It’s wonderful to have the chance to write you and thank you to those who have written me back. It means a lot to hear from you!
There have been incredible happenings of late within our team…
1) So many new believers coming into the Family (this is such a great joy)!
2) 40+ believers plugged into discipleship groups every week on campus so they can truly grow and be fed spiritually. This is really where fruit that remains happens! Life on life discipleship…
3) Unity within the friends I have here has been growing! Thank you so much for lifting us up 🙂
There are so many wonderful stories I would like to share with you, but for this news letter I want to share something very specific and significant!
So, switching gears a bit…It’s been a while since my last update because I have been deep in the throws of decision-making and wanting to share with you guys once I had made a concrete decision (God willing).
Specifically, this decision is whether or not to come back to Asia for a longer period of time in order to study the language and be fully equipped to share. With this opportunity I will be able to effectively and joyfully speak to the hearts of these wonderful people!
That being said, I have made a decision to commit to coming back here to Asia after 7 months in the States!
Whats my Purpose in Returning?
My focus initially will be 1.5 years of language study then a subsequent 1 year of full on discipling students while sharing the good news.
I will definitely be also sharing through out language study, but the focus will be getting through language study in order to communicate on a heart level and more powerfully share the good news! So, for right now that’s a 2.5 years opportunity to love and share with those here in Asia. Anything beyond that commitment has not become clear yet, but I’m trusting the Lord with ALL of this.
This is a huge decision I’ve though through at length and yet for most of you this may be your first time hearing of my choice…
For me personally it’s a big move and I’m really being stretched to trust Him with this decision.
I will miss family and friends there stateside although I know there will be an opportunity to visit throughout that time period. Whether we are together or not in person I sincerely have weighted this cost and there is no two ways about it…it it’s costly. In the most specific and deep ways, relationships that matter to me…less time in doing life with you guys face to face!
Stateside Game Plan:
I’ll be returning to the States this week and then spending some time with family. My home base during that time in the States will be Campus Target’s headquarters where I will be part of an internship geared to even better equip us in long term work abroad. I’ll be traveling quite a bit from there during the six months I am in the states to spend time with friends and raise further support for our future work over seas.
As you can see, I am committing to becoming to a full time ministry worker aboard. This will be and has been for the last 9 months a full-time commitment in terms of work load. I will in a future update reflect more on my time here in Asia once I have returned back to the States. It’s safe to say that it’s been some of the hardest lows, but the most wonderful celebrations of joy-filled life I could imagine.
Is this Really Worth the ALL Around Cost?
The simple answer is the workers in this part of the world are so very few and I feel called to be here for now…I earnestly desire to reach the unreached.
His Word simply says “Go unto all the world” and this happens to be my “Go” from The Father right now.
Every believer has a destination in which to share near or far. We are all simply obedient to the Father’s heart desire is to share Jesus wherever we are!
To illustrate the multiplication of believers in the family that has happened in only the last 9 months check out this progression:
1) Initially we have had so many friends come into the family which is wonderful!
2) Some of them as new believers have shared with their family, who also now believe…
3) Then that generation of new believers have also shared with others, who also now believe just in this nine month time span.
That’s One…Two…Three generations of multiplication of Native believers in only 9 months! This is the fruit that remains we pray for and an incredible testimony of His hand at work reaching the unreached through the One right before you 🙂
We all have the privilege to share the Good News where ever we are and those who we share with we impart what we carry. Discipling that others would be sent to share and create disciples to the their neighbor unto the nations.
In order to continue on as I have been sent I am coming back only for a short time (June-January) to spend time face to face with I hope some of you and reconnect with many of you. I love you and I am so grateful for the partnership and team of us working together for this abundant blessing of others coming to know Jes-us!
As I mentioned above this is now my full time work and I don’t garner income in any other way because this is an all in investment of my time and energy to joyfully reach others. I can’t do this alone!