October 2, 2004

Dear praying friends,

Another month has quickly passed, and now it is time to give you an update on what is going on in my life. There are many exciting things happening this month, so I will do my best to update you on all these items.

This is the month where I will marry Carrie Derr, my fiancee of nearly two years. Many exciting things are happening, as we have gone through pre-marital counseling and are preparing for our marriage. Many have asked how Carrie is doing. She is doing well, but has much stress on her with planning the wedding and all the other details. Please be in prayer for her, as well as us, as we start our lives together later this month and plan to serve the Lord overseas in Kenya.

Carrie and I have had and continue to have a great relationship. The thing that drew me to her was her sincere walk with the Lord. She is a real prayer warrior and is diligent with her quiet time, and has a real heart to serve the Lord overseas, which were all qualities that I was looking for. I was involved in previous friendships with other young ladies, but never had the peace of God to marry until I met Carrie.

She truly is a jewel, a gift from God, and a real encouragement to me. When I read Proverbs 31, I see her qualities. I will be very fortunate to have her as my wife later this month.

Carrie and I have many challenges now, with adjusting to marriage, raising support, trusting God, and many other things. Our faith is being tried, but we want to both stand firm in the Lord and trust Him. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to read part of the autobiography of George Mueller, the great missionary who ran the many orphanages. What really impressed me about his life was how devoted he was to prayer. It has been said that he saw around 50,000 direct answers to prayer during his life. What a testimony! Some of his words were very applicable to Carrie and I as we start our lives together.

He said "Stand firm in the hour of trial, and you will see the help of God, if you trust in Him. When we forsake the ways of the Lord in the hour of trial, the food for faith is lost. The believer should not shrink from situations, positions, or circumstances in which his faith may be tried, but he should cheerfully embrace them as opportunities to see the hand of God stretched out in help and deliverance. Thus his faith will be strengthened."

Carrie and I must stand firm in our hour of trial, in trusting God, and waiting on Him. Support raising is very difficult, but we are to stand firm. We are not to doubt, get discouraged, or fear, but we are to see these times as opportunities for God to strengthen our faith. Many times my faith is weak, yet I need the Lord to lift me and hold me up. I have been challenged more than ever to devote my life to prayer and watch the Lord work in response to prayer.

We are presently around 73% of our support. Would you please prayerfully consider, as a church, or an individual, teaming up with us to reach the many who are spiritually lost in Kitale, Kenya? This must be of the Lord, and we are praying and waiting upon Him to deliver us.

God bless you and thanks so much for your interest in the work in Kenya. Please continue to faithfully send your support to the address listed below, as we cannot do this work without your help. If God would burden you to become a new supporter, please either email me or begin sending funds to the address below. I have a new address and phone number now, as I have relocated to Pennsylvania. Please note them above. God bless you and have a wonderful month.

Trusting through trials,

Nathan
Psalms 27:14