Written by Mark Driskill:
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year!
As we write our tribute to 2010 and all that God has done in and through the ministries we are privileged to work with, we are looking at 2011 and wondering at all the events we’re already anticipating with excitement and joy.
We are constantly reminded of God’s goodness to us in the blessing we call family. Kate is in her junior year at Alice Lloyd College and is raising support for her ministry adventures this summer—serving at Bethel Camp and again in Tampa, FL with World Changers. She continues to sing with Voices of Appalachia, work study with the choral director and with Baptist Collegiate Ministries and plans to graduate in Dec. 2012.
Jackson will graduate high school in May, is in the midst of his Eagle Scout project and will join his sister at Alice Lloyd College in August. He will join us on staff at Bethel Camp this summer and continues to ref, perform with our drama team and help Mary with our homeschool co-op group. John Mark, our high school freshman, has been playing basketball with Oakdale Christian Academy, will be the senior member of our drama team this fall, sings with youth chorus and studies piano and bass, and is the staff helper at camp. Grace will turn 13 this summer and is performing with our drama team and continues singing with youth choir and studying piano. We’ve also hosted several Oakdale international students during the year, in addition to a few hunters who came looking for deer. They found one!
We lost Mark’s dad the end of July and Mark had the strange privilege of preaching his father’s funeral. Kate sang and played guitar for her grandfather at the service in Virginia. It was a bittersweet time and we’re grateful for answered prayer and the support of friends and family.
Mary reached a personal goal in June by becoming a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 200-hour level, a huge accomplishment and another venue for ministry in our community. Mark had a wonderful ministry opportunity as he went to Kenya in August for a 10-day mission teaching pastors in the area. His exploits are on his facebook!
Mark continues to write morning online devotions, a column for the paper and monthly radio broadcasts and is currently coordinating a county-wide prayer movement for transformation of our county. Most of our activities center around Oakdale Christian Academy this time of year, especially as Emmanuel Fellowship struggles, as we’re sure many of your churches do, with balancing work and family schedules with spiritual pursuits. Our Youth Drama Team did the traditional Children’s Christmas Musical in a not-too-traditional-way as our children’s population seems to have grown into teens and young adults! With Jack participating in many senior events at Oakdale, John playing ball for the school, Mary still working with the homeschool community on campus, and Mark teaching full time, the lion’s share of our time is spent with the Oakdale community. Camp season is just a few short months away and youth rallies and retreats are already on the calendar. Our preparations for the summer season are gearing up quickly.
Our county seems to be in some type of transition period on many levels. One of the leading prayer warriors in our community passed away in December and we have a real sense of God’s passing the mantle onto the shoulders of this generation of ministers. Pray that God will give us wisdom as we intercede for Breathitt County and try to flesh out the gospel in this context.
Our financial situation has been unchanged and what we had hoped would be a temporary two-year need for support has entered the third year. We ask for your prayers as you remember us and our work here in Breathitt County. If you are still able to send support our way, you can send it to us or to Bethel Camp at 2773 Bethel Church Road, Clayhole, KY 41317.
Mark Driskill and his wife Mary are homeschooling community ministers in Breathitt County Kentucky. They have four children. They co pastor Emmanuel fellowship Church, serve as Camp Pastors at Bethel Mennonite Camp, and Mark Teaches at Oakdale Christian Academy.
Mark is web minister for Begotten by theWord , a ministry of Helping Hands Christian Resources.
Once a month he preaches on the local radio station through the “Lion of Judah” program. Mark also preaches in youth rallies and revivals upon request at no charge. Their vision is to see true spiritual awakening come to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and to the nation.
Contact information:
Email: driskill@hilbillymail.com
Facebook: Mark Driskill
Address: PO Box 1159 Jackson KY.
