It is good today to not just give God the first day of the week, but the first day of the month. I'm thankful that God instructed His people to take one day a week as a primary day of congregational worship. It's always refreshing to have time with our church (assembly) and to be refreshed by God's Word.

In our SS doctrinal study, we were reminded about how God's character is vital to our relationship with Him. If God was not WHO HE IS nothing would work correctly. Praise God that He is holy, unchanging, just, all knowing, ever present, all powerful, loving, merciful, etc. If God wasn't holy we could not trust Him. If he wasn't unchanging, his holiness might change. If God wasn't just, he wouldn't be right in His dealings with man. etc. etc. etc. Praise the Lord for WHO HE IS!

In the AM I preached on our chuches privilige to have a building project. The text was I Chronicles 28, David's charge to Solomon about building the temple. God continues to show Himself faithful as we seek to do a good work on this project for Him. Lord willing, our main church sign will be installed on the "A Frame" part of ur building tomorrow. More work is also scheduled on the sanctuary this week. We appreciate VERY MUCH your prayers for our church AND our building project.

It's good to have a "normal" week of evangelism this week. This has often not been the case this year as we've had a lot of other things going on. On Monday I did street preaching by the Duke of Wellington on the High Street (main street) in Edinburgh. God gave me a good outing. 

On Tuesday I put out literature in Loanhead. We're still putting out a flyer introducing people to our new location and sharing the Gospel. Today I met Pastor Don Dillman and we put out literature in Livingstone. We had 3 good witnessing opportunities and enjoyed a good time of fellowship.

My second cousin's family got back from their highland road trip yesterday. After a flight cancelation late last night, they got rebooked and flew out this morning. We've very thankful for their assistance.

Meanwhile, we have a mission team arriving on the 11th to help us for 10 days. Our focus is not the property although we may do some work. We will be doing evangelism and they will also be helping run a 3 day holiday Bible club during the school break. Please pray for God's rich blessing on all the details of the trip. (Crooked Creek Baptist Church, Pastor Brenson Jennings.) Thanks for all your prayers.

God gave us a good morning at church. After church everyone was excited to go to the back hall and see the progress on the sanctuary. We made tremendous progress in building works and the electricians have made progress as well. God is good. We thank Him for moving these things forward.

In Sunday School the adults and teens are doing a doctrinal study. This morning we were studying, "Theology Proper," the doctine of God. We saw that God is One, Creator, Law Giver, Judge, Triune. Next week we will look at some of God's attributes.

In the AM service I preached on, "God's Work, Our Lives" from Psalm 92. There are three statements about God's work in verses 4 and 5. (paraphrase) - Thou hast made me glad through thy work. Through the works of they hands I will triumph. God's work is great. We looked at the Psalm in light of those 3 statements.

I wanted to express appreciation to all who prayed for Brother Steve Anderson's safe trip to the USA. They arrived back in Michigan on Wednesday. Please pray as Brother Steve does a lot of physio at the great rehab facility which God provided.

Thank you for praying for Brother Steve. He has now been in the hospital in Scotland for 23 days. Travel plans are now in place to get him back to the States. Please pray for TREMENDOUS grace from God to help them. God has been faithful thus far and there is no doubt His grace will see them through. But, prayer makes ALL the difference and I know that they could really use that extra boost just now.

We love having Martha and Ben stay with us. But, it will be best for their family to have him them all safely back in Michigan with Brother Steve in a stroke rehabilitation facilty. Thank you for praying for them.

Thank you as well for praying for our work on the sanctuary. Oriel O'Gorman and his son, Shaun helped us today and will help us again tomorrow. The Roths having helped us tremendously, are leaving now on a road trip around the highlands. We are very thankful for their assistance. We are MUCH farther along in our sanctuary project and thank God for His goodness in getting us to this point. We have one last final day of focused labour on this phase of that project. We appreciate your prayers.

Thank you for praying for our work on the sanctuary. Althought my second cousin's family was delayed a day in arriving, we got a good start on the project today. Pastor Josh Roberts (Wales) also helped us. Brother Josh arrived to visit with the Andersons. 

The Andersons were scheduled to be with the Roberts this past weekend as their final destination before heading back to the States. God had other plans. I'm thankful that God allowed Josh to come here since they could not go there.

The first part of our day was getting a system in place for putting up the insulation, framing and then the drywall. We didn't begin drywalling yet, but are making good progress on the insulation and framing. 9 of the 24 bays (there are also 6 half bays) are finished with insulation and framing. We should be able to move faster now that we know the process. The Christian contractor who helped us order all of our material also supplied the tools we need for the job. Praise the Lord. Here are some photo's from today which show our progress.

Apologies for not updating more recently. I didn't realise I had gotten this far behind, but it has been very busy around here. Thank you for praying for Brother Steve Anderson. He continues with his hospitilization and therapy. Please pray for wisdom as the Anderson's seek a transfer in God's timing to a US hospital. Ben Anderson (son) arrived last Saturday and has been a source of great encouragement to Steve and Martha. God did allow him to get his ermergency passport for which we praise the Lord.

In building news, we were able to get the prophet's chamber finished and it is lovely. We're exctied about God's goodness. God provided a beautiful sleeper sofa which with the two other single futons allows us to have a family of four stay there if needed.

Yesterday I was able to get out street preaching. I preached in the heart of Edinburgh on Princess St. near the monument to Sir Walter Scott. William, who is a new Christian, joined me and it was fun having him along.

We had a good morning at church. In SS we are doing a doctirnal study and today was, "Anthropology," the study of man. Our world would be smart to get their understanding of man, marriage, and family from the Word of God.

In the morning service, I preached on, "Worthwhile Christianity," from 1 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. This is from Paul's admonition not to receive the grace of God in vain, but to make full use of God's goodness in our lives.

Our busy weeks continue as my second cousin, Aaron Roth, and his family arrive tomorrow. We are excited to see them and to have their help on the building. On Tuesday we will begin a week of work on the sanctuary. Please pray for God to prosper this renewed effort to move forward on the building project.

Thank you for praying for Brother Steve. Today was an encouraging day with many things for which to praise the Lord. Brother Steve recorded a video update for Baptist World Mission home office where he works. Martha has given us encouragement to share this video more broadly. I have posted it to our church facebook page (freebaptistlothian) and I'll put a link to the video itself here. I have enjoyed the privilige of spending several hours with Brother Steve daily as he has gone through this trial. What you see in the video is what he has demonstrated througout it, a burden for souls, and confidence in God.

Thank you for praying for Brother Steve Anderson. God's hand has been very evident and everyone is continually being reminded of the thousands of voices being lifted in a concert of prayer for Brother Steve.  

Please continue to pray for Brother Steve's healing and restoration. Please pray for good rest and strength. Please pray that he and Martha,  "will be strengthened with might by God's Spirit in the inner man." They both have had a very good testimony in very trying circumstances, but they do need your prayers.

Amanda Baker (England) arrived on Monday. She is close friends with our family and the Andersons and it is a joy and help to have her here.

Many have let us know that they are praying for us as well. We are thankful for all of your prayers. We are priviliged to be ministering to God's special servants and our dear friends. (The shoe has often been on the other foot as they are tremendous encouragers for us.) May God bless you with His enablement as you go to the throne of grace for Brother Steve.

Many of you will be aware that Brother Steve Anderson had a significant health emergency. Yesterday morning about 10:30, Brother Steve had a stroke. We spent the day at the hospital and we were back there this morning as well. We're heading back there this afternoon.

Thankfully, the hopsital is close to our home. Please pray for God's intervention and for all the symptoms to depart. Brother Steve had several good times yesterday when the symptoms would almost all go away. That has not been the case since last evening and into this morning. I last saw him around 9AM and Martha has been with him since then.

Please pray for God's incredible grace and strength. We're surprised, but God is not. Please pray for everyone's eyes to stay on Him and for His goodness and mercy to be seen in tangible ways. One of the ways God's hand was seen is that God put on my heart a very appropriate message which I thought I had prepared for next week. Brother Steve was going to preach our 3 services today. Instead I preached from 1 Samuel 30 on, "From Crisis to Conquest." Tonight I am preaching on the great faith healer, Jesus Christ as we continue our series in the book of Mark. 

It's good at a time like this to know the Shepherds loving care and that has been evident. No doubt, much of HIs grace being observed is due to the fervent prayers of God's people. Please raise your voice with  them and ask for God to do a powerful work of His grace for the Andersons. Your prayers and encouragement to them are much appreciated.

PS. Friday we enjoyed going with the Anderson's to the David Livingstone museum (birthplace.)

The Lord has given us some encouragement lately. We enjoyed having 4 visitors at church last Sunday PM. We had 3 first time children and an adult join us. It was fun to have good attendance on a Sunday PM. We're also looking forward to having Steve and Martha Anderson with us starting tomorrow evening. Please pray for grace for the Andersons as they are in the middle of a long trip visitng many ministries in Ireland and the UK.

I was able to get out street preaching yesterday. I'm thankful for the enablement God gives and know that many are praying. Thank you for your support in that Gospel endeavour.

We added a Gospel flag in the front of our church with John 3:16 on it. Our location is on a busy walking route and many vehicles travel past as well. The vehicles often stop of necessity near this sign to allow for oncoming traffic. Please pray for God to use this verse in the hearts of those who see it.