January 24

Dear friends,

You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance. - Psalms 65:11

Looking back at a year that has passed, I can only thank God, my family, the board, ministry team and you all who supported us. Without you we could not have fulfilled the vision and strategy of our work at ETM. It was a year loaded with missions and projects that produced spiritual fulfillment and blessing both nationally and internationally. Each month, I presented the work done in and with the team. The whole year, we were involved in the work of discipling and equipping pastors, elders and missionaries from the USA and Europe. We also were involved in counseling pastors, missionaries and churches that requested our help.

I wanted to share an update about my family and ministry. 2023 was a challenging year for us, but we felt God’s presence with us throughout. This year we went on two missions to Romania, Spain, Albania, and Macedonia, each lasting three weeks, I also had the opportunity to present ETM’s Ministry and preach the Word of God at different churches and conferences, while continuing to train disciples with the groups I started. Iulia was a great support to me, taking care of the kids (while I was away on missions), hosting our guests, and joining me in different churches whenever she had time. She also continued her work and helped many women through prayer and counseling.

Our son David turned 18 and officially an adult. He is currently in 12th grade and finished his EMT training course. He’s now taking some college classes while doing Abeka Academy and working part-time. Please pray for him, as he is preparing for the “College season”. He needs wisdom in all decisions. Our daughter Estera, is in 7th grade. She is now a teen, so we appreciate your prayers during this season. In 2023 she started taking voice and piano lessons and continued her violin lessons as well. She’s very interested in music. As parents we want, and hope, to be able to support them as much as we can. We are grateful for your support, prayers, and encouragement throughout the year, and we ask for continued prayers for us and our kids as they make decisions.

For Ethan and Sarah, the Lord gifted them with a baby girl this past March. They have been blessed with a healthy baby and with the Father's grace as they have adjusted to this new stage of life. Their work in ministry also picked up this year, with Ethan preaching at multiple churches, setting up online giving, building our new ETM website, finishing a Models study and beginning another Models group, taking four men through our Ordination Training, serving with the Robbinsville First Baptist Church youth group, and traveling to Romania for the first time as part of ETM's international strategy to equip disciple-makers in Europe. 

For Colin, 2023 was a very productive year. He has good health, long walks, rewarding visits from family, former students, athletes, trainees, supporters and colleagues. He has the companionship of a growing team of competent and faithful ministers who shepherd the flock of God well and a growing, vibrant local church fellowship. He lives in a well equipped mountain top home with reliable internet from which to observe and mourn the disintegration of language, culture and philosophical discourse.

We pray that God will be praised in everything and always. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Philippians 4:4-5