Hi all,

Have you heard the true story of Denver Moore?  It is a redemptive story of God’s grace as told in the book, Same Kind of Different as Me.  Denver is now in heaven, but he would tell people in times past:  “God is in the recycling business, turning trash into treasure.” 

I continually marvel at how God can take our ashes and in exchange give us beauty.

Here are some of the highlights from October.

• October 1: I took one of the men from the IFRM Works Program and shared in a Sunday morning service at Bethel Lutheran Church.
• October 4: It was good to connect with fourteen people on staff at other churches in Idaho Falls during a luncheon at the City of Refuge.
• October 11: We started up weekly Bible studies at the Ruth House, IFRM’s emergency shelter for women.
• October 13: IFRM sponsored our first luncheon for Christian men interested in discipling mentorship.  We had pastors and brothers attend from a dozen different churches in the area.  The Lord is stirring our hearts in new ways in our city.
• October 15: One of the men from the emergency shelter joined me to watch the movie, Luther.
• October 17:  I took a couple of guys with me to listen to the Uganda Watatoto choir at Hope Lutheran Church.
• October 20-21: I briefly visited the Union Gospel Missions in Salem and Portland, Oregon.
• October 22: I preached to 36 men at the Bonneville County Jail.
• October 25: I watched the movie, Same Kind of Different as Me, with a staff member and resident at the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission.  All the men in our IFRM Work’s Program have been given the opportunity to watch this film.
• October 26:  Great time of fellowship with pastors in the region at the local Gideon’s Banquet
• October 29:  I preached in the Sunday morning service at Harvestview Baptist Church.  And then I had the privilege to share a few words on William Tyndale at the Reformation Celebration with Emmaus Road Church.

Would you like to contribute financially on a monthly basis to my missionary work?  Here are three ways: (1) Send the contribution to the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission but make sure to designate it with my name, for example, “chaplain fund for Todd Wood”. (2) Send the contribution to my home church, Emmaus Road Church, and mark it as “missionary fund for Todd Wood”. Or for option (3), you are welcome to give directly to me.  I am praying and seeking to raise my missionary financial support to at least a minimum of $2000 per month.  For the month of October, I received $550 in ongoing monthly support and $2,597 in special gifts.  Thank you so much.

On the home front:

Kristie and I are eager to see all of our children in Idaho Falls this Christmas!  Five weeks away!

Prayer requests:

• Men and women’s hearts to be impacted and transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ
• For those at the Mission to obtain jobs offering a livable wage, to secure affordable housing, and to experience loving friendships in local church families
• The development of a discipleship curriculum that interconnects with men in jail, men at the rescue mission, and men in their own housing and serving in churches.
• Ministry during the upcoming holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas

My four main ministry objectives: 

1. Partner IFRM with local churches
2. Disciple IFRM staff, volunteers, and residents
3. Provide pastoral prayer, encouragement, counsel, and Biblical preaching and teaching
4. Help facilitate discipleship components for the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission and the IFRM Work’s Program

Thanks for the prayers.  God bless you all.

roots by the river,

Todd Wood