Why Daddy Is So Important

1. Children will seek love elsewhere if they don't receive Godly, unconditional love from their daddy.

2. Daddy is the primary teacher when it comes to loving Jesus, worship, serving, tithing, praying, and forgiving.

3. Daddy is the example of marriage and ethics.

4. Daddy is a child's hero - they don't expect perfection, but they should have an example set for them.


Deut 6:14

Sudan Mission Trip Report

Below is a report from the Creggar family who visited Southern Sudan at the end of December. Please continue to pray for the people of Sudan and the Creggars' return trip in 2013.

After multiple flights to get to Juba (the capital) we met Riny Tong, the oldest son of the chief and my interpreter for the last 6 years in Egypt.

After a few days and battling airline schedules, we were able to arrive in Wau, Southern Sudan and then get a car to travel the 126 miles to Ayeit. (This took us 6 hours as the roads are very difficult to travel on.)

Ayeit Village rests approximately 30 miles from the Northern Border of Sudan. Southern Sudan is predominantly Christian (with a Catholic influence). The church closest to the village is a Catholic church lead by an Egyptian priest. There were no Bibles anywhere from Turalei to Ayeit.

We brought 25 soccer balls that were inscribed with the plan of salvation, the ten commandments and other scripture which we read to those who spoke English. We also insisted that the younger boys do the same, sharing what the balls said with others in their native Dinka language. We also brought 20 bags of clothing for the men, women and children who had none. Lastly, we brought enough food to feed the community for at least 6 months and left them with enough money to sustain them for another 6 months after that.

After meeting with the chief in the village of Ayeit, he granted us full permission to build a church, school, clinic and do whatever else we felt was necessary in that area. We also met the Commissioner in Turalei who seems very open to “build up” that area. He was very welcoming and did not hinder our travel there with the exception of traveling at night for our safety.

They lack food, shelter, clothing, and worst of all a church or pastor. They are in desperate need of the hope in Jesus Christ and what the Holy Spirit can bring to them each day. This area is consistently threatened by the Nuer tribe of the east (as they continue to steal their cattle and kill anyone who gets in their way) as well as the Muslim regime in the North.

Their agriculture consists of tobacco which they sell to the market for money to buy meat. When we asked them why are they not growing things they could eat and feed their families with, their reply was “Show us how!” They lack the agricultural skills it takes to grow food, even with the river very near for watering.

We plan to return to the village in November of 2013. We are working on plans to build a church (with a pastor already in mind that is in the area!), help with agriculture and bring Bibles!

Who You are in Christ

Let's not forget who we are in Christ.

· Handcrafted (Psalm 139:14)

· Accepted (Romans 15:7)

· Gifted (Ephesians 4:7)

· Valued (Luke 12:7)

· Chosen (1 Peter 2:9)

· Loved (Zephaniah 3:17)

That's who you truly are!

The Zboch Family's Newest Member

Below is great news from the Zboch family who are currently in China adopting their new son:

Hello Friends and Family...Ni hao... That's Chinese for Hi; How are you?

We made it to China! Wow! That's one looong flight... over 25 hours with 2 hours of travel by train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou. That's quite a trek but definitely worth it!

Monday was Gotcha Day! What an incredible day! We were so excited to meet Greg after all this time and yet a bit nervous about how he would feel about his new mama and baba (Chinese for papa).

When he entered the room, he looked at me and with a smile said, "Mama!" It was one of the sweetest words I have ever heard. After a brief visit, we left hand in hand with a big smile on all our faces! (The attached picture is of us leaving the Civil Affairs Office.)

Now if a Mama could brag for just a little... Greg is an amazing little boy with a smile that just lights up his whole face! He has a great sense of humor and is quite the comedian! We have laughed so much, and our guide is always translating with a giggle something cute Greg has said. He knows his numbers 1 to 10, letters in English, and quite a few words. His English is coming along much better than his parents' attempts at Chinese! And for such a little guy, he eats a TON... as much as we do! I am going to be one busy, cooking Mama keeping all these boys fed. Thankfully, he seems to like just about everything.

It's incredible the joy and laughter that he has already brought to our lives! Marc said last night that Greg is just full of surprises! This morning as Marc was doing one of his yoga handstand moves (that is quite impressive I must add), Greg got down right beside him and started doing headstands!

Today we headed back to the civil affairs office to adopt Greg. So now it is official - we have a precious new son. Looking back over this past year as we finally stepped out in faith to the call God placed on our hearts, it has been an awesome journey. It has had its share of challenges but mountaintop joys, too. Along the way we have had a sense of peace in our hearts that could only come from God.

Marc and I have been so touched by your encouragement, enthusiasm, support and all your prayers! Thanks be to God for this wonderful blessing in our lives and to you for all the prayers. We can't wait for you to meet our son, Greg Xinguan Zboch!

With love,

Marc and Pam

Seven Facts a Wife Should Consider about Her Husband

Perry Noble has another great blog about marriage and this one is for the women:

#1 – As a wife you should never, I MEAN EVER, underestimate the power of your words in regards to how you speak to your husband. You should be his PRIMARY source of encouragement. The words you speak to him and about him in front of others carry more weight than you could EVER imagine!

To read the remaining six facts from Perry Noble's blog click here.

Ten Facts a Man Should Consider about His Wife

Men, you need to read this from Perry Noble:

#1 – Before she was your wife she was God’s daughter…and He is VERY concerned about how someone treats His girl!

#2 – Women are responders, so if there is friction/conflict in the relationship she is most likely responding to something that is off center…and it is going to take an actual conversation where you use words to figure out what it is.

#3 – If a man will not lead his family then satan will! (See Genesis 3!)

#4 – One of the biggest questions that a woman is always asking of her husband is, “can I trust you with my heart?” And the answer to this question is not simply declared but rather demonstrated over time.

#5 – Every word you speak has meaning to your wife…and HOW you say those words carry even more meaning.

To read the rest of Perry's blog, click here.

NPEA: Capital Campaign

Below are recent prayer notes from Derek Olsen, lead church planter at Revive Christian Church in Bismarck/Mandan, North Dakota. Please pray for their needs as well as for Derek as he leads this new church that Tomoka is supporting.

We will praise the Lord at all times! (Psalm 34:1)

1. Prayer teams to blanket the Bismarck/Mandan/and Lincoln areas with prayer.

2. Prayerfully waiting on God to reveal how this church will look and be.

3. Local churched and unchurched people to join us as we build a reproducing church movement here in Bismark.

4. Bootcamp was full of prayer, new friends, information and knowing that God is building His church in some great places.

5. Thankful for Marilyn Olsen, Dan and Mike Hatten for watching our kids while we were in Johnson City, TN.

We love the Lord because He hears and answers our prayers. (Psalm 116:1)

1. We need good leads on a possible part time Children's Ministers. We know that God has one in mind; we pray for Him to reveal this person to us.

2. We have a potential creative arts minister. Pray for God's wisdom and guidance for us and for him and his family.

3. Dan, Amanda's father, is getting his house ready to move back into it. Praying for even more good health.

4. Bringing back God's heartbeat to man's life.

Sudan Report

Below is an exciting report from Safaa Fahmi, missionary to Egypt:

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Greetings and love in His loving Name.

I returned yesterday from Sudan, it was a great trip and I can easily see God’s hands dividing the water before us “to make for Himself an everlasting Name”.

The Sudanese students who studied with us in “HIU in Egypt” asked several times to extend our work to reach Sudan, but we could not do that for two reasons. (1) lack of money for plane tickets. (2) Our schedules were tight. For more than a year I was praying for Sudan asking God to open the door … and … He finally did.

The trip to Sudan in Numbers:

* Two weeks of extensive teaching. (Six subjects, 2 counseling, 2 N.T., 2 O.T.)

* No. of students: 48 , 80% of them are ministers and evangelists. 45 men and 3 women.

Next time there will be more than 100 because we will choose a better timing (this time it was in the midst of the midyear exams).

* 10 are studying for the MA level and 38 are studying for the BA level.

* The students represent 7 denominational churches.

* 3 of the students are the presidents of their denominations. We are expecting 5 more presidents of their denominations in the next conference. They already enrolled but they could not come, some because of war in their areas and the rest because different reasons.

* 15 students came from Sudan Church of Christ which is completely different from our churches, they are a blend of the Episcopal and the Presbyterian beliefs and system.

* The Students came from Khartoum in the North, Nubba mountains in the mid-west, Cordovan in the South-west and from Southern Sudan.

(Above - the 3 female students)

* Egypt is about 100 years more advanced than Sudan , although the bed was not comfortable and the rest room and the shower were very primitive and need God’s grace and peace inside for one to be able to use them , yet we enjoyed very much working with them there, they are hungry and thirsty for learning God’s Word.

I send my special thanks and my continuousprayers to the donors who helped in making this trip a success (persons and churches).

The Story of

Gabriel Coko Toto

I was in Sudan this week to start the first Bible College for our Restoration Movement in Sudan. School will be similar to the summer and winter courses in our colleges is the States. The staff will be going to Sudan for two weeks, every five days a professor will teach one course 6 lectures a day from 8am-9pm. This will take place twice a year until they finish their BA or MA degree.

Gabriel is one of our students who came from the Nubba Mountains area. He is a convert from Islam since 1984 and he became an evangelist 1986. In 1989 he was found by the Sudanese authorities, they arrested him accusing him of terrorism. They tortured him for days with electricity shocks, burnt his back and his thighs with very hot iron and hard beat him until bleeding to deny his Christian faith but he refused. They crucified him on a military tank in the burning sun heat of Sudan (110-115F). He was dehydrating but still insisting on his faith so they covered his hands except one finger with plastic bags and put his hands in boiling oil until everything melted, the plastic bags, his flesh and even his bones except the finger which was kept to remind him of all what he went through because of his faith ..…

He was hospitalized for nine months for fear of infection, then he was rescued by the members of his church. He was not afraid after passing through all this to go

back to evangelize and tell people about Christ “if we live we live to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord…whether we live or die we are the Lord's.”

Gabriel lost nine fingers but he has now nine children. He is 49 and when I asked him about the story of his hands, he laughed and said, "I replaced every finger I lost with a child that will be a soldier in God’s Army."

Pray for him and his nine children. (Above - Gabriel & Safaa)

Every time I go to Sudan or work with Sudanese, and I see their misery and their spiritual and physical hunger comparing to the blessings I am blessed with from God, I feel a big responsibility towards them and I understand the meaning of Paul’s words …"the necessity is laid upon me, yes, woe is me if I don’t preach the Gospel."

May God Bless you all