Xhevat works as a church planter in Kosovo with his wife and child. Below, he reflects on the past year expressing gratitude for the Lord’s blessings in the midst of a personally challenging time. Read the full report below:
To begin with, God has given us the most beautiful gift of a child this year. We are so thankful for this beautiful gift with which God has trusted us. It is a great joy to be a parent of a son. We are so blessed. Another blessing for my family is the car that God ensured for us during the most needed times. As we approached the arrival of our son, our minds began to worry about his safety while driving. The Lord provided precisely what we needed at the right time. I cannot express enough gratitude for this gift. For whatever reason, the Lord has chosen to bless us through the ministry of HeartCry, for which we cannot say “thank you” enough. Thank you again very much to HeartCry and the donors!
Regarding church life, we are once again grateful beyond measure. Even though we were at times scattered and prohibited from meeting, we were able, in various ways, to fellowship with one another, encouraging one another in the Lord. Nothing can replace the physical gathering as a body, but the Lord’s mercy has been evident as we’ve been forced to work around so many restrictions. The cancellation of our services and ministries of the church has been difficult. I am eager for us to return to a regular, uninterrupted, permanent gathering. In spite of these difficult circumstances, we see the Lord’s favor in keeping the majority of us untouched from the virus.
As the year closed, the Lord allowed the restrictions to lift so that we could once again gather. The return to fellowship — a group of God’s children gathering to worship him together — was nothing short of joyful, to say the least. A great blessing is also that we were also able to continue the seminar with Brother Albert. This brother is very instructive and encouraging in his teaching, leaving us all dedicated to persevering in the faith. Specifically, we have partnered together to teach topics like how to grow in the study of God’s word. Based on the feedback I have received, those sitting under this teaching leave each time only wanting more. Please pray for more commitment from Albert and me. There is always more to teach and learn and I feel inadequate to teach these things to others.
To close, I would like to say a final word of thanks from myself, my family, and the church here. It is the greatest of joys and greatest of responsibilities to have a flock entrusted to my care. I am writing this report to say thank you to the HeartCry organization for supporting us, and for the many friends and supporters of HeartCry. We are so thankful we have a place to turn and ask for help, encouragement, and wisdom.
In Christ,
Xhevat
