Dear First Pres,

   In the last six days, I've had the privilege of sitting with three of our mission partners ... and I am so encouraged about what the Lord is doing.
 
   On Saturday night a small group of FPCers gathered with Bob and Jan Blincoe. Bob is the president of the U.S. office of Frontiers, a mission sending agency focused on reaching the parts of the Muslim world where there are no missionaries. According to Bob, as I've heard from other sources, this is a season of unprecedented response to the Gospel by Muslims. We give praise to God for this, of course, but Bob was quick to add that there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. For example, according to Frontiers, 86% of Muslim people in the world have never even met a follower of Jesus. Frontiers is working to change that with all the energy the Lord gives them, and they're praying the Lord of the harvest to send workers into the field. God is at work among the Muslim people, but they need witnesses who will share with them the Good News about Jesus.
 
   On Tuesday night another small group gathered with the Stoscher family. Mark and Ruthie Stoscher are mission partners in Erseke, Albania. You might remember that we just sent a team to Erseke this summer. Unfortunately, the Stoscher family wasn't able to be there while our team was in Albania, but the gathering on Tuesday made up for it as the stories were shared of our team's experience in the Stoscher's mission field. God has done an amazing work in Erseke (and in Korce, where our other partners are working). When Mark and Ruthie moved to Albania some 23 years ago there was almost no Christian presence in Erseke. Now, Erseke is home to a thriving and active church, a Christian summer camp, an international Bible school, and an orphanage. It's amazing what God can do through his people when they obey His call.
 
   This morning I sat with the leaders of the Pregnancy Care Center here in Fresno. They are getting ready to make a significant upgrade in facilities (moving to a building at Olive and College) that will allow them to care for more women and their families. It was so good to hear about the way the Pregnancy Care Center team lovingly builds relationship with the women (and men) who walk into their office at such an important moment in their lives. Many lives have been saved because of their work, and many have come to faith in Jesus through the center's ministry. Praise the Lord.
 
   So, today, I'm just reminded about the incredible work that God is doing in our city and around the world. Remember, beloved, no matter what the circumstances may be in your life right now, God is bringing His redeeming transformation to our city and world. That's what happens as disciples of Jesus yield to His leadership in their everyday lives. May, then, you yield to His leadership today that His Kingdom will come and His will be done.

Blessings,

Jeremy