October 2021 Update

<<First Name>>, thank you for your continued prayers and support in the mission!

• God continues to bring new guests to church by grace through our evangelistic efforts.
• We have now reached a level in Mandarin enabling us to sing in Chinese along with our Taiwanese brothers and sisters in worship at church.
• God has been answering multiple prayers in our own personal lives recently. Thank you, Lord!
• We feel God's peace washing over us every day, giving us strength to serve Him in faith.
• God has blessed our home and family life with unity, joy, and peace (our boys are happy and healthy!).
• We are enjoying good health and our needs are sufficiently met.
• God is rewaring us with fruitful studies of the Word and renewed joy in Christ.

Regular Chinese Incursions
As I sit and write this update, the drums of temple worship rumble and the roar of Taiwanese fighter jet engines blast through the sky overhead. This is a daily occurrence. The Taiwanese jets are on a flight path to intercept Chinese intrusions in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Every day for years, China sends military aircraft (fighter jets and bombers) into the farthest southwest region of the ADIZ (see photo) to pressure Taiwan into submissive reunification with China. Over 600 intrusions have occurred this year, and an alarming 150 PLA aircraft entered the ADIZ earlier this month garnering the attention of the world.

Not Given to Fear
At present, we are at peace to remain in Taiwan for the glory of God because there does not appear to be any real indication that China is mounting an invasion. And, as you know, the media tends to exaggerate geo-political issues to cease our attention. Although all the saber-rattling and media coverage is difficult to discern, we do not want to be held in paralyzing fear or given over to fretful speculations. Of course, it would be false bravado to say that we never fear.

But rather than being a captive to fear, we strive as servants of Christ seeking to follow God in obedient faith. We choose to say that we are trusting in God as God keeps our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7). We choose to trust in God, not military might as the source of our souls’ security, so that our hearts can sing: in life and death, we are the Lord’s (Rom. 14:8). God commands us not to fear (Deut.31:6; Josh. 1:9; 1 Chron. 28:20; Heb. 13:6) or worry, but to pray about everything, and he will grant us peace (Phil. 4:6). In a real way, we often feel that supernatural peace washing over us and giving us the courage and determination to keep redeeming the time (Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5) that the Lord grants to us here in Taiwan as Christ’s ambassadors on mission. In spiritual solidarity, Natasha and I will keep laboring here and trusting God to direct our steps as committed followers of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

May the God of peace be with you all, amen.