Hello, family and friends!
We hope you enjoyed this past holiday season. If you experienced any difficulties or frustrations due to COVID, you're not alone! God taught us patience while we quarantined and awaited test results in order to ensure a safe Christmas and New Year. It was worth it, even if it wasn't easy. (Just like following Jesus, am I right?)
Support Raising
We are so grateful for the gifts God gave us last month through our dear friends and family. We were blessed to take on a new monthly partner who will help us go and share God's love and truth with people in Japan. We also are so thankful for the generous one-time gifts we recieved during the Christmas season. Each gift takes us one step closer to the people God so dearly loves and longs for relationship with.
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Bridges Outreach
December has always been a big month for Bridges, and the same was true this year. One of our greatest joys of the year is giving gifts to each student at our annual Christmas party. While we couldn't do our typical large, corporate party with all of the schools we serve, we were able to do smaller and safer gatherings at each school. We played games, shared food, exchanged gifts, and talked about Jesus. We are continually thankful for the opportunity to bless kids in ways that they might not experience otherwise.
Other News
Just after Christmas we received a text from our friend whose family is hosting Ren as an international student from Japan. She had snapped a candid photo of Ren reading the Bible we game him months ago! She told us that he's still been reading it after all this time. We are overjoyed at Ren's pursuit of God's truth and love, and we earnestly ask for your prayers over him. We would love to see him find the same joy and peace in the family of God that we have.
We would also love your prayers over an upcoming speaking opportunity we've been given. Connection Christian Church has invited us to share a message during their Sunday service on February 21st. Please remember us in your prayers as we seek God for what he wants to share with our brothers and sisters at CCC. We long deeply for the hearts of God's children to be moved not just for the people of Japan, but for people of every nation, culture, and language.
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Doug Lucas