VOLUME 23 - CHRISTMAS 2010, PUBLISHED BY JOHN & BRENDA PRATER, est.

1987
2652 DOZIER ROAD, APPLING GA 30802-1811 (706) 541-9743
jprater@gospelink.org brendaprater@earthlink.net

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS! We hope you are

doing well.

She participated in Mission: McDuffie (fixing houses

for the needy) and taught first grade Vacation Bible
School at Marshall. This fall she started at Samford
University in Birmingham, where she is majoring in
art, and participates in an acting ministry and the
rowing team. She works at a daycare in
Birmingham.

This has been a very busy year for us and one of
many changes. In our newsletter last year we
asked you to pray with us regarding Kelly’s college
choice, the building process at church, and for new
and ministry opportunities. The Lord has graciously
answered and provided on all three accounts.
John spent the spring and summer coordinating the
volunteer teams that helped construct Marshall’s
new youth building. Several of the volunteers
returned for our dedication this past October.
This year our biggest change came when John
started working with Gospelink fulltime in
September. The church gave us a very nice
reception and remembrance service on our last
Sunday. We still attend Marshall some when John
is not speaking on behalf of Gospelink.
Alyssa finished her junior year at Anderson
University last spring and was a graduation marshal
at the May graduation of many of her friends. She
did not have a fulltime job over the summer, but
enjoyed babysitting for several families. She also
taught 4 & 5 year olds in Vacation Bible School at
Marshall, as usual. For her senior year, Alyssa is
living in a ministry house on campus. She and four
other girls are ministering to the out-of-state
freshmen girls this year. Alyssa also continues to
serve on the leadership team for Campus Crusade
for Christ. In addition to tutoring at an elementary
school, she also tutors psychology students on
campus. Alyssa is preparing for graduate school;
she will graduate from Anderson on May 7, 2011.

Kelly concluded her

senior year of high
school by painting a
mural at a pediatrician’s
office for her senior
project. She went skiing
in West Virginia, earned
the Citation Award for
completing ten years of
AWANA, graduated high
school in May and
continued to work at
Chick-fil-A.

Brenda has had a busy year taking care of her
mom. Last year, a couple of days before
Christmas, we almost lost Brenda’s mom. She had
to be resuscitated and spent several weeks in the
hospital and in rehabilitation. Brenda and Alyssa
spent about three weeks there in Alabama, and we
have been back numerous times. Mrs. Beckon
continues to live alone, but is no longer able to
drive.
Brenda continued to be involved in AWANA at
Marshall this year. She also spent the summer
working on the interior of the youth building. She
selected all the colors, the materials for the flooring,
and everything for the kitchen. This fall, she has
been traveling with John. Brenda just spent several
days with her niece at Ft. Stewart, GA, who just
had a baby on December 12.
John had the opportunity to go to Haiti last winter
after the earthquake. His team inspected church
buildings, did some repairs to a hospital, and
ministered to several dozen Haitian pastors. Many
of them lost family members as well as church
members.
John had the opportunity to present the Gospelink
National Preacher Sponsorship Program in nine
churches this fall in Georgia, Alabama, and
Tennessee. He has five scheduled so far for
January and February. He has also filled in for
some churches, has conducted some funerals, and
continues to serve as a chaplain with the local
hospital and as the chaplain coordinator for the
state Disaster Relief Unit.
We are continuing to schedule speaking
engagements for next year. John will be going to
East Africa in the spring. This will be his third trip to
Tanzania and his first to Ethiopia (other than a
layover). He is praying for a pastor or layman to
accompany him on this trip.
John is working on a plan for folks to go to
Tanzania and do mission work for a week and then
hike Mt. Kilimanjaro. It is the highest mountain in
Africa, the highest freestanding mountain in the
world, and the highest “walkable” mountain in the
world.
The Lord has given us a theme verse for this
season of our lives. It is Romans 14:23,
“everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
Since we have given up our regular income and
begun this adventure in faith, God has been faithful
in providing every need that we have had. Even
though our monthly support commitments are about
one-fifth of what we need, God continues to make
up the difference in love offerings from churches
and one-time gifts from individuals.
The Lord has also allowed us the blessing of being
on the giving end in new ways also. When we don’t
think we have it to give, but we give anyway, God
graciously provides so that we have what we need
and we have more to give. We could just all keep
what we have, but that wouldn’t demonstrate faith
and it wouldn’t bring God glory. It is funny how we
often will trust God for eternity, but we won’t trust
him for what we need next week or next month.
We have enjoyed reunions with John’s family, visits
from Brenda’s sister and family, camping at the
lake, going to the beach, and hiking in the Smokies.
This Christmas we are thankful to have the girls
home from school and will enjoy trips to Callaway
Gardens and spending time with family in Alabama.
We hope you all have a great Christmas. Let us
hear from you. Please continue to pray for our
ministry with Gospelink. We would welcome the
opportunity to speak with you, your pastor, church,
or mission groups about the ministry.
God bless you,
John, Brenda,
Alyssa, & Kelly