Finishing Strong!

Thanksgiving: As we pause and direct our attention to giving thanks to God, my heart is drawn to a special awareness of those who have faithfully gone before us.  Men and women of our time who have finished their course and crossed the river into the Celestial City; who didn’t turn back when faced with persecution, sickness or hardship.  I think most recently of Margaret Detzler, missionary wife, as was well as Jerry Bridges, Vernon Grounds, Charles Gooch and more.  I also think of those still with us, like Robert and Marietta Coleman, Newt Cole, and Milt Hughes. Think of all the friends who have and are still teaching us how to “take up our cross” and follow Jesus. Who is it in your life that has “broken trail” for you?  Have you called them lately just to say how thankful you are to them?

September Happenings:  Returning from the fire in California, we hit the ground running with a chapel service for hunters up on the Cochetopa.  This is our 10th year or so of sharing with this group and what a blessing it is for us.  A few days later we held the first ever hunter’s outreach service in Norwood, CO.  Norwood is a small community a few hours southwest of us.  We had a great service and one young father gave his life to the Savior!  He was baptized the following Sunday and is being discipled by the pastor.  Two others indicated recommitments to our Lord.  Your prayers and support help us be used in these ways!

A wonderful thing happened on the way back from Norwood.  We took a different route home and stopped to take some pictures.  A car pulled in behind us with the same intention.  We struck up a conversation and suddenly realized he had been involved in Christian work on the campus with us in Gunnison in 1973!  Bush White is now a professor and department chair at Colorado Christian University and he and Ginny are involved in their local church.  What a blessing it is to see faithful workers who have gone forth from little Gunnison.  When we arrived home that night the Lord brought a man to us who had just gone through a series of difficult events.  We were able to share the good news of Jesus with him and he has come to church services for the past two weeks.  

We made two quick trips to Denver, one to attend the funeral of a wonderful saint and the other to conduct our niece’s wedding.  The Lord is gracious to give us travel safety and opportunities to share as we go.

Upcoming:   Melva and I leave for a leadership conference at the Billy Graham Training Center (The Cove) in North Carolina (Nov. 6-10) then lead a Bible conference for five days in Guthrie, OK (December 4-8).  We share a week of services in Delta, CO (mid-Feb).  Lord willing I will start teaching skiing around Thanksgiving.  Thank you for your prayers as we share His gospel locally and where He sends us!

Family:   Everyone is doing well!  Melva’s health remains strong as does mine (only a minor foot issue and hamstring pull).  Stephen-Joy-Hannah-Bethan continue working, preaching and growing in Scotland.  Joy is teaching a special needs boy as a school aide.   Nick and Rebekah just returned from a trip to Morocco where they had a great time including riding camels!  Steve and Annie are busy with Steve working a temporary job at DreamWorks and Annie teaching 2nd grade.  Tim and Sara are preparing for the arrival of a baby boy (their first-they’re calling him Ethan) around Christmas!  Each of our family is so grateful for your prayers!

Finances:  By the grace of God and your faithfulness, every need is being met!  This month we have been able to help Cisco and Naomi Villasenor (“alumni missionaries” in Mexico) as their infant daughter Vanessa fights for her life.   Our Saturday night service is sending help to “alumni” Aaron and Andrea Taylor in Haiti.  Their village was over 90% destroyed by a hurricane; they were spared and are feeding thousands.  In addition, we have been able to help an evangelist in Kenya with medical needs as well as several local families in the name of Jesus.  May the Lord Jesus bless each of you; you are a part of each of these!

Firefighter New Testaments: One night this month we received a call from a woman in Nebraska.  She is part of the Nebraska Line of Duty Death and Serious Injury Team which goes throughout the state and ministers to families of police-fire-EMS who have lost a loved one or suffered a serious injury.  We had sent fire and police Bibles to a chaplain in NE and he referred her to us.  She was very grateful we could send her cases of both!  I haven’t counted lately but I know we have sent out well over 7000 fire and police New Testaments!

Prayer Requests:  Please pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit as we share locally and around the country!  Please pray for Marietta Coleman who has cancer, as well as Vanessa Villasenor with severe birth defects.  Please pray for Chaplain Newt Cole with physical problems as well as Chaplain Wayne Detzler whose wife recently passed into glory.  Please pray for all our “alumni missionaries” and their families; Cisco and Naomi (Mexico), Aaron and Andrea (Haiti), Brad and Gina (Peru), Cathy (Thailand/China), Rick and Colleen (Middle East), Paul and Sarah (Middle East), Diane (Jackson MS), Corey and Tiffany (Kenya), as well as the many others who have gone out from here.  Thank you on behalf of all of them!

A final thought:  Even as we give thanks for our salvation, freedom, family and food, let us also give thanks for that “great cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us and those who are still going before us.  Those faithful saints who are “finishing strong”; having fought the good fight, are finishing their course and keeping the faith.  May we too finish strong, leaving a clear trail the next generation can follow. 

By His grace and to His glory, Rick and Melva Barton

*This is our “quarterly” newsletter.  We’d love to add you to our monthly update by email or regular mail.

87 year old Chaplain/Pastor Newt Cole-Finishing Well!