July 9, 2013 - MTW - Japan - Coulbourne - Prayer & Praise

Outcomes of Previous Prayer Requests

1.      [Jun. 2013] The dates for our brief home assignment have been decided.  We will leave Japan on Aug. 16, and we will leave the U.S. on Nov. 14 to return to Japan.  We are continuing to pursue some leads for housing, but have not settled on a place yet.  Please pray that God will lead us to the place that will be best for our family.  Thank God for His provision of a car for us to use during this time.

2.      [Apr. 2013] Thank God for a good start to the men’s group at Shin Urayasu Grace Church, which has met monthly since April.  Many of the core men of the church have been involved, and God has used it to deepen our relationships, and to help us to grow as Christians through a book we are reading and discussing together.  Please pray for the July meeting (7/14), which will be primarily social.  Pray that some men from the community we invite would join us on this night.

New Prayer Requests This Month

3.      We are encouraged to see an increasing number of contacts from the community coming to events sponsored by the church.  At the end of June, the church held a concert at which visiting musicians from the Juilliard School performed, and 100 people attended.  We did a similar concert last summer which was attended by 30.  That’s a good indication of how many more people we know in the community now.  Also, it has been very encouraging to see more of these contacts attending Bible studies, and the level of personal sharing at these Bible studies getting deeper.  Please pray for God to bring those who seem to be seriously considering what they are reading in the Bible to faith in Himself.  Pray also that God would use a 3-day camp for children July 23-25 to help us connect more deeply with children and their families.

4.      Please pray for our remaining six weeks in Japan before our brief home assignment.  Pray for fruitful ministry and preparation before we leave.  Pray also for wisdom in making plans for our daughter Mary’s transition to college.

5.      Our brief home assignment provides a great opportunity for some of the Japanese believers who have been a part of Shin Urayasu Grace Church to step into some new ministry roles.  Please pray that God will move in some of these to be willing to take on ministry roles, and that He will equip them to be able to carry them out in reliance on Him.  In addition, God has sent Jason & Ai Kueh to serve a 5-month internship at the church from late June to mid-November.  Please pray for God to use them as Jason preaches and they serve in a variety of other ways in the church.  Pray also that God will use this experience to lead them as they seek His guidance for their future.

Craig & Ree