Unity News

December, 2007

Make New Friends, But Keep the Old

by Blake Coffee

Our family's experience with Girl Scouts (I have two daughters) was mostly positive. My girls kept many friends and family (and my office) well stocked in cookies for several years! But among the things we learned through those few years, I will always remember this line from their theme song: Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and the other is gold. It is not scripture, but I have learned this year that it does reflect one of the ways of God.

2007 has been a wonderful year for our ministry, seeing God doing great things through our relationships with other churches and ministries. While responding to invitations from new friends in Romania and South Africa brought some amazing results, working with long-time friends in Ukraine also yielded unforgettable experiences. While we had several churches as new partners this year, we continue to find support from long-time partner churches as well. Finally, this year saw the launching of our new material, Trusting God's People… Again from VMI Publishers, which has already had some wonderful responses in just the first month of its release. But this year also saw the third edition (in English) of our oldest and most requested material, Five Principles of Unity , and will soon see the publication of this same material in both Romania and in South Africa. It is tried and true and is still finding a place in the hearts of God's people all over the world.

There is an important lesson for us in the way this year has unfolded. God has revealed Himself to us most excitingly through the new friends and projects but continues to reveal Himself powerfully through our long-time friends and projects as well. Even as we plan for the year ahead and ask the question every organization asks—”Do we stay where we are or move forward to new things?”—God's resounding answer is “Yes! Both!”

Is God opening exciting new doors for new relationships and new directions for our ministry? Yes! Will God still use the people and materials from this ministry which He has used in the past? Absolutely! And so, as we spread further and further to cover the territory God has given us, we have never needed your prayers and support more than we do now! Thank you for remembering us!

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