$16,086!

Last Sunday, Ken and Sarah Muma from Kijabe, Kenya came and spoke at New Life. This wasn’t planned a year ago but just a couple of months ago when a missionary doctor who is serving at Kijabe Hospital contacted one of our members and informed him of the Mumas coming to the US to make some connections for the purpose of raising both financial and personnel support.

As I said during the service, I wasn’t planning on collecting any offering to support Kijabe Hospital after they were done sharing their message.  After all, we just recently gave the hospital $300,000 for the purpose of their building project as well as research and missions projects. However, I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit during the service to give New Life an opportunity to release their resources to bless them by supporting the hospital they are in charge of. So, I asked you to give and you responded by giving $16,086!

I am just amazed at your quick and generous response towards God’s kingdom work! New Life is not a mega church by any means but when it comes to giving, we are second to none! Honestly, I don’t know any church that is as generous as New Life! And through things and events like this, I can tell that New Life is healthy. Jesus said that where our money is there our hearts will be also. Our hearts are in the right place because we place our money where God wants it to be.

Last week, I was informed that Mrs. Chai was not doing well. I felt compelled to mobilize New Life during August House of Prayer to pray and intercede on behalf of her and her family. I also wanted all the families to come out to HOP so that we can have a time of prayer with our children before they go back to school. So, I asked you to come out to HOP with your children. Again, you responded to my challenge. There were 208 adults and children present this past Wednesday! Which church does things like this? I don’t know of any.

Some of you respond to my invitation and challenge because you just love Jesus. You know where you had been. You know what kind of person you would have been if it weren’t for Jesus loving you, dying for you and saving you. And you know what your marriage and family would have been like if there was no Jesus in your life. So, you are eternally grateful for Jesus and his finished work on the cross and resurrection. That’s why no matter what is asked of you for his cause and kingdom, you are all in.

Others of you respond to my invitation and challenge because you know that is the right thing to do and you feel like you have to do. And some of you, unfortunately, don’t pay much attention to what I have to say to New Life. You seem to be doing your own thing.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, I hope and pray that soon all of you will get to a point where you can joyfully sing the words of the hymn that Isaac Watts wrote in the 18th century titled “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”:

“Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.”

Today, we are having just one worship. Once a year, we would like to all gather together in the sanctuary at the same time to worship God, take New Life Family pictures and celebrate God’s goodness in our lives. We may not be able to do this in five years. But we will continue to do this as long as the facility allows us.

I am a person with many flaws. But one thing I think I can say about myself is that my heart is in the right place and my conscience, so far, is clear before God.

Thank you for following and responding to my leadership well over the years. It’s been a tremendous joy and privilege for me to serve as your pastor for 21 years!

Your pastor,

Eric