I take pen in hand to give an update on the Rader family. At the beginning of this calendar year, God gave me some verses and a specific word from those verses.
Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory
in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
The year started out as one of the stormiest years of our lives. We had just completed a four-month-long furlough in 2022 and arrived back to our home in Peru in the middle of November. In mid-January, we were given the news that we were leaving Peru for the long term, perhaps never to return. My soul was distraught as I questioned God about this word abundantly He had given me. Was it a cruel joke? What I felt and saw with my human reasoning was abundant change, loss, turmoil—and I could go on. However, God’s grace held us through what seemed like insurmountable storms. When God took Mark to Heaven and I had to cleave to Him in a way I never had before, God, through His Word, His family, and many friends began to open my eyes to His ability to do “abundantly.” In the past few months, we have been shown abundant grace, mercy, peace, comfort, provision, friendship—and I could go on and on. God has been so very good!
God has provided for every need, and on top of that, the churches and individuals who have gone above and beyond and continued to send financial help have given us as a family the opportunity to reach out and participate in being a blessing to others. We have also been riding the bus to church on Sunday mornings. God has touched the hearts of some good men in our church who have begun to take my older boys out for soul winning/bus visitation. Savannah goes with the teenagers and college-aged soul winners on Thursdays. God is healing our hearts and helping us as we continue to reach out to others amidst our grief. We desire to bring God the glory He so deserves through our trial of suffering. Our hearts are filled with gratitude and thanksgiving as we see God bless abundantly.
The work of God among our friends and family in Peru continues to reach lost souls and disciple converts. We rejoice to see God work, and we want to thank you from the depths of our souls for all the prayers spoken on our behalf and for our brethren down in Lima too. We may no longer be missionaries, but we still have a mission. We pray for God to strengthen us and to use our lives for His glory, and we pray that He would continue to open doors of opportunity to serve and sow the seeds of the Gospel wherever we go.
Abundantly blessed and thankful,
Sarah, Savannah, Paul, Samuel, Rebekah, Luke, and Timothy Rader