Charlie & JoAnn Smith prayer letter
We trust all is well with each of you. At the present time we are in Casper Wyoming enjoying the blessings of snow and the fellowship of our brethren here at our home church. During the last two months we have had many blessings here with Liberty Baptist Church that we have not had for many, many years. The blessing of so many solid messages that God is using to strengthen JoAnnís and my life is the most treasured. Then the sweet fellowship during home Bible studies, the fellowship after evening services, preaching at church and the retirement homes, the churchís Thanksgiving dinner, the Christmas caroling, and the great blessing of praying with the men at their Saturday prayer breakfast (I even had the blessing of fixing some of their indigestion).
The reports that I have received from Argentina are that that country is going through various problems; the believers of Iglesia Bautista Libertad remain faithful. It was over 100 degrees with various electrical outages for Christmas Eve.
I received a surprise the morning of Christmas Eve with some chest pain and decided to be safe instead of just toughing it out. So I went to the emergency room to be attended by a member of our home church who is a faithful man of God. He gave me the present of admitting me to his fine establishment for some tests and an angiogram which proved that I need heart bypass surgery in the very near future. I do not know how your Christmas went but ours was quite different than expected. It resulted in a 3 day stay along with many opportunities to witness to those who were working the holiday at Wyoming Medical Center. I had purchased health insurance but it is not effective until sometime in February. The Lord gave me a good doctor and he sent me home with strict instructions to behave, not preach any fiery messages, or do any flying to any meetings before the surgery.
Ben and Lauren Childs, our daughter and son-in-law, are also going through a difficult situation as their unborn child passed away. Ben had to conduct his first funeral and it was for his son. Please keep them in prayer as Lauren lost a lot of blood and was flown out by helicopter to a hospital for a blood transfusion. Please pray that God would be glorified and that He will give them some brothers and sisters in Christ to support them during this difficult time.
Serving the Lord is always a blessing! Even during the storms of life, as they teach us more about our loving God who wishes to refine us better than gold; as the Word mentions what will happen to a few chosen saints in the Day of the Lord in Zacharias 13:9; may it be true for us as well. ìAnd I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.î Two other verses that are very sweet in these times are: Job 23:10 and 1 Peter 1:7.
Please keep JoAnn in prayer as I must stay put and not put undue stress on this heart.
Thank you dear friends for all your prayers for us and our loved ones,
Charlie and JoAnn
Sent from: Liberty Baptist Church, 1203 South Oak, Casper, WY 82601, phone: 307-237-1454
VoIP #: 920-569-6335 Charlieís Cell: 307-247-1612