I hope you are all doing well. As I look back over this month, I am once again reminded of how faithful the Lord is and how thankful I am for the opportunity He has given me to serve Him here. August has been a busy month, but it has been a good kind of busy. Between the construction work, teaching at the church, studying God’s Word, and spending time with the people the Lord has placed around me, my days have been full. Yet, even in the busyness, I am grateful because I truly love where the Lord has me in this season.
Continuing the Work
The construction work continues, and I’m thankful to have the opportunity to be involved in it. There is always work to be done, and each week brings another opportunity to put in some hard work and see the project continue to take shape.
One of the things I have really appreciated about the construction work is that it gives me an opportunity to serve in a very practical way. Whether it is working alongside the guys, helping with the different projects, or simply doing whatever needs to be done that day, I’m thankful that the Lord has allowed me to use my hands and my strength to contribute to the work.
Construction can be tiring, especially when the days are long, but there is something rewarding about looking back at what has been accomplished and seeing how the Lord is allowing the work to progress. It also reminds me that ministry isn’t always standing behind a pulpit. Sometimes ministry looks like picking up a shovel, carrying materials, working alongside someone, or simply being faithful to do the task that is in front of you.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve in both the practical work and the ministry of the Word.
Opportunities to Teach
Another blessing this month has been having more opportunities to teach at the church. I am very thankful for every opportunity I have to open the Bible and teach God’s Word.
The more I study Scripture, the more I realize how much there is to learn and how dependent I am upon the Lord. Preparing to teach has been an encouragement to me personally because it forces me to slow down, study carefully, and really consider what God is saying through His Word.
It is a privilege to be able to share the things the Lord has been teaching me with others. My desire is not simply to give people information about the Bible, but to point them to Jesus and encourage them to take God’s Word seriously and allow it to shape their lives.
I’m thankful for the people who faithfully come, listen, ask questions, and desire to grow. It is encouraging to see the Lord working in people’s lives, and I pray that He would continue to use His Word to transform us and draw us closer to Him.
Encouraging the Next Generation
One of the highlights of this month was having the opportunity to share at a teens event. This was a real blessing and something I was very thankful to be a part of.
There is something especially important about investing in young people. They are growing up in a world that is constantly telling them what they should believe, how they should live, and where they should find their identity and purpose. They need to hear the truth of God’s Word and, most importantly, they need to know Jesus.
As I shared with the teens, my heart was to encourage them not simply to have a knowledge of Christianity or to attend church because their parents bring them, but to have a genuine and personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is a huge difference between knowing about Jesus and actually knowing Him.
My prayer is that these young people would understand that following Jesus is not simply something we add to our lives. He is our life. He is worthy of our whole heart, our time, our decisions, our future, and our devotion.
I want to see these young people develop a faith that belongs to them—not simply a faith they have inherited from their parents or church. I pray that they would learn to seek the Lord for themselves, spend time in His Word, pray, make wise decisions, and walk with Jesus even when it isn’t popular or easy.
It was encouraging to spend time with them, hear from them, and have the opportunity to speak into their lives. Please pray for these young people. Pray that the Lord would protect them, draw them to Himself, and raise up a generation that genuinely loves Jesus and desires to live for Him.
Between working at the construction site, teaching, studying, preparing messages, and spending time in the Word, I honestly don’t have much time to do anything else.
But I can genuinely say that I love where the Lord has me.
There are certainly days when I am tired. There are days when the work is difficult and the schedule is full. But even in those moments, I am reminded that I am exactly where the Lord has called me to be right now.
There is a joy that comes from knowing that the things occupying your time are things that matter for eternity.
I’m learning more and more that serving the Lord doesn’t always look exciting or extraordinary. Sometimes it simply means being faithful with what He has placed in front of you that day. Work hard. Study the Word. Teach faithfully. Encourage someone. Spend time with people. Pray. Then get up the next day and do it again.
Those ordinary days are often where the Lord does some of His greatest work.
I’m thankful that He has allowed me to be here during this season. I’m thankful for the construction work, thankful for the opportunities to teach, thankful for the teens, and thankful for the people He has placed in my life. Most of all, I’m thankful that I get to serve Jesus.
Thank You for Praying
I also want to take this opportunity to thank each of you who continues to pray for me and support the ministry here. I know that I would not be able to do what I am doing without people faithfully standing behind me in prayer and support.
Please continue to pray that the Lord would give me strength and wisdom as the construction work continues. Pray for the church and for the opportunities to teach God’s Word. Pray that the Lord would continue to grow me as I study and prepare to teach.
And please especially pray for the teens and young people. Pray that they would come to know Jesus in a real and personal way. Pray that they would not simply go through the motions of Christianity, but that they would truly surrender their lives to Christ and follow Him.
Pray that the Lord would continue to use me wherever He has placed me and that I would remain faithful to what He has called me to do.
I’m reminded of the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:58:
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
That is my desire—to remain faithful, keep serving, keep teaching, keep studying God’s Word, and keep pointing people toward Jesus.
Thank you again for being a part of this ministry and for helping make it possible for me to be here. I am grateful for every prayer, every word of encouragement, and every person who continues to partner with me.
The Lord has been so good, and I’m excited to see what He has ahead.
In Christ,
Jacob
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