Laynes' Line

  Dear Praying Friends,      Welcome to a day in the life of your missionary. We had a hard storm last night, Tuesday , (as usual) but we discovered this morning we had no gas. The electric power had been off, so the water pump was not running. Before 10:00 AM the power went off again, so we are without gas, water or electricity. That's just the way it goes!      We had a wonderful day on Sunday with the return of folks who had not come in a long while. Towards the end of our fellowship time, a thirteen-year-old young lady approached our daughter and said, "I want to be baptized." Our daughter had doubts that she had been saved, so she sent her to me (Gary). My first question was about her salvation. She did not know to what I was referring. I suggested that we take the first step before we talk about baptism. As soon as we sat down with the Word of God, our daughter brought me a second thirteen-year-old young lady who was also confused. (NOTE: I usually do not deal

 July, 2024 Psalm 118:28   Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee . Dear Praying Friends,      Praise the Lord, we are again in Mexico since the first of July. Our last few weeks in the US were a terrific rush to complete all that was needed before we could leave. Obviously, not all got done.      Ann’s mother, Casey Stribling, passed into the arms of Jesus on April 16, after fighting with three different cancers over the past few years. Finally, the doctors told her they could do no more. Casey was young beyond her years and continued to visit us here until the last couple of years, traveling by herself. She was essential in keeping the home base while we have been on the field. Her greatest desire was to serve the Lord, which often involved our ministry. She arranged everything so that her death would leave things the easiest for us. However, some of the issues required more work than she could have imagined. We are still working on some.

  March/April, 2024   O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.     Isaiah 25:1   Dear Praying Friends,             Our God is so faithful and His counsels are always right. God has blessed us and the services and travels that we have made. It blesses us to see how God is still working in America, even though many appear to have turned their back on Him. HE still is faithful and never changes.             Recently, Gary’s closest friend, brother in the Lord and hunting buddy, Wendell Drake, passed away. Many times, we would arise early to hunt, eat breakfast, and then sit at the table sharing Bible verses or questions until afternoon. Thank you for those who responded that they were praying. Pray for the family as they adjust to this loss.             Ann’s mother, Casey, was diagnosed with cancer just as we were preparing to come home on furlough. Through pin-