Dear friends and family,
A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you!
I took Christmas off to be home with my family in Alabama. I pray you all had a wonderful holiday season. Thank you to Aunt Alene for sponsoring my trip!
I apologize for not writing a newsletter sooner. I have been lax in keeping up with my web site and blog as well. I am in the process of updating everything. Please be patient with me.

Another semester — Fall semester was a very busy time for me, both professionally and personally. I completed Greek I, New Testament I and Evangelism classes. As always, there was a lot of reading, and I wrote a 15-page paper for New Testament as well as a couple of smaller ones for evangelism.

Support — Thank you for your prayer and for those of you have sent financial donations. I ask that you continue to pray for wisdom and for guidance in time management.

Scholarship — Another thank you for your prayers. I applied for and am receiving a Charles B. Keesee Grant for school this semester, which will take care of all my tuition and fees. Thank you to those who served as a reference.

I have some time off in January. Classes don't start back until Jan. 24. I am taking the second parts to Greek and New Testament and am adding Christian Theology I. I believe I have two different classes that will have a 15-page paper this semester. That will involve a lot of time at the library.
Also, I am seeking permission to audit a class in church planting. I have received my books, and am awaiting the start of classes Jan. 24.
I was in South Carolina the weekend of Jan. 11 for the 20th anniversary of the Christian Ministry Center in Batesburg-Leesville, where I served two years as a US/C-2 North American Mission Board missionary. It was a wonderful time of reunion with special friends. Please continue to pray for the CMC and its director, Margaret Wilson.
I stayed with Jack and Pat Kyzer from Suburban Baptist Church and attended church before returning to North Carolina.
In other news, I turned 34 on Jan. 19. Wow! How time flies! Thank you to all who've prayed for my problems with arthritis, memory loss and other aging issues. :)

I am in the process of raising money to go on my first foreign mission trip. I know, I know, many of you are saying, "How can that be? Haven't you been on one before?" Actually no — I have been out of the country but never on a mission trip.

I just wanted to encourage all of you to love your neighbors.
First, love God, then, love your neighbor as you love yourself. Jesus commanded us to follow these commandments. Some are easy to love, like my neighbor Theresa (at top of page, with me at our apartment complex Christmas party).
Others are loud and obnoxious. Pray for them; love them; get to know them. I encourage you to do something kind for them.

Praises:

Scholarship for semester

Allergies seem to be under control for now

Prayer Requests:

Foreign mission trip (wisdom, finances, people group, etc.)

Fruitful semester of continued growth, learning.

Time management between school, work, friends, sleep, etc.

Precious quiet times with God.