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Prayer requests

Dear friends,

It has been ages since my last update and I have much to share about future plans…but that will have to wait another month. Today I’d like to ask for your prayer as I am hoping to graduate in four weeks! I am quite behind and there is still much work to complete to meet even the minimum requirements for my graduate portfolio and my last classes this semester. Please pray that I would be diligent and have the energy to finish my work in time. I am having some eye strain and thyroid-related fatigue issues (which contributed to me getting behind this semester, although both have improved now). Please also pray that my weaknesses would teach me to rely on God more.

Additionally, would you be praying that I would be able to get a full-time ESL teaching job with a decent salary at a local college (university)? These jobs are highly competitive. Here in California, it seems that most part-time positions for ESL teaching in colleges only pay an hourly rate for classroom time, with no compensation for prep time and no pay during school holidays. Many part-time teachers are fully overworked, driving between 2 or 3 schools in different parts of the city (sometimes in the same day) just to make ends meet. Although I personally only require a modest income, I will need a better wage to pay off much of my sizable student loan debt (mostly from my time in England) if I am to go to the missions field in several years.

Lastly, please pray for my mom as her chronic pain has dramatically increased in the last few months and it looks like she will not be able to avoid having another back surgery. She needs to decide on a surgeon soon and we need to prepare the house and make plans for post-surgery care over a lengthy recovery period.

Thank you for your prayers and for your partnership in the gospel! I look forward to updating you soon on my long-term plans!

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