Dear Friends and Family,

After 30+ hours of traveling, I have arrived safely in Manila.  The flight was absolutely without issue – thanks for your prayers.  I had a significant amount of time to read, reflect, study, and prepare for this week of meetings.  I will say that if you have to choose an International Airport in the Asia Pacific Region for a long layover -Incheon International in Seoul is tops!  Free showers, massage chairs, reclining chairs with blankets and pillows.  They go out of their way to make weary travelers feel welcome –  a real blessing.  I arrived at final destination refreshed, showered, shaved, and ready to tackle the tasks of the afternoon.  I will try to add a few photos daily of the events as they happen.

I want to say, God is so very good!  Yesterday somewhere over Russia, the magnitude of what we are undertaking finally really hit home.  The adrenaline was wearing off, the fatigue of the last month settling in, and a wave of, “what on earth are we getting ourselves into” started to wash over me.  I have found that it is in times like these where going to the Word is so vitally important.  As it was already Monday in this area of the world, I opened my Bible and Our Daily Bread, and began to spend some quality time with God.  I don’t know why I was absolutely blown away, as I have seen God speak through His word so many times that I shouldn’t be surprised, but here it was again, God speaking through His Word.  The assigned scripture reading for Monday, April 1, 2013 was Psalm 139:1-12.  Verse 9 leapt off the pages, “If I rise on the Wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me.”   Our Daily Bread is written and prepared by multiple writers months in advance, but yet on this day, when I had awoken in the early hours and literally taken wing to settle on the far side of the sea, God was reminding me that He would be with us.  Defying the odds of coincidence, showing up on the scene, speaking through His living word.  We serve a mighty God.  Thank you Lord for your living word, may we be ever sensitive to hear from you.

Yours and His,
Todd