Happy Summer!
…And WHAT a summer this has been! I feel like I have been LIVING-OUT just what the Teacher of Ecclesiastes described in chapter 3 — there is a time and season for everything…planting, uprooting, weeping, laughing, mourning, dancing, etc. The Teacher is correct, and I feel like I’ve been living ‘every season’ in a FAST-FORWARD manner since the beginning of April. Your prayers are what the Lord has used to give me His “peace which passes understanding & guards one’s heart and mind”…just as He promises in the book of Philippians 4:7.
THANK-YOU for blessing me by praying for…
- ME…my health, travel, transition: Health— My overall health has been SUPER (which I am thankful for!!) BUT, my left leg was compromised in a fall & continues to need attention. Travel—4 countries, 2 weddings, 3 funerals, seminary graduation, NAB Youth Gathering ’14, 10 church visits! Transition— WOW! From the list I just recited, I hope you see WHY I have quoted Ecclesiastes. It is easy to fly home, it is easy to ‘look’ North American, it is even easy to drive on the right-instead-of-the-left, but the emotional roller-coaster I and my family have been on, is not so easy — DO-able, but NOT easy! Thus, I’m indebted to you for the peace and strength God has granted us…due to you and your believing prayers!!
- NORIKO UMEMOTO…Yes! On Aug 16th , as a direct result of your prayers, Noriko arrived in Rochester, MN to begin her Post-doctoral Fellowship!! Thank you for believing in her–PLEASE continue to pray for her!
- NAB Youth Gathering ’14 – “Restore”: How exciting to have over 600 youth & adults (from the USA & Canada), doing community service projects all over Orange County, Californi Even more exciting was that many of these were children of youth whom I pastored and the adults were people I’ve mentored. These projects ranged from removing graffiti to cleaning up parks to holding a soccer camp to a Homelessness
Experience Project to Aiding Senior Citizens to Assisting in a Summer Activity Camp (to name a few.) Each night brought a faith challenge from a different speaker. God moved in the hearts of youth and sponsors, alike…in fact, due to your prayers many were led to respond to God’s Holy Spirit in concrete ways!! In fact, 173 discovered that they are “Ready To Be ‘ON MISSION’ (knowing that their future career/vocation is God’s) and to be used for the Kingdom of God.
Praise God, eh! This would NOT have happened without fervent
Prayer…thank you!!!
Important EVENTS:
July 20-25: NAB Youth Gathering ’14 -‘RESTORE’, Orange, CA
July 27: Magnolia Baptist, Anaheim, CA
Aug 01~06: Visiting supporters in Northern California (NorCal)
Aug 07: My Missionary Debriefing @Int’l Office, Roseville, CA
Aug 09: Becky & Elijah Kato’s USA Wedding Reception (Sioux Falls, SD)
Aug 10: First Baptist, George, IA
Aug 17: Central/Hillview Baptist, Edmonton, AB
Aug 19: My 41st Anniversary in Ministry!!
Aug 31: Edmonton Japanese Christian Church
Sept 07: TBA
Sept 14: TBA
Sept 21: Calvary Baptist, Bethlehem, PA
Sept 23-27: On Holiday to Prince Edward Island w/Yuri Nakano
Oct 03-05: STEER Mission Conference; Sunday: Bismarck Baptist Church
Oct 08: Turtle Lake Baptist, Turtle Lake, ND
Oct 10-12: First Baptist, Valley City, ND
Oct 16-19: Northern Alberta Missions Conference, Edmonton, AB
Oct 24-26: First Baptist Church, Ellinwood, KS
Oct 31-Nov 02: Anamoose, Harvey, Martin, ND Round Robin Mission Conf.
Thank you for taking time to trust God with these events and people! My heart’s desire to be able to earnestly Thank each of you who have faithfully and sincerely prayed for me. I’m also asking God to show me WHO HE IS CALLING TO SEND-OUT! We need more missionaries! Going to these churches and events enables this to happen!
Hope to see you along-the-way!
Grateful-to-God-for-you!! Praying for YOU, as well!! Carol キャロル