“Ricky Shanks February 2023 Report”

Monday, February 27, 2023

Report from “Ricky” William Shanks in Gainesville GA
4565 Persian Trail; Gainesville, GA 30507; Phones: 843-569-8729-Home; 843-725-9283-C

Website: AnswersFromTheBible.ORG - Dial A Bible Study: 770-835-4000 (Ext. 3 for Spanish.) Gainesville church (GCOC.org) meeting address is 2815 Wallace Rd. Gainesville GA 30507.

February 2023

It is amazing what can change from month to month. February has been a month of rejoicing to God’s glory. We had a Bible student (Tara) who enrolled in Bible course a second time after a year without sending it back to us. We reached out to her and she said she would be willing to meet with Janice and I, which she wanted the same day. She is hungry to serve God. Coming from a very abusive upbringing, she was eager to hear of the correct way to serve Christ and quickly after two studies put on Christ. She is quick to memorize verses she needs the most to overcome her past.

Another (Mario) has a big family of which some of them had become saints in FL. He visited with us about two years ago. We studied with them a few times but never obeyed the Lord. It seemed sports and family came first in his schedule. Studies soon fizzled. In Feb. Mario renewed his interest in Bible study. After having an uninterrupted one on one study with him about priorities in putting God above all else, he obeyed our Lord and committed life to serving Christ being baptized immediately. With his zeal
he started to set up video studies with his family all over

Tara

Mario

the US. I study with them on a weekly basis. His wife scheduled a study with us and
now we rejoice again because today Norma was also added to Christ. Hopefully
more of his family will follow Christ soon. All of these new in Christ have a long
road ahead of them for different reasons but we are following up with several nurturing efforts by us and the local saints. Such rejoicing going on in heaven and on earth over these three being raise to walk in newness of life.

The weather has finally cooperated which allowed setting up at UNG on February 28th , the first opportunity to return. It ended up with 5 different studies over a 6 hour period and a good case of sunburn on one side of my face. It’s ok to smile. I don’t know how some of these young people are going to turn out but some are really growing over time. The two that seem most sincere are very active in their denominational group they are in. I try to keep in mind my role in this is to let God lead them through His word and for me to stay out of His way. Thus I try to make certain to address where they might need to change as God would have them to and help them realize the ways of darkness that have distracted “churches” from the narrow way Christ has given us.

We rejoice in these opportunities to help seekers find the way to serve our Lord in truth. Please keep us and them in prayer to our God. We pray that He may place even more who seek Him before us that His word may be heard by other seekers. Thank you for making this possible. May He give you much fruit from our labor and fellowship together.

Sincerely to God’s glory, Ricky

Norma

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