Thursday, December 13, 2012

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The McGrady Family

Dear Friends and Family,We can hardly believe that it is time for our Christmas letter. What an amazing year it has been. We recognize how very much we have needed God's help and the support of you our friends and family to make all that we do a reality. It's humbling and yet a feeling of great blessing to know we are part of an amazing team. Thank you so very much.

On a personal note, as of October 31, we have lived in Marion, IN for a year. Jordan is living at home and attending school at Indiana Wesleyan University just two miles away. He is majoring in Business and Spanish and doing very well. Jessica started working in April for Spherion Staffing in Mansfield, Ohio as their Marketing Manager and Social Media Analyst. Josh is working at a men's clothing store in Columbus, Ohio as an assistant manager.

Marlene has continued to travel to Michigan on Mondays and Tuesdays to work as a counselor at Arborhills Psychological Services, as well as teaching a practicum in pastoral counseling and doing counseling for ministerial students at Indiana Wesleyan this semester. As of this blog posting she has finished her work in Michigan and now will proceed to complete the licensing requirements for counseling in Indiana over the next few months.

We still have the blessing of working with World Gospel Mission as Pastors to Missionaries and leading the Member Health/Care department there. What a joy this has been as we have helped to lead 3 re-entries ( a time of debriefing, renewal and transition for our missionaries who are returning from their field of service for Home Ministries.) as well as presented seminars in some of the training sessions for new missionaries going out.

In addition, we had the privilege of traveling to Bolivia in July to share in a retreat with our missionaries. What a great time we had of getting to know them a little better and seeing some of the great work that they do there. There are no words to describe the admiration we have for them as they serve together on the front lines. They face challenges that those living in the States can't imagine, but still they faithfully serve.
We also were able to travel in September to Cusco, Peru, a beautiful city high up in the Andes Mountains. Things did not go quite as planned there as Ned ended up in the hospital for 2 days with a parasite, but we were still able to spend valuable time with the missionaries as we shared together and got to know them a little better. Listening to the heartbeats of these amazing people gave us insight into how we might better come along side and partner with them! (And, yes, further tests reveal that Ned has a no longer has a little friend living with him)

We feel so blessed as we think of all of you and what you individually and collectively mean to us in our lives and to our ministry. We are deeply grateful for your care, prayers, love and support. We truly believe that all of what we accomplish is a reflection of God's help and you!

We want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Please pray for our ministry as we prepare to travel to the American Indian Field in Arizona, Paraguay and Bolivia during the start of the New Year.

Sincerely, The McGrady’s Ned, Marlene, Jessica, Joshua and Jordan

Luke 2:10 -11 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
www.wgm.org/mcgrady to find out more about our ministry with World Gospel Mission and or to make a secure on-line donation.

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