This month's issue of Wineskins is going to kick off a new trend here at the site. As the last post stated, we are going to be highlighting areas where we see God at work among His people. We are going to highlight ministries, missions, universities, individuals and congregations that are partnering with God to do some amazing work. In the process we hope to make you aware of some amazing ministries going on out there and shine a light on the good they are doing in the world and for the kingdom. Our prayer is that through this God will be glorified and that there will be a greater awareness given to some really great ministries out there that you or someone you know may be in need of contacting. This effort will go far beyond this issue of Wineskins and will be happening more and more in future issues as we try to identify places where God is at work, some expected and some place we might never have guessed he would be involved. We ask that you pray for these ministries as we highlight them and that we all might be encouraged by hearing "God stories" in the days, weeks and months to come. I have been greatly encouraged by the conversations I have had with various ministers and ministries regarding this focus and I am sure you will be encouraged as well!

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. ¹³ It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Let us humble ourselves and submit to God's hands...his unrelenting, perfect and patient hands. Let us spend more time celebrating the shaping and transforming work of God when it is evident among us and even when it isn't.