Dear Family & Friends,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you! We hope this finds you well during this festive season. We have enjoyed celebrating Christ’s birth with both of our families, and now we find ourselves entering into a whirlwind of packing and final get-togethers with friends and family. That’s right—we are scheduled to climb on a plane headed to Tokyo in less than three weeks (January 16th)! It’s amazing to look back at these past two years of support-raising and see how God has been at work the entire time, even when we questioned the purpose of waiting. It has had its ups and downs—sometimes we felt useful and could see spurts of personal growth, and other times we faced discouragement and dismay at our weakness—all the while, God has been faithful.
It’s been two years since we first attended a Pathways Workshop on Biblical exposition in Storm Lake. As we shared in a previous update, we were not only encouraged by being equipped to study and teach the Bible, but also with the desire to equip others who might do the same.
Skip ahead to last November, our small group decided to pause our study to allow Jo Beth and I an opportunity to introduce Pathways (a Word-centered strategy that equips others to study and teach the Bible). Some came to study the Bible, some to acquire tools for teaching and some to experience a foretaste of the calling God has placed in our hearts for Japan. Whatever the reason, praise the Lord for willing hearts and graciously using us in the work of His kingdom!
Despite the busy schedule of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, our small group has continued to dig into God’s word—reaping priceless rewards along the way. Please pray that there might be a fruitful, sustaining transition so that the group will continue in discipleship for God’s glory. Pray also that these tools would not fall into disuse in our lives but that Jo Beth and I will be ready to equip others at when The Lord leads us to do so.
Thank you for your loving prayers and support—hopefully our next update will come to you from Japan!
In His love, John & Jo Beth Lee
Prayer Request:
We’ve run into some roadblocks in filing for work visas—please pray that God will work in the hearts of the government officials who are examining our paperwork, that we might have favor in their eyes by His grace. Please also pray for these final weeks in Iowa—it is hard to say goodbyes to our dear friends, families, and pets!