Dear Prayer Team,

It was tremendous. I haven't had that much fun riding a bike in a long time. I suppose the exhilarating ride was due to the fact that my back was better. Health is such a wonderful gift! The November day was unusually warm and sunny. This is the most I traveled on a bike since arriving in Pittsburgh 15 years ago. I zipped down to Washington's Landing, sat down on a rock perched up high with a view of the city, reflected, prayed and returned. All without a thought or feeling of back pain!

One might wonder how my back became better. I am not sure. For a long time it was still bothering me–70-80 percent better. But then one day It was better. I could sit, twist and even begin to dare to play with the kids again. Praise to God! Thanks for your prayers.

Looking Back and Forward

God has done a lot in the six years since BFF started. People ask me, "Where do you get the time to do all the writing?" I don't know. I still don't know how it was all done. God's amazing grace.

I just updated the indexes on the BFF 3 Library set. They are filling up with material. I took the website off the Biblical Training Library to make more room but after loading more Biblical training materials, it again is troublesomely full (not easy to add new items to it). The graphics take up a lot of extra room, but it is the graphics, diagrams, charts and maps that help in the learning process.

Looking back is easier than looking forward. What does the Lord have for BFF?

I have formerly mentioned the challenges of adding more overseas Christian leader conferences so I will share about an area that has to do more with the production of material.

The most effective training I have seen was a combination of video, slides and sound. I have watched one such training video (on how to use a movie making program) probably about 8 times. This is not because it was done poorly. It was fantastic and had so much in it that I could learn. But my learning speed, present need and retention ability all called me back to repeat the training by putting the Library back into the computer and learn more. I believe that the combination of sound and sight is where BFF's materials need to go.

I ruled this out a few years ago because people did not have high speed access and the cost was prohibitive. But now, with faster connections, better programs with higher storage capacity, the time seems right. The hardware is getting cheaper and the software more easily manageable. I believe what I really need is a place where everything is all set up to use. When God moves, I could just sit down, record or edit. Whenever I think about doing this, my computer is too slow, hard drive too full, not good enough voice taping equipment, no place for video creation, need lighting, etc.

I am hoping to develop a place to go, hopefully in my home without extra office expenses, where I can just record audio and video. (Yes, I would need to do it when the children are still sleeping but that is not a barrier. I like early mornings!).

Sound and video is getting more and more 'transportable.' One can affordably store it, distribute it and even have short training videos on the web. I have visual slides. I just need sound to go with them. In any case, if I am going to get on top of these things, I must be all set up so I can just record and not be distracted by the barriers. We will see how the Lord guides and provides.

Serving Together for the Glory of God,


Paul Bucknell