News for the week of May 9-15, 2024

I hope you’re all having a great week. I confess that mine has had its ups and downs.  

On the bright side, I’m feeling a lot better than I did this past Sunday, apart from a lingering cough.
(Thanks so much for your prayers!)  The bright sunshine and warmer temperatures are cheering.
And of course, there are many blessings to prompt gratitude. In particular, with Mothers’ Day
coming this week I’ve been reflecting on some of the noteworthy women in Proverbs. They are great examples for us all, and they’ve reminded me again just how much my life has been enriched by my own wonderful grandmother, mother, and wife. I’ve been blessed indeed!

(By the way, if you want to read ahead this week, we’ll be looking into Proverbs 31:10-31 and also into chapter 8.)

On the not-so-bright side, I recently received some sad news. Or at least, let’s call it bitter-sweet. This past week our beloved Church Administrator, Tracey Miller, informed me that in late April she was approached by a church in Maple Ridge with a position offer that was really too good not to consider. The church is 10 minutes from her home, the position matches her gifts, and it opens opportunities for her to grow and serve in fresh and exciting ways. It’s a good fit for her family, and seems clearly to be from the Lord. So, she has considered and accepted the offer.

Of course, this good news for Tracey is sad for me, for our staff team, and for our whole church. We’ve all come to love Tracey very much, and it’s hard to imagine how we’ll function without her cheerful, diligent, competent presence in the office and in so many areas of WVBC ministry. She’s been a great example of the wise, godly service that Proverbs advises. She will be badly missed—though I’m so happy that she can move forward into this wonderful opportunity.

Please pray for Tracey as she anticipates and transitions into this new role in the coming month. She’ll thrive there, I know, but transitions always take a lot of energy. Pray for our leadership team as well, as we look for the right person to step into the role of WVBC Church Administrator. We know our Lord has someone in mind, but we want to be attentive to His leading.

Once again we find ourselves resting on the promises from James 1:5 and Romans 8:28. It’s good to know that God will give wisdom as we ask, and that He will somehow work all these things out for good: for Tracey, for our church, and for His Kingdom. And of course, my mind goes back to Proverbs 3:5-6, and our need to trust the Lord with all our hearts and not lean on our own understanding, acknowledging Him in everything in the knowledge that He really will make our path clear and straight in His time. Grant us that trust again this week, we pray, dear Lord. And thank You!