Merry Christmas from the Rothmanns

Christmas is the time each year where we write a poem to spread some cheer. It’s the perfect season to realize how God has been at work in all our lives. In each and every moment and in every detail, His hand can be found. He does not fail. As this year is done and a new one will start, Loren’s temp job ends –from Wells Fargo he must part. Our new jobs at JAARS are close at hand. God will use us in His timing. It’s all in His plan. What a blessing to wait for and see God’s provision as we walk in faith toward our Wycliffe vision. New partners are joining our ministry team. They pray and encourage us and give us new steam! One third of our monthly financial need. That’s all that is left before we proceed! The boys have done well in the seventh grade. Homeschooling is certainly no nap in the shade. Watching them grow and seeing them learn surpasses any career or money we could earn. Michelle plays the flute and Zack plays piano. Three boys love Scouting, and two take Taekwondo! The water pipe burst and the house was a mess. Our friends helped us clean up. Oh how we’re blessed! In the midst of the holiday planning and stir, our days are crazy and gone in a whir. We shop for hours for just the right thing, but only one Gift can make our souls sing. That gift is Jesus, our precious Redeemer! He came to save us so with God we’d find favor. It’s said so much, let it not be cliché: Jesus is the reason for this happy holiday! May your blessings at Christmas and in the new year not lack! Merry Christmas to all,

12/11 Update - Priceless Gift of God's Word

Wycliffe developed “Translation Acceleration Kits” to provide solar-powered satellite communication to translators in remote locations with no electricity. Translation project time is greatly reduced and translators avoid unsafe travel.

Stressed about buying, wrapping and delivering gifts?  Just remember, God gave us the most precious Gift ever! We didn’t ask for it. It was far more costly than we could afford. It is given to everyone. But it cannot be enjoyed unless it is received. God gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life! Jesus is a gift that never loses value. He dwells with us in our hearts and He speaks to us through the Bible.  Please partner with us so we can help translate His Word for 340 million people to know about the true Gift of Christmas!  Click here and consider being a financial supporter with a monthly, quarterly, or annual donation. December marks the end of Loren’s employment.  Please pray that we will have 100% of our monthly financial need by January so Wycliffe will allow us to start our assignments at JAARS. God is doing mighty works through Wycliffe and we are excited about being a part of it.  Thank you for your prayers and support!

God bless you this Christmas and in the upcoming year!

10/11 Update - God is SO Good!

PRAISES and PRAYER NEEDS

• Catching up on house work. Blessed with help painting front door, shutters, and deck! Still finishing windows/trim.
• Loren blessed by men’s fellowship and Bible study on God’s intentions for men as husbands, dads, sons, etc.
• Blessed to have good camping trips to make fun family memories and just take time with one another.
• Michelle going on weekend women’s retreat 10/27.
• We are very thankful to have 65% of our support partners. Praying the final 35% will join us by the end of the year.
• Zack having minor surgery with general anesthetic on 10/24.
• Michelle struggling with insomnia and migraines. Never good for Mama/teacher to be sick.
• Loren’s contract job will be reduced to 20 hrs/wk starting November 1 and end December 30.
• Significant organizational restructuring and staff loss in JAARS IT Department. Loren is needed more than ever to make technical support available.
• Cars are making weird noises, one needs heat fixed, and one has rust spots busting thru. Praying for help or ability to fix them.

CAMPING ROCKS! We recently took a family camping trip to Kings Mountain, SC and slowed down a little to enjoy God’s creation. We were blessed with blue skies and crisp refreshing air, fall colors peeking   through on the forest palette, and moonlight softly shining on our tents. It was an amazing display of our Creator’s work that Psalm 19: 1-4 tells us is there for a special reason.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

Imagine people’s response when they receive the Bible in their heart language and discover that God designed all of creation to call them to an intimate relationship with Him.

Wycliffe is currently translating the Bible for 1,525 language groups (representing 2.6 billion people) and seeking to start new projects in the remaining 2000 language groups (340 million people) by the year 2025.  Michelle and I are excited that God has called us to use our skills in technology and health care to help realize this goal.

Thank you for your prayers and support as we ask for the remaining 35% of our monthly financial need.  Along this journey, God continually proves He is so faithful  and He delights in providing for us (Malachi 3:10). We can trust Him in all things!

God bless you!

9/11 - Unlock the Treasure in the Bible

Sunday was a sobering day remembering the moments of September 11. Many terrifying thoughts and heartbreaking emotions filled our minds that day. God has heard our prayers and we take solace in the promises from His Word.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:16 NASB emphasis added

The Bible tells us God loves us and is in  control even when we cannot understand or predict the circumstances around us.  Imagine being one of 380 million people who cannot read the Bible because it is locked in a language they cannot understand. How would you deal with times of crisis and loss?

We need YOU to help us make our ministry possible. 

Your prayers and financial support will make it possible for us to serve at Wycliffe and get His Word to the Bibleless people of the world.  Currently, we are at 56% of our monthly financial need.
We can start at JAARS when we reach 100%.

You might ask…

What is a monthly financial pledge? Wycliffe missionaries do not receive a guaranteed salary. We rely on God to provide through the gifts of interested individuals and churches.

How much should I pledge? There is no minimum and no contract – just pray and ask God to help you decide. He will provide for what your heart desires to give. Every partner helps us meet our monthly budget (whether giving monthly, quarterly, or annually) so we can start/sustain our ministry at JAARS!

Where are you serving; Wycliffe or JAARS? Both! JAARS is a strategic partner with Wycliffe helping missionaries with operational needs like technology, air/land/marine transportation, construction , and much more.

If you would like to pledge, click here or contact Wycliffe with the information on the left.

THANK YOU and GOD BLESS YOU!

8/11 Update - God Keeps Providing!

Hi, friends!  Here’s a quick update to share what God is doing in our lives.

Praises:

• God answers prayers! We’re over 50% and half way to JAARS!
• Great JAARS Day! Loren demonstrated translation software that he will help support.
• Matthew won best camper award at Tae Kwon Do   camp. 
• Zack is going for his Second Class rank in Scouts.

Prayer:

• We are boldly asking God for 60% of our ongoing monthly support by August and 10%, or more, every month until we reach 100%.
• Balance our time well with God, family, home school, jobs, and ministry.
• Michelle’s craft shows (8/27 in Cary, 9/3-5 at Matthews Alive) to go well.
• Loren’s family to have safe travel to their family reunion in Wilmington the weekend of 8/17.
• Home school starting 8/29.

We hope you are enjoying your summer.  We’re praying for you and count it a privilege to receive your prayer requests/updates.

God bless you!

Loren and Michelle

7/11 Update - Run With Endurance the Race Marked Out For Us

We're looking forward to see how God brings together our full prayer and financial team.

Looking back, we see how God has so perfectly provided for us since we began our journey with Wycliffe. 

• After 2 years of following God to help get us out of debt (Dave Ramsey TMM), we asked Him to miraculously take care of the final amount.
  God provided a vehicle that Loren repaired and sold to pay off that final amount. Now we are debt-free; which is a requirement to join Wycliffe! HE PROVIDES! 

• Loren was laid off at the same time we started raising support for Wycliffe. We prayed for a job and Loren was offered a temporary contract to do exactly what he will be doing for JAARS IT Department. HE PROVIDES!

We are very close to half way in our partnership development and believe that God will bring us to 50% this month! Please join us in fervent prayer and committed financial partnership. God will use any amount that you feel led to give, nothing is too great or too small.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.  We would love to sit down with you in person or on the phone and tell you more about what we will be doing at JAARS. 

Matthew & Zack geared up for VBS with the theme
“KNOW * LOVE * SERVE” from Deuteronomy 10:12

With love in Christ,

Loren, Michelle, Matthew, and Zack

6/11 Update - Prayers and Preparations

om·ni·scient

1: having infinite awareness, understanding, and insight

2: having universal or complete knowledge

We are starting to make preparations in our home in anticipation of moving to the JAARS area.  A dear friend blessed us by repainting our kitchen cabinet doors leaving our shelves bared open for a short time. Inside our cabinets is not an area we always want to show off.

Even though we sometimes think we can close the doors and show a white-washed version of our hearts to the world, God knows our inward thoughts and fears. When God looks at us the doors are removed and He sees EVERYTHING … the good, bad and the ugly. Why do we try to hide? God loves us so much despite the ugliness of our flesh.  He sent his Son to die for us so that we can have an open and real relationship with Him. The Gospel is the only “white-wash” we need.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Your partnership with us helps to get His Good News to over 340 million people who still don’t have a single word.

PRAISES:

• ·         Our camper sold and the cabinets are painted; big help to prepare us for JAARS!
• ·         Loren still has a temporary job to help with the shortage of income due to a still growing partnership team.
• ·         Enjoying summer break and time with [grand] parents.
• ·         The boys passed the test for their next belt/level in Tae Kwon Do.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• ·         For people to join our support team helping us to reach 100% of our financial need and begin work at JAARS.
• ·         Michelle had CT scan and allergy tests, but still seeking cause of multiple migraines/headaches.
• ·         For us to manage our time in a way that would glorify God in our family, ministry, and work.

With love in Christ,

Click here to partner with us in prayer and/or finances.