Dear friends and faithful ministry partners,

I hope this note finds you well during these COVID-19 times of uncertainty.  We all have had to adjust.  My heart wishes is to share my ministry and invite people to partner with me.  I am SO anxious to be in the mission field soon, yet this time is a blessing.  I get to spend time with my parents and my doggy-Dori.  I get to help my mom with some chores in the house and help my dad do the yard work.  Another thing, the weather has been nice lately!  I’ve been riding my bike and, at times, I hike at this beautiful park nearby our house.  I get to take walks around the lake with my dog and watched the sunset.  I praise God for His beautiful creations and I’m so grateful for the people that maintained the parks.

The other day, a friend of mine asked me “what is happening with you lately?” At first, I said, “Nothing much,” but after our conversation, I realized what I shared with her and I felt so blessed.  I’m home, and God is still allowing me to serve during this pandemic.  I visited a few people at their homes, did a little fixing with their computers, and set them up with a Zoom/Skype account.  l got to help at my local church with our “Spiritual Car Wash”; a drive through blessing.  Members of our church drove through the church’s parking lot and as they stopped at each station we setup, we handed out goody-bags and prayed for them. I also got a chance to help with our church ministry at the Community Crisis Center to do Bible Study with the homeless.  We brought sandwiches and coffee for them.  Another privilege was to help with our church project at Crow Agency—renovating the Crow Community Baptist Church. I am so glad I’m home!

This stay-at-home order is very difficult for a lot of people.  I totally understand that this COVID-19 has caused a lot of damage, pain, and heartaches. I know, because I have friends who are worried sick due to financial difficulty; and I have friends who lost their battle with the Coronavirus.  My heart is heavy.  I believe King Solomon when he said in the Book of Ecclesiastes “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” (3:1).  This time has given me the chance to attend prayer meetings, book study, and the spiritual formation group online.  My soul is being fed.  For those “outdoors” quiet times I have with the Lord, I am grateful and I praised Him.  I am blessed!

Reflection

The other night I was reading my devotion in the Book of Joel.  A relentless swarm of locusts had overwhelmed the nation of Judah.  The insects destroyed everything—the gardens, the fields of grain, the vineyards, and the trees.  It was so bad that Joel compared the hefty hoard of locusts to a marching human army and, with the broken heart, said that God was showing divine judgment against the nation because Judah had turned her back on God. In fact, He was using the angry insects to discipline His children.  And discipline isn’t pleasant.  But the same love that disciplines also restores.  God said, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25).

All of us have places in our lives where the “locusts” have eaten—missed opportunities because of bad choices, mistakes made, and losses piled on.  God often uses those hard places as His Fatherly hand to nudge us forward—to teach us and train us. Sometimes the locusts in our lives—what we think is hurtful interference—are really God’s loving intervention. God’s gentle, and even not-so gentle, discipline makes space in our lives for the outpouring of God’s Spirit.

The locust times and places are not dead ends; they can become the path to greater blessing.  As Paul put it thousands of years later, “In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

God may not replace what you have lost, but He will redeem what you have lost.  Even your most agonizing loss—even your worst day—will be redeemed as God works it all together for good.  Focus not on what you have lost, but on how God is using that loss to grant you greater blessing.

Support Update and A Grateful Heart

At this time, I’m at 70% of my personalized support goal: 10% more to get to my commissioning service, and another 20% to get to the mission field.

This COVID-19 is a difficult time.  It is taking a toll on everyone, but most of you are still here with me, and continue your faithful ongoing financial support.  Thank you so much for not giving up!  Please know how grateful I am with your continued support.

Thank you for your part in sending me to the mission field.  Thank you so much for your prayers.  Since I cancelled all my trips due to the COVID-19, I have no idea when I will be able to travel again.  So far, I have no invitations and no scheduled places to visit.  If I haven’t visited your church yet, and you would like me to share my ministry in Mexico with your church, I would love to come when everything opens up.  Please let me know!  You can email me at jstockton@internationalministries.org.  I would appreciate if you could please keep me in your prayers.  I know God is faithful and hears our prayers.

Have Faith…  God Restores!

Please take care of yourselves and stay healthy.  May God bless you.

Yours in Christ,

Jae

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