As you know, the BTS board members and I have been praying that God would "guide BTS as He provides" for BTS. And if you have been praying that way also, we deeply appreciate it and I wanted to briefly describe how He is guiding us as we move into 2017.

Looking back on the history of BTS, for the first 5+ years, I was 'bi-vocational'. In addition to the generous giving of those who supported BTS during that time period, I also worked either full-time or part-time to provide for my family's needs and to help cover BTS ministry expenses. In July of 2015, I began my "full-time focus" on BTS which also meant that I would no longer be "partially supporting myself". It was during the summer/fall of 2015 when, after much prayer, I sensed God telling me: "Trust me to guide BTS as I provide for BTS."

As you can imagine, this required quite a shift in my heart (which is still in process!). Since then, the board and I have "stepped out in faith" and genuinely want to sense how God is guiding BTS through both the doors of opportunity that He opens and the financial gifts that are received. And with those 2 areas in view, we want to be sensitive to how God is guiding BTS...whether to continue it as a full-time ministry (and even expand the ministry in the future) or to return to the "bi-vocational" level of years past.

With that as our history, I will briefly sum-up where we find BTS as 2016 is behind us and 2017 begins. If you were able to give to BTS in 2016, you were one of a growing number of folks who God has laid it on their hearts to do so. Through the gifts received in 2016, all of the BTS ministry expenses were covered (including BTS travel, administrative/legal costs, and trip expenses for both my "solo road trips" and BTS team trips). And what was given in 2016 also provided most of the personal support needed for me to maintain my full-time focus on BTS.

So as we head into the new year, we are confident that God is currently guiding us (by how He has provided through many of you) to continue on the same path we have been on since mid-2015...which means BTS will continue to "walk through" the doors of ministry-opportunity God has opened! As always, we deeply value your continued prayers for this ministry that strives to serve those who serve!!!