New Years thoughts...

Hi Gang – hope the holidays were terrific for you! I am doing well here. The weather turned sharply on New Year’s Day – it was a cold, windy and rainy day. It has since gotten a little warmer, but I am beginning to wear my fall weather gear fairly regularly. It still remains sunny and bright during the days and I have no fear of snow (sorry my CO & RI contingents!).

This has been another intense month of looking for God, following his lead and trusting Him alone as my daily bread. This was the first time I lead a congregation through a Christmas season of services… it scared me to death, but through the encouragement of friends near and far, I was able to keep turning this ministry and myself over to His leadership; my daily prayer has been “Lord, this is YOUR ministry, these are YOUR people – help me to not get in your way; let me be an instrument of your peace.”

The services went well, I thought – there were things I learned from it – some I would do again, some, not so much…but in it all, God was faithful and I know there was space in the services for folks to meet with God, so I felt like I did what I was called to do…

I have been finding it intimidating to be preaching every week, but the Lord is so good – this has become a point of stretching me in my faith and continuing God’s long-term work of pulling my perfectionistic tendencies out of me. I am learning to be content with who I am and not demanding I be someone I am not. An old, but continuingly important lesson I do keep having to re-learn. *sigh*

I am pleased to report on the friend-front that I do have a couple of good friend possibilities and I am hopeful to see how the Lord will develop these relationships. One of my new friends even came out to KNB from another camp and kept me company for the entire Christmas Eve/Christmas Day services cycle – I felt sooo supported by the Lord through her friendship!

Now that the holidays are behind us, I feel the mood in the camp lightening some. Christmas time in a deployed setting was incredibly difficult for most of my soldiers and sailors. Thank you for your prayers for us during that season; it made a HUGE difference.

Email continues to be an on-again/off-again affair, so if I don’t get right back to you, that’s why – I am able to consistently get on my army account, so please do write me there if you want to communicate. (terri.king1@us.army.mil) I hope y’all have a blessed New Years – below are my PRs for JAN…

Prayer Reqs:
- God would continue to fill me with his confidence and presence as I preach and teach each week.
- Continued friend development
- Daily grace for the politics I find myself in
- Wisdom on whether to extend my time here at the end or go home with the unit in July
- Continued protection from attacks of the Enemy