Missions: Are you Called?

Happy Spring Beloved! We pray you are growing in understanding of and fullness in God. The Lord has been doing much work growing, watering and planting this past month. Our update will be brief, sharing four key highlights - please join us as we praise Him - thank you for your faithful prayers and love.

First, Johnny Gravino, the director of the Italian Theological Academy, ITA, taught at Cornerstone on a Sunday. He came to attend the annual Shepherd's conference at Grace Community Church, and our elder board invited him to preach (pictured below with one of our elders). It was a blessing for our brothers and sisters to meet and get to know him, especially as we continue praying about another opportunity to come alongside the work he, his wife and others are doing in Rome. This is the same gentleman we visited last summer. Husband was also able to spend some intimate time with him over coffee, and he shared how blessed he was. 

Second, Husband and I were able to attend the annual TMAI missions conference. It was a day rich in fellowship with brothers and sisters from Cornerstone and fantastic teaching from God's word. This was our fourth year attending. I was encouraged looking back to the first one when I knew hardly anything about missions, and now I am starting to see the big picture of the Lord's beautiful design. My takeaway is that all are called to steward the gospel, all participate in missions and all are equally important. But our roles vary. Paul Washer painted a visual: 'you are either in the well, or you are holding the rope for those going down.' Missionaries, a.k.a. sent ones, are not the end all; the church is. 

Third, Husband and an elder were able to attend the "Stand Firm" Ligonier Conference with his Monday night cohort (pictured below). He shared how refreshed he was and that he was able to grow in closeness with the men from Foothill Bible Church and one of our pastors: "The messages were amazing, and I was illuminated by the magnificence of the triune God (sermons by Sinclair Ferguson and Michael Reeves)."

Fourth, I was invited by the CBU women's stunt team and given permission by my boss to lead a devotional. It was a divine opportunity to preach the word boldly, confidently and humbly. I did not know what to expect, but the word went forth, and I rest in His good intention. I shared from Matthew 19 and 20 on the rich young ruler and the parable of the vineyard owner pressing into the question: what good thing must I do to be saved, in tandem with the character of God. 

To close, I will end with the words of Paul - they are some of my absolute favorite on the beauty of God's design for the Church: "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:11-16, NASB).

Praise Reports:

1. Husband and I continue ongoing discipleship, growing in applying what we are learning and going on dates;
2. Husband and the boys were able to attend a live stream of the annual Shepherd's conference with a group of men at our church (pictured below);
3. Jacob is wrapping up his third year at CBU; and
4. Zachary's senior year and tennis season are going well, and he continues asking great questions and sharing his heart after worship service or bible studies.

Prayer Requests (the Lord's will in all):

1. The Valadez family as we adjust to Apa being with the Lord, especially my mother in law;
2. Husband is in his second semester, year 2 of bible training class on Monday evenings; he is learning Greek and how to prepare and present sermons and devos;
3. Husband is also in process of taking care of some legalities with his retirement-please pray for peace, wisdom and the Lord to direct/provide; 
4. Wisdom, endurance & to walk in the Spirit, with ongoing health challenges, daily dealings with sin and a work situation;
5. Witnessing opportunities;
6. Zachary will be making some important life decisions in the next few months; and
7. Hacob & Zachary to bear consistent/genuine fruit of salvation.