.    

GIVING THANKS THROUGH CHRIST:

            There are so many things we are thankful for and it is important that we do take time to thank God for His countless blessings, but we must remember that our offerings of thanks can only be possible through Christ. Christ is the gift that enables us to find peace with God and freely receive the hope He brings. As we start this holiday season, let us not forget to offer thanks for the perfect gift which God gave the world over 2000 years ago in that lowly manger in Bethlehem.  Jesus Christ is God’s gift to the world and only through His willing sacrifice on the Cross and the shedding of His blood can we freely receive His gift of forgiveness which He is offering to all mankind.  Let us remember to give thanks for Christ and the countless blessings we experience through Him not only during this special time of year, but in whatever we do in word or deed seeking to bring glory to His name.

            Thank you again for taking the time to read this update and I pray that you and your loved ones enjoy a wonderful holiday season. I know our family is looking forward to spending our last Thanksgiving and Christmas in America for a while and we are praying that the holidays bring lots of snow and times of fellowship with family and friends. Thank you again for all of your prayers and financial gifts which you have blessed us with during our time in ministry. Our family would not be able to serve without the faithful support of so many wonderful supporters. We ask that as the end of the year is approaching for you to consider giving a special one-time gift to help provide for our family. We are preparing to return to Thailand on April 3^rd, 2013 and are in need of raising some extra money to pay for our airline tickets and other moving expenses. By faith we purchased our airline tickets last week and now we trust that the $3458 needed to cover those tickets will come in before we have to fly back. If you would like to give a special onetime gift to help cover our airfare or moving costs then please email me at dan.rutledge@universitybible.org . If you would like to hear more about joining our support team on monthly bases or about the ministry we will be serving in once we return to Thailand, then please also email us at the above address or call me at (208) 242-6300.  We would love to hear from you. If you would like to give financially then please make your checks out to UBC Worldwide Ministries and mail them to:

UBCWorldwideMinistries  

4700 N. Philbin Rd.

Chubbuck, ID. 83202.

All gifts are tax deductible and help to enable our family to continue to serve in full-time ministry.

May you and your loved ones enjoy a festive holiday season, and do remember that truth of James 1:17 which says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” God is so merciful towards us and we must not forget giving Him the thanks He deserves. We look forward to updating you on some exciting changes coming our family’s way in the next few weeks and we will continue to remember you in our prayers daily, thanking God for your faithfulness in giving to help provide for our family’s needs. Have a happy Thanksgiving and a blessed holiday season.

 

 

Your fellow servants in Christ:

Dan, Mam, Gracie, Joy, Hope, and Kyle Rutledge

Titus 2:11-15

A Trip to the Treasure Valley

A Trip to the Treasure Valley:

Our family is planning a trip to the Boise area from the 4^th to the 7^th of October. During our short visit to the area we would like to meet with as many friends and supporters as possible. We want to take time to update you about the ministry work that our family is currently involved with during our time here in Pocatello and also share with you the plans we have for using biblical counseling to minister to families and the church upon our return to Thailand in April 2013. We know that it is impossible to meet with everyone during the four days we will be there, and so we are in need of your help. In order to meet with as many people as possible our goal is to schedule some open house meetings to which we can invite 10 to 15 people to come and hear us at one time. Ideally we would like to set up this meet and greet opportunity around desert and coffee and so we are asking for people who would be willing to help host such an event in their homes. I also need to know how many people would want to meet with us and what days and times work best for them. We will be arriving on Thursday afternoon and will have to leave Sunday late afternoon. The time is short, but if you want to meet with us, then we will do our best to schedule a time during our visit. If it does not work out this trip to get together, do not worry because we will be trying to schedule other times to visit from now until April when we return to Thailand. This is what our family needs from you.

            First we need to know if you would like to meet with us. If so please email me at dan.rutledge@universitybible.org or call me at 208-242-6300 and let me know a time and a place that you are free for us to visit.

            Second we need people who would be willing host an open house meeting that we could invite others to attend. This will involve opening your house and working with me to provide some small deserts and possible drinks. If you have friends who you would like to invite, then please do. Also I need to know a day, time, and location of the open house meeting so that I can invite others. I know this is a huge request but I also know that many of you are always looking for a chance to minister to others and this would be a great opportunity. If you would like to open your house for a small get together, then please email me or call me ASAP so that we can get some invites out.

            Third we are always looking for opportunities to partner with local churches as we seek to provide a way for the local body to be actively involved in ministering internationally. This can be through financial support, short term mission trips, or both. If you or your church would be open to talking more about partnering with our family then please email me or call.

            Fourth we ask you to please continue to pray for our family as we continue our ministry here with international students through University Bible Church and also as we prepare for the upcoming move across the ocean and the start of our biblical counseling ministry in Thailand come April 2013.

I look forward to hearing back from you and I pray that we get a chance to visit together during our time in the treasure valley. God bless and have a great day.

Dan, Mam, Gracie, Joy, Hope, and Kyle Rutledge

Colossians 1:28-29.

For I am confident of this.......

Many of you know that our family is serving God full time as missionaries and that our finances are 100% dependent on God and the giving of our supporters. During the past year and a half in the States we have had some tight months, but always by the end of the month we have been able to have enough support come in to cover all of our expenses. September is a little different in that usually our concern is that we might not have enough money in our account to make it to the end of the month, but when I asked our church treasure how much money was in our account for the month of September, he informed me that the balance was considerably low and that there was only 40% of the needed about to cover our monthly needs. Basically on the 1^st of every month he deposits $2,000 into my account from the donations received. Then again on the 15^th he will deposit $1,000 into my account. We do it this way because at the start of the month almost all of our bills are due. As of August 31^st, only $1,223 had come in from our supporters. That means that he could only deposit $1,000 into our account instead of the normal $2,000 and that leaves us with $223 for the deposit on the 15^th. So as you can see we are in need of raising more support before the end of the month.

The problem lies in that I do not know who else to ask and it is going to require me taking time off from ministry to go and visit more possible supporters. That is the problem our family is facing but we are finding comfort in the promises of God and the continued faithfulness He has displayed towards our family through the years. NEVER have we not seen ALL our monthly needs meet, and we trust that yet again God will provide for all or our needs and grant us peace of mind in God and guard our hearts in Christ Jesus. In one of my classes I have been doing a study in Philippians and on the trials Paul faced and how he responded to those trials. It has been such a blessing to again reflect on the truths that God is in control and that just as Philippians 2:13 says, “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” God is working in and through our family during this trying time, and we take great comfort in knowing that He is doing it for His glory and also our good.

I ask you to please join with us as we come to God presenting our needs before Him, trusting that He will work in ways that will bring glory to His name and also strengthen our faith in Him. If you would like to join our support team, please let me know. I will be glad to call you and share with you more details of how our family is serving here in Pocatello and what our plans are for ministering once we return to Thailand in April 2013. You can also email me at dan.rutledge@universitybible.org.  If you are currently a part of our support team, please know that we are eternally grateful for your faithfulness in giving and there is no way we would be able to continue our service in full time ministry apart from you. Thank you for your gifts, your prayers, and your friendship throughout the years of our ministry. May God continue to bless and work in and through you for His glory?

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and please continue to pray for our family during this trial we are going through. We know God is able to provide for all of our needs and we are asking for your prayers to help us remain steady in the trust which we have placed in the faithful promises of God.

Your fellow servants of Christ Jesus who is our Lord and present help in trouble:

Dan, Mam, Gracie, Joy, Hope, and Kyle Rutledge

Colossians 1:28-29