When the Lord started me thinking of our Christmas newsletter for 2025, He reminded me of my notebook full of copies of Christmas letters I (and Wayne) have written over the years. (My first letter was dated 1978 from Rock River, WY.) Beginning November 24, 1989, Wayne and I have attempted to write a yearly newsletter. (There are some years missing.) I am unable to read them all so will just give some events that I can remember/highlights.

We sent the November 1989 letter to family and friends including an invitation to our wedding on December 23^rd of 1989. We both attempted to introduce each other to our friends and family. We were married at South Baptist Church in Laconia, NH. (Wayne's hometown.) We were married on Saturday and taught Sunday School the next day; the beginning of our service to the Lord Jesus together.

During the next 14 years, we went through “hard times” as well as seeing God's blessings in our walk with Him. Wayne went through health issues including pancreatitis and employment difficulties with part-time as well as full-time, ending up at the Belmont Post Office. In those years he pursued his academic training for the ministry. We served the Lord in our travels around the USA as “On the Road Ministries.” Due to my mental health issues, I had several employment situations using both my accounting (BS) and my counseling (MACO) education.

According to our 2002 Christmas letter, we were scheduled to be in Sundance Wyoming in January 2003 to candidate for their pastoral position. We had a good time with my mom in Gillette Wyoming and then took her to see my brother Ken in Texas. On our trip home to New Hampshire, we heard that we were not chosen at Sundance. However, in June Wayne was asked to fill the pulpit at Bristol Baptist Church in Bristol, NH. He continued to be the pulpit supply pastor until September, when BBC asked him to become their bi-vocational pastor.

From October 2003 until February 28, 2024, we were Pastor and Pastoral Assistant and lived next door in the parsonage. Our years at BBC were filled with ups and downs but the Lord blessed us with many friends and family as we served Him there. When Wayne retired in February 2024, we began a new journey with the Lord. As we shared last year, we moved into our new home at 27 Morgan Drive Unit 34 in Plymouth, NH on April 1^st 2024.

Beside the everyday service to the BBC family, the Lord gave us opportunities to reach out to the community. One of the major events was the Revive America 2010 tent meeting. Wayne as a veteran, led the prayer(s) for the Veteran's Day and Memorial Day ceremonies. He also was the Master of Ceremony for the annual “Christmas In Song” fundraiser for the Bristol Community Services.

We are now members of Gateway Alliance church just 5 minutes from our home. We have slowly started to be involved with the missions, Bible study, and prayer opportunities to serve the Lord. Wayne is also busy with the computer as he is developing the website for Wayne and Devona Ministries (wanddministries.org).

The Lord has been with us as we walked with Him for the last 36 years. The “ups and downs” have strengthened our relationship with each other as well as with the Lord Jesus the Christ. Just two of these were Wayne's fight with cancer (the Lord and Wayne won) and his heart attack (and the Lord continues to strengthen).

Just a little more about our 2025 . Health wise, we are “getting old.” I am learning new ways to coop with my “legal blindness” – I ordered my “distance” glasses today. In addition to the “reading” glasses. I am having a visit from a vision occupational therapist on December 17^th. I continue walking outside with a rolling walker and use the quad cane much of the time indoors. I have also spent about six weeks of physical therapy for muscular pain in the arms and neck. Wayne continues to be my “caregiver” as he does much (98%) of the household chores and cooking. He is always trying new recipes and improving on them. My weight is definitely not decreasing! Wayne has been working with the doctors on his blood pressure (which has been high all of his life). After months/years of medication adjustments they think they have found the right medication and dosage!

We haven't seen a lot of Marie and Matt this year. They are busy with their cat(s) and work. Wayne and Marie did go deep-sea fishing for the last time – both of them got seasick because of bad weather. We are planning to have our Thanksgiving/Christmas get-together on the 28^th.

We thank the Lord for His many blessings (not to mention supplying us with our financial gifts!). We would encourage you to read Psalm 37 (We have been blessed with almost a year of teaching on this from the pulpit) and repeat from last year – Philippians 4:19. We pray you all have a wonderful year in 2026.

Love, Devona and Wayne.