This is a copy of my newest newsletter.

Greetings from Nassau, Bahamas!

Dear Friends,
Thank you for all your prayers! Thanks for all who have sent me emails telling me of how you've been praying for me at certain times, I know that those moments were prompted by the Lord because I've needed them. Many of you know how the Lord had been taking things away from me but now He has been challenging me to balance my emotions while still dealing with my sister's death. I've had to cling to Him for emotional dependence each morning, or I'd just submit to random emotional outbursts. I do believe that those times of taking things away were preparing me for this challenge, and later, for other character building challenges that He has in store for me.

Lord has provided so many opportunities for me to really talk with the kids on what it means to know Christ. One of the overwhelming lies of Satan that I've heard, has been the lie that once someone believes in Christ and sins after this acceptance, they lose their salvation. This tells me that these kids believe: salvation is gained by doing good things, by using the "right words" you get forgiven of a sin, and that Christ's death was not enough to save them. These are contrary to the gospel (Hebrews 7:25-27)! Not all of those that I've spoken with believe this but it seems to be one of the greater hindrances in understanding what the Gospel is.
A recent example would have to be Thursday's Adventure Club (outreach where we bring the ALC into the schools). I shared the gospel plainly and asked for any questions. Out of six girls, three had the same question but different examples. One asked plainly whether you go to heaven or not if you don't ask for forgiveness for killing someone. It seemed like her way of measuring "grace" to see if the worst of sins would be covered by the cross.
We got into a discussion about how Jesus paid it all. Then into how being a Christian works (Holy Spirit prompting goodness) and how we don't want to do what we know is wrong because we love Jesus who saved us from our sin. My fear is that good works has been so firmly planted into their lives through teaching them to behave, that they now believe that it is what saves them.
Please pray for these kids and that as I share the Gospel, the Lord is the One speaking through me because only He knows what condition their hearts are in.

Updating last month's prayer request for the Camp, the Centre, and Patmos, I can tell you that prayers have helped greatly. A large donation of $25,000 has been offered if it can be matched; meaning for every dollar, a dollar will be donated. Funds are part of our need so please continue to pray that these needs will be met on time for the students to arrive.
The Patmos program will start in January and those students who have been accepted need your prayers also. We all have things within our hearts that need to be taken before the Lord, and this program will bring those things out within them, many will be tempted to quit since this process is painful. I like how Fenelon in his book "The Seeking Heart" put this idea, "He may test you by taking away the wonderful sense of freedom you feel, or by taking from you all that now brings you spiritual comfort. Will you resist? No! Allow everything! Volunteer for your own death, for God will only accomplish His work to the extent that you let Him. Do not push away the progress that God wants to make in your life" (a chapter called 'Surrender to His plans').

Thank you all again for all your prayers.
Your sister in the Lord,
jenn mingo