Listening for His Guidance

The Lord has been blessing me richly over the past month. I was blessed at the beginning of August by a spiritually refreshing time at Wyoming Bible Camp. I have been blessed by the love that the Cheyenne Church of Christ has shown me as I have been among them for the first time in several years. I have been blessed to be able to spend time with old friends. I have been blessed and encouraged by new friends. And God has showered many more blessings on me, more than I can count or list.

I have also been blessed by the unexpected generosity of so many people. I now have received approximately $800 in one-time donations and about $800 per month in pledges. So I am a little over half-way to my goal of a monthly budget of $1600.

God has also challenged me this month. Crimsen, the missionary who was supposed to be supervising my internship in Sendai, will probably not be returning to Japan at the time when we had planned for my internship to begin because her mother has cancer. On Friday (Aug 24th) doctors surgically removed all the cancer that they could, she will soon begin about six months of chemotherapy. (For more information and specific prayer requests visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/shelleywheeler.)

Since Crimsen, understandably, must change her plans so that she can be with her family, I have to seek what God's new plan is for my work in Japan. I am continuing to move forward in my fundraising and the application process to get my visa.

Please pray . . .

~a prayer of thanksgiving with me for the many blessings that God has given me this month including spiritual renewal, opportunities to share God's love and the financial blessings that God has provided in my fundraising.

~that God will continue to provide the funds needed for me to go and serve him in Japan.

~that Crimsen and her family will be filled with peace and optimism as her mother continues to be treated for cancer and that Crimsen's mother will be healed.

~that I will be patient and still as I listen for God to reveal his will for my future work for him.

Ah, the money . . .

Today I am finally able to let you all know how things are going in the fundraising department; God has provided about $420 in one-time donations and $85 per month in monthly donations. I know of some more support that is on the way, but I am feeling overwhelmed by how far I am from my budget goal of $1600 per month. Please continue to pray for my support as I still feel strongly that God has called me to Japan, but more importantly pray for the work that God continues to do in the hearts of the Japanese people, whether I get to be part of that work or not. (Also, prayers for the process of obtaining my visa would be good.)

If you would like to support me financially or would like more information about the work going on in Japan, please email me at sashainsendai@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your love and support.