Can you believe it's almost July?

Howdy from the (currently) sunny city of Cebu! I say that it is currently sunny because we are having a brief respite from the torrential downpours of the past few days. I think that the weather is still trying to decide if it's still dry season or if rainy season shall start .

We are at the end of our first week of classes here at the BSC for Session 4. Since I last wrote we finished our seminar and Session 3 of classes. We had a good attendance for both seminar and session, and some students from the past even returned and took classes again. I taught Jesus: Lord of Our Lives (JLord), our scheme of Redemption course, to two students; one old and one new. Elmer Lausa, the classmate of one of our young sisters, took classes with us a few sessions ago then disappeared. Thankfully, he returned and enrolled in JLord. I also had Avelino Dumaguing in class, who was referred by our student Jimmy Dagandan. I finished studying this course with these two on June 11, but neither was willing to make a commitment to be immersed. I think that Avelino, like his friend Jimmy, is still not convinced that his relationship with God is not what it needs to be. Elmer seems to be unsure as to what he ought to do, and with the pressures of his family and the school year starting (the Filipino school year runs from June-April each year) I believe it will take time. Please keep Jimmy, Avelino, and Elmer in your prayers. Each has continued studying with us at the BSC in Session 4, so we still have a chance to be an influence on them. Pray that their hearts will be softened and that we will have the words to help answer their questions and encourage them to do what is right.

Enrollment week for Session 4 was last week. Dad taught a recycled seminar for us, this time on the topic of "Tithing" and whether or not Christians today should tithe. We like to pick topics which will catch the interest of our students and show them how easy Bible study can be. We usually examine topics from the perspective of the religious world and what it teaches, then we look at what the Bible teaches. We have discussed tithing before, but some topics are worth revisiting. Dad took us through the Old Testament commands from God about the Levites and the purpose of the tithe, and then what Jesus and the apostles had to say about it. The fact is that in the New Testament we never find a specific amount mentioned as the "proper" tithe. The only thing we see is that Christians should take care of the financial needs of one another (the examples of 1 Corinthians 16, Acts 2:42-47, and Acts 4:32-37) and that the amount given should be given freely and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7). It was a good reminder of how we all have the responsibility to be the brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers that Jesus talked about in Mark 10:29-30.

As I mentioned, classes have just started for Session 4 and we are excited! Please keep us and all our students in your prayers. Please also pray for our brothers and sisters here. We have so many new faces visiting and studying, but we have also lost some members to the cares of the world. Please pray that we will find a way to reach them and bring them back.

On the family front, all is well. As you all have probably heard, Amy is getting married! She is marrying Gabriel Puzon, the son of one of the leaders of the Uptown Church. The wedding date is August 9, and it is fast approaching! We are all very excited for them, and I ask your prayers for them. Rachael, Clint, and the kiddos are still state-side, and you may have seen them during their travels! Jon, Gina, and their kids are back here and doing well. Sean just turned 5 and is in his second year of kindergarten. It's amazing how time flies. Mom and Dad are doing well, and they just opened a new office for their business! Things are going great for the Murrell clan . RJ is also doing well, still busy working on his Cebuano.

Thank you so much for all your support and prayers. We are blessed by our father and are so grateful for all he enables us to do. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. May God continue blessing us all!

In him,
Sara Murrell :)