October 2011

Intense fall travel continued through October.  Joel gave a whopping 31 speeches across six states this past month alone!

Urbana High School

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Joel and Ryan teamed up with River of Life Church in Urbana, OH to reach the students of Urbana High School one Friday last month.  The day started with a morning school assembly where they invited students to attend a "5th Quarter" concert at the church after the football game that evening.  After school, Joel had the honor of addressing the Urbana football team as they mentally prepared for the game. Joel was also able to hang out on the sideline and watch as Urbana destroyed their opponent 51-6. (His speech to the team must have been really good!)  After the game more than 300 students walked over to the church for the concert where Ryan played and Joel shared the Gospel!  Please pray for the students of Urbana and River of Life Church who ministers to them.

Joel and the Urbana "Hill Climbers" Mascot



Anthony Wayne High School

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Toward the end of October, Joel and Ryan spent a day in Whitehouse, OH where they had two school assemblies and an evening concert.  For some reason nothing seemed to go as planned in the weeks leading up to the event. There wasn't an in-school Christian club to provide volunteers, the administration wouldn't allow promotional posters to be displayed throughout the school, and the auditorium was hosting the school play so the concert had to be held in the cafeteria. The daytime assemblies went well, but Joel and Ryan were both a little pessimistic about whether students would come back for the concert. To their complete surprise, the students came back in force!  They packed out the cafeteria to the point that there was standing room only!  Afterward Joel told me that the students seemed captivated by the gospel and it was possibly the best outreach so far this year!  

Ryan plays to a packed house in the Anthony Wayne HS Cafeteria

Message From Joel

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Teammates, 

We've been doing a lot of traveling this fall.  As I write this message, I realize that it's been three full weeks since I have spent consecutive nights in my own bed.  The next month looks like it will be just about as busy.

As always, I ask that you pray for our safety on the road as well as our families that remain at home.  This month I ask you especially to pray for our spiritual health.  Traveling, setting up, presenting, and tearing down make for very long days.  It is all too easy to let our personal daily Bible study and prayer get lost in the busyness.  Please pray that Ryan and I both would find the time and energy to tend to our own souls as we reach out to the souls of teens.  Pray that God would fill our hearts during our time with Him and that we would be able to minister to others out of that fullness.

We are so grateful for your prayers and support.

God bless,

Joel