February 2020

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalm 94:19 (NIV)

Dear Friends,
Waking up suddenly by Karen’s screams and the car in a high-speed spin from hydroplaning causes instant anxiety and helplessness! Hitting an 18-wheeler and the cement wall separating the interstate totaled our car and left us with air bags deployed and checking each other for injuries before climbing out unharmed. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them.” Ps 34:7 But the joy of the Lord’s goodness and consolation overcame our anxiety!
Selling our house in just a few days and spending four months living out of our car caused some anxieties! But traveling 10,000 miles in our car and visiting, speaking, and fellowshipping with friends gave us the joy of the Lord that overcomes anxiety and stress! We stayed only one night in a hotel and none in our car!

And today we move into our new house in Florida with great joy and thankfulness! Joy wins!

One stop on our trip was Austin, Texas to officiate the wedding of Hall of Fame golfer, Tom Kite, and Hall of Fame caddie, Sandy Jones. Five years ago, I did the memorial service for Christie Kite and saw the anxiety and stress Tom felt losing his wife. Now I see the joy of the Lord in Tom and new bride, Sandy! Sandy is one of the few female caddies on tour, was in our weekly Bible study and has never married. Seeing her sweet tears of joy was such a blessing!

After speaking to a group in Naples, Florida a 23-year-old young man came up quickly to talk with me. “This is what I have been looking for my whole life,” he said. “I need to know Christ to give purpose and meaning to my life and to my music!” Leading him to Christ gave me that indescribable joy for sure. And we really had nothing in common. He is young, an accomplished musician and an honors graduate. We may not have much in common except we were in the same room and I had a message of Jesus to offer him. These moments of seeing lives change instantly give me the joy of the Lord that overcomes the stress and anxiety along the way!

Last week I ended up in a golf cart with a man I had a lot in common with.  He was my age, from Detroit, Irish Catholic, and he loves basketball! “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them….” I Corinthians 9:19-23. (ESV) We had so much fun together, we played 36 holes and Jesus came up in the conversation! Leading him to Christ in the golf cart gave me enough joy for a week! “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:5,6 (ESV)

At our camp in the southern Philippines, Mt. Moriah, we had over 3,000 poor, troubled, and stressed Filipinos come to our Christmas party. They all ate, celebrated Jesus’ birth, and took home small presents, rice, and some food. We have partnered with Orphan Grain Train from Nebraska, so we are able to ship hundreds of thousands of meals in containers to be distributed by our staff at the camp. They can feed people in refugee centers, in tribal areas, and at events like the Christmas party with the meals sent by farmers in Nebraska! Joy for our staff, joy for the people, and joy for you and joy for us!

It is no secret we have experienced the tough side of gossip, hateful comments, and betrayal which started in that miserable prison in Manila and has continued for six years on the internet and social media. But we are still experiencing the joy of the Lord as our tears turn into shouts of joy and our weeping, seeds for sowing! We want to thank our new board of Revelation 12:11 for rescuing us and transitioning us into a new life and opportunity to minister with joy and enthusiasm. We want to thank you for praying and supporting us so generously that we can go where God asks, and speak where He leads, and travel where He calls! The pain and anxiety we have faced and have been rescued from has brought us to renewed joy of the Lord!
 
Many, many thanks,
Tom and Karen Randall

“Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:11-14