here's a copy of a letter I wrote to my Assistant Pastor and Pastor

I thought that I would give you an update about the Women’s Bible Study group. We just finished the eight week session on I Samuel and God met us each week. There were just a few women, each chosen by Him. One dropped out. Three (besides me) endured. One was the Catholic woman who was with us in the summer. She is so sweet and is growing in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord. She is a stay at home Mom who used to be a nurse. She just learned last week that the Holy Spirit will not leave one who is truly born again (what a relief!). Another woman is somewhat knowledgeable about a lot of Scripture and has been a Christian for nearly forever (that is, since childhood). She is about 50 years old and is a Lutheran. She works as an OR nurse. She learned last week that consulting mediums was actually wrong. We got a little side tracked and got on a discussion about how God’s grace through us is how we perform in our gifts, by Christ Himself flowing through us. This was incomprehensible to her and tried to explain how we do our best (basically in the flesh) with the gifts that God has bestowed to us. We moved back to the subject at hand but seeds of truth were planted. The last woman goes to Harvest Church and brought a little quote to one of the sessions, “God helps those who help themselves, right?” She was in the middle of a discussion and it wasn’t actually timely to interrupt her and tell her that no, actually, “God helps those who can not help themselves.” Anyway, she appears so guilt ridden about having been a Christian since age 14 (she is probably in her 50’s too) and just hasn’t measured up. She feels badly about when she doesn’t complete the homework, etc. I thought she was going to end up dropping out and called one time having said basically that she didn’t know if she could continue, but she did not drop out and says that she wants to come back for II Samuel. I think she loves and desires God, but just is not in touch with the reality of His grace and truth. One session no one came and that was sad for me, but I thought about how hard it must be for missionaries who go to a land to try and bring about converts and can find any. Each week Brad and the children make sure the house is nice and quiet and they seem happy to participate in this way.

In mid January we will do II Samuel. Pray that God will continue the work that He has begun and that He bring His people to the study and individually teach His children. Blessings to you and your growing family.

I thought that I would give you an update on the MBA stuff that I talked with you about several weeks ago. God has just seemed to open up that way completely. I appreciate your word about the fish and the amazement that seized Peter. For me, it seems that I have repeatedly at times over the years have been trying to become less involved in psychiatry and my work and “professionalism,” not more involved, but God is so funny. Never in a million years would I have imagined … (what God is going to do, in the way He is going to do, which I do not know really what it is, so I guess my mind gets ahead of me sometimes.) Yet, I am also really excited about what God is doing and is going to do, even though it didn’t feel expected. Since asking the CEO and Medical Director for their letters of recommendation for the University program, I have been invited to be on the Board of Trustees and then to chair the board to Trustees. In another administration meeting, in the Lord, I made a recommendation about a way to handle a problem and it was embraced by all the people and then applauded at the Board of Trustees meeting. Meanwhile, this outside corporate head dude was at this meeting today and said nice things about me, what the CEO has said to him about me. I hope this doesn’t sound like bragging in the flesh, but I know that you wouldn’t be impressed with these things anyway, but only enthusiastic if the Lord is doing something Himself. It is the Spirit of God moving that give us joy, because when the Lord is pleased, then we are pleased. When His life is expressed, then we can be pleased with the glory that the Lord is receiving in heavenly places. The whole thing at the hospital where I work and in my “career” just cracks me up, because this is not the way I would have envisioned the Lord to use me, if indeed He is using me. Today at one of these smaller meetings, one social worker lady mentioned, “it is kind of like religion, sometimes people can get carried away with it.” The other social worker said, “Yeah, balance in life is what is important.” Meanwhile I’m thinking, “You just have no clue.” I’m thinking how I am trying to be so fully surrendered to God so fully and completely so that He can live His life through me. Talk about balance – NONE. My citizenship is in heaven and from there I await a Savior, Christ my Lord.

I’ve been resting in God’s grace because it is through His grace that Christ Himself will live this life for me. I just need to be humble, available and allow Him to use me how He is pleased to do so without me getting in His way. Not to freak out as He is making a left turn at a high rate of speed – “Lord, what about ----“ Oh, I guess that thing I thought mattered doesn’t matter, or mattered too much for my good! (Let me just rip that from your life, don’t you know that I am enough? That I am sufficient?) God is faithful. And He is sufficient. Not only is His grace sufficient for me, but His will is sufficient for me. It is just funny because I think I have broken almost every “common sense” thing I thought that I as a Christian I was supposed to do and be (I am not talking regarding the basic commandments, but my presumptions, my common sense of what seemed logical that God would be pleased with that I do) and God is continuing to show me that if I want to know Him, I need to lay all my common sense aside and seek His sufficiency alone. Rich, thank you for your teaching ministry and example. Keep walking strong – iron sharpens iron.

God bless you and your family (I just love them),

Andrea