August 5, 2008

Dear praying friends,

Another month has come and passed so quickly and we thank the Lord for all the benefits He gives to us each day. May we never forget the blessings and provisions of the Lord and all His goodness to us. This update will share current news, as well as prayer requests.

This past month was the BFM Conference in Ironton, Ohio. What a blessing it was to see old friends and other missionaries who have given their lives for the Lord on the mission field. The missionaries that represented their fields of service certainly take Matthew 10:39 seriously, which says, "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Jim Elliott, the famous missionary to Ecuador who gave his life for the cause of Christ, said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Certainly the missionaries that attended the conference have literally given their lives for service and I believe they will have great rewards for their efforts. What a privilege it was to fellowship with the missionaries and the others who attended.

Many have been asking about McKenna, our daughter. She is now three months old and progressing very well. She is becoming much more interactive and we thank the Lord for the privilege of caring for her and raising her. We have attached a photo of McKenna to this update so you can see her development. Please pray for her, and also that we would be the parents God wishes for us to be.

Please pray for us and the time we have spent raising support for the ministry in Kenya. Support raising has definitely become more difficult since last furlough and we thank the Lord for each one who gives sacrificially so that the works in Kenya can continue. We are still trusting the Lord to provide the remainder of our support, which presently is around $100 - $125 per month. We continue to pray and trust the Lord for these needs. In Psalms 37:25, the Bible says, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." I Thessalonians 5:24 states, "Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it." These verses are such a comfort to us that the Lord will provide for His servants and meet their needs, whether here in the States or overseas. May each of us step out in faith and trust the Lord to provide.

In conclusion, we have several prayer requests. A famous quote I read recently that really challenged me was, "Is prayer your steering wheel, or your spare tire?" Is prayer something that we rely on frequently for guidance and direction in our lives, or is it something we only go to in case of an emergency? May we come often before the Lord with our needs and burdens and rely on the Lord to help us. Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

Please pray for the ministries in Kitale, that they would continue well in our absence. Please also pray that the Lord would be brought glory through whatever we do, whether in the States on furlough or in service on the mission field. Please pray also for McKenna and her development. Please pray that we would be parents who would fear the Lord and raise our children to live to serve Him. Finally, please pray that the Lord would meet the rest of our support needs in His time. God bless you all and we look forward to any emails or letters from you.

Until next month,

Nathan and Carrie Radford