“Not that I want a gift from you, but what I want is for you to receive a well-earned reward because of your kindness.” Phil 4:17

Dear All,

I think that is such a nice verse and reminds me to ask the Lord to bless each of you in special ways for your giving to us. We have many visitors who come andd are awed over our life here and what we do. This always amazes me because our lives are like everyone else’s, ho hum, often discouraging, just very DAILY. What we do may look a little different than what you do, but basically, it is all the same. Day by day pursuing a deeper relationship with God, and being available for whatever He wants. In the movie “Princess Bride” the hero who is in love with Buttercup (yeah, I know, a dumb name, but then the whole movie is dumb!) continually responds to her every request with, “As you wish!” The Christian life is a series of day by day, circumstance after circumstance, of responding to Him with “As you wish!” Sometimes we get it right. Sometimes we don’t.

This school year has been difficult and exhausting for several of our teachers. The hoped-for extra staff did not materialize and so present staff has been pushed to the limit, having to make the two-hour bus drive in the mornings, teach all day, and then repeat the bus route in the afternoon. In addition, hanging-on sickness has made the rounds. Imagine feeling dreadful and still having to drag yourself out of bed to pick up kids at their homes, teach them all day, then return them to their homes. In the middle of this, the Lord sent a young woman from the Bay Area. Darlene immediately found a place in our hearts. She has been willing to do anything to help–from substitute teaching, to washing lunch trays, to cleaning toilets. She also has a real heart for the high schoolers and spends any spare time she has planning activities for them and just “hanging out.” They see her as one of them, young and fun, and yet with a strong testimony and boldness to tell them about their need for Christ. It will be hard to see her go next month, this one who has consistently responded to us with, “As you wish.”

Men’s and women’s Bible studies meet every Wednesday night and we are trusting the Lordd for enduring fruit. One-on-one studies also occur during the week as well as a women’s craft time. (I don’t understand it, but men just aren’t interested in a craft time!!!) There have been good things coming from this as far as staff ladies getting to know the Navajo women, friendships developing that give opportunities to share the Lord. Often unbelievers will ask us to pray about their concerns. In January one of these women gave her life to Christ and it was thrilling to see how it came about. Bernelda made the comment, “I used to have this cloud of fear hanging over me. Now it is gone.” Encouragements like that keep us going.

Greg was asked to help finish off a family member’s basement so we plan to go to Spokane in April for a week. Getting away is always helpful and our son and his family living there is an added bonus. Those three little grandkids are longing for us–or is it the other way around?

Luke 1:54 Amp Bible says, “He has laid hold on his servant to help him and espouse his cause.” The dictionary defines espousing as taking up another’s concerns and making them one’s own. There is so much in that verse I’d like to chew on, but for now, there is just this. God, first of all, has taken up our cause, going so far as to be “made sin for us”, and thus totally providing for our interests. Because we are His, we share in His cause, you there, and we here. We have the same cause, only in different places. By your praying and giving to us here, by your saying “As you wish” to God, you are espousing our cause as we carry out our duties in this to-us-ordinary place, taking it up and making it yours. For that we thank you and ask God to bless you. (whew! did that make sense?)

I’ll say it again, using caps so you can’t miss it—THANK YOU.

Our love, Greg and Kathy Staley