Find out what’s going on at Grace Bible Fellowship, including a letter to our church, my daughter’s Kenya trip recap, Navajo Nation mission trip pcs, and MORE in this month’s issue of Grace Notes! Here’s the link:

GRACE NOTES DEC 2015

My daughter Trinity made a short video of her time in Africa. Love seeing her heart for the Lord in action!

Africa 2015 from Roy Layman on Vimeo.

In the wake of tragic events, like yesterday’s act of terror that killed 14 people and injured many more in San Bernardino California, AW Tozer’s daily devotional was especially timely today. My friend Kyle Rigsby, beat me to it early this am and brought my attention to it via text message. First thing I read when I woke up this am! Again, very timely. Check it out:

Evenings With Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings 

My home church, Grace Bible, is a small church in a small town in a day and age that prizes BIG CHURCHES and BIG CITIES.  I read a lot about what BIG churches are doing, but I rarely read about what a small church CAN do, so I loved this post, 5 THINGS SMALL CHURCHES CAN DO WELL

Here’s an excerpt:

“The result of lowered expectations and a general lack of accountability is people who aren’t living up to their full potential. The same thing is true for the small church. We don’t expect too much from a little church because they aren’t full grown yet. Small churches can’t be expected to engage in the great commission, they are lucky to just be alive. The results of lowered expectations and a general lack of accountability are churches that aren’t living up to their full potential.”

  
Navajo translation of the Bible next to me in church on Sunday. A reminder that we serve the God who knows no boundaries, he’s the one true God of of every tribe and tongue.

“…behold, a great multitude…from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…” Revelation 7:9

Here’s is a link to a great post leading up to Thanksgiving with lots of ways to Help Increase Your Thanksgiving Appetite 

Well worth a read. Here’s an excerpt:

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’ said Jesus in his famous Sermon on the Mount. “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:43).

John MacArthur explains, “we are not to be enemies of those who may be enemies to us. From their perspective, we are their enemies; but from our perspective, they should be our neighbors.”
But how do we pray for enemies who want to kill us?  Check out the post at the link below: 

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/3-ways-to-pray-for-our-enemies

Pastor and author Kevin DeYoung says…

“I was recently talking to a friend of mine who suggested that laughter is often a very good indicator of how well the marriage is going. When the silliness slows down, it may be because you are in a season of suffering, but it may also mean you’ve exited a season of peace and trust. The couple that laughs together lasts together.

This insight got me thinking: what are some other questions that can help diagnose the health of our marital life? Here are ten that may prove useful.” <–click

“Almost every marriage begins with joy as newlyweds anticipate sharing life together. Sadly, not all couples live happily ever after. A large percentage of marriages end in divorce. Other couples remain married, but drift apart emotionally due to bitterness or mutual indifference. They share a name and a home, but not a life. What can a couple do to preserve the joyful loving intimacy of their marriage? Consider these seven gospel-centered principles…”

Check out the post at the link below!

7 Gospel-Centered Principles for Protecting Your Marriage

Tonight, members of Grace Bible will meet to discuss yet another trip to the Navajo Reservation in the high plains desert of New Mexico. I love the partnership we share with Pine Hill Church and our Navajo brothers and sisters in Christ. Here’s a video of last year’s trip…