Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Nelson Newsletter – January 2011

New Year The New Year is a natural time to stop and evaluate one’s life. For those of us who know and love Jesus, it provides an opportunity to examine our lives from an eternal perspective. We are here on earth but a short time. Someone once said, “Life is short, death is sure, sin the cause, Christ the cure.” James described our life as a vapor, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” Therefore, we need to make our one life count! Moses said, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 “Is what you are living for worthy of Christ dying for?” someone once asked. It is spiritually healthy to examine what you are doing. Are you accomplishing the goals God has for you? If not, why not? What needs to change and how? Please pray that we too would do some healthy soul searching - to be very fruitful and honor God in all that we do here in Ukraine. Thank you!

Columbia, SC Danelle and I always enjoy visiting our friends at Riverbend in Lexington, South Carolina. On Thursday, we attended a house church where my sister and her husband are involved. On Saturday, we participated in their house church leadership meeting. Then, on Sunday, we attended the church service and held a luncheon and a Q and A time with friends and supporters of our ministry. It refreshed our faith to see their desire to reach the lost and make disciples in Columbia and beyond!
Christmas God is so good! He gave us a rich time with our family and friends in America. Here is a photo of the Nelson Christmas, including the Newtons by Skype! :-)




Faithwalkers Danelle, Merry and I attended the Faithwalkers conference in Asheville, with David and Stephanie Shirley, and David’s mother. Hundreds gathered to seek God and learn about discipleship. Steve enjoyed teaching two seminars. You may listen to all the teachings at:
http://www.gccweb.org/conferences/faithwalkers/east/2010_teachings




Steve teaching “The Gospel: Pure and Simple”

Andre’s Father Pastor Andre Skyped me in America to tell me the good news about his father’s salvation! I rejoiced as he told me the story. Their church decided to go through Evangelism Explosion to learn how to share Christ. They were encouraged to pray for their lost family and friends and to practice communicating the good news with them. Andre spoke with his father, and he decided to trust Christ as his Savior and Lord. Andre and I made a covenant more than ten years ago to pray for our father’s salvation! Why do people become Christians? The Holy Spirit convicts them of sin and reveals their need for Jesus. God also uses our prayers and our speaking the good news of Christ dying for their sins, and their need to repent and believe. It is so simple eh? How do we miss it?

Our Prayer Requests:
  • For Ukrainian leaders who would mobilize believers to spread the gospel and make disciples throughout this nation.
  • For Kostia to become a Christian. We had another excellent discussion about salvation recently. He is seeking the truth about God, but only the Holy Spirit can open his eyes.
  • For Scott and Maria’s second son who is due at the beginning of March.
  • For Timmy and I. We will travel to Odessa to teach house churches January 28-31.

Yours in our Savior’s love,

Steve and Danelle