In This Issue: International Student Ministry HMA is NOT a Vacation Visa Update Calendar Prayer Points Support Update January 6, 2026 Is this email not displaying correctly?  View it in your browser.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT MINISTRY I'm very excited to announce that upon my return to Sydney, I will have a change in ministry focus! During my first term in Sydney, I was the director of the City Sanctum workers' ministry. I enjoyed the ministry, and believe in the dual goals of 1) equipping Christians to be competent workers, and effective evangelists in a work-world that is often hostile to Christianity, along with 2) being a non-threatening place for workers to bring their workmates where they can be exposed to the hope of the gospel. Upon my departure from Sydney in May, my City Sanctum committee took on primary leadership, with me assisting online from a distance. They have done excellent work to the point that the Session of the church asked them to continue leading in order to free me up to focus on university ministry. During my first term in Sydney, I helped out with "Student Outreach to the World" (SOW) by speaking periodically at weekly meetings as well as teaching at missions training and summer camp events. Engaging with university students was one of the most rewarding aspects of my work. The church Session has asked that I focus on developing an outreach to international students. With SOW chapters at four universities, internationals comprise 20-50% of the student bodies, many of them coming from China, as well as other countries that are difficult for missionaries to reach. I'm very excited about this new opportunity, and looking forward to involving our church members and university students in this exciting new ministry! HMA is NOT a Vacation! Every missionary periodically spends some time back "home." These furloughs, or as MTW calls them "Home Missionary Assignments" (HMAs) are not vacation, but involve different work. What does that look like? For me, I'm keeping busy with: Training of new missionaries, leading them online through various coursework in preparation for work on their respective fields. Recruitment of new missionaries Reporting back to supporting churches MTW committee work (healthy teams initiative) MTW Asia-Pacific member care Readiness Evaluation assessor for new MTW applicants Involvement at my home church -- teaching Sunday School on missions, choir, Bible study, growth group, men's book discussion Maintaining connections in Sydney Raising additional support While HMA is not the primary work of a missionary, it is critical to the ministry, and critical to promoting the future of missionary work. Visa Update I anticipate that Harbour City Church will be able to apply for sponsorship in the next few months. This is necessary for them to sponsor my visa. However, the church was recently notified that their lease will not be renewed for another year, and will need to vacate in several months. Finding a new venue is an important priority and may delay progress in the sponsorship application. I remain hopeful of a late summer departure. Calendar Sunday, Jan. 11 Crestwood PCA Edmonton, AB February 5-7 Readiness Evaluation (Online assessment of MTW missionary applicants) February 15-21 Highlands PCA Ridgeland, MS Missions Festival February 21 - March 1 Briarwood PCA Birmingham, AL Global Ministries Conference Prayer Points   Praise God for three new partnering churches (Mississippi, Michigan, Georgia). Pray for God's grace on upcoming travel, including flight to Edmonton, Alberta later this week. Pray for the new international ministry I'll be developing in Sydney -- that God will use it to draw many to salvation, and for those students to take Christ to their nations. Pray for the process of gaining a visa to return to Australia later this year. Pray for Harbour City Church as they have lost their lease and need to find a new place for worship.   Support Update During my first term in Australia, my budget was supplemented by excess one-time contributions and previously unused budget monies to the tune of about $1,000/month. With those funds now depleted, and inflation decreasing the value of contributions, while simultaneously increasing ministry and life costs, I am in need of raising up additional support from new sources as well as increased support from current partners. I am currently in need of an additional $1,335 per month in pledges. Would you consider joining my team of ministry partners, or perhaps increasing your current level of giving? To make a contribution, or to change your level of giving: Follow this link to contribute on the MTW website. Above my name, you can choose "recurring;" then you can indicate how often you would like your contribution to recur. Or if you prefer a less technical method, email me or email Cara Christiansen at MTW. Tell us how much you would like to pledge on a monthly or annual basis.

I'm posting this on January 6, but this update is from August 29, 2025.

In This Issue: Stateside Service Support Update Calendar Surgery Thursday Prayer Points August 29, 2025 Is this email not displaying correctly?  View it in your browser.

Stateside Service I've been stateside now for nearly four months, and it's been flurry of activity: KINGDOM FOUNDATIONS: After spending a week of June at MTW headquarters with 21 new missionaries in training, I am serving, along with another missionary in the Jackson area, as a cohort leader for seven of those new missionaries. We meet every two weeks online to discuss courses they are taking online, to pray, and to encourage as they raise up a network of supporters. RECRUITING: I joined other missionaries from my region at the PCA General Assembly in Chattanooga in late June, spending our time connecting with pastors, ministry leaders, and families. Please pray that God will call some of these people to serve as long-term missionaries in Australasia. In July, I recruited at the MTW East Coast Missions Conference in Centreville, VA; and I anticipate recruiting at seminaries across the southeast US during the fall semester. CHURCH PARTNER VISITS: Recent missionary visits to partnering churches include Chattanooga Valley PCA in July, and Bryce Avenue PCA in Los Alamos, NM just last week. BAPC was celebrating their 50th anniversary; it was there that I spent my first year after college teaching in their Christian school. They were my first exposure to the PCA. I learned this past week that they left the mainline Presbyterian church in 1975 because of the Wynn Kenyon case, in which Kenyon was denied ordination because of his views on the ordination of women pastors. Kenyon went on to be ordained in the PCA and to teach for many years at Belhaven University, and was an elder at my church in Jackson. Support Update With one church joining my ministry team (pending approval of their session), I am currently in need of raising an additional $823 in monthly pledges. Did you know that since I first joined MTW in 2009, the US dollar has lost about one-third of it's value? A partner giving $100/month in 2009 is now giving the equivalent of about $67/month. I am so thankful for my many ministry partners, and feel some guilt for asking for more; but would you consider increasing your contribution by 25%, or perhaps even 50%? I know that some are not able to do that, but perhaps that is something you could do. Would you please prayerfully consider increasing your monthly or annual contributions in order to send me back to the work to which God has called me in Sydney? Or perhaps you've been receiving my newsletters for many years and praying for my work. Thank you! Your prayers are critical to the work of the gospel in Sydney! But perhaps you would like to also partner with me financially. To increase your contributions, or to begin financial partnership, select one of the following options: Contribute on the MTW website. Above my name, you can choose "recurring;" then you can indicate how often you would like your contribution to recur. Or if you prefer a less techie method, email me, or if you prefer to be an anonymous partner, email Cara Christiansen at MTW. Tell us how much you would like to pledge on a monthly or annual basis. THANK YOU for your prayers and your faithful financial partnership. You are an indispensable part of this ministry team. Follow FB Group Calendar Sunday, Sept. 7 Bay Street PCA Hattiesburg, MS 9:45 am Sunday School 11 am Worship   Wednesday, Sept. 24 North Macon PCA Macon, GA 5:45 pm dinner; 6:30 pm presentation   Sunday, Sept. 28 Providence PCA Clinton, MS 10:30 am Worship   Sunday, Oct. 19 First PCA Belzoni, MS 10 am Sunday School 11 am Worship   Sunday, Jan. 11 Crestwood PCA Edmonton, AB Surgery Thursday   I would appreciate your prayers on Thursday, September 4, as I am having out-patient surgery to remove a polyp from my left nasal passage. For many years I have dealt with significant congestion. I finally sought medical advice this past summer, having a Cat-scan last week revealing a polyp completely obstructing the left nasal passage. I'm told it is very likely benign, but will be tested for cancer. Prayer Points Praise God for safety over many miles traveled and flown in recent months. Praise God for three churches that have expressed interest in partnering with me in the work of the gospel. Pray that God will provide through them. Pray that Harbour City Church's application materials to sponsor visas will soon be submitted and approved quickly, and that I'll soon be able to apply for a visa to return to the ministry work in Sydney. Pray for Harbour City Church in Sydney. They will be hosting the National Assembly of the Westminster Presbyterian Church denomination September 13-17. This involves a great deal of work: logistics, meals and snacks, etc. Pray for Harbour City Church and Pastor Jim Jung as he transitions out of his roles as pastor and MTW Sydney team leader to focus on his role as regional director for Australasia. This change will occur in mid-September, after HCC hosts the WPC National Assembly. Pray for the entire church through this process of losing their founding pastor, and for Sijin Yang, our Aussie Assistant Pastor, who will take on the role of senior pastor. Pray for him, as he is young and newly married as of August 8. Pray that God will call many of his people to serve overseas to plant and support the work of planting new churches in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.

June 9, 2025 Missionary Newsletter

Sydney Wrap-Up & Departure April was a flurry of activity as I worked to wrap-up or hand off various responsibilities in Sydney before returning to the US. City Sanctum is continuing during my absence, with the committee members taking on more planning and implementation. Pastor Jim Jung gave the talk for the May meeting, and one of the committee members will be giving the talk this Thursday for the June meeting. Even before my departure, our committee had been planning to encourage some of our regular participants to take on occasional talks, so this is a good way of kickstarting that initiative and for our committee member to lead by example. Please pray for Jung and Monica as they work to minister to the City Sanctum community. They eager to not just have City Sanctum continue during my absence, but to flourish. In the weeks leading up to my departure I had many meetups with young men from the church -- many of them at their initiative -- to catch up, talk future plans, and see how God is working in our lives. Right about the time I should have started packing up my apartment, the church's music ministry asked me about building a new "drum cage" that would be large enough to fit a new drum set being donated to the church. Not one to miss a building opportunity, I squeezed the project into my second to last week before departure, using the opportunity to work with several young men on the project -- teaching new skills and building upon relationships. One week before my departure, I finally got around to packing up my apartment. As it seems very likely that I will be able to return to Sydney in the next year, everything was placed into storage. Unfortunately, my car did not sell, despite several price reductions. It was legally signed over to my team leader, who is able to use it as a second vehicle for his family, and should be waiting for me upon my return. Home Ministry Assignment IOWA On May 5, I flew from Sydney to Sioux Falls, SD, spending several weeks in NW Iowa near my mom. In addition to quality time with her, I bought a car, prepped for my church visits during this "HMA," and gave updates at two supporting churches in the area. MISSISSIPPI At the end of May, I drove my new (to me) car to Mississippi and took over my house from my renters. I spent the first week of June doing fix-up and clean-up, settling into the house, and preparing the guest suite for a one-year medical resident tenant. ATLANTA On Sunday, June 8, after giving a brief "missions moment" at my home church, I drove to Atlanta. All this week, I will be involved in MTW's "Kingdom Foundations Orientation," the beginning of the training journey for all new MTW missionaries. I will be serving as a cohort co-leader for seven new missionaries over the next ten months. We will meet online every two weeks to discuss assignments, support raising, discouragement and praises, and general preparation for moving to various parts of the world where God has called them to share the gospel. CHATTANOOGA After a quick trip back up to Iowa to be with my mother during her shoulder replacement surgery on Monday, June 16, I'll be in Chattanooga for some MTW committee work followed by the PCA General Assembly, where I'll be manning an exhibit for recruiting new missionaries to Australasia (Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific Islands). RECRUITING Additionally, I anticipate visiting many seminaries in the Southeast US during my HMA to recruit missionaries for our region. THANK YOU for your faithful prayers and financial partnership in the work of the gospel! Follow FB Group Calendar June 9-13 Participating in Kingdom Foundations training of new MTW missionaries (Atlanta) June 14-20 In Iowa during my mother's shoulder replacement surgery June 22-23 MTW "Healthy Teams" committee work (Chattanooga) June 23-26 PCA General Assembly recruiting of new missionaries (Chattanooga) July 11-13 MTW East Coast Missions Conference recruiting of new missionaries (Centreville, VA). Click the link and plan to attend if you're in the area! July 14-18 MTW "Refresh" retreat for missionaries on HMA (north Georgia) Prayer Points   Praise God for a sweet time of passing off responsibilities in Sydney and quality time with people before my departure. Praise God for a safe return to the US, quick recovery from jet lag, provision of a new (to me) car, and good time with my mother. Praise God for the return of my home in relatively good condition, for a place to call home during HMA, and a one year tenant in the guest suite that will more than cover my mortgage and housing bills. Pray for twenty-one newly approved missionaries going through training this week, and as they raise their support and prepare for ministry overseas. Pray for me and my colleague as we co-lead a cohort of seven of these new missionaries over the next ten months. Pray for safe travels as I'll be putting many miles on my car and some in the sky. Pray for our region's recruiting efforts, not only for Australasia but for missions around the world. Pray for my visa issue -- that Harbour City Church will be able to get their sponsorship reinstated, and then that I will be able to get a visa to serve in Sydney. Both of those endeavors is likely to take about six months to accomplish. Pray that I will lean fully on God to provide for my needs, my support, and to work in the lives of those whom he is calling to go overseas with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Support Raising It is the nature of missionary life that while on HMA, additional support must be raised. Some attrition of a missionary's support network is normal; cost of living increases also necessitate adjusted budgets. Before I return to Australia, I need to raise an additional $843/month. If you would like to partner with me in raising up church leaders and missionaries among the Asian-Australian population of Sydney, I would love to talk with you about what that would look like.

Visa -- The Road Forward

Visa Drama; Return to USA Recap: If you've read any of my newsletters in the last few years, you know that there has been a lot of uncertainty regarding my visa to live and work in Australia. Soon after committing to serve in Sydney, our team's immigration lawyer told me that the best he could do, for someone my age, was a two year visa which could be renewed for an additional two years. Although he offered that if I were to marry an Australian, he could do better! Well, that hasn't panned out! When Australian borders were about to open up after the Covid lockdown, the immigration lawyer suggested that a tourist visa would expedite my entrance, as there would be a significant backlog of work visa applications after two years of border closures. I was able to use a tourist visa for two years, but a third year was not an option. In July 2024, the lawyer submitted my application for a two year visa, along with an application to renew the church's ability to sponsor visas. The sponsorship was rejected in November, and appealed, which will likely take several years to process. Then earlier this month, we were notified that my visa WOULD be rejected, if I did not take action, as it was based on a sponsorship that was not valid. In seeking a second professional opinion, it has become clear to us that our immigration lawyer, who has become quite elderly, has not been representing us well. We signed on with a new immigration lawyer yesterday, and have a plan forward; however it's not what we were hoping for. The Path Forward: Based on the advice of our new immigration lawyer, the church will be submitting a new application for sponsorship, once better documentation is able to be organized. This will likely take a couple of months to arrange, plus perhaps six months before a decision will be made. In the meantime, I need to leave Australia. My current visa application will be withdrawn so that I will not have a rejected application on my record. If/when the church has the ability to sponsor visas again, a new application will be submitted. Details are not yet fully developed, but I will likely return the the USA the first week of May. I anticipate spending a few weeks in Iowa, and then will return to Mississippi. I will be scheduling updates with my various supporting churches, recruiting missionaries and interns for our region at several events this summer, and looking for other ways to be active in ministry in the Jackson area. Had I known, back in 2019, how tenuous my visa situation would be, I'm not sure I would not have joined the Sydney team. However, God in his wisdom did not reveal that to me at that time. He had work for me here, and his grace is sufficient for each day. I believe God has more work for me in Sydney, and look forward to seeing how he works out all the details. Follow FB Group Prayer Points   Praise God for providing a new, highly capable immigration lawyer, and for answers to our questions, even if not all of those answers were our preferences. Pray for our church team as we implement plans for my departure and for ministry after my departure. Should City Sanctum continue in some capacity during my absence? What will that look like? Etc. Pray for "A" (as mentioned in the last newsletter), that he will be responsive to meeting up several more times before my departure, and that the Holy Spirit will open his heart to the hope of the gospel. Pray for discernment in determining whether to liquidate my apartment contents or place into storage -- what is the likelihood that I will be able to return to Australia? Pray for good wrap up of ministry in Sydney, relationships, etc. Pray for logistics for my return to the US: flight, car, accommodation in Inwood, IA for perhaps three weeks, turnover of my home on June 1 from current tenants. Calendar   Early May:  Return to USA, initially to Iowa June 1: Return to Mississippi June 23-26: PCA General Assembly; Chattanooga, TN July 11-12: East Coast Missions Conference; Centreville, VA July 14-19: MTW "Refresh" retreat for returning missionaries

Visa Update & Ministry Recap

Ministry Recap of the New Year Aussies like to ease into their new years. Many offices close down for the holiday season, some not reopening until mid- or even late-January. Being the peak of summer, many are out enjoying the beaches or traveling, especially internationally. But this actually provides some unique opportunities for ministry, as those who stick around Sydney tend to have more free time. Meeting up with individuals and working on woodworking projects with of couple of the young men filled some of my time with productive ministry. UNIVERSITY MINISTRY At the end of January, SOW (Student Outreach to the World) university ministry held their annual summer camp with the theme "Holy, Holy, Holy." I was invited to give three talks (Apologetics; Sharing your Testimony; and Discerning Vocation & Calling), and was able to have many conversations with young men and women regarding their faith and their lives. With the new academic year for Australian universities starting in February, each SOW chapter participated in their university's orientation week in order to invite new students to their club. I was the guest speaker for the University of Sydney chapter on their first week and was amazed that God brought  70+ students, more than doubling their typical attendance last year. The SOW director decided to have a theme of "the gospel" for the first three weeks, so I taught on Galatians 1:1-9 and entitled the talk "The Gospel Needs no Gravy," demonstrating that when we add anything to what Jesus Christ has done for our salvation, we create a false gospel. My MTW colleague will be speaking at weeks two and three, finishing up the gospel series. CITY SANCTUM In our workers' ministry, we began the new year with a new quarterly them: "Leading Well." Many of our members are very young, and in entry-level positions in their work. But leadership also extends to personal leadership, and leading among our peers. And of course these young workers will gradually assume leadership over others as they progressing their careers. At our January meeting, I spoke on "What's Love Got to Do With It?" emphasizing the role of love as a crucial virtue in a leader. In February, a guest speaker spoke on the Trinity (one-off from the quarterly theme). Next week I will be speaking on "The Humility Paradox." PERSONAL EVANGELISM God has provided opportunities for me to share the gospel on a deep level in recent weeks with two young men. One of the young men (we'll call him "J") has been in the church for a number of years, previously at another church until recently when he began attending Harbour City Church. But, in his words, he has "turned his back on God" due to the hypocrisy he sees in the church. And yet he regularly attends worship services. The other young man ("A") attended a university ministry event where I was the speaker back in September. Afterwards, over dinner, I learned he was an atheist, but had been exploring Christianity and had visited a few churches. He had a pretty solid grasp of the gospel at that time, and he accepted my invitation to worship at Harbour City Church the following Sunday. However he left abruptly afterwards as he felt "out of place," and soon stopped responding to my messaging. In January, "A" texted me with questions about Jesus and the Trinity -- "I thought Christians claim to be monotheists." We've subsequently met on several occasions for lengthy conversations. He had started to also explore Islam, but later rejected that. I hope to meet with him again on Saturday, as he has shown interest in studying the book of Romans with me. Please pray that he will accept that a finite creature cannot possibly understand everything that God reveals to us about himself, but that he will trust the evidence of Christ's life, death, and resurrection and accept his atonement for all of his sins. Follow FB Group Visa Update   I received discouraging news yesterday that my application for a a two year visa has been rejected because it is based on a sponsorship that is not currently valid. You may recall that in November the church's application to sponsor visas was rejected. We have appealed that decision and are waiting a hearing, which may be two to three years away. My immigration lawyer offered several options forward. If I do nothing, I will need to leave Australia in about two months. However we are considering the various options and hope to establish a plan forward very soon. Please pray that God will give me great discernment. Is this an obstacle put up by the enemy that God will allow me to overcome? Or is this an indicator of God's calling for me to move on to another role in another place? I see many opportunities for continued ministry here in Sydney, and desire to stay if the Lord will allow.   Prayer Points   Praise God for the many opportunities he has provided to be involved in people's lives, teaching them, praying with them, encouraging them. Praise God for a successful university ministry summer camp where our Holy God was praised, and students were challenged in their faith. Praise God for amazingly high attendance at the first SOW "weeklies" at all four universities. Pray that God will open the hearts of many students, and prepare them all for effective ministry in the workplace, in the church, in the pulpit, and to the ends of the earth. Pray for City Sanctum to better equip its members to be effective in the workplace both in their labor and in their witness. Praise God for several recent newcomers, including one last month who simply saw the event on Facebook and walked over! Pray for "J" and "A" as I continue to meet with each of them to share the grace of the gospel. Pray that God will open their hearts so that their objections to the gospel would tumble. Pray for the visa situation and discernment that will be willing to follow wherever God may lead, be that to remain in Australia or somewhere else. Audio Links   City Sanctum talks are available online: January - What's Love got to do with it?

December 27, 2024 -- Visa Update

Visa Update A month ago, our church's visa sponsorship application was rejected, and we were told that my visa application would also be rejected as it is dependent upon the church sponsoring my visa. It brought a lot of stress, as I felt that my departure was imminent. However we could file an appeal if we believed we had adequate grounds. A week later, a few of us had an encouraging dinner with a former university ministry member who now works in immigration law. She stated that the appeal board is likely two to three years behind in deciding the appeals. Doesn't sound encouraging? She added that it's very likely my visa application will not be considered until the sponsorship application is decided -- so I likely would have 2-3 years in Australia waiting on that decision. Then if my visa is approved, I would have an additional two years. Of course all of that is conjecture; the appeal could be decided much more quickly, as could my visa application, each of them one way or the other. Our appeal was lodged about a week ago, so now the waiting begins. While the uncertainty of ministry here can be unnerving, it's also a wonderful reminder of life in general. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. But as Christians we have an absolute guarantee that God is leading and guiding, that we belong to him, and we have eternity with him as our ultimate destiny. In the meantime, I am planning life and ministry as though I am here for the long term, trusting that God's will is playing out exactly as he has determined to be best for me and for the ministry here in Sydney. I certainly do appreciate your prayers in all of this. Ministry Recap in Photos City Sanctum Dinner Catan Board Christmas Dinner Financial Need One-Time Expense With the unexpected immigration sponsorship appeal comes an additional financial burden. Government and lawyer fees could be as much as $7,000 USD, depending on whether immigration services requires an actual hearing, requiring the presence of the church's immigration lawyer. This unexpected expense is not within the church's budget, and as my own worker visa is dependent upon the church's ability to sponsor me, it has fallen to me to pay the additional cost. However the appeal is bigger than just me and my visa. Without the ability to sponsor visas, Harbour City Church would be unable to recruit any additional missionaries for church planting, university ministry, and various types of church planting support ministries. Would you consider an end-of-year contribution to help cover the cost of the sponsorship appeal?   Monthly Partnership Additionally, a long time supporting church in the US notified me earlier this month that they need to discontinue monthly support, beginning with the new year. This is a loss of $300 of monthly support. Without adequate support to cover monthly expenses, I could be required to return to the States until additional support is pledged. Would you prayerfully consider joining my support team as a monthly partner? I appreciate your consideration. To contribute, whether one-time or monthly, click here. Calendar   January 9 City Sanctum. New three-month theme: "Leading Well" January 20-24 University Ministry Summer Camp. I'll be speaking three times, on: Apologetics Sharing the Gospel thru your Testimony Discerning Vocation & Calling Prayer Points   Praise God for time -- a bit of a reprieve from what seemed like an impending exit from Australia. Praise him for the ministry opportunities in the time he is allowing me. Pray for the appeal process -- for God's timing, whether that be a long process that alone extends my time here, or a quick resolution. Pray that God will sustain me during the wait. Pray for upcoming ministry talks, and day to day ministry opportunities.

November 25, 2024 -- Urgent Prayer Request & Update

Visa Update Just moments ago, I learned that Harbour City Church's application to renew their sponsorship permit (ability to sponsor foreign worker visas) was rejected. As my visa application is tied to HCC's sponsorship, my visa will also be rejected. The reasons for the sponsorship rejection are financial. When reviewing the financial records of the church, they see a lot of funds going out (donations to various ministries). Additionally, a visa sponsor is responsible for paying the salary of their sponsored workers, and for paying for their moving expenses out of the country if their visa expires or is rejected. We provided documentation that MTW pays the entirety of my salary, and also for my repatriation, should that be necessary. It appears that either the government looked no farther than the ledger sheet, or they are not satisfied with a foreign entity being financially responsible. However, HCC has sponsored missionaries in the past, and with a much more tenuous financial condition. The church is able to appeal the decision, which must be done within 28 days. We will be looking into the situation to determine whether we believe we have grounds to appeal. In the meantime, I have not yet heard anything about my visa application; there is no way of knowing whether it has been processed, or when I would be notified of the rejection. Once that happens (if we do not successfully appeal the sponsorship visa), I will have 28 days to leave the country. I appreciate your prayers for this situation. I am in Australia at the will of our heavenly Father. He brought me here, and he is able to keep me here if that is within his greater plan. I see many opportunities for ministry here, and desire to be a part of that. But I also know that God's plans are far greater than anything I could ever imagine. Pray that I will make the most of my opportunities, wherever they may be, and that I will be open to the will of God. Ministry Update City Sanctum has been meeting for over a year, post-Covid. Our November meeting brought participants eager to hear about how to cope with toxic work environments. It was discouraging to hear of so many difficult work lives; we live in a very fallen world. And yet we were able to encourage each other to be faithful in our Christian calling, working our best, loving our neighbors, and taking every opportunity we are given to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ. (Audio of past talks is available on the website, as well as on Podcasts and Spotify.) I had many opportunities to teach at our university ministry the last several months. I did a three-part series on the gospel and apologetics, as well as talks such as "When I Doubt," and "Looking Out for #1" (honoring God's name). If able, I am scheduled to speak at summer camp (January) on (1) calling and vocation, (2) the gospel and my testimony, and (3) apologetics. I'm thankful for the many diverse means in which God provides ministry opportunities such as leading a men's small group, participating in our cycling club, or spending time with a young man as we build a "Setters of Catan" board and a chess board. Please pray for the Holy Spirit's work in these young lives. USA Trip I was able to travel to the US in October, spending a week in Iowa with family to celebrate my mother's 90th birthday. 28 of us spent the weekend at Inspiration Hills, outside my hometown. Lots of memories were recalled and made. We are very grateful for God's grace upon our mom and family. From Iowa, I flew to Atlanta, rented a car, and drove to Charleston, SC to see my college roommate and his wife for a couple of days; then it was on to Jackson, MS for 12 days. It was good to catch up with friends and a couple of supporting churches, and to accomplish some much-needed work at my house. It was back to Atlanta, the first weekend of November, for MTW's Global Missions Conference. 1,700 people gathered to worship our merciful God, and to learn what he is doing around the world. MTW Australia had a booth in the exhibit hall, as well as several smaller breakout opportunities, to share about opportunities for ministry here -- everything from university interns to longterm missionaries. Please pray that God's call to "GO" and to "SEND" will be heard. Prayer Points Pray for wisdom in regards to my visa, and the church's sponsorship  permit. Pray that God will direct us well in whether to file an appeal, how to go about that, etc. And pray ultimately that I will be receptive to where God is leading me -- whether that is continued ministry in Sydney or elsewhere. Pray for Harbour City Church members to be spurred on to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and the ends of the earth. Pray for my mom, as she had a health scare on Sunday morning and is currently hospitalized for testing. Praise God for healing mercies for my back and knee (following a cycling accident in July). I'm at nearly 100% -- trying to regain lost leg strength.