Words from the Woodwards

Spring 2008

Ministry update

The Lord continues to bless His Word and demonstrate His faithfulness in our lives. As God sends counselees to us locally and from greater distances, it is a joy and privilege to guide them to appropriate Christ as Lord, Life, and Liberator. Their initial problems are discovered to be symptoms of the "self-life"; God "crowds them to Christ" as their ultimate source of living. We rejoice at the many breakthroughs that we witness and through which we learn.

The GFI Counseling Institute has become a joint venture with my Canadian sponsor, Crossways to Life, based in Kitchener, Ontario . Our support gifts from north of the border will be used to enable me to develop and maintain this international distance education program. (GFICounselingInstitute.com). I was blessed to present a more advanced Christ is Life conference with Crossways to Life last November. (A CD album of the eight messages is available.)

We now have about 1700 subscribers of the weekly Grace Notes. I appreciate my friend Danny Parkes of Ottawa, Ontario who hosts and develops GraceNotebook.com. It is a joy to see the site reports of visitors from 30+ nations!

I have updated the GFI photo gallery to give interested friends a glimpse into some people, places and events of GFI. It includes albums from my trip to and Chicago last fall. (KodakGallery.com/gfi).

In recent months I have edited two books that are about ready for publication. Blessed Reassurance: Finding Security in Christ covers the topics of true and false assurance and includes expositions of passages that often trouble insecure believers. Four by Four Discipleship presents the essential principles and process of discipling others. These books include content that has been written for Grace Notes over the past decade. They should be published by GFI as funds are available.

In February I attended a regional meeting of the Association of Exchanged Life Ministries in Maryland . Dr. John Best of Dallas challenged us. I expect to host a GFI book table and attend the AELM conference in Atlanta May 1-3. I was able to visit Capital Bible Seminary and preached at a supporting church—Woodlawn Christian Fellowship. February 29 Linda and I "leaped" to couples retreat in KY with 1^st Baptist Church of Proctorville, Ohio. That Sunday we regathered in Proctorville and I ministered in their morning service.

Chuck and I were blessed to be able to present the conference, workshop and Solomon School March 7-15 in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Virtually all who remained for the workshop and school experienced greater victory in their personal lives as they were equipped for basic Christ-centered counseling. Praise the Lord!

I serve as director of the Christian Hospitality Committee here. For this season we are on our 2^nd thousand Lifestory CDs that are distributed in cooperating motels. Please pray for God to use this seed to reach many for Christ. We continue to make available multi language new Testaments to our international visitors and seasonal workers.

I have an international ministry trip tentatively schuled for October. Our Spring Glimpses of Grace newsletter has just been mailed out. An edition is online at our web site.

Family News

Linda has continued her work in Dollywood in the merchandise area. She was able to give out 20 Easter cards with testimony CDs to her coworkers. She was a big help to Brad and Ketti as they prepared for their wedding March 25^th. Sarah was a bridesmaid and the twins were ushers. The ceremony was held in a cabin/lodge in Sevierville. Brad and Ketti are happy as they begin a new life together; pray that they "build on the Rock" (as they have confessed their desire to). This covenant also made Brad a step dad to three children: Devon , Julia, and Ashley. I guess that makes Linda and I step grandparents! (Here is a new family photo gallery so you can take a look: Kodakgallery.com/woodwards .) Laura and Matt drove down from Toronto for the week. On that Saturday Laura was blessed by a baby shower. They are expecting a bundle of joy around July 8^th! Laura is still working 12 hour shifts as a nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital .

Stephen is doing well on the tennis team at Pigeon Forge High and works part time at Wonder Works (an unusual science-oriented entertainment center). Jared sings in the school chorus and works part time at Dixie Stampede Dinner Theater. They both are scheduled to graduate from high school May 29^th! They have both been accepted at the local Walters State College and plan on beginning there in September.

This August will mark 7 years of full time ministry as an ambassador to the filed of biblical counseling. It is such a privilege to learn from Dr. Solomon, develop and defend this Clinical Discipleship model, and equip leaders internationally. We have about 50% of our support coming in from churches, friends, family, and former counslees. So far the GFI general fund has been adequate for us to draw my full designated support. If God should lead you or your church to partner with us in prayer and financial support, we would be most grateful. If you are prompted to and able to, please contact Cathy Solomon here if you have any questions. Thank you for your interet in our family and ministry calling.

Love in Christ,

John and Linda

John 10:10

Grace FellowshipInternational

P.O. Box 368

Pigeon Forge, TN 37868

865-429-0450

GraceFellowshipIntl.com