Quarterly Newsletter | Living by Design Ministries

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Hello, Friend!

I believe that I am called to serve God and the church through Living by Design Ministries.

As I look back over my life, I cannot help but see God’s divine direction and work of preparation leading me to this exact place of ministry.

When I was four, I asked Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior. When I was twelve, I committed my whole life to Him. When I was fourteen, I received a call to full-time ministry.

From that day forward, I eagerly anticipated the revelation of the ministry God prepared just for me (Eph 2:10).

After twenty years of divine preparation, including many setbacks, u-turns, heartbreaks, and illnesses, God finally revealed His unique purpose for my life.

He graciously showed me that every loss, every moment of loneliness, and every closed door was preparing me to be poured out like a drink offering for people I’ll likely never meet.

If you are reading this, there is a 99% chance we have never met before. And there is a 98% chance we’ve never had a single one-on-one interaction.

Yet, it’s entirely possible that this ministry has become a lifeline for you. By the grace of God, you might even consider me a friend and mentor in faith.

Yes, there is something incredibly strange about spending my days pouring into the lives of complete strangers.

But are we strangers, really?

I feel an inexpressable spiritual bond with the individuals who welcome my words in their inboxes each week.

I like to think of you all as my Bible study partners—connected and united by our shared desire to study and apply the Word of God to our lives.

Every day I wake up and ask God to give me the strength to serve this community with diligence, excellence, and perseverance.

You are the reason I press on; you are the people I’m called to serve.

Even if we never meet this side of heaven.

Sarah Koontz
President, Living by Design Ministries

P.S. If you have any questions or want more information on any topics discussed in this quarterly update, please don't hesitate to contact our team at info@livingbydesign.org.

Words cannot express how thankful we are for your willingness to partner with us financially in our mission to deliver free Bible studies to inboxes worldwide. Because of your support, we were able to increase the size of our Discipleship Team by 25% and increase our monthly support by $400+. We also received $1,050 in one-time donations and many encouraging testimonials from our community. God is so good, and we are grateful for His continued provision for Living by Design Ministries.

✔ Pray for our Fall Bible Study Preparations: Sarah Koontz is working closely with our Pastoral Council and other support team members to finalize our fall Bible study. Ask God to give them endurance, wisdom, and clarity as they seek to rightly divide the Word of Truth. We invite our community to continue covering this upcoming study about Christ's Parables (Storyteller Part 2) in prayer. Specifically, we ask you to pray the following Scriptures over all who choose to participate: Colossians 1:19-20 & 3:16, Romans 8:1-2, Titus 2:11-12.

✔ Pray for our Fall Fundraiser Preparations: In past years, up to 50% of our yearly income has come from our fall fundraising efforts. As many of our existing donors are facing financial uncertainty due to the extended Covid-19 crisis, we are asking God to provide for our free Bible study ministry in unexpected and glorious new ways. We are resting safe and secure in the shadow of His wings and trusting Him to continue to sustain our ministry in these uncertain financial times.

✔ Pray for our Community Members: We currently have 1,548 active Bible studies at this time. As always, these studies are provided for free through our ministry and are delivered by e-mail to readers around the globe. Please pray for everyone studying the Bible with us right now. Ask God to speak clearly through His work and work powerfully through His Spirit in the lives of His children. Pray for protection from distraction and discouragement and that all participants will persevere to the end. Pray that all e-mails are delivered safely to inboxes and that lives are forever transformed through this process.

✔ Pray for the Koontz Family: We have faced many unanticipated trials over the summer months. Although we are finding great peace and comfort in our faith in God's ability to guide and provide for us, we do appreciate your continued prayers. Please pray for our family members by name (Ryan, Sarah, Anya, & Nadia) as you ask God to protect us physically, mentally, relationally, and spiritually.