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December 2016

Christmas in Anchorage

Christmas in Anchorage, Alaska

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Bro Martin shares:

“Hello from Alaska! I hope y’all had a Merry Christmas, and anticipate a Hope-filled New Year. God is helping us– we are staying really busy in the Lord’s work. Sunday was great! We had about 80 for church, and a number of people responded good to the message. Then we fed about 140 a traditional Christmas dinner with turkey, dressing, ham, and lots of good stuff to go with it, It’s such a privilege to be on the “giving end” this Christmas. It is truly ‘more blessed to give than to receive!'”

We want to say thank you to all of you who pray for the ministry of Hope for the Home on a consistent basis. Our desire is to be more fruitful for the kingdom of God in 2017!

May God bless all of you!!

Hope Mobile

Anchorage Update

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We have an exciting report from Hope Church on Sunday. There were around 90 people present at the service. Bro Martin preached about how Mary’s life illustrates that God can move us “From How? To Wow!” Luke 1:37 says, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” We praise God for all He did in the hearts of those that were present!

 

It has been a quite hectic time for the Martin family. There have been many things to take care of around the house as well as ministerially. Bro Martin got studded tires on the new bus and has been working to get the previous lettering off. When I called him on Saturday, he was sitting on a bucket in the snow with a hand-held heater trying to get the letters to come off. Brrr!

 

It continues to snow there, which I guess is expected for Anchorage weather. The homeless people look forward to the snow because it actually gets warmer when it snows. It does cause a little challenge for Julie as she is responsible for taking the ladies in a van without studded tires. On one occasion last week, she had come to the top of a slippery hill and someone stopped in front of her. Thankfully, the car behind her moved out of her way; she rolled down the hill and started at it again. Praise God for protection! Julie’s hours at the Women’s Shelter has changed. Therefore, her alarm now goes off at 1am!

 
Please pray with us for a powerful presentation of the Gospel this Christmas!
 
We love y’all!

The Hope Mobile

The Hope Mobile

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We are excited to share with you how God has worked in the behalf of the Martin family and Hope Church this week. As you may remember, we mentioned a couple months back about looking for a bus to purchase in order to pick up more people for church. As Bro Martin was praying about this need and looking around, he found a bus that was well taken care of and reasonably priced. However, the main dilemma was the need for Bro Martin to get his CDL license. He began to check into all that was required. He went through the process of obtaining a health card as well as the needed preparation for the extensive tests. We are happy to tell you that Bro Martin passed the test on Thursday and was able to pick up the bus that Hope for the Home Ministries had secured.

 

There was no time spared in putting the bus to good use. On Friday night, Bro Martin picked up a group of children from Anchorage City Church who had prepared to do a Christmas Cantata at the Downtown Soup Kitchen. On Saturday, the Hope Mobile was used to transport the Martins along with other young people around town for Christmas caroling. And on Sunday, the Hope Mobile was filled with people desiring to be at Hope Church! We praise the Lord for His provision of this vehicle!
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There was a great turnout at Hope Church this Sunday. About 70 were in attendance and 5 precious souls came up upon the invitation to be saved. To God be the Glory for the things that HE is doing!!
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The head chef at the Downtown Soup Kitchen has now offered to prepare food for Sundays. This has greatly relieved Julie, Jalisa, and Joy from the load of cooking on Sundays.
We want to thank you once again for praying for the ministry of the Martins and Hope for the Home in Anchorage, Alaska!
Alaskan bound

Hope for the Home Update

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Bro. Martin, Julie, Jalisa, Jordan and Joy flew back to Alaska on Thursday of last week. They were greeted at the airport by their friend, Naomi, and the beloved family dog, Jingles! What a great reunion!

 

They went up to the Downtown Soup Kitchen on Friday and the people were SO glad see them! The excitement was mutual. The crowd was somewhat down at Hope Church yesterday, yet they still had a tremendous service with 2 people coming up for salvation. Praise God! With the absence of many, Bro Martin will be making contact with as many as he can. It is a possibility that some may have obtained housing because of the push the city has been making for that reality.

 

Julie started back to work this morning at the Women’s Shelter. The 3:00am wake-up alarms may be a little adjustment after an extended time off and especially in this extremely cold weather. Today, the thermometer read -10F degrees! That’s what we talk about frigid cold!! Julie had a staff meeting on Friday night, and they informed her that they have increased their capability to house 50 women instead of 30. This opportunity is exciting, yet with more people comes more need of God’s wisdom to deal with each situation. Please continue to pray for Julie and all the Women’s Shelter staff.

 

The family will be getting back into the routine of ministry this week. We covet your prayers for God to guide them each step of the way.

 

Martin tombstone

A Finished Race – Carol Martin 7/24/60 – 12/3/16

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When I awakened this morning,  the consciousness of my wonderful Lord’s presence is so comforting. I have found that He is indeed every bit as faithful as He’s promised to be.

 

Here is the “Streams in the Desert” devotion for the day. It’s so appropriate. It helped me this date 2 years ago when my dear wife, Carol, passed into the presence of Jesus, and still sustains me.

 

Strong in Suffering

 

Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. – 2 Kgs 4:26 KJV

“Be strong, my soul!
Thy loved ones go
Within the veil. God’s thine, e’en so;
Be strong.

“Be strong, my soul!
Death looms in view.
Lo, here thy God! He’ll bear thee through;
Be strong.”

For sixty-two years and five months I had a beloved wife, and now, in my ninety-second year I am left alone. But I turn to the ever present Jesus, as I walk up and down in my room, and say, “Lord Jesus, I am alone, and yet not alone—Thou art with me, Thou art my Friend. Now, Lord, comfort me, strengthen me, give to Thy poor servant everything Thou seest he needs.” And we should not be satisfied till we are brought to this, that we know the Lord Jesus Christ experimentally, habitually to be our Friend: at all times, and under all circumstances, ready to prove Himself to be our Friend. —George Mueller

Afflictions cannot injure when blended with submission.

Ice breaks many a branch, and so I see a great many persons bowed down and crushed by their afflictions. But now and then I meet one that sings in affliction, and then I thank God for my own sake as well as his. There is no such sweet singing as a song in the night. You recollect the story of the woman who, when her only child died, in rapture looking up, as with the face of an angel, said, “I give you joy, my darling.” That single sentence has gone with me years and years down through my life, quickening and comforting me. —Henry Ward Beecher

“E’en for the dead I will not bind my soul to grief;
Death cannot long divide.
For is it not as though the rose that climbed my garden wall
Has blossomed on the other side?
Death doth hide,
But not divide;
Thou art but on Christ’s other side!
Thou art with Christ, and Christ with me;
In Christ united still are we.”

I send this with special appreciation for the outpourings of love that my family and friends have lavished upon us. Thank you again for loving us, and proving it so profusely!

Rev. James Martin