So much to be thankful for…

Psalm 3 is a wonderful reminder of how God truly cares for his sheep.  David turns his attention to the truth of the Lord for strength during a very trying time.  As he speaks truth into the situation we see many amazing things about our God.  He hears and answers, he sustains, he saves, he defends, and he blesses.  All of these wonderful things David used to be reassured during difficult times, and they are ours to speak too. 

The month of October ended up being busier than we had planned.  There were many days of normal ministries and study times, but also days with some additional opportunities.  The normal weekly routine includes Bible study in Hernandarias, discipleship studies and also kids club.   This month I was also able to travel to Encarnacion for a Pastors training course and connect with fellow missionaries and national pastors through this event.  Kathleen was also blessed with the opportunity of helping with some of the organization of the ladies conference that took place at our church. 

One of the callings that God put on our hearts before coming to Paraguay was how to impact the lives of national pastors to encourage them in the ministry.  As Pastor Juan Carlos and I meet we have started coming up with some ideas to help national pastors as well as their local churches to not just survive but to thrive in the Word of God.  We are working together at some ideas of what this might look like coming into 2026 and how we can make a more direct impact in aiding fellow pastors in the ministry.  Please pray for this as we work with the leadership at Iglesia Bautista Biblica Jerovia and others to start rolling out a program. 

One of the areas we hope to use in helping pastors and churches is in the area of biblical counseling.  Many of you know that I (Jared) have been working through the process to become certified with the ACBC and pray to use this material in our local church but also to teach in local churches and train local pastors.  We have become aware that many pastors are sending their sheep to secular counseling and psychologists for treatment because they are not trained for the situations that are entering their offices. 

We were blessed this month with the opportunity to attend a marriage retreat with a group from our church.  We didn’t know how much of a discipleship time with would turn into but we were thankful that we would be used to listen into the lives of some of the group.  A couple from ABWE’s Live Global were asked to come be the speakers

As the year comes to a close and summer break begins we have so much to be thankful for over the last year.  We thank the Lord for a roof over our heads, clothing for our bodies and food on the table.  We thank the Lord for a calling to serve, and the faithful love and support that allows us to serve.  We thank the Lord for faithful ministry partners and direction in the ministry.  We thank the Lord for you, who take moments to read our updates and praise the Lord alongside of us.  God has been very faithful to us over the last year, and all praise belongs to him. 

Jaha Paraguay Pe, The Loucks Family