Dear
Friend of FOA,
A
New Year is before us, and while some want to forget 2020 I am thankful the
Lord is always at work. Last year had plenty of trials but the Lord is always
faithful to use trials to teach us more of His faithfulness and sufficiency. While
things here at our ministry changed, the unchangeable Word of God continued to
change lives. In 2020 we saw the Lord continue to send broken men our way and
change their lives through the gospel of Jesus Christ – the power of God unto
salvation for all those who believe. In 2021, we will continue teaching the
unchanging Word each day to the men the Lord brings our way. The brokenness of
our world magnifies our need of Christ.
Just
yesterday I had a difficult phone call from the mother of a student who left
last week after just a few weeks with us. He left early due to medical needs. Unfortunately,
upon his return home he continued his drug use, and this call was to tell me he
had died from a drug overdose. We grieve with his family. Just a couple of
weeks ago this man told me that he was a believer in Jesus Christ and wanted to
change his life. I am hopeful that he was indeed a child of God through faith
in Christ. His death hit our students hard and reminded all of us where our sin
can lead. Please pray for his family and pray for our students to understand
the importance of walking with Christ.
At
Christmas we allowed 12 students to go home on pass. They returned and quarantined.
Unfortunately, we had a positive test for Covid and they are still quarantined.
No one has had any major symptoms. Please pray for these 12 men and our staff
member, Anthony Horne, who is with them in quarantine.
Thank
you all so much for your response in giving to help with the Christmas bags for
our men. Your generosity allowed us to
fill their bags with needed items and to have some left over to share with new
men who come into our program.
Finally,
I want to make you aware of a recent article that John Lee wrote in the Madison
County Journal about FOA and Dad’s recent retirement. If you are
interested, you can find it online by searching “Madison County Journal Friends
of Alcoholics.”
With
gratefulness for God’s faithfulness to use His Word to change our lives,
Aaron
Bonner
