Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years from Chuck & Estela

We pray this letter finds you doing well and receiving the gracious daily blessing of our Sovereign Lord and Savior. He is high and lifted up, ruling supremely upon His throne. He is in control, interceding on our behalf, and extending His all sufficient grace to all who learn to live in Him.

As you can see, the kids and grandkids are doing well. We love having them close and getting to see them weekly. The 2 older grandbabies will be 4 years old in March and the 2 younger ones just turned 2 years old in November and December. What a joy it is to watch them grow.

Estela thoroughly loves being Nana. She takes care of me, works at the dental office, and still finds the energy to take care of grandkids and cook for everyone. With some help from her mom and dad she cleaned up the garage and had a garage sale. She also found time to orchestrate a 50th Golden wedding anniversary party for her mom and dad on November 25. She is an amazing lady, a gift from God to me. Her outer beauty is only exceeded by the depth and genuineness of her inner beauty.

2006 has been a year of new experiences. We started out the year looking into a way I could make a living from home with very limited physical ability. It was becoming apparent that my health would not allow me to continue pastoring. I began to feel less and less energy through the summer and into the Fall. A visit with my cardiologist in late September led to an October 15 resignation from pastoring and a lot of prayer about looking at a heart transplant. Now, at 49, I’m officially retired due to medical disability (the hours are great but the pay is terrible). On December 12 I went through a full day (11 hours) of testing and evaluation at the Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute in Oklahoma City. I have a few more tests to go through but it appears right now that I will be placed on the transplant list toward the middle of January 2007. There is no way of knowing the wait period before I will actually be transplanted. There are just too many variables with organ availability, criteria for a match, and health of recipients. In order to pay for the post-transplant medications we will have to go through a fund raiser company because the meds are extremely expensive and I will have to take them for the rest of my life. So, undoubtedly, you will be hearing from us in the near future.

Our church, Grace Fellowship, is so unbelievably supportive of us. They have walked with us and carried us for the past 4 years. Although I had to resign in October, they have graciously extended my paycheck through December. They also established an Insurance Fund that will go toward paying for our health insurance. They have blessed us with their love and action.

Starting January 1 my income will be determined by my new business opportunity. The home business we found is called Escape International. Finding Escape has been a blessing from God. We are a marketing company that acquires new customers for our partners. We market for a VoIP residential and business phone service, all the major cell phone companies, DISH Network Satellite TV, some broadband internet providers, and a wellness company called Xymetri (incredible health products). After 27 years of pastoral ministry, it’s not easy to learn a business mindset. Sorry to use a Christmas letter to solicit business but time is short and we could sure use your help. So, will you go through me to get to these services and products? I can probably save you money and you can know that you are supporting Estela and me. Thank you. Are you interested in developing residual income with a part-time job? Check out the websites at http://www.escapeinternational.com and http://www.xymetri.com (Rep #424638) or http://www.escaperep.net/chuckandrews

“Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works.”
Psalms 73:25-28

Jesus Christ is the reason for the season.

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,
glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14