Saturday, July 25, 2009

NH and Maine, Follow Me conference

What a fun filled, exciting few weeks it has been for the Cowperthwaite clan! We went to Walpole, NH for the Follow Me Conference from July 16-19. The Steve and Mandy Pena family were gracious hosts for our family, and their home provided a beautiful venue for the conference. The Pena home is the current meeting place for Berean Gospel Assembly, a young church in the area. This body of believers were quite accomodating of all who attended the conference, with about a dozen staying in the Pena home and many more being housed and hosted by others in the local body.
What a blessing it is to know that wherever you go, family is there! God's family working together for such a gathering, helping, housing, and fellowship is one of the great hallmarks of the New Testament church. Our family parked our camper Thursday evening and met with BGA that evening. Brother Bob Gentile shared from the Word that evening and all were blessed and challenged.
Friday AM began the teaching times by Jesse Gentile, Roy Wahab, and Jeremiah Morrison. All the sessions were recorded and are available online to listen or download. Jesse dealt with spiritual gifts and Bible study methods. Roy Wahab dealt with the balance of truth and love in our outreach messages. Jeremiah Morrison led a discussion/teaching time regarding some Biblical principles of everyday life and pattern of worship. What a rich time of learning and challenge in God's Word!
I was asked to speak on Friday evening, specifically sharing about how God provides strength, encouragement, and in all things. I shared about the death of our son Joshua, and how the Lord kept us and brought us closer to Himself through that situation. I also shared from Nehemiah about the wonderful example of fervent prayer in Nehemiah 1:3-6. Elijah was also a great example of fervent prayer.
The group then spent a period praying specifically for the church at large, for men, women, and young people to be raised up to follow the Lord. We prayed that we would all leave the conference radically changed, more like the Lord Jesus when we left than when we arrived. I believe that prayer was answered in many hearts. The teaching was great and reminded us that we belong to God. We are His and not our own. It was a time of challenge and encouragement, of fun and fellowship, and a weekend in which God was glorified and His name lifted up.
Monday AM we left Walpole and headed to Westbrook, Maine. We are working this week with Spring Hill Gospel Hall and are parked at the meeting hall. We have gone out with local brothers to the doors with the Gospel. The saints here are having a vacation Bible school (DVBS) next week, so we are also inviting folks to that as we go out. We met with the saints here in Westbrook on Wednesday evening for prayer and Bible study and were blessed in this time in the word and before the Lord in prayer. The Cowperthwaites will leave Saturday evening and worship with the saints in Union this Sunday, Lord willing.
The work here in Westbrook has reminded us both of the great need for the Gospel to go out, and that God does work through His saints faithfully sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Matt was one of our contacts that heard the Gospel, asked lots of questions, and realized that God put someone in his path Tuesday to share with him the truth of God's Word and the love that the Father has for His creation. It was another of hundreds of encounters where a person was just going about their daily life with no thought of eternity or the God that holds their life in His hands. Matt was awakened that day to the urgency of being reconciled to God. Matt wants someone to visit again and John Stultz will be following up next week.
Others in need of prayer are Linda, Doris, Leo, and another Linda. There are too many contacts to list, and some have heard the truth presented while others have refused to talk at all. Still others have other religious affiliation that does not teach the truth from God's Word. Many have never just sat down and read the Bible, though they acknowledge that it is God's Word. We rely on the Lord to show us what to say and how to handle each situation. It is our desire that we get out of the way and just let Him speak through us. Please continue to pray with us that souls will come to salvation through repentance and trust in Jesus as the only way to eternal life. He is worthy to be praised and served with all our hearts and we consider it a privilege to be able to continue to preach the word of reconciliation toward God.
While we are here,we have also had opportunity to meet with other believers. Our friends, Gary and Marilyn Watson have hosted us for meals and fellowship a few times. We also went to their mid week service at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Scarborough on Tuesday evening. Thursday evening, we went for supper at the Morrison home in South Portland. We also met with Sara's college friend, Kerry Ellen, on Tuesday. Tonight, we have Erin Niland, a high school friend of Sara's, along with her fiancee for dinner. What a full week of fellowship, labor, and encouragement!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Updates/ recalling the past

Welcome sunshine!
Here in Maine, we have experienced the longest bout of rain in my memorable past. It seems like all we have seen is rain, but the sun is shining today. We are finally getting back to Maine summer as I remember it. Funny though, how our memories are not always accurate. I am sure that every single day when school was out as a child, that we ran and played, went to the frog pond, or went swimming.
I don't recall specifically any rainy days, yet I am sure there were plenty. Without them, we would not have had the wonderful harvest seasons that I also recall. Barbara and J.Aubrey Davis used to have quite a garden and gave produce to many families such as ours in need. It is such a blessing to think back on how the Lord has used His people reaching out in love to others to show the love of Christ in our lives. Many acts of love from our fellow believers are burned in my memory to this day. I thank God for all the people He has put in my life. My childhood surely was full of acts of love and kindness, and an attempt to recall them all fills me with joy and sadness as I think of all that
I got an email this morning from one of my school teachers. She just wanted to catch up and I was reminded that many who I grew up with are serving the Lord in many ways, but maybe even more are living their own lives without God's guiding hand at the wheel. She said (and I am convinced I should follow) that she prays for all those whose lives she had some influence on.
Many people from my past are not walking with the Lord, and we all have ties with people that need to come to the Savior. We all have friends, neighbors, coworkers and relatives that don't know the Lord. We need to be in fervent prayer that God will draw all those to Himself. Also, it is important that we realize it is the privilege of each blood bought believer to share the Gospel with those who have not heard, and encourage those who have strayed to come back into fellowship with the God that loves them so much that He sent His Son to die in their place.
Many families and friends have come and gone from our lives, some without warning through death, some have moved away, and others just seem to lose touch. I know there are many in my life that left without my ever sharing the Gospel with them. Some went to church or Christian school, but I remember that I did not come to know the Lord until I was 25, even after being in church every time the doors were open. Life is so short, so precious, and it is the only one we get. Let's make sure we don't let another person leave our lives without hearing of God's love for them that necessitated such a sacrifice as the spotless Lamb of God gave for us.
As for updates, I am feeling a bit better, but continue to pray that my health will improve so that the surgery will be able to be done as scheduled. Next week, the 16th, we leave Thomaston for Walpole, New Hampshire. We will be attending the Follow Me Conference for 3 days and I will be speaking Saturday evening about how God has used trials to draw us closer to Him. We will be there until Monday morning, when we head to Westbrook, Maine to work with Spring Hill Gospel Hall in preparing for their vacation Bible school. This brings us back to Thomaston the last week of July, with appointments to be done before surgery, then in the area for the most part until early September when we head to North Carolina.
Sara had her first appointment with the midwife, and we had an ultrasound done. Baby and mommy are both doing well, while a "due date" has been forecasted for Feb 21. Sara is still battling morning sickness, but is happy to have that constant reminder of the wonderful blessing of a new baby that God has given us. Nausea is not, for most, considered a blessing, yet for Sara it is considered assurance that "everything is OK" and we thank the Lord each day for all the blessings He has given us.
Nathaniel has been busy mowing lawns and helping Grandpa out in many ways around the house. That included much work in the recent Independence Day celebrations here in Thomaston. We were also blessed to have the Watson and Adams families and Mark's mom join us for the 4th. We had a great time of fellowship and of course food. Nathaniel has also been reading a lot, and will be going out door to door with us this afternoon in Rockland.
Virginia and Naomi have enjoyed this time visiting with friends and family. They are excited to have the sun out today, as that means they can ride bikes and play in the grass, two of their favorite activities. They are also anxiously awaiting the "grand opening" of the pool. We have had it up for a while, but are installing a new filter system and some other things need to be done before we can jump in. Besides that, it has not exactly been swimming weather so far this summer. Sara is continuing some school with the kids a few days a week and they are enjoying their studies.
The work in the local church has been such a blessing to us. We went out with 4 brothers in Belfast to share the Gospel on Tuesday, and will be out today with one of those young men that went with us Tuesday. Nathaniel will also join us today. We had a great prayer meeting in Union last night, and are excited to see another mid week meeting starting soon. It is so important for believers to get together, not just for Sunday worship, but regularly to encourage one another and pray together. This time of prayer and studying God's Word, coupled with laboring together in the Gospel, is a recipe for unity and growth in the local church. I am excited to see such growth in the lives of brothers and sisters in Christ. God is at work, knitting our hearts together, and
uniting us in love for His glory and honor. What a blessing to see lives forever changed by the Gospel and to see God's people serve Him!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Updates and prayer request 7/1/09

Greetings all,
It has been a few weeks since our last news update, and we wanted to share what has been going on with the Cowperthwaite family recently. We arrived in Maine 2 weeks ago, and have had rain pretty much every day since. Even with the poor weather, we have had high spirits as we have been able to enjoy such rich blessings. Maine is still consider our home, and this place so beautifully portrays God's handiwork, even in the wettest weather.
The children are enjoying Maine, riding bicycles and looking forward to swimming in Grandma's pool. We have plans for friends to come over on the 4th of July, and many other times of fellowship. Justin and Mark also have times scheduled and plans for door to door witnessing in this area, along with a few other areas of the state. We are excited to continue to share the Gospel here, desiring to see God reveal Himself to many who will come to Him for eternal life. We are blessed to have so many opportunities upcoming to share the Gospel and encourage God's people.
With the loss of Joshua, we have spent much time considering God's plan for our lives, our ministry, and our family. We were so blessed, then, to find out that the Lord has blessed us with another baby, due to arrive around February. This is an answer to our prayers, as complications from an infection seemed to indicate that we may have a difficult time having more children. We know that God can overcome any difficulty and that our faith, when place in Him, is able to bring us through any trial.
Our desire is to come back to Maine for the delivery of the baby. Pray for Sara as she deals with morning sickness and all that goes with growing a baby inside. She is in great spirits and we are enjoying each day with this child, knowing that whatever the outcome, we are blessed. We can see God at work in each life, no matter how short it is on this earth, with everything bringing glory and honor to Him, for He is worthy.
Mark is scheduled for surgery on August 4th. I know I have mentioned it before, but I wanted to explain and ask for prayer in this matter. I have a tumor about 1" in size in my left sub-mandibular lymph node(whatever that means). After a FNA biopsy, the doctor has decided we need to remove the tumor. This requires surgery, which will be done August 4th. This surgery will leave me out of commission for a week, then recovering hopefully before the open air preaching at the Union Fair starting August 16. I would greatly appreciate prayer for recovery and healing, also the results of the tests. Whatever the results, we will praise the Lord. He has given all things, and will give us strength through whatever comes.
Complicating my recent health issues has been the recent diagnosis of Giardiasis, or giardia. Some will recall that this intestinal parasite caused 3-4 weeks of pain and ill health when we first arrived in California. The doctors thought that it had been taken care of, but recent tests have revealed that it is back, and thriving. I will be on meds for a week of so, and should be feeling better within 2 weeks.
Our first few weeks here were taken up with catching up with friends, family, and church family, along with many appointments. The blessing of loved ones surrounding us in prayer has been such a comfort. We have seen the Lord at work in so many lives, and through our experiences, have been able to help others deal with grief and trials through pointing them to the Lord. God is the master healer, the comforter, and we rest in His great love and mercy poured out to us in Christ Jesus. We know that nothing can come our way, no trial or persecution, that can ever shake the foundation we have in Christ.
We have also been blessed to have the opportunity to share with a few local churches. Mark will be sharing in the upcoming weeks with groups from a few local churches. The purpose of these meetings is to share with others about how God is shaping our lives day by day, giving us strength, and to encourage others to be faithful witnesses for Christ is whatever arena is open to them. Not all will preach on the street, or witness door to door, but all believers have a part.
We desire to express what joy the Lord has shown us in just the short time since we left home. We also strive to accurately present Jesus as the precious Savior, the sinless Lamb who sacrificed Himself for all mankind. The heart filled with the love of Christ will have no difficulty expressing it. It is not about methods or compulsion, but about sharing the good news. This news is that God who loved us when we were dead in our sins, and paid the debt He did not owe to save us from the wrath we deserved. What a blessed thought! What a glorious privilege!
Evangelism should not be seen as a program or an event, but a blessed privilege and a way of life to those who desire to see souls saved from the grasp of sin and the penalty of Hell. When we share of the ministry the Lord has given us, it is our desire to paint a realistic picture, including the hard times and easier and blessed times. All this is worth whatever it may cost for the sake of being able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost soul, showing them the way to true and eternal life that can only be gained through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior.
We thank you for continued prayer on our behalf. It is such a blessing to know that our family, both physical and spiritual, are there for us. We can never say "thank you" enough for all the love poured out to us. We are truly blessed. Please let us know how we can be praying for you, too! We take seriously the requests shared with us, so don't hesitate to email or call.
Praising the Lord,
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