a midsummer's day update

‘Afternoon from hot and steamy Michigan,

How’s your summer going? If it’s like ours, it’s passing quickly and it’s hot and mostly productive.

Life here has settled into a fairly regular routine, for now at least. For the last 5 or 6 weeks, I (Joel) have been working out of my office preparing for the students arrival next month. Along with various assorted tasks, my main responsibilities have been to schedule and fill up the openings for our chapel program, a daily hour of teaching, musical worship, student leadership growth and other things that need to be addressed towards the whole student body. Along with that, my other primary responsibility is working and discipling students through their involvement in the musical worship team that I lead. I’ve been preparing a lot of music and ideas and principles that I want to pass on to the students who I have the privilege of working with. I’m excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for building relationships with these students, many of whom will go on to serve as missionaries themselves. Even though our ‘field experience’ hasn’t been the ideal normal type, I’m convinced that our God will use it.

The students begin to arrive in about a month or so, so all of us as a staff of missionaries here at the Bible Institute are squeezing in preparation and rest and relaxation before life revolves around the students again.

Bethany and the boys have been also getting some routine, though it hasn’t been without it’s ups and downs. Not having me in the house all day has been an adjustment for all three of them, though Bethany is doing an awesome job of keeping our house and boys in great shape. She’ll start assisting the schools dean of education in August and is looking forward to that change of pace.

Jack is doing slightly better. We’ve had him on a no soy/no milk diet for 3 weeks and have seen some change for the better, but it seems that all change in his little body is slow going.

So that’s life for us these days. How about you? Seems like everyone is more relaxed during the summer so we tend to not hear from folks as much, but we love staying connected to what’s going on in your lives.

Before I sign off, I would ask for your prayers in two big areas.

First, my Grandpa (Papa as we call him, he’s my mom’s dad) in Southeastern Pennsylvania has been in the hospital for nearly a week dealing with the results of a minor heart attack, some of which have been some serious blood clots. He’s around 85 years old and though in his mind as spry and feisty as ever, his body is not as spry. My mom is flying back from Guyana (where she and my dad serve as missionaries) to help in his care. Would you pray for the Lord’s mercy on Papa’s body as well as for physical and emotional strength for my family.

Second, man the gas prices are awful! You know that and we really know that. Because of how gas effects so many things and the economy in general, we’re facing some financial needs and shortfalls that we’ve never had to deal with. We ideally could use an increase in our support and however things come about, we’re looking, moment by moment, and I mean that, to our God who has promised to meet our needs as we seek His purposes and serve Him full time. Please be praying both for our provision as well as for our ability to totally trust in His ability to provide for us.

Thank you so much for standing with us!

Joel for the Potter 4