On this first week of the year, we want to celebrate all God did this past year with a heart of gratitude over his faithfulness. And as we enter a new year, may we submit ourselves to God’s priorities and pursue people with a renewed sense of urgency.

As a farmer invests in seasons of plowing and sowing, what joy he experiences when sees the first fruits. This past month we experienced a first fruit as one of our ESL students placed her faith in Jesus! We are reminded daily that we don’t have to board international flights to reach people from other religions and cultures. We just need to open our eyes and engage the nations surrounding us in our own city. Helping people learn English has been a great way to serve and love our community. We look forward to seeing many more people discover Jesus through these open doors.

On Christmas Eve, I had the opportunity to preach at the Chinese Southern Baptist Church in downtown Seattle.  For this special service, the Chinese and English congregations came together for one combined service.  We sang Christmas songs in Cantonese and English and I preached a message about Immanuel, who promises to always be with us. And knowing that God is with us gives us power to bring light into this dark world. It was a time of celebration.

As we continue to pray for a strong core team to launch Awakening Church, we can see the team beginning to develop.  There are 2 young men currently living in the Seattle area that God has brought into our lives.  I have been meeting and discipling them as we prepare to launch.  During the Thanksgiving holiday, I met a special couple from my uncle’s church in Kansas.  They were in Bellevue visiting extended family and we met for coffee one morning.  We spent a couple hours sharing stories of Gods calling, vision, and how he had been preparing them for a new season of ministry. As conversations have continued, they feel God drawing them to Bellevue to join our core team.  Please join me in praying for them as they answer the call of God and take bold steps of faith in the days ahead.

In early December, we enjoyed having Kathy’s parents come visit us for a week. And on Christmas day, some dear friends from San Antonio came to visit as well. We were so blessed and encouraged by the time with all of them.

May God give us boldness, wisdom, and creativity to think of ways to respond to his grace, so that through us, even the distant islands can sing for joy (Isaiah 42).

Celebration / Gratitude

• Praise for his faithfulness in all things!
• Gratitude for relationships and partnership supporting our church planting.
• Thanks for God’s gifts to us, for his strength and for his calling on our lives.
• Awakening in the body of Christ to His work around the globe.
• Thank God for preparing the soil of the past, and for what God is going to do this new year.

Prayer Requests

• Bold Faith
• Deepened intimacy with Christ. Everything else in is a result of that.
• Core team development as we begin vision meetings within the next couple months.
• Partnering churches and individuals to sustain long-term work in our city.