As we sail through this life, it is encouraging to remember that we have an anchor to hold onto. With many recent events in our world, we remain focused on the fact that Christ is our anchor and to Him we can hold fast. We recently returned from a pastoral visit to our WGM Mexico team of missionaries serving Christ throughout the nation of Mexico. God was so faithful to grant us good travels, and wonderful times of ministry. Our team of missionaries lead by Bill and Lydia Allshouse met for their annual conference to plan and strategize for continued outreach and ministry to that nation.
The visit to Mexico was special to us as we reflected on the early days of our ministry as missionaries. God lead us to Laredo, Texas as newlyweds in 1985 where we served at the school, Christian Union Institute, and ministered throughout the border and down into the interior of Mexico for 5 years. God richly blessed our ministry during this time and we both recalled the fact that our love for missions and serving Christ cross-culturally was developed and nurtured. We knew that God planted missions in our hearts in those early years.
Now, some 30 years later, God allowed us the opportunity to return to the people of Mexico and to have the opportunity to meet some of our Mexican brothers and sisters in our WGM Churches and places of leadership and to allow us to be pastoral support to our team of missionaries serving the church there. It was a very inspiring visit for us to return to our anchor - the place that God gave us a call to serve Him in missions.
During our visit we had some great opportunities to meet with each of our missionaries and spend time hearing their hearts. We were then able to pray specifically for the needs that they are facing as they seek to share that Jesus can be the anchor for the Mexican people too.
We made our way to the YWAM training center located on a mountain side overlooking the beautiful Lake Chapala, near Guadalajara. During our time of retreat there, we shared with the missionaries the importance of Sabbath rest and that it is a worthwhile goal for all of us in ministry to strive to maintain. Ned shared a seminar on the "Spacious Places" that God has for us to enter into based on Psalm 18 and we talked about busyness as a condition of the heart not a problem with our calendar. Marlene shared a seminar encouraging the team to look at what things may be keeping them from experiencing a Sabbath Rest, such as baggage from the past or present, workload, relationships or other distractions that keep us from God. We had a wonderful time of worship on Sunday morning and Ned shared a message about being empty vessels made free by Christ's power to be filled with His presence. God met with us in precious ways as we shared together. We knew that many of you were praying for us as we made this visit and we thank you from our hearts.
Mark and Serena Dunbar, Chrissy Greenwell, Lydia and Bill Allshouse, Marlene and Ned
As we approach the Thanksgiving Season, we are thankful for you. You help to keep us anchored in the ministry that God has called us to with WGM. Your prayers and your financial gifts are certainly a blessing to our ministry and make what we do possible. We ask an interest in your prayers as we leave again Thursday for a weekend conference in Angola, IN for Mental Health in Missions and then fly directly from Ft. Wayne, to McAllen, Texas where we will make a visit to our Border Team of missionaries and join them for their annual conference. Please pray for us as we share with our WGM team serving Christ there. We want to encourage them to remain anchored!
Finally we want to wish you and your family a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. May you feel God's close presence anchoring you through any of the storms of life you may be facing. You are loved and appreciated.
Sincerely,
Ned and Marlene McGrady
Directors of Member Health, Pastors to Missionaries,
World Gospel Mission
Box 948
Marion, IN 46952
765-671-7240
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