Merry Christmas 2018
Merry Christmas!
I pray you are all having a great holiday season! I know it’s been a while since I updated you on my missionary adventures, which started about 7 years ago. Even though I’ve been on a break for 1 1/2 years, God has continued to show His power and love in my life and in the lives of those around me. I have a couple of testimonies to share that took some time to be born, and I didn’t learn about them until I traveled down to Columbus, Georgia.
During this break, I’ve been finishing my seminary studies and going to Georgia State College full time. I’m doing really well in college with a 3.5 GPA, but I’m ready to get back on the field and spread the Gospel. After seminary, I became a licensed minister with the Assemblies of God, and I’m one step away from being ordained. The plan is to go back to the Philippines as a full-term missionary and continue to reap the harvest for His name’s sake. Except this time, I won’t be going alone.
Over the summer, I traveled to Thailand to propose to my best friend, Anna Foster. She is also a missionary with the Assemblies of God, with a passion to reach the lost. We met at our Georgia ministers meeting here 5 years ago and have talked often ever since. We recently found out that she started her missionary adventures one day after I did, nearly 7 years ago. We will be getting married next June in Yosemite National Park with a small group of close family and friends. Then we will immediately raise our support to continue God’s work.
While here in Columbus meeting the rest of Anna’s family, I ran into two different couples at Evangel Temple who introduced me to the newest additions to their families. Both families had struggled to have children, but the Great Physician has the last say, even when doctors say otherwise. Believe and trust His promises for your life.
One of the couples still had my missionary card and quoted me the words on the back of it. It was encouraging to read it and to celebrate with them what God has done in their lives. They have a healthy 3-year-old boy, and so does the other couple. I hadn’t even met the second couple face to face until recently. We had prayed over the phone, and God answered. What a blessing to hear their testimonies!
I know it’s been some time since you’ve given to this ministry, since I’m not ministering full time right now and don’t currently have a missionary account. Still, I want to thank you for giving in the past. Your donations have helped plant churches abroad and sent me full time for multiple years to pray for and minister to so many people in Asia and Georgia. God bless you and your family, and have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Your brother,
Justin Gilpin