Merry Christmas from the Kirks...

The Year: 2009
The Place: In & around those Canadian prairies...
The What: Merry Christmas & God's blessing as you serve our Lord & Saviour!

We've been impacted afresh with the power of prayer & the faithfulness of God & His people. God asks us to come to Him personally and on behalf of one another with our needs, praise, thanksgiving & requests. He desires to work in & through us in a world so needy... a high calling & privilege.

This year, Ed & I entered our 20th year of ministry. Next month we celebrate 40 years of marriage, & we have now lived more than half of our lives understanding God's will & plan for us personally & the world around us. The pace of ministry life seems to continue to speed up. We heard a speaker share how many more responsibilities now accompany the role of pastoral ministries as compared to years before.

We continue to be challenged with the difference we can make locally & globally as we share our resources & prayer focus in a world so needy. Disliking the fact that it's so much easier to give of our old possessions than to offer those items we prize. A friend sings a song that says, "I'll not offer anything that costs me nothing..."

We continue to learn the blessing & power of relying more on God & less on us... words so easy to say & even think, but life changing in their challenge & leave us feeling vulnerable as we realize that only God can make the difference. We are overwhelmed by the fact that His timing & provision are always perfect.

So, for Ed & I... we continue on in ministry in our little town. It's still a blessing to see God change hearts & lives in church & camp settings. Ed's focus was again more to our church. It's exciting to see those who look for Truth & live out their faith day by day. Marilyn finds the church & camp ministries intersect as they seem to weave in & out of each other. She is encouraged & challenged by the blessing of youth who catch hold of God's plan for their lives & have so much potential for God's kingdom; in those years when so many life decisions are being made.

Our family... our kids & grandsons are doing well. Grays (Marcy, Kelly, Tyler & Nathan) in Edmonton growing their family as they enter 'those teenage years' where parents seem to be on a learning curve too. Those younger Kirks (Ken & Corrie) are building a new home in Nipawin & learning lots in the process, stepping into new areas of ministry & trusting God for things big & small. Marilyn's mom is doing ok... but just ok. Marilyn travels there again in February to see how it's going and think through options.

Our prayer for you this Christmas time is that you will continue to grow in God, to trust Him more & be bold for Him. As you look to Him, may He bless your 2010 in ways most meaningful to you & your family. May you be content in who you are & how very much God loves YOU! Your friendship means so much to us!!

Below are a few pics of the Kirks & Grays...
Love & blessing... Ed & Marilyn