November Update from Matt

Hello friends,

I am so thankful for so many things. I know it is easy to start saying how thankful we are because it is that time of season and then be so very forgetful of how blessed we are as soon as the dust settles from the holiday season, but I truly am thankful for so many things and pray I never lose sight of all the grace and blessing God has poured out on us.

We have a sign in our house that a friend gave to us that says "Look at what love the Father has lavished on us", it is a constant reminder that we are so loved and nothing can ever separate us from that love. I don't know at what point in the Christian faith that the message of the gospel and the mission of the church strayed away from the fact that God loves us so immensely that he gave His son Jesus to die for us. The Bible says that when we lift Him up He will draw all people to Himself. This should be the heart cry of every missionary, church and believer that we would live lives in such a way that lifts the Name of Jesus up and allow Him to draw people to Himself. the more I grow in my walk with the Lord the more I realize that it is all about Jesus and that I am usually not doing God or anyone else any favors by straying away from that.

A few weeks ago we left SD and headed to GA for a dear friends wedding that our whole family had part in and was able to see our families while we were there. Along the way we stopped in Memphis and had stayed with wonderful friends and I was able to have some dental work done that I have been in need of for a little while. I am grateful for dentists and doctors that use their skill in ways that glorify God in other countries and in the US. I am back in SD while Amanda and the kids are still in GA until Christmas. I will fly back for Christmas and then head to Chicago for a youth conference and then we will head home. Pray for grace while traveling and for the youth conference I will be speaking at, I am super excited about the opportunities God has opened up for us.

In just a few weeks we will have our first weekend getaway for the teens. It will be December 6th - 8th. I will be able to take 30 local teens and have a weekend at the camp where they will come in on Friday evening and then go home on Sunday morning. It will be a fun time and also a growing time. We want the kids to be able to come at no cost to them so that money is not a concern or reason to why they would not be able to come. The theme will be "Great escape to nowhere" - how God restores us right where we are. It will cost roughly $35 - $40 per person to do all the things that we would like to do with them over the weekend. if you would like to sponsor a teen feel free to let me know or you can donate to YES (address at bottom) put teen camp or Hadden family in memo.

One thing I have been super encouraged by is seeing more of the teens and the kids coming to church on Sundays. It is such a blessing to be able to see the kids outside of school and them run up to give you a hug, or even when i got back to work the other day they were in the halls excited to see me and I excited to see them. It has been great over the last few months being able to build relationships with a lot more of the kids.

I am excited for the holiday season for all the ways that God can use us to be a blessing to so many families here. Last Saturday Rob and I helped pack over 200 boxes with all the fixings for a thanksgiving dinner for 10 people. I also have a list of families that need firewood that we have been working on getting them set up for a little while to meet those needs. God has promised to provide all of our needs according to His riches and I choose to believe that because I know of His faithfulness. He never goes back on a promise, I am so grateful for a great God who proves Himself over and over again.

I pray the Lord keeps you all safe through this season and that your hearts are truly filled with gratefulness and that you go about glowing with the presence of the Almighty resting on your lives.

I am grateful for each one of you and how you continue to bless us with your generosity and kindness.

Learning to serve the lord in all we do,

Matt, Amanda, Jacob, Leah and Noah Hadden

A friend of ours has been faithfully working on a website for us - if you would like to go check it out or donate there or keep up with more pictures and such I want to begin using it more for you guys to be up to date more and be able to see more through the technology God has given us. I do not think it is %100 but hopefully will be within the next month or so. Check it out and feel free to give me any feedback on how his can minister to you better.

www.haddenjourney.com

Things to pray for:

The families that work in our ministry

That we would lift the Name of Jesus up constantly

A tractor with a front end loader.

The teen weekend coming up

The families that are faithful in our church

A generator for the building