UPDATE 84
DEBBIE WOHLER, TAHOE CITY, CA
DECEMBER 14, 2011
Favorite quotes from the children this
month:
Cole was at
children’s church. Pastor Dan was
talking about how Jesus said, “No longer
call me Teacher and Lord. Now you
can call me Friend!” Cole got so
excited and pumped his fists into the
air and said, “Yes! Now I have one
more friend!”
Hunter, a
preschooler said, “I’ve asked Santa for
a real motorcycle for Christmas. I
probably won’t get it because it is too
heavy for the reindeer to carry and it
probably won’t fit in the sleigh!”
We were at children’s church on
Sunday. Pastor Dan had an advent
calendar. He asked the children,
“Do you know what advent is all about?
Zeb replied, “It’s about reading the
calendar!
I asked Gavin, a three year old, what
he wanted for Christmas. After he
told me, I asked him, “Have you been
good? He said, “I don’t remember.”
I said, “Do you think Santa Clause will
buy that story?” He grinned and
said, “Yup!”
Favorite
things I’ve seen God do this month:
Owen (3) and
Emerson (2nd grade) were
sitting at the breakfast table.
They had this great theological debate
over cereal. Owen said, “God
created everyone.” Emerson said,
“No, God created Adam and Eve and then
they had kids and their kids had kids
and so forth.” Their Mom said, “I
am so happy that we are coming to church
now.” Her husband became a
Christian at PNO a few years ago.
Two of our
missionaries who have served with us in
the past are in the same country in
Africa. If we are reading their
communication clearly, they are even in
the same town. I marvel at how our
God brought these two families together
for His glory. There is serious
political unrest and a severe shortage
of gas in this country right now.
We pray for God’s protection for these
two families.
Joelle is now 15.
She came to A+ when she was in
kindergarten and first grade. She
moved away to live with her mother and
is now back with her Dad in Tahoe.
She came by for a visit and to say
“Thank you!” It made our hearts glad
that as a 15 year old she remembered
that this was a place she was loved by
God and us.
Kyley, a semester
missionary who teaches a preschool class
writes: It is always so encouraging to
me when I ask the preschoolers what
things they know about Jesus that they
can tell their friends and family. It's
exciting when they'll refer back to one
of the Bible stories we've read saying,
"God can make you strong like he did for
Samson." It encourages me to know that
God's word never returns void, and that
the kids are soaking up these Bible
stories and they are making an impact in
their lives.
It is humbling for
us to realize that for many of our
preschoolers and new children in the
ministries that this is the first time
that they have heard the Christmas
story. We have a big manger scene
in the entry way that the children can
touch. Almost every day I hear a
child telling their parents about each
person in the manger scene and how
Christmas is about Jesus. We also
realize that the schools and homes are
not teaching Christmas songs. Our
children do not seem to know even basic
Christmas hymns like Silent Night, Away
in the Manger, and Joy to the World.
We are singing Christmas hymns with the
children as blessings before snack as
well as during song time.
The first and
second graders are studying the life of
Paul. They’ve talked about his
conversion experience and his missionary
journeys. The children are
beginning to make the connection between
Paul’s Damascus road experience and his
desire to share the Gospel with
everyone. One day they asked
Jessica, “How do we become Christians?
What do we have to do?” Jessica
answered many questions that day about
salvation and God’s love. One of
the children said, “You mean that God
loves me more than my parents do?”
These first and second graders are
starting to make the connection that the
Christmas and Easter story are connected
and that God wants a personal
relationship with them. It feels
like light bulbs are coming on in their
heads and they are moving closer to
becoming Christians.
I have spent a
great deal of time this month preparing
for ski ministry. I have contacted
ski areas to gain permission to hold
services at 7 different ski areas each
Sunday between Christmas and Easter.
I’ve also contacted churches and
recruited a record 67 ski chaplains to
“Go Tell It On the Mountain” that Jesus
Christ is Lord! It is no small
task to organize that many people’s
schedules and preferences. Thank
you God for providing Esther Shin to
organize and produce a schedule!
I realize each year
as I contact the ski areas that the
ministries that you support are one of
the few constant things in Tahoe.
Ski areas have been bought and sold,
management changes, and I am constantly
educating new contact persons each year
about why we want to be on the mountain
to tell people about Jesus. I
thank God for your faithful support of
missions and missionaries. When
you remember that 12 million people
visit Tahoe each year, you remember that
God has given us a huge mission field.
I thank God for the volunteers He brings
forth and their faithfulness.
We say good-bye to
another group of semester missionaries
on Saturday. We thank God that He
still calls young people to serve Him.
They work hard and learn what it means
to sacrifice your life for Jesus.
I pray that God will continue to do
mighty things in their lives. We
thank God for a new group of
missionaries who will come on Dec 30.
I get to go home to
IL to spend time with my family for
Christmas. I thank God for each
one of you and your faithfulness to
Jesus. You are a blessing and an
encouragement! Merry Christmas!
Prayer requests:
·
Thank you Jesus for providing an
abundance of ski chaplains to tell
others about Jesus at the 7 ski areas
each Sunday between Christmas and
Easter.
·
Pray that through this Christmas
season all of us speak of Jesus and life
a life that also shows Him clearly.
·
Pray for traveling mercies for
our missionaries who are leaving and
those who are coming on Dec 30.
·
I never thought I’d pray for snow
again after last year’s epic 208% of
normal snowfall. However, I can
see the grass in my yard and our ski
areas are hurting badly due to lack of
snow.
HOUSE
ACCOUNT FINANCIAL REPORT-EVERY
DONATION HELPS!!
To date:
Cell Fund/Recellular-- $2,946.54
=$ 2,946.54
To date:
Empties 4 Cash --$64,096.07 + $291.42
=$ 64,387.49
To date:
Funding Factory--$5,459.76 + $64.40
=$ 5,524.16
To date:
Local Church Donations-- $191,089.11
=$ 191,089.11
To date:
Other Donations--$44,597.95+$2,000
=$ 46,597.95
To date:
Interest--$ 5,565.80
=$ 5,565.80
To date:
InkSmile—$201.48
=$
201.48
To date:
I Give checks received: $1,284.83
=$ 1,284.83
To date:
SHARES program: $3511.54
=$ 3,511.54
A+
Program--$81,789.35
=$ 81,789.35
Placer County
Tax Refund from escrow--$3,401.52
=$ 3,401.52
Total Income:
=$ 406,299.77
Less van #1
cost
$ 41,296.15
Less van #2
cost
$ 26,499.51
Less van #3
cost
$ 26,499.51
Less check stamps
$
27.00
Less escrow
$ 5,000.00
Less loan
cost
$ 1,125.00
Less down
payment
$294,195.25
Less house
payments $
11,121.12
Total Expenses:
$405,763.54
Total in
checkbook as of today, we have
$536.23 in the checkbook. GOD IS
AMAZING! Through your efforts we
received $2,355.82 this month!
Keep up the great work for the Lord!!
I appreciate you!!
Debbie
Wohler, NAMB Home Missionary
PO Box 7452
Tahoe City,
CA 96145
530-583-2925 (Pacific Standard Time)
debbiewohler@charter.net
www.tahoeministries.com
Empties4cash account number: 14716
www.empties4cash.com
1-800-456-4320
Ink Smile
account number: 10172 or 10574
www.inksmile.com
1-866-465-5605
Funding
Factory account number: 44803
www.fundingfactory.com
1-888-883-8237
www.igive.com/FBCTC