Dear Beloved in Christ and Partner in the Gospel,
How are you doing? We hope warmer weather might be finally reaching you soon, after this long, cold winter. As for us in Tokyo, warmer days of sunshine are beginning to break through, warming our hearts and hands as we play outside daily with Brooke.
Enjoying a hike in the first days of Spring!
Last month we shared about ‘Abby’, ‘Larry’, and ‘Yoshi’, the three university students who came to our home for a ‘Nabe’ dinner party together with several of our teammates. At the end of that evening, each had expressed the desire to return again for a Bible study together. Kevin, Michiyo, and our family were all excited for our first Bible study together but also prepared for some disappointment if no one showed up. As it turned out, the Holy Spirit brought each person back for our first Bible Study! Although Abby has already returned to her home country, our Bible study has continued to meet weekly since that time. Praise the Lord!
We began by reading the account of creation in Genesis. After the first study ‘Larry’, a not-yet-believer, said “If I believed that God created mankind in His image, I would look at people differently,” and later, “As I read this passage, I feel my heart changing toward people.” How amazing to witness God’s Word piercing hearts for the first time. We have been so blessed to watch Larry and the others gain a glimpse of God’s glory through His Word. Please pray with us for their salvation!
Outreach Dinner: Enjoying fellowship with the Bible study group and friends!
At the same time, our team has been praying for a long time toward one or two groups splitting off from our regular small group church meetings in order to be able to reach out more broadly as Gospel-centered communities. Though this Bible study began unexpectedly, it is clear that God’s hand was at work far beyond plans we could have made ourselves. In this light, we are prayerfully taking steps toward becoming a new small-church group in our home. We’re moving carefully and seeking to discern God’s will as a team, but we are affirmed by the joy in unity He has given us as we move forward!
Thank you for walking beside us in this journey of life and ministry! We are grateful for your prayers and care, which by God’s grace, keep us going every day.
-John, Jo Beth & Brooke Lee
Welcome Adam!
Our new 2-year teammate has arrived!
Team Retreat: Regrouping and Recharging
We are excited to share the happy news that we are expecting Baby #2! Our due date is September 1st, and we are planning to deliver in Japan again. All is well so far—please pray for continued safe pregnancy, and for our family as we prepare to welcome our new little one.
Last month we asked you to pray for clarity in which ministry opportunities to pursue—praise God for His answer! Please continue to lift up these plans for a small-church group meeting in our home. Pray for unity among our team in decision-making, and for God to bring exactly those He wants to be there.
Please pray for rest and healthy rhythms for our family. This past month or so was very busy for both our team and family, and at the same time Brooke had a long bout with cold & fever. Praise the Lord, she finally seems to have recovered! However, the illness left us low on sleep and struggling to keep up with classes, family life and ministry.
We plan to transition from full-time language classes to half-time classes in April. We celebrate this milestone and are looking forward to having more flexibility with our schedule and time for ministry activities. However, continued growth in language learning is still a high priority! Please pray for our ability to continue learning and growing in the heart language of this land.
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Find past updates, additional photos and
more information at Jo-John.com