Is it possible that another year is coming to an end? I hope you can look back over the past 12 months, the blessings and tragedies, the failures and victories, and pray as I do every year about this time: “Lord, help me to learn something through each of them.”
On October 12 I traveled to San Francisco, CA to attend a Mission Conference in the North Valley Baptist Spanish Church, where my son, David is pastor. My son in law, Ulises MartÃnez, was the speaker for that Conference. He and my daughter, Elizabeth, are doing deputation in preparation to go to Israel as missionaries. While I was there, I was honored to speak twice to my daughter in law, Jolene’s College ladies’ classes.
On the 19th, I flew to Portland, OR where my friend, Cathy Flores met me at the airport. I got to speak 7 times in their Ladies’ Conference, and after one of the sessions when I gave the invitation, a young lady was saved. An added fun part of that trip was getting to spend time with my nephew, Jonathan Ashcraft’s wife, Jenny, who was also one of the speakers, and their precious baby girl, Megan Georgiana. “Thank you, Lord for allowing me to mix family time with my ministry.”
At our last Prayer Breakfast of the year, on October 25, there was another lady saved.
I know many of you are anxious to hear the results of our Annual Ladies’ Christmas Banquet on November 17. One hundred ladies signed our guest book. My son in law, Ulises, did an amazing job as he spoke, and 6 precious ladies were saved when he gave the invitation…one of them the wife of a former mayor of our city. Thank you for your prayers, and financial contributions to this event!
November 20-22 found me in Ixtapa, where I participated in the Pastors’ Conference, hosted by the church Ulises founded. I got to teach 2 ladies’ sessions. On the evening of the 22nd, as part of the conference, there was a Thanksgiving Banquet…thanking the Lord for giving me the joy of living in Mexico for 57 years. Although Ulises is no longer the pastor, an amazing young man whom Ulises won to the Lord and trained, has taken over the ministry there. Ulises and Elizabeth will be here until January, and then they will continue their deputation in the USA.
After teaching the last session of the ladies’ conference in Oregon, on Saturday, the 21st, I turned on my phone, and there was a message from one of my sons: “Dr. Vineyard just passed away.” I couldn’t believe my eyes. How thankful I was, as I remembered back almost 13 years ago, the day after my husband’s funeral. Two of my sons accompanied me as I went in for my appointment with him, just to get some direction for my life as a new widow. I was glad I was doing what he advised me to do: “Billie, put yourself at the disposal of pastors and their wives, to speak to wives and young ladies.” “Thank you, Father, for the life of Dr. Jim Vineyard.”
I am sending a tribute I wrote to my former Pastor, Dr. Jim Vineyard, written almost 11 years ago, just before his surgery. (Click here to read.)
Your friend,
Billie Sloan
Nahum 1:7
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