Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
~ Psalm 105:1-6
A number of the Psalms encourage the practice of looking back. We gain proper perspective when we take a moment to reflect on where we have been and how that has helped shape who we are now. It is important, as Psalm 105 shows, to also remember God’s providence throughout. By properly reviewing the past, we develop an appreciation for what God is doing now. Importantly, we also cultivate a proper mindset for joining God in the future.
Not long ago, we began a third year of sending monthly newsletters. Recently, I took a little time to look back over the first 24 newsletters and reflect a little on where we started and how we have seen God along the way. That first message, February 2024, went to just 36 subscribers. In contrast, this month’s message will go out to more than 250! God has blessed us with such a cloud of witnesses and we are grateful to each of you who pray regularly regarding the work in Japan.
Similarly, our website launched in October 2023, just a few months before we started sending emails. It contained a few static pages of information and a couple of blog posts. That first month logged six visitors who read a total of 15 items. It is amazing to see how God has blessed these efforts! The information pages have increased in number as well as content, and I have somehow managed to publish more than 60 blog entries. It is even more humbling to realize that in the last 30 days, 112 visitors viewed 210 items. Since the website launched, a total of nearly 2,000 visitors have viewed over 4,900 items. Whew!
Looking back is helpful when we remember that it is God who gives these blessings. Emily and I are not the reason for this growth. Instead, we point to our Father in Heaven and give Him all of the glory. Your love for us is evident through your prayers on behalf of the people of Japan as well as your frequent encouraging comments. The numbers and statistics really just confirm what we already know God is doing through each of you.
Ultimately, this looking back should lead us to look forward. With your help, through consistent prayer, encouragement, and financial support, Emily and I have been able to begin realizing our goal of starting full-time mission work this August. We still have several important steps to complete in the coming weeks, but we are confident that God will continue to provide. We are eager to join with the work being done in Tachikawa, Japan. May God’s name be praised for what He has done AND what He will be doing through us all as we continue in the Son’s footsteps.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.
~ John 15:15-17
~ Clay
Fowlers in Japan 