December Update

Dear Friends,

It has been a long time since we last wrote, but we wanted to update you on several activities we have recently been involved with and let you know how you can be praying for us.

At present, we have lots of pots in the fire, so to speak, and we are looking forward to the Christmas holidays that begin for us in 2 weeks. However, before I start counting my naps before they begin, let me fill you in on what is happening on the ministry front. First of all, Tim will be helping lead a conference this weekend for about 50 of our church members. This conference is geared toward our lay leaders as well as emerging leaders in the congregation and we are looking forward to see how God will move and work in those attending. As well, Thursday night, Tim will be speaking at a college/career group and the Sunday following the conference he will be preaching the Sunday morning service. Please pray that the Lord will sustain Tim physically and spiritually throughout the four days.

We also recently celebrated the engagement of two of our dear friends and sisters in the Lord. Katya, the children’s piano teacher (and pianist on the Vivaldi CD many of you have) will be getting married this May to a young man from Kyiv. Also, Mahsa (the gal who lived with us for two years and now helps me with the little ones while I homeschool Daniel) will also be tying the knot this summer to a wonderful man from Kharkiv. Tim and I will be doing some long-distance marital preparation classes with both couples as well as spending time with them together whenever the grooms-to-be are in town. It is with bittersweet excitement that we anticipate the union of these two couples, as it will mean saying goodbye to some very dear friends. Please pray for Katya and Andrei and Masha and Volodia as they prepare to unite their lives in a few short months.

Tim continues to meet weekly with Zoryan as he prepares to take over the responsibilities of the discipleship groups next year, as well as his weekly meetings with the leadership team at church. We are excited about the direction Hosanna Church is headed and continue to see much fruitful ministry happening there. Please pray that Zoryan would continue to mature and grow in the Lord as he readies to shoulder significantly more responsibilities at the church next year.

God’s Love, our recent church plant is doing well and beginning to see new converts as their influence grows in the local school and neighborhood. Ruslan is doing a fine job leading his small congregation and we count it a privilege to function in a supportive for them. We periodically get together in an advisory role with various members of their church and Tim will be spending a number of Sundays there over the next few months to lend his support to the work that is happening there. Because they meet in the afternoons, Tim will be able to attend their services as well as Hosanna’s. Please pray for continued fruitfulness of Hosanna’s daughter church, God’s Love.

On the home front, we are at present all healthy and pressing forward to finish out the last two weeks of the fall semester well. Unfortunately, our adoption of Markian and Josiah is at a stand-still as we wait for the adoption center to again begin taking dossiers for prospective parents. We have recently been informed that they will re-open February 4th and the news is not very encouraging regarding how many children will be allowed to be adopted by Americans. Please pray for a timely adoption of Markian and Josiah.

On a final note, we wish all of you a very blessed Christmas and happy new year. May the joy and peace of Jesus fill your hearts and lives, spilling out to those around you, everywhere you go.

God bless,

Heather for the Millers