Well a year has ended and we are already into a new year, wow, where has the time gone!

On a personal basis, we had the marriage of one our beautiful daughters, Suzanne to Arun in June. What a gift he is to our family. Laurie graduated High School with honors and received a scholarship for a Makeup Course and has made progress in healing. David and Sharon are raising our two beautiful grandchildren and it is our delight to be grand parents. Kristen, our son is preparing to become a schoolteacher. Janice has just illustrated a book, written by Helen Thornton, to be published early 2008. Janice is really growing in her artistic abilities. The Brown family graciously offered us a week to house and dog-sit at Christmas. They live on Dilworth mountain, overlooking Kelowna and the surrounding mountains. Our four children, their spouses and our two grandchildren joined us, what a wonderful special time we had.

The really tough part occurred in December, the day after I returned home from my long ministry trip, we learned that our 18 year old niece Rebecca Montgomery, had just taken her life. That was just shattering to the whole family and we are all still trying to deal with this. Attending the funeral and visiting with the family was one of the hardest times in our whole lives.

In terms of ministry, I traveled on my own this year, as Janice is still on sabbatical.

The theme of the messages continues to be the Father Heart of God, with the context of “Walking in Weakness”, understanding and depending on His “Grace”. This was carried to England, Holland, Belgium, Denmark and again to Mozambique, as well as locally in Canada. I was particularly pleased by the new sense of hunger for God, especially the message of the Father’s love in Holland and Belgium. People would drive sometimes for hours to come into His Presence and to then enjoy His incredible love.

Here are some highlights from this past year:

• -wonderful return to Blandford church family
• -conference in Montfoort, not a big crowd but hungry people, indeed kindred spirits
• -conference in Vlissingen, again hungry people who did not want to go home, evidence of growth since last year, very gratifying
• - working with my spiritual son, Nev Green, in Aalsmeer, what a delight
• - a powerful time with TRIN ministry in Holland, appeared to be very significant time
• - wonderful time in Belgium with Hugo and Inge and team, again hungry people driving miles to be in His presence
• -people jammed into a small room in Morstel, all wanting the Father’s Love
• -working with new friends, charismatic catholic’s Yvonne and David, people meeting in a farmhouse seemingly in the middle of nowhere, people came from such a large area, and from many different church backgrounds so desiring God
• -privilege to work with James Jordan doing “A” Schools in Denmark and Belgium
• -another life-changing visit to Mozambique, “Walking in Weakness” and understanding “Grace”, essential messages for all at each centre. Felt like a pivotal time for them as well as myself
• -visiting Drowns and Roberts in England, again life giving to Janice and me.

Some of my thoughts on what is happening in the world:

The world seems more troubled, desperate, weary and moving into more and more chaos. The problems of the world are a way beyond the ability of man to solve. A revived and renewed Church is the only hope for the world. My sense is that we will see a completely “new” looking church, a church that really loves and cares, one that values and models deep relationship. This will mean far more than meeting for a couple of hours a week in a building Sunday morning, but where lives are lived-out together, being in each others lives, being accountable and being there for one another. This will mean leaving independence because we really do NEED one another. I am encouraged that the Church will become all that she is meant to be. It seems we don’t do well when times are “good”. I believe we will have the freedom to become real with one another and with a desperately needy world around us. This will come through deep humility, recognizing that we cannot do this in our own strength, we will move from our strength to His strength through the grace of God.

Prayer Requests:

• For John and Leslie Montgomery (and their children), parents of Rebecca who took her life just before Christmas, for the strength to carry on.
• Continued growth in freedom for our daughter Laurie.
• Be with Suzanne and her brother Kristen as they finish university this year.
• As Janice steps out in May, we need to carefully discern when and where the Father would send her out.
• Protection over our children (spouses) and our grandchildren.
• To know the heart of the Father for ministry this year, be sensitive to any changes, new doors, new opportunities
• To be able to walk even lower, stay in the place of dependence on the Father but believing in His Grace that anything could happen.