Dear Praying Friends,
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you” (2 Peter 1:2). Have you ever noticed that most New Testament epistles begin with this greeting? It is our prayer that each one of you will experience the abounding presence of God’s grace and peace in your lives. As we continue to serve and minister at Cornerstone Baptist Church, we are experiencing God’s grace in our weakness so that God continues to accomplish his purposes both in us and through us. External peace is elusive; we continue to hear of “wars and rumors of wars,” social unrest, Covid outbreaks in various places, and the lockdowns which follow. Nevertheless, these things have not destroyed the true, inner peace that we enjoy, as we hide ourselves “under the shadow of His wings.”
The month of December was a month of Christmas activities and readjustment in our return to ministry. Cornerstone’s youth helped run an outreach program in association with a new church planting ministry in a nearby community being launched by the Brian Bollon family (GFAM). It was a blessing both to the Bollons and to our youth. Our own Cornerstone Christmas program was blessed with several unsaved family members in attendance, who heard a clear gospel message. A relatively small outbreak of Covid in Taiwan caused nervousness, which limited our ability to hold some outreach ministries. However, we thank the Lord that our regular worship services and prayer meetings have been able to continue uninterrupted.
Josh Stewart and Matt have been taking turns with the Sunday preaching responsibilities. Matt has resumed a series on the book of Hebrews that he began more than a year ago, before we left for furlough. In addition, Josh and Matt are taking turns teaching an adult/teen Sunday School series on the practice of prayer. In the past, our adult Sunday School class was taught by men in our congregation. However, demanding work pressures, cultural stresses, or personal issues have caused each one of these men to step away. Please pray that God would enable them to overcome the various challenges they face and restore their spiritual fervency. This will become particularly important when the Stewart family leaves for furlough in a few months.
Marla recently suffered a back injury that has reduced her mobility and continues to cause pain and discomfort. After being diagnosed with a mildly herniated disk, she began physical therapy three times a week. She felt some relief and improvement after the first week of therapy, but then everything stopped for two weeks during Chinese New Year, while the clinic was closed. As a result, there was some regression. She is now able to get back in for treatments. Please pray that these treatments will be effective in correcting the problem, reducing the pain, and in permitting her to resume normal activity.
In February we held a funeral for the husband of one of our church ladies. The wife was an early convert of our ministry and we prayed for the salvation of her husband for 20 years. From time to time through the years, he would attend special programs, but he never showed much real interest in the gospel. In October he was diagnosed with stage four cancer and began treatments. Marla and I were able to visit him once in their home between hospital stays, however, he still resisted the gospel. As his condition deteriorated, we no longer were able to have personal contact with him due to Covid restrictions, but we all prayed diligently for his salvation. At last, in his wife’s presence he acknowledged his need and called upon the Lord for salvation. This was a huge comfort and encouragement to the wife. Many unsaved family members attended the funeral and heard the gospel message. For most of them it was their first experience in attending a Christian funeral. We are praying that some of those who heard the gospel will get saved.
Through this and other recent events, we have been reminded of the importance and efficacy of prayer. We are deeply in need of your continued prayers on our behalf and on behalf of the Lord’s work here. We have had lots of ups and downs since our return to Taiwan; pray that the Lord would continue to advance His work as He uses us in our weakness. Pray also that we would personally experience fewer downs and greater emotional and spiritual stability.
In Christ,
Matt and Marla Hanna