January 2011

Cornelius Ministries

Dear Friends, We are so very grateful to God for all your prayers on our behalf and for the encouraging responses we have received to our last news-letter. The Lord continues to show us His marvelous grace through our dear friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. Italy is where our heart is! As you can imagine, our great desire is to serve Him with all our strength and abilities. We are confident that God is directing our lives, even through the surprising decisions that were made at Aurora in December of last year. We know that our sovereign Lord has a plan and He will continue to make it clear to us step by step.
David & Loredana Standridge PO Box 69 Bradenton, FL 34206 email djstandridge@gmail.com Tel. (941) 545-4374 cell (941) 748-4360 home Skype djstandridge Loredana email oglialorolw@gmail.com Skype loredana.standridge

We want to serve God under the direction of Godly men. During the past month we have been in contact with several men that have been, and continue to be, involved in our ministry. We are humbled and grateful for their love and concern for us.

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:3-5
All those that have a love for the Italian people agree that there is much to be done. David had received invitations to speak in conferences and churches in Italy that could have filled a couple of months of ministry in the spring of this year. Although these opportunities sounded very exciting, we wanted to make sure that traveling to and ministering in Italy was a wise decision, particularly in light of the recent events we shared with you in our previous newsletter. We were blessed to be able to meet with wonderful friends for wise counsel. On the 11th of January, David met with Ron Pierre and Don Mitchell, two former members of the Aurora Mission Board, and with Jerry Wragg and Jim Stitzinger, two pastors who have been involved in ministering to both of us. What a blessing it was to be encouraged by them to pursue the goal of returning to Italy and continuing to minister to the people there.

Important decisions were made after much prayer. Obviously, the most exciting decision was to pursue the goal of returning to Italy as full time missionaries. Even though thankful for the invitations to speak at conferences and to train men this year, we concluded that it would best for us, both physically and spiritually, to spend this year in preparation, allowing us to build a healthy foundation for our ministry and to gather the needed prayer and financial support. A loving and gracious invitation was afforded us by Grace Emmanuel Bible Church in Jupiter, Florida to attend, serve, and be served by these dear folks. This will allow us to minister and be ministered to by a truly loving, dedicated, committed local body of believers. Their pastor, Jerry Wragg, taught with David at the Academy in Italy for the past two years. Jerry and his wife Louise, along with several members, have become dear friends, for which we thank our sovereign Lord.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of Gods varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10,11
Our goal is to use our gifts to minister in areas of great need where other avenues have not been available to believers. We need your prayers as we joyfully continue to seek God's guidance, serving Him one step at a time. You are extremely important to us! We have been blessed by the response of many other men who have served in the past on the board of Aurora Mission, along with pastors who have been exposed to Italy and the great needs there. What an encouragement it has been to us to hear: We want you to continue on with the ministry for which God has uniquely qualified you and has called you. Praise God and pray with us! Praise God for His faithful direction and guidance step by step. Pray that He will prepare the way for us to move to Jupiter as soon as possible. Please feel free to write or call us directly. We want and need you to be part of bringing to fruition His call for us to ministry in this gospel-starved nation. Your co-workers in Christ to Italy, David and Loredana

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:3-6