A FOREVER FAMILY MINISTRY
of
SID and VILDA COLLISON
1826 14TH Ave. S.W.
Vero Beach, FL 32962
(772) 569-5791   
 sidcollison@earthlink.net or vilda@mpinet.net 

  January, 2004

Dear Family and Friends,

The first month of 2004, is half over so I will wish you a somewhat late very Happy New Year.  From all appearances this will be another challenging year for all of the Forever Family all over the world. 
January has historically been the month for reflection and planning.  For most of us it involves how we might make the coming year a better one.  Reflection is defined as carefully thinking back on things already accomplished and considering our plans for the future.  It goes without saying that considering and planning is a very good idea, in fact, God’s Word encourages it.  In Pro.29:18, we are told that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”  
In this New Year, most of us will probably take on new responsibilities, new people involvement, and perhaps even add at least one new goal to our already busy lives. The reason that most of us do this is that we believe that our efforts can make things better, and we see what we are doing as God’s will for our lives. After reflecting upon their lives, many people make resolutions for the New Year. Who among us has not done that?  We firmly decide or determine to complete a task, reach a goal, give up a bad or destructive habit, etc., but how often do we succeed in this undertaking?  Most people to whom I talk answer, “Not often.” or “Never!”  Frustrating? You bet! But that seems to be the way life is. 
I will tell you however, that I have learned that you don’t have to continue to live in this state of frustration and disillusionment. I have learned to say with the Apostle Paul, “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you can say this, too. Remember that our Lord “. . . has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:3-4). This year, let Jesus Christ live His life in and through you, and you will discover that   “. . . If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). 

O U R   V I S I O N

The Forever Family Ministry and Newsletter is our vision, and I pray that many of you will come to understand and share this vision with us as we continue to develop it.  Its purpose is to assist the Family of God to remain a cohesive, vibrant and meaningful entity in our world.  We are doing this in the same way Jesus, the Apostles and the early Church did it---by maintaining a means of communication (such as this newsletter and responses from you), and intra-personal involvement (e.g., face to face meetings, discipleship counseling by phone, e-mail, Bible studies over the Internet with eLuminations). We have all of the same spiritual power that the early Church had as expressed in 2 Peter 1:3-4 above. The use of the Worldwide Web will be a powerful tool to reach anyone anywhere in the world and assist them in finding individual fellowship with other Christians, Bible studies, and a local church  fellowship that is teaching the truth.  
We still have much to do in developing this ministry, but we have recently been able to purchase a laptop computer and have added DSL service which enables us to handle the outreach of FFM more effectively. With these added tools, we can be available to anyone anywhere in the world. At different times during the day and night our computers and phone are being used by the Lord as tools to bless people.

PRAYER REQUESTS AND FAMILY NEWS

“The fields are ripe unto harvest and the laborers are few”, so pray that we will all have the desire and motivation to reach out to those who are willing to hear. You will notice that I emphasized the word all. Inspiring within each of you a yearning to reach those around you with the Good News of Christ and then to disciple them is also a part of our vision.  

Since we last wrote, Eden and Eve, who are both pregnant, were ordered to bed rest, and this past week Eve and our 4 year old grandson, Tommie, have been sick with this terrible flu that has been going around. Trying to help both of them plus still dealing with the flood issues has kept us more than extremely busy. 

Eden will be going into surgery Friday, 23rd, at 7 AM to bring little Jonathon Ezekiel into this world. Please keep her and this precious baby in your prayers. 

Pray that Eve and Tommie will be completely healed of this flu and its long-lasting coughing. Also pray that Eve will receive a positive report from her recent ultrasound which was to determine if the placenta had moved upward where it should be.

Please pray for a couple I am counseling/discipling via phone and e-mail who are attempting to reconcile and make a godly marriage.   

Pray for a Forever Family member who has been estranged from her children that the relationship may be restored.

Pray for a couple who will be separated by many miles as he takes on a new job which will eventually bring about a major move for the family.

If you have prayer requests you would like to share with the Forever Family who receives our newsletter, please send them to us so we can share them.

With our love,

Sid and Vilda