Hi all,

Recently, the words spoken long ago by a poor, pregnant Hebrew girl were brought to my attention again.  Because of her unwed pregnancy, she was an outcast in her community.  Yet she feared the LORD in the midst of the miracle growing inside her womb.  These words, in particular, spoke to me as she lifted up praises to her God:  “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty” (Luke 1:53).

That peasant baby within Mary’s womb changed everything.  He turned the world upside down.  King Jesus came to die.  It was the greatest scandal to take place in human history,  a scandal that became our salvation and gospel glory.

Paul explains it this way, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (II Corinthians 8:9).

What joy and happiness is ours!  With Mary, let us magnify our Lord and Savior!

Here are some of the highlights from November

• November 4: Participated in the Homeless Stand Down in Idaho Falls. In the afternoon, we drove to Salt Lake City to attend the New Life Banquet of the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake.  We listened to guest speaker, Ron Hall.
• November 6-10: Attended 19 different small groups throughout the week by connecting with Berean Baptist Church, Emmaus Road Church, CrossPoint Community Church, Warriors for Truth (pastors’ fellowship), Overcomer’s Outreach (New Life Church), Authentic Manhood (Christ Community Church), Center for Hope, pastoral counseling, and numerous other groups with IFRM.
• November 11-12: Blessed to preach and teach at Pocatello Baptist Church’s Fall Celebration.
• November 14-17: Travelled with Pastor Beau Floyd to Providence, Rhode Island to hear the teachers in the annual gathering of the Evangelical Theological Society
• November 18: Church members, IFRM staff, and mission residents attended a showing of the movie, Same Kind of Different as Me, at Paramount Theater in Idaho Falls. I shared a few thoughts at the conclusion of the movie.
• November 26:  Ministered to five different men’s groups at the Bonneville County Jail.
• November 27:  A gentleman walked into the front doors of the Mission. I shared with him the simple, loving gospel plan of salvation.  Right there in the office, he asked for forgiveness of his sin and trusted in Jesus to be his personal Savior.

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.  For the month of November, I received $1,185 in ongoing monthly support and $988 in special gifts.  Thank you so much!

On the home front:

In two weeks, both of our older children will be making their journeys from NYC and SC to be home for Christmas.  Our oldest son will have finished all his classes for the completion of his undergraduate degree focusing on philosophy, politics, economics, and business administration.  My wife and I are excited to have all our family together.  Likewise, both of my sisters’ families will be in Idaho Falls for Christmas.  I am eager to hear the stories from my sister, Debbie, about her recent trips to Mexico and then Guatemala.  God’s mercy has been extended to our home.

Prayer requests as we head into the new year, 2018:

1. New things are on the horizon in 2018.  Stay tuned.
2. We have our first guy graduating from the IFRM Works Program.  Please pray for his protection and blessing.
3. That men and women living at the Mission will have open hearts to the work of Jesus within them.
4. Wisdom and strength in spiritual care and shepherding for the homeless in downtown Idaho Falls

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.

Merry Christmas!!  God bless you all.

roots by the river,

Todd Wood