A NEW BEGINNING

There is so much to tell you… we just had a pretty incredible week! We are still trying to catch our breath!!!

Monday we took a day off to drive to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. Not only was it a beautiful drive (about 1 hr) but it is a beautiful city! It will be one of our fabulous faves!

When we got home we got a call from Joyce Goodenough who is Chris’s grandmother. The teenage boy that was saved during our second service at Haugan in July! At first she did not want Chris to be baptized, but she called to say that after the study on Sunday morning she had changed her mind and that she and Michael wanted to be baptized, too. So, Alan asked her why? And he was able to go through the gospel and bring her to a point of receiving Christ as well! So, we made plans for 3 baptisms this morning.

Then last night Joyce calls again and indicates that Michael is not too sure if he is really saved. So, he met with Alan this morning early and sincerely prayed to receive Christ as well. HALLELUJAH—THE ANGELS ARE HAVING A PARTY!!!! And we are REJOICING!

Not only that… on Friday we were honored to take our dear friend, Vern Herman, to Plains for outpatient surgery. Then Alan drove back to St. Regis for an appointment with the new superintendent of schools there before returning to pick us up again. Mr. Lowe is a believer and wants to let as many groups as possible use the school facilities, so he sent an application for New Day Fellowship-St Regis to fill out as a request to use the school cafeteria as our first meeting place to start the work there. Of course, the board has to vote and approve this, but Mr. Lowe was very supportive! So, please pray for this open door…

GOD is so good. We continue to meet folks in the area every day it seems! There is much to do, but we are taking one step at a time, trying to stay in cooperation with God and His work, and watching Him do amazing things!

We are still asking God to meet our financial needs for August… our monthly support continues to be our greatest challenge at this point. However, we have several specific needs in preparation for winter which will be costly, including a $500 tag for the truck and winterizing the trailer!

We love and appreciate each and every one of you!

Alan & Sarah Damron
NEW DAY NETWORK MINISTRY
www.newdaynet.net

Asking For Mountains!

Just have to give a brief report on our first weekend as official Pastor of the New Day Fellowship in Haugan, Montana!

On Saturday we received a call that one of Vern's neighbors had died of a heart attack at 5 AM! We are the ONLY church within a 32 mile stretch in this valley of any denomination--so later that day we went to meet Martha (not her real name), prayed with her for a minute. But she was still pretty much in shock. The family has no church background and will not even be having a memorial service. PLEASE pray for this widow and her grown sons.

Sunday we almost maxed out the church (40 chair capacity right now) with 33 in attendance!!!! Of course, 20 of those were from a family reunion. But, we believe God gave us a glimpse of what it CAN be! During the sermon introduction Alan asked if anyone could remember the first time they ever went to church... one young man raised his hand and indicated that his 6 yr old son was in church for the first time that morning! Amazing! One lady raised her hand during the invitation indicating that she had prayed to receive Christ. We will follow up on her this week! These mountains are so spiritually dark, it really is an amazing opportunity... God continues to confirm almost daily what He is calling us to do here...

With that in mind, I can't resist sharing this devotional from Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God Day by Day":

"ASKING FOR MOUNTAINS"
"You heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said." Joshua 14:12

Caleb's faith in God never waivered, though everyone around him doubted. God convinced Caleb that the children of Israel should enter the Promised Land, but the people were intimidated by giants and fortified cities (Num. 13:28-33. Their disbelief forced Caleb to wait forty years in the wilderness before he finally entered the Promised Land. Even after all those years, Caleb was as confidant as ever in God's power.

When God was dividing the land among the Israelites, the people were asking for the lush valleys and grassy plains. Caleb asked for a mountain. The Israelites had driven their enemies into the mountains, where they had built fortresses. This did not intimidate Caleb, he asked for a challenge! He did not trust in his own strength but in God's presence. Caleb longed to see God work in power, and he knew he would be less likely to rely on God if he dwelt in the easy places. He chose a situation in which he would have to trust in God. Caleb knew his inheretance from God was on the mountain. He refused to allow the difficulty of gaining it to stop him from enjoying all that God had promised him.

If you always choose the easy way, asking for the peaceful valleys, you will never see God's power displayed to enable you to take a mountain. Seek out the mountains, and you will see God doing things through your life that can be explained only by His mighty presence.

Now how timely is that? Give us these mountains, Lord, and the valleys within them in Jesus name! Remove the strongholds and fortresses of gambling, substance abuse, and lack of the knowledge of You, we pray. Let Your Light and Love shine through our lives 24/7...

DAMRON'S MONTANA UPDATE July 2009

It is hard to believe that the month of July is now history!!! But, what a GREAT month we have had in the western mountains of Montana. We began with two weeks of pulpit supply at the West Valley Chapel in Haugan… more about this later.



THE WEBLEYS
(back: l-r) Sara, Melissa, & Jim
(front: l-r) Jared, Kristin

The following week we went to the Baptist Mountain Church in Noxon. This has to be one of the most beautiful areas in the entire US of A! The town is nestled between the Clark Fork River and the Cabinet Mountains. Bro. Jim Webley and his family are hard workers and received us with open hearts and open arms! We quickly established a special love for them and the work in Noxon. The services were good, but probably the highlight was our fellowship time with Bro. Jim and his family. One young girl came during a service to request baptism. Bro. Jim is going to follow up on her decision. We thank the Lord for this.



Alan with Pastor Cam Foote

This final week of July we spent in the city of Troy, noted for the lowest elevation in the state. However, it is only because it is located in a deep valley with huge mountains on either side! Bro. Cam and Cathy Foote are another precious couple we met with their two young children Sabrina and Raul. They have worked with foster care for many years and have several adopted children (Raul is the latest). God has blessed this work in a great way. Although we did not see a decision publicly, Bro. Cam believes a woman came to the alter to pray to receive Christ and he is going to follow up on that. Several of the members, told Alan they did not know what he was expecting when he came to Troy, but that the Lord had spoken clearly and strongly through the messages and their lives would never be the same! In the last two years they had gotten wrapped up in building the new building and had forgotten that it was really about people, not programs. But, actually they had seen 27 children in VBS pray to receive Christ just the week before. So they have been focusing on people, maybe they just desire to focus a little more. Prayerfully the seed of Revival has been firmly planted and the fruit will be evident in the weeks and months ahead. Thank you, Lord!


The “Fabulous Four”: Sharon, Corolla, Vern, Robin

Now the BIGGEST NEWS YET… last Sunday (July 26) the West Valley Chapel in Haugan MT voted to call Alan as Pastor. In their desire to issue the call, they also agreed to a complete re-start with a new name and everything! So, this Sunday (Aug 2nd) we are accepting that call and will base our New Day Network Ministry out of the New Day Fellowship in Haugan and re-launch the ministry here.

Haugan is located on the I-90 corridor which is 32 miles long with 5 communities and only one church of any denomination (New Day Fellowship)! We never dreamed God might give this kind of opportunity so quickly... and we never imagined an entire valley!!! NEW DAY NETWORK MINISTRY will be enhanced by this opportunity as we endeavor to reach an entire valley, in addition to helping any way we can in the other churches in Montana. This does not change the purpose or goal of NEW DAY, but expands it!!!

Please understand that these four active members have no way to financially provide for a full time Pastor, so our NEW DAY NETWORK support team will continue to be the resource for the work here, as we acknowledge God is our Source. Alan will be a full time pastor at New Day Fellowship in Haugan, and start a new work in St. Regis under the same name. Eventually Bible Studies will be established throughout the valley. The key to the work in St. Regis is that all children and youth in the 5 communities attend school there. A survey sent to us by the state of Montana showed 4,000+ people in a 20 mile radius of St. Regis. So there are several thousand folks to reach in this 32 mile stretch where there are 5+ bars-saloons-casinos and only one church. Please join us in prayer for these communities: St. Regis, Henderson, DeBorgia, Haugan, and Saltese. May the Lord bring Matt 4:16 to pass in this West Valley, “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, Light has dawned.”

Some of you are monthly donors to our work. We are so grateful for your prayers and gifts. Yet, we seriously need others to join the financial support team on a monthly basis... will you help us reach this spiritually dark valley with the Light of Christ? Although with our current donors we have raised approximately 1/3 of what we need monthly, God has provided fully for June and July through some special gifts and VBS offerings. To HIM be ALL the GLORY!

Introducing our BIG SKY CLUB! This is a special group of donors who give $25 or more per month. We are asking God to lead 60 new donors to join the ones who are currently so faithful in giving. Would you share with your Pastor, Sunday School Class, and Missions Group asking them to consider supporting God’s work through us? All gifts are tax deductible. Make checks payable to: NEW DAY NETWORK MINISTRY and send to our NEW ADDRESS: PO Box 420013, Haugan, MT 59842.

For any information or questions, please feel free to call us at 406.546.7790. Thank you so much for your prayerful consideration.


It’s A New Day!

Alan & Sarah Damron
NEW DAY NETWORK MINISTRY
www.newdaynet.net