Tag Archives: 2020 Newsletters

Postings: Belated Christmas Greetings and God’s Faithfulness

“they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ Matthew 1:23b

James, Christina, Mikayla, Laurel, Timothy, Nathaniel, Julia, and Adalynn

God is WITH Us

Through the challenges and trials of this last year, God has made one thing abundantly clear: He is WITH us (Immanuel) through the trials, He is WITH us (Immanuel) through the challenges, He is WITH us (Immanuel) in the darkest of valleys, He is WITH us (Immanuel) regardless of our circumstances. And Immanuel is the very same promise that He gave us before He left this earth:

“surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20b

And that is the beauty of Jesus’ coming to earth some 2000 years ago: to have a dynamic, intimate, and meaningful relationship with His “beloved children” (1 John 3:2). Because of our faith in Christ, that’s you and that’s me!

We are so grateful for this season when we set time aside to remember why Jesus came: to set spiritual captives free, to give sight to the spiritually blind, and to give new life to the spiritually dead:

“He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free”
Luke 4:18b

What a gift God has given us in Jesus Christ!!

God is Faithful

God has made Matthew 6:33 become a reality for us this year:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

As we have sought to put Him and our relationship WITH Him first and foremost, He has given us what we need: deep healing, spiritual growth, and provision for our Wycliffe ministry as well!

Getting Closer!

In our last newsletter, we shared about James’ new role with Wycliffe (supporting Bible translators around the world) and about the shortfall in the ministry budget that Wycliffe has set for us.

Thank you for praying for God’s provision in this! He is providing!!

Since we last wrote, God has reduced our monthly shortfall by almost $750! We currently only need about $560/month more (updated Jan 5) in order to be released to this new role (Lord willing in January).

If God is leading you to help fill this financial gap, please see the options below.

Interested in Financial Partnership?

If you would like to financially partner with us in our Wycliffe ministry, there are a few options:

Sign up online: www.wycliffe.org/partner/ThePosts

Call Wycliffe: 800-992-5433 (our ministry number is 240439)

Mail a check with a separate note saying, “Preference for the Wycliffe ministry of James and Christina Post (240439)” to:

Wycliffe Bible Translators
c/o Receipts Dept
PO Box 628200
Orlando, Florida 32862

Please also contact us so we can thank you (and update our records)!!

Prayer and Praise

  • Praise/Prayer: God continues to provide new prayer and financial partners!
  • Prayer: For James as he starts his new role (Lord willing in January).
  • Prayer: For our family saying “goodbye” to PNG and adjusting to this new “normal”.
  • Praise: James will be able to continue using his skills to serve Bibleless people!
  • Praise: We get to stay and live near our church, family, and friends.

May the peace of Christ be with you and your family.

In Him,

James and Christina

Postings: An Exciting New Role

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8

James, Christina, and the Post kiddos

Life Without God’s Word…

Have you ever imagined life without God’s Word in English? What if you had to learn a foreign language JUST so you could read or hear John 3:16?

“Yanti, kiloa, wiyan bag nurun unnug ta pital katan mikan ta agelo ka Eloi koba wakal lin ba yarakai-willug minki kanun.”
(John 3:16 in Awabakal of Australia)

If God’s Word was in a different language, would you understand it? How would you even know that God loves you and sent Jesus to save you from your sins and give you eternal life?

This is the reality for about 2000 language groups around the world today, they don’t have a single verse of Scripture in their own language… How are they to believe in Jesus without Scripture?

“But these [things] are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
John 20:31

An Exciting New Role

We have been living and serving in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with Wycliffe Bible Translators since 2011. It has been an honor and a pleasure for us to work alongside Papua New Guineans and other missionaries to help bring God’s Word to people in their language. During our time in PNG, James has helped over 200 different language groups with their translation work!

Urat man with New Testament (courtesy S. Frey)

Now, God has clearly led us to an exciting new role…

Wycliffe has asked James to support and train Bible translators around the world to use computers for Bible translation. James’ future supervisor shared this encouragement regarding his new role:

James understands translators and the issues they wrestle with and is ideally suited to creating training materials, videos, and website content where these translators go for training and support.

Doug Higby – Director of Language Technology Use

While it is incredibly difficult to say goodbye to our time in PNG (we can serve remotely from our home in WA state!!), we are blessed to know that James’ skills will continue being used to help bring God’s life-giving words to Bibleless people around the world!

Our Need

Wycliffe would like to release James to start in this new role in January! We are currently only$1300/month $90/month short of the ministry budget that Wycliffe set for us and we must reach 100% in order for James to be released to serve in this new assignment (shortfall updated Jan 18th). Praise God with us for providing partners to help bring God’s Word to those who need it!!

Pray with Us!

Prayer is a powerful thing! We are so grateful for all of the people who have prayed with us that God would bring in the necessary financial partners that we need to be released to this new assignment!

Interested in Financial Partnership?

If you would like to financially partner with us in our Wycliffe ministry, there are a few options:

Sign up online at  www.wycliffe.org/partner/ThePosts

Call Wycliffe: 800-992-5433 (our ministry number is 240439)

You can also mail a check with a separate note saying, “Preference for the Wycliffe ministry of James and Christina Post (240439)” to:

Wycliffe Bible Translators
c/o Receipts Dept
PO Box 628200
Orlando, Florida 32862

Please also contact us so we can thank you!!

Prayer and Praise

  • Prayer: For God to provide new prayer and financial partners.
  • Prayer: For James as he starts his new role (Lord willing in January).
  • Prayer: For our family saying “goodbye” to PNG and adjusting to this new “normal”.
  • Praise: James will be able to continue using his skills to serve Bibleless people!
  • Praise: We get to stay near our church, family, and friends.

Thank you for praying for our family and our Wycliffe ministry,

In Him,

James and Christina

James & Christina Post, Mikayla, Laurel, Timothy, Nathaniel, Julia, & Adalynn

Postings: Next Steps and God’s Faithfulness

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8

James & Christina Post, Mikayla, Laurel, Timothy, Nathaniel, Julia, & Adalynn

Pursuing God Through Uncertainty

Over the last several months, God has made it abundantly clear that He is WITH us through uncertainty, in trials, and in the darkest valleys, He is WITH us as we seek His face, and He is faithful to complete the good work He started in us. Here are some of the verses that He’s used to comfort and encourage us during this time:

  • “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6 (God started this work in us and He is going to be the one to finish it!)
  • Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deut 31:6 (He is WITH us, ALWAYS!)
  • Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (First submit to God, then do battle with the enemy.)
  • But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 (Seek the things of God first and foremost, and He will take care of the rest.)

Our Next Steps

In drawing near to Him and to each other, He continues to lead and guide us.

JAARS – A New Location to Serve

Our next step is to serve at JAARS, a Wycliffe support center in North Carolina. We plan to move in January and hope to be there for about one year before heading back to PNG. While there, James will continue to support and train Bible translators to use computers for Bible translation. James’ future supervisor encouraged us in a recent conversation:

“What you do… fits perfectly with [this] department and I’m perfectly happy for you to come on board.”

What a blessing to know that James’ skills will continue being used to help bring Bibles to the Bibleless!

Our Financial Need

In order to start working at JAARS, we need to reach 100% of our Wycliffe ministry budget. We are currently over $1400/month short.

  • If you’re not already part of our partnership team, would you prayerfully consider joining us?
  • If you already are partnering with us, would you prayerfully consider increasing what you are already giving?
  • We can also share with your small group, Bible study, or church using Zoom!

If you would like to get involved in any way, please let us know! You can also use the information below to get started.

Interested in Financial Partnership?

If you would like to financially partner with us in our Wycliffe ministry, you can sign up online at www.ThePostsInPNG.com/partner.

You can also mail a check with a separate note saying, “Preference for the Wycliffe ministry of James and Christina Post (240439)” to:

Wycliffe Bible Translators
c/o Receipts Dept
PO Box 628200
Orlando, Florida 32862

Prayer and Praise

  • Prayer: For God to provide the prayer and financial partnership that we need, including new partners.
  • Prayer: For the upcoming transition to JAARS.
  • Praise: James can continue using his skills to serve Bibleless people!
  • Praise: God provided a beautiful house in the country!

Thank you for continuing to pray for and support our family and our Wycliffe ministry. God has blessed us greatly through you.

In Him,

James and Christina

Postings: It’s like the Apostle Paul is speaking directly to me!

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” (Hebrews 4:12a) (NLT)

God’s Word Comes Alive!

It’s amazing what God can do as He makes His Word come alive to us! This happened recently in Papua New Guinea (PNG), as Bible translators for the Nukna language were checking Colossians. One of the translators couldn’t help but smile and laugh, because the translation spoke directly to his heart. He said, “It’s like Paul knows the Nukna language and is speaking directly to me!”

Nukna Translators (photo courtesy M. Taylor)

God’s Word is timeless and crosses all language and cultural barriers! Even though Paul wrote these words almost 2000 years ago, the Holy Spirit made them come alive in the heart of this Nukna man. What a testimony to the life-giving power of the Scriptures!

God’s Ways are Not Our Ways

Have you ever tried to get God’s “stamp of approval” on your plans, but God gently and lovingly redirects you? Well, He has done that with the timeline for our return to PNG. For a variety of reasons, Wycliffe has asked us to stay in the U.S. until next year:

  • COVID-19 has made visiting churches and partners extremely difficult.
  • God has been doing wonderful work in us individually, in our marriage, and in our family, and we are using this extra time to grow healthier in preparation for our return to PNG.
  • We are currently over $1000/month below the ministry budget that Wycliffe has set for us to live and work in PNG.

We are also grateful that James will have the chance to work remotely, including revising and updating materials used for training Papua New Guinean Bible translators.

We Need a New Place to Live…

Our rental agreement is up on June 20, so we are looking for a new place to live/rent.

If you know of somebody with a possible place to live/rent in SW Washington state, would you be willing to reach out to them for us?

While God has rewritten our plans for 2020, we know that He is in this, and we look forward to seeing how He will use this time.

Has God changed your plans recently? Please let us know how we can be praying for you.

Prayer and Praise

  • Prayer: For God to use our time in the U.S. for His glory and our growth.
  • Prayer: For God to provide a new place to live/rent.
  • Prayer/Praise: For God’s grace in homeschooling our children.
  • Praise: For God’s continued work in our marriage and family.
  • Praise: God’s Word is going out to the people of PNG.

Through your prayers and financial partnership, you are partnering with us to help bring God’s Word to the Nukna people, and to many other language groups throughout PNG.

Thank you!!

James and Christina

James & Christina Post, Mikayla, Laurel, Timothy, Nathaniel, Julia, & Adalynn

Postings: “It’s like Jesus has become one of us…”

“How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number — living things both large and small.” Psalm 104:24-25 (NIV)

Gorgeous PNG

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the most beautiful countries in the world! It is full of God’s handiwork: dense tropical rainforests, breath-taking mountains, gorgeous waterfalls and coastlines, abounding wildlife, and amazing creatures:

A tropical view

It’s also home to over 800 unique languages! Take a beautiful tour of PNG and learn about the importance of Bible translation in the short video below:

Your Love Will Surely Come Find Us (Video)

What Language Does God Speak?

God loves all the people of the world deeply, but many of them have not yet heard His Good News in a way that pierces their hearts. Over 200 of these people groups are in PNG alone! Can you imagine trying to understand God’s Word in another language, like Russian, Chinese, or Swedish? That’s what it’s like for people who do not yet have God’s Word in their own language.

But, God comes near when He speaks their language! One person said:

“It’s like Jesus has become one of us… he speaks our language and knows our culture.”

Excited to have God’s Word in the Binumarien language!

God’s Word to the Bibleless

Through training/supporting Bible translators to use computers for Bible translation, we are helping bring God’s Word to the bibleless people of PNG.

Training Papua New Guineans

Prayer and Praise

  • Prayer: Our sharing time at different churches in the next few months.
  • Prayer: Time to connect with our financial partners.
  • Praise: We recently went to a fantastic and refreshing marriage workshop.
  • Praise: For God’s faithfulness in our marriage and family.

Your prayers and financial partnership help make it possible for Papua New Guineans to understand that Jesus speaks their language and knows and loves them.

Thank you!!

James and Christina

James & Christina Post, Mikayla, Laurel, Timothy, Nathaniel, Julia, & Adalynn