From the Old Year into the New Year: 2011/2012

a review

As I write these lines, we are just hours away from a new year; a good time to take a look back and to take a look ahead. For reflections on developments in the world (political, economic, social, religious, etc.), I refer you to the many TV and radio broadcasts, articles in newspapers, etc. I would like to limit myself, here, to matters concerning ‘het Goede Bericht’ (the Good News website). I know that during no previous year have there been added as many new studies and weblogs to this site, as in 2011. In September, the site had also grown an English-language ‘leg’, by the helpful (!) translations of Peter Feddema, a senior brother in Canada (and as the name suggests) of Dutch origin. With this translation work, the website gained a considerably larger outreach, as the chart below, clearly shows (click on the image to enlarge it).

unique visitors in october 2010 and october 2011

uncertain

In addition to the preparing of studies to be presented in meetings and of the writing of blogs, correspondence also took a significant portion of the available time. Also, more than in previous years, I have been visiting sick and elderly people. This “one on one service,” I did not, as such, look for, but it comes my way and I may not ignore it. Besides the many ‘GoedBericht’ activities, I also worked part time this year as a freelance NT2 teacher (Dutch lessons for Polish groups). Currently, outside the holiday times, this takes about twenty hours per week. It is my hope to continue with this in the new year, although much of the funding for this work, due to government cutbacks, may soon lapse. How all this will unfold, I do not know. Is it the intention that I’m to have more time available for the Good News Message, well, it will become self-evident. Meanwhile, my very active and beloved wife, supplies a respectable amount to the family income. In addition, we again did receive many generous donations from people who, wholeheartedly, support the Good News Message. We never ask for money, because we assume in advance, that the Lord always provides for His work. That is how we experience this, too, and I can assure you that we (Petra and I) are extremely grateful for the many who do contribute this way, to the making known of the Good News Message! What could be more important and more interest-arousing in these very dark times, than to sound forth the Word, as ever did the apostle Paul, in his days?!

2012

Following his example in spreading the knowledge of God’s Word, we plan to simply continue in 2012. As long as we have the opportunity, new studies will be placed on the site and, if possible, every day a new blog will be written. Old and new treasures will be dug up out of the veritable gold mine of Scripture. That is our purpose. Sometimes this is very exciting, especially when we sometimes (or often) depart from the old, beaten paths. Of course, we are not infallible or above criticisms. Feel free to express them, e.g. via the Facebook page. Not only compliments and beautiful testimonies will be appreciated; as well, soundly based criticism is valuable, because it teaches me things that had previously eluded me. Dear readers, with a little bit of melancholy, but especially with much gratitude, we close an old year. And with uplifted head, we look forward to a new year, ahead. What have we to fear, with the living God on our side?

Wishing you a Happy New Year and a RICHLY BLESSED 2012!!!

——————————— translation: Peter Feddema

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