Newsletters
February 2023
When I sat down with the Mission Team of Walnut Grove Christian Church in 2022, I shared with them the mission God had placed on my heart. Simply put, my message was let’s walk the Bible walk, not just talk the Bible talk. My prayer was that they would join GWMAW in helping Christian couples overcome the financial hurdles of adoption by partnering with other Bible-believing churches.
A few days after our meeting, Sam, the team leader, reached out with an answer: “We are going to support GWMAW, but we also have an auction idea.” The idea made me nervous. How was an auction going to work? Would people respond? Would we get enough items? Fast forward half a year, and here we are on the border between January and February 2023. For months, people brought items big and small to Walnut Grove. A U-Haul truck was rented. Work days were planned and executed. Over 600 items were sorted, described, stickered, photographed, and now are part of an active auction through Bauer Auction Service, LLC. Check it out (Bidding Closes: Thursday, February 9th - - 7:00 pm):
The initial goal of $10,000 sounded impossible. Yet, throughout all the hard work Sam’s focus was straight from Scripture: Keep praying in the Spirit at all times (Jude 1:20), walk by the Spirit… (Galatians 5:16), as we are being built in the Spirit together with others into a place where God lives (Ephesians 2:22).
A recent text message from Sam captures how the Holy Spirit is on the move: “Just adding up the 98 lots that have bids over $10, we are at $10,232! Goal met, prayers answered…(God’s) not done in this chapter…”
As supporters, prayer partners, donors, and believers in the mission let me thank you for continuing to listen to the Holy Spirit. It’s incredible that as God Will Make A Way grows, we are getting to join together to make a place for God to live among us and through us. There is no greater call in life, no greater joy, and nothing more exciting to be a part of! Please keep praying for the auction, the adoptive families we are longing to reach, and the children whose lives we trust will be changed when they experience a God who always makes a way!
Sincerely in Christ,
Pastor Steven Stern