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A Great Past: Wow, 55 years of God allowing us to participate in His ministry! 53 years of enjoying a grace-filled marriage! Missionaries sent out around the world, ministries started, churches planted, and much more. Each year we hear of “alumni” serving Jesus faithfully as pastors, Sunday School teachers, Bible study leaders, and more! Our Lord Jesus has been soooo faithful! Nationally, revivals breaking out on college campuses, professional and college athletes becoming bold witnesses for Jesus, and Bible sales rising as people are searching for truth! Still Work to be Done: The work isn’t finished yet! Souls are perishing around us and entering a godless hell. Many believers are still Bible-illiterate. Many around us are going hungry, physically and spiritually. And sadly, many churches are still bowing at the altar of a debased culture. When President Trump was re-elected, a political cartoon came out with Uncle Sam asking a doctor if the United States was healed. The doctor wisely answered, “No, just in remission”. No president or political party can heal our land. We need a continuing spiritual revival, and it must involve each of us. This is not a time to dwell on the past, as grateful as we are for what God has done, but for “forgetting what lies behind, and reaching forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13). Will you join Melva and me in seeking the leadership of the Holy Spirit in moving ahead to what our wonderful God has for us in 2025? Thank you! January Happenings: On New Year’s Eve, I prayed with fifty of our ski school staff before the annual Torchlight Parade. Over 45 years ago, as we stood at the top of a Black Diamond ski run in the dark, my ski school director turned to me and abruptly said, “Rick, pray for us!”. I was shocked but the Holy Spirit gave me courage and I prayed. Every year since then I’ve had that privilege. I’m teaching skiing two days a week and it’s going well. Mountain Top Chapel: The Chapel is going strong, running between 20-40 attending on skis and snowboards. Here’s part of a note from a family who attended during last week's “arctic blast”: “...just wanted to take a minute to thank you for what you do. Thank you for spending your Sunday afternoons on the hill preaching the word of God. What a beautiful gift. My older kids (ages 15, 13, and 10) really enjoyed your sermon Sunday and the analogy you used about the Ox. (Matthew 11:28) Thank you for showing them we can make idols really quickly and how even on vacation we need to prioritize God. He’s all around us with beautiful servants like yourself, we just need to open our eyes and find them.” Our ski area Bible Study is going well with 4-6 instructors and employees attending along with guests from the chapel service. The Saturday Night Worship Service is moving forward as well. We just received word that our former keyboard player has been asked to preach twice a month at a small Chinese-speaking church near their new home in Louisiana! Other “alumni” from the 1970’s have reached out to let us know they are still serving Jesus, and one is headed on a mission’s trip to Serbia! Upcoming: Lord willing, February 11th we host our annual Evangelical Pastors and Wives dinner, February 26-28, I will help lead worship at the High Ground men’s Bible/ski retreat in Beaver Creek CO. Beginning in May we will be holding services in Tin Cup and Pitkin CO. Please pray for the Lord to use us to His glory in each of these opportunities! Fire and Police New Testaments and Devotionals: In January we sent over a hundred copies to Texas and Florida. Please pray the Lord will use each one! California Fires: I was preparing to make myself available to go, but after prayer the Lord clearly showed me to stay. Initially, I was disappointed but more and more He has revealed to me why. Finances: Last month we sent out extra support to twenty workers and widows serving the Lord. We’ve already heard back how the Lord is using it to help with special needs they have. YOU have been God’s instrument in allowing us to do this. They all thank you, as do we! Family: Our sons, Steve, and Tim, with their families live in the Los Angeles area. The Lord protected them during the fires, and they did not have to evacuate. Our daughter Joy, husband Stephen, and granddaughters Hannah and Bethan are packing to move a few miles away into a parsonage their church purchased in London. Hannah was recently awarded “Student of the Month” at her school! Rebekah, Nick, and Kailani are busy in Edwards CO with the restaurant, school, and sports. Prayer Requests: Please pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be upon us as we share the good news of Jesus! Please pray for the firefighters and residents in CA as well as recovery workers. Please pray for my left knee to be healed and if I should have it replaced this spring. Thank You! Your prayers really do lift us up (Exodus 17:11-12). May our Lord Jesus richly bless you as you “reach forward to what lies ahead!” By His grace and to His glory, Rick and Melva God’s Grace to Rick Barton Ministries in 2024 You are part of each of these ministries through your faithful prayers and support! Thank You!
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April 2025
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