Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – Psalm 103:2

Thank you for praying with us this year, and staying in touch as we journeyed through 2010!  Here are some highlights we remember, and thank God for:

Visits:

– Irish Team, new friends!
– Yuri & Family from Latvia
– Andy & Drew Farrell
– Matt Almeter
– Bo, Beth & Brady
– Tracy & Dana
– My parents

*Rory from Scotland, this is Simeon’s contact, but we really enjoyed getting to know him, so he gets on the list!  Wonderful heart and experience with kids camps around the world.

Arrivals in RZ:

– Deb’s parents, Neil & Noline Rhodes
– Shane & Jemimah
– Sergei, Tanya & family
– Sergei, Lesya & family

Church Projects, Outreaches & Special Events:

– Cafe Property Purchased
– Sunday Night Cafe Outreaches to Students (3 months)
– Summer Kids Camp
– Ladies Outreach Evenings
– Deacons established in church structure.
– Van purchased (thank you Crossroads!)
– Special Needs Outreach
– Pirini’s Hangii, we miss you guys!
– All Church Meetings earlier this year
– Sponsorship of several orphan events (zoo/water park/travel help)
– Christmas Outreach
– Ephesians Class Study (8 weeks)
– New Mayor and Officials elected
– 2 Months in Canada and Texas (extended by deb)
– Finished one house project, started another (90% done)
– Watched my first World Cup Final, powered by generator on fumes.

Business:

– Was a challenging year for Cypress Interactive as a whole, but praising God for answered prayer the past few months.  New direction, momentum, some new faces as well to an already amazing group of guys that love the Lord.

Spiritual Growth:

– Kolya, young man who has devoted his life to Christ & was baptized, what a joy!
– encouraged by several Ukrainian believers that have grown this year in their hunger for the Word, and God’s reality in their lives.
– Personally a difficult year filled with new challenges for growth as a husband, father and leader in the church.  Praising God for greater hunger for God’s Word, contextual study and apologetics.
– Deb and I have experienced renewed love and communication in our marriage, thank you for prayer as we have sensed more than ever, the spiritual nature of the battle being here.
– Kids are doing well, particularly our oldest two (Broderic and Bronwyn) as they keep growing in their understanding of God.

2011 Prayer Focus:

– more people in RZ to believe upon Jesus Christ for their salvation.
– discipleship material and structure for new believers needing foundation.
– students to be impacted by our love for God, and for them!
– finances and wisdom to complete and setup operation of the cafe.
– spirit led outreach in our town that invests in long term relationship building.
– wise use of willing churches to come and support different projects.
– continued development of leadership in the church.
– purity and holiness among all the believers.
– missionaries, pray for our marriages, accountability to deepen, & unity maintained.
– please pray we will learn more Russian this year!

Thank you God for what you are doing in our lives, your patience and willingness to work through your imperfect creation.  It is a privilege to be called a child of God, and to live for your glory on the earth, and wherever you guide us.  We look to 2011 with a sense of excitement, as the seeds continue to be planted in this community, through the faithfulness of your church, that some would begin to bear fruit – the kind that lasts forever!

God strengthen your faith as you number your days on this earth, look to Him alone, the author and finisher of your faith:)

Bruce & Deb

“The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ.” – Count Zinzindorf