Everlasting Father

by David McKinney

      Beliza first met the church in 2009. Along with her came her little brother Kauã. He was two years old at the time. He has had the privilege of growing up in the church. This means that God has used many people to influence him in the process of his conversion.
      He has participated avidly in Sunday School, VBS, tagged along with big sister to all kinds of youth devos and retreats, studied the Bible with Joseph and myself, and so forth.
      Kauã is only thirteen years old, but has had a rough life. His mom died when he was little, his dad is distant. His dad remarried and his stepmother, unlike certain fairy tales, loved him as her own. However, she got cancer, was cured, then it came back and finally ended her life four years ago.
      As we talked about him giving his life over to Jesus, I told him that something very new and different was about to happen in his life. I told him that God was going to adopt him and that this PARENT was going always going to love him, care for him, and be with him.
      I said to him, “Your new Father will never get sick, will never treat you with indifference and will never die. The Father who wants to adopt you, who wants to be your Father, is an Everlasting Father… He will be the best Dad you have ever had… and He will be your Dad forever! I asked him, “Do you accept?” His answer was YES!

Comments

The Planting, the Watering, and the Increase

Emesson started coming to Bible Club over a year ago, when Neil Schultz and Cait Beckloff, our AIM team, were teaching it. For several months, they planted the seed in his and his sister's hearts. Unfortunately Neil and Cait's time in João Pessoa ended. In 2014 Bible Club received a boon when Erick and Jenny Paddy, former AIMers, returned to the field and picked up teaching the Bible Study for English speakers. They watered the sprouting seed in Emesson's life until God's Word became more important for him than just practicing his English. Last Wednesday night, God gave the increase, adding Emesson to the Family of Christ. Sometimes things don't happen when we think they should, but God is in control; His time is best, and we must thank Him for playing a small part in His plan.

"What About Baptism?"

Edda and I went to a nearby city to study the Bible with a family, Genilda (who is already a Christian), Ana, Mariana, Luiza, and Jefferson. While we were reading God's Word, Ana's husband, Silva, came in and sat down, and then blurted out: "What about baptism?" It took me by surprise because he has barely studied with us, but, most certainly, is already thinking about spiritual matters. Our Bible study then took a lot of detours, answering this question or that. Silva said he still has a lot of questions, and we pray that the Lord will use us to answer them, bringing him to understand the Good News!

Samuel McKinney's New Life in Christ

It has been only three days since Samuel gave his life to Christ, but it is so exciting to see my young son exercising his faith, like getting upset when his history teacher at school taught that miracles in the book of Exodus can be explained by natural phenomena: low and high tides in the crossing of the sea, natural disasters for the plagues, etc. The day after his baptism, Samuel went on a trip with his school and received a new nickname: the boy who reads the Bible. He read 1 Samuel, chapters 1 through 6, out loud for the whole bus to hear. His eagerness to take the Lord's Supper for the first time was refreshing. May our Father bless all our families with life changing faith.

McKinney Report

Search This Blog