Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Happy New Year! I hope that you had a wonderful New Year. I certainly had a very wonderful and enjoyable New Year and Christmas. The Lord privileged me to go back to Ohio and visit my loved ones for Christmas and New Year’s. It was real neat how I got the airplane ticket. The oddest thing happened which allowed me to get a free airplane ticket for the Holidays. US Airways out of the blue in late November got a hold of me and informed me that I was eligible for an airplane ticket and THEY GAVE me a free airplane ticket!
Besides getting the visit my loved ones in Ohio, the Lord put someone in my life over there who was able to assist me on a project that I have been doing. I was very grateful that God at the right time brought someone to help me; however I was surprised that He used someone during my vacation. But that is God. He is always surprising us and meeting our needs in greater ways that we can imagine.
I am now back in San Diego, California and the work of the Lord must continue here. I have gotten to go into the prisons a couple times with some brothers in the Lord and though I go in there to minister to men, the Lord last week sure blessed me from one of the inmates. It is a joy to work among people because at times when you least expect it, God will bless you with an overwhelming joy from one of the people you are serving (3 John 1:4). I hope and pray that you will not choose to just be a pew warmer at church, but that you will get up too and serve people around you for the Lord’s glory. I promise you will in the long-run be filled with an unspeakable joy for investing your life into someone else’s life.
I have a prayer request that I would like to share with you. Anytime we are serving the Lord, concerns are going to arise which can be out of our abilities. The Lord has permitted a concern to come about with the Bethesda Discipleship Home. I would ask for your heartfelt prayers in this. I covet your prayers and I appreciate them more than I can say. My heart grieves for men who have a real desire to know Jesus more but do not know how to come closer to Him because Christians look the other way. This should not be. But God certainly was right in 1 Samuel 15:7 that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. May the Lord be glorified more as we ask Him for more laborers (Matthew 9:37-38).
Again, I hope this letter finds you well. Whatever your concerns or joys are right now, do continue to look to Jesus. 1 Corinthians 7:24 reminds us to continue abiding, (become and stay real close to Jesus).
Have a wonderful day.
Sincerely,
Lawrence Bowman
