Dear Friends,
Hello from sunny Florida, which is where we are at the writing of this letter. Since our previous update, we want to thank you for your prayers AND for our two new supporting churches – Worth Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Texas and North Stonington Baptist Church of Stonington, Connecticut! We are so thankful for the way God’s people have shown Christ’s love and kindness towards us and the mission God has given to us.
So much has happened since our last update. Many of you are already aware that Wendy’s mom went home to Heaven on February 12. While it was hard, we are thankful that Mom went peacefully and is now with her Savior. Wendy is doing well but missing her mom daily. Grief is a strange emotion that shows up in unexpected moments! We continue to be happy for mom, and yet sad for us. We covet your prayers for Wendy, our children, and Mom’s three living siblings.
Also, since our last update, God has given us some AMAZING meetings. In January, Wendy spoke at a ladies’ conference for Shawnee Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Wendy’s heart was “knit” with the women of this church – and they had a wonderful time of fellowship in God’s Word.
From there, we headed to Arnold Baptist Tabernacle in Arnold, Missouri. It was a joy to be back at this church and to be reacquainted with their new pastor and my old friend, Bro. Ed Decker, whom I had met in Mississippi years earlier when I helped his church to start a recovery program.
We then traveled to Pleasant Hill, Missouri, to be with our dear friends at Grace and Truth Baptist Church from January 21-25, at their annual Missions Conference and subsequent Ladies’ Conference. Wendy and I thoroughly enjoy being their speakers and watching this church grow in so many ways. Pastor and Mrs. Brent Blaise are incredible servants of the Lord, and we love their church family like our own! This year, we had a fabulous conference focused on the glorious gospel.
Wendy’s mom went into the hospital before our next meeting, and Wendy stayed back with her as I traveled to Fairmont, West Virginia to Bethel Baptist Church with Pastor Patrick Bostedo. Pastor Bostedo gathered several pastors on February 7 to learn about the Bridge to Recovery program. I preached for this wonderful new church on Sunday, and then returned home to be with my dear wife as she cared for her mom in her final days.
We were then blessed to be ministering near our home on February 15-18, as we had our third annual
meeting at Open Bible Baptist Church in Chatham, Virginia. We are excited to hear that the church is still experiencing a wonderful revival from the preaching on prayer. God certainly met with us that week! Please pray for this pastor and this sweet church as they navigate some structural issues with their new building.
Next, we headed to northern Ohio to be with our friends from Grove City Baptist Church of Columbus, Ohio. This was also our third year to speak at their Couples Retreat. This was perhaps one of our favorite retreats as we spoke on topics centered around prayer. We know that praying together as a couple has strengthened our marriage and it is precious to see it do the same for others!
After the trip in Ohio, I took my wife to visit her mom’s sister in Indiana and then up to Northern Illinois to see Caleb, Andi, Josh, Cara, Briggs, and Belle. This was, without doubt, the best “medicine” to help my grieving wife! We are so thankful for all our children as they minister to our hearts in so many ways.
We then headed back to Virginia – unpacked and repacked – and headed to Florida for a series of meetings that we can’t wait to tell you about! We will save these details for our next letter. God is opening so many doors for us as it seems many churches are now desiring to start a Bridge to Recovery. This is GREAT news as the need is GREAT and it is our joy to volunteer for this ministry! We also have new revival meetings, ladies’ conferences, missions conferences and other meetings in the near future!
PLEASE NOTE: We have several open dates waiting for YOU! Contact us and let’s schedule an event at YOUR church! Pray for us that we “make the most of our schedule.” Our desire is to minister to as many churches as possible within the same area while we are there…so as not to miss any opportunities to bring HOPE and HEALING to all!
Please consider joining us at the Bridge to Recovery Conference on August 4-6 at First Baptist Church in Bridgeport, Michigan. Pastors JD Howell and Scott Cowling have a genuine desire to help churches reach the addicted in their community. If someone in your church has this same burden, they would LOVE the fellowship, teaching, resources, and community at this conference. It doesn’t matter the name of your program or the curriculum you use, you will indeed be encouraged and helped at this event!
It is truly our joy and our mission to share “Hope Beyond – to those who are beyond hope!” Please continue to pray for and with us!
Sincerely,
Ben and Wendy Burks
PS – GREAT NEWS! We now have Wendy’s books back in print! You can order the following books by contacting us:
A Worthy Model (Proverbs 31 – dissected and defined)
Finding Security in an Insecure World (A study of the Book of Esther)
Victim or Victorious 1 (short biographical sketches of Susanna Wesley, Sarah Edwards, Elizabeth Prentiss, Fanny Crosby, Amy Carmichael, and Corrie Ten Boom)
Victim or Victorious 2 (short biographical sketches of Ann Judson, Betsy Moody, Bilquis Sheikh, Viola Walden, Darlene Diebler Rose, Esther Ahn Kim, and Elisabeth Elliot)
Victim or Victorious 3 (short biographical sketches of Susannah Spurgeon, Granny Brand, Lloys Cooke Rice, Gladys Aylward, Rosa Parks, Ruth Bell Graham, and Naaman’s wife’s little slave girl.)