finally an update from melissa!
It's an awesome blessing to be involved in God's mission up here in Boston. It is impossible to do anything here unless the Holy Spirit is at work in it, which is comforting because "Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1). With this summer, Logan and I are entering a new chapter of life in ministry for our heavenly Father. As you know from reading Logan's updates, he is an official intern working for our young church plant, being humbled and growing into the man the Lord has created him to be. I have been working at the vet clinic a lot more, which is simultaneously a blessing and trial. The struggle lies in working long hours where my brain is required to function on overdrive, and there is no time to engage the people I work with about their lives, or about Christ. The blessing is that the Lord is using this job to provide for Logan and me financially, to grow my veterinary skills and help me understand the lives of those who work long hours 5-7 days/week, and he is drawing people to himself from this job. So far, Anne, a vet, has joined our church. Linda, a tech who no longer works with us, is a frequent attender. Jeanne, a tech from Cameroon, has come with her daughter once. And finally, Aurelio, a dog walker and all-around helper in the clinic, has come 3 times.
Logan has already told you about Aurelio, but I have to say more since the Lord blesses me through him so much. Aurelio is from Brazil and is in his 50's. He knows Jesus and understands the gospel. He came to eat dinner with Logan, me, Travis and Katie last night. We grilled out and talked with one another - Travis had to translate most of the time since Aurelio speaks all Portuguese and little English! I can understand some things, and my Spanish is growing stronger all the time! We are seeing a beautiful picture of the kingdom begin to form in our church that reminds me of John's vision, "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" (Revelation 7:9-10). It's beautiful to be a part of the Lord's plan as he builds his kingdom through our church in Dorchester.
Please pray that we would be clay in the potter's hands during this exciting time of transition as Pastor Dan Rogers leads us to reach out and serve the community of Dorchester, loving God and loving our neighbor, living incarnational lives for Christ.
Logan has already told you about Aurelio, but I have to say more since the Lord blesses me through him so much. Aurelio is from Brazil and is in his 50's. He knows Jesus and understands the gospel. He came to eat dinner with Logan, me, Travis and Katie last night. We grilled out and talked with one another - Travis had to translate most of the time since Aurelio speaks all Portuguese and little English! I can understand some things, and my Spanish is growing stronger all the time! We are seeing a beautiful picture of the kingdom begin to form in our church that reminds me of John's vision, "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" (Revelation 7:9-10). It's beautiful to be a part of the Lord's plan as he builds his kingdom through our church in Dorchester.
Please pray that we would be clay in the potter's hands during this exciting time of transition as Pastor Dan Rogers leads us to reach out and serve the community of Dorchester, loving God and loving our neighbor, living incarnational lives for Christ.
