Dear Friends and Family,

I hope you are able to take a moment out of your busy day and read this email.  The main purpose of this email is to humbly request your support for a journey I will soon be immersed into.  Most importantly I am requesting your prayer support throughout this time in the presence of the Lord.  For somehow, almost by miracle, I have been blessed by our Lord with an opportunity to travel to Israel as part of a mission team.  We will be ministering and ministered to in Tel Aviv, Joffa and Jerusalem.  For more detail on the journey please visit http://www.adventures.org/a/trips/level3/1930.htm.

This is expected to be a year of multiplication from the fruit of last year’s mission trip to Israel. This reflects that the work from last year with grandparents will be continued with grandparents and children of the generation in power. Two brothers and a sister in Christ are joining me from Gateway Community Church to be a part of this journey into God’s Country, to visit His people, to share His love with His People.  Are you willing to be a part of that multiplication, supporting this journey? 

The Holy Spirit has given a tiny glimpse of a sliver of the blessings that will be experienced in Israel.  It happened during the first real meeting I had with my fellow missionaries.  We were sitting at a local restaurant talking about how the expectation is always so different from what we have experienced on our previous trips. We were realizing just how much better the actual trip is from what was imagined beforehand.  A feeling of complete calm, a solid peace filled me.  I commented from out of the vision the Holy Spirit was sharing, that I was glad I was going to have some help baptizing all those people.  They stared at me and said, “What?” I responded, “All those people along the river, coming down into the river to be baptized. I am not alone you are all there with me.” 

As I read through the books our leader has requested we read to bring our group to a place of unity before and during our trip, I have had a growing desire to be there now ministering.  The Lord has brought me to a place where I am waiting for His word to nourish me and mature my spirit in preparation for an amazing fifteen days in the Holy Land.  Here is a reflection from a prior trip.

From my Mexico 2003 Mission Journal:

3 June 2003

Blessed more today than yesterday.  We did ATL in the morning.  Ask the Lord.  We prayed as a group looking for what the Lord had for us to do to join Him in His work.  We decided to do evangelizing in the neighborhood near the church.  We went back to the house where Sara E. had talked with the man who was intoxicated.  We spoke with his wife.  Erin, Erasimo, Maria and her daughter and son spoke with her.  I was across the street praying for them. Praying for her heart to be softened, her husband’s heart as well.    Praying that he too would have the need to seek God to fill the void with Jesus instead of with Alcohol.  The Lord spoke to me.  A strong feeling too, that I needed to pray more earnestly that the lost sheep was needed.  Emotional – need to find that lost sheep.  Tears began to flow from my eyes.  The Lord crushed my will, broke my heart for this family and others.  I did not want to get to Heaven and not see their family there.  The gifts we would get from the fruit of their being with Jesus in their hearts. 

I have been on mission trips in the past, but never on one for fifteen days.  Most mission trips are spiritual boot camps for the body, mind and soul. Those I have attended in the past have been six day or shorter trips, to several cities in Mexico, inner city Philadelphia, PA, and to the east side of Austin, TX.  I have always had tremendous prayer warriors raising our endeavor and myself before the Lord. I am asking for much more dedication from those who decide to support me through prayer, to last through this longer period with us to help hold us up.

For those of you lead by the Holy Spirit to go beyond prayer support into the area of financial support, I offer this opportunity to receive some great joy.  With air fare, lodging, food and car travel while there will be around $3000.  Of this I have the plane flight already paid for, plus a deposit towards my lodging, food and car travel.  This leaves a remaining balance of $1375 due by April 16^th.  For those lead to support this journey financially, please make your check out to Joseph Fresch and I will combined those in to a single check to Adventures In Missions (AIM).  If you have any questions or concerns or just wish to share blessings and insight about your own Israel moments please don’t hesitate to call me at 512-589-6898, I would love to hear from you.

Joseph Fresch

5701 S MoPac Exp #423

Austin, TX 78749

May God bless you beyond measure this year!

Faithfully yours in our Messiah,

Joe

PS:

Here is a lesson from one of my past mission trips from our devotional time:

 Everyone needs three things to survive:

1. Vision – found by seeking God.
2. Passion – given by the Holy Spirit – to do the work that God has sent us into the world to do.
3. Knowledge – from the Bible – scripture to guide and educate our actions as we do the work of the Lord in the World.

These Scriptures are part of the foundation by which my life is guided:

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Mark 11:24 (NIV)

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Luke 18:27 (NIV)

Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

Last Gateway U classes were good but not overly moving.  This session I have signed up for Charting Your Course (needed as prereq for Ascending Leaders "Yourself" study), Faith that Moves Mountains, Helping Others to seek God.  Should be lots of interesting stuff this go round.  Currently working through Ascending Leaders Course - Christ Habits. 

The Ascending Leaders - Spirit Fruit was a life change experience.  From the beginning with Module one and God delighting in me, profound and stirring.

Glad Chey got to go to Turin, Italy for the Olympics as part of a Missions Team through WISE School in Denver. 

Gateway U starts this week, I am really looking forward to it!

God is Good, All the time!

Went to the Chiropractor today it was good to be adjusted.  My massage hurt like crazy.  I joked with Arni about being 36 and falling apart... she then started to work on some problem areas and showed me I was indeed falling apart.  It felt so much better afterwards.  I thanked Arni several times and then some more.  More Fun next Wednesday.  I look forward to it!  It is working wonders.

I volunteered to help out on the 11th with the 180 Service.  It was fun last time and I just showed up out of the blue.  We just finished the Purpose Driven Life in small group, we are looking for our next study.  We may just end up doing the Gateway University studies for the next 4 or 5 weeks or so.  I have already signed up for the GU208, An Ordinary Day With Jesus, which meets on Thursdays, and GU402 Leading a Life Changing Small Group.  The GU402 is a Seminar on Oct 15th, 9 am to 11 am or so. 

Sent a "Just Thinking of You!" email to Heather with a few emailed hugs.  It is distracting at work to out of the blue just start thinking about Heather.  She sent back a thank you email with some hugs too.  Thank you God for that blessed friendship.  I look forward to hanging out with her this weekend maybe, if she can fit me into her busy schedule.  God is Good !  All the time! 

Well I need to read some of the big stack of books that lay sprawled about like a sleeping tiger and get to sleep.

Have a blessed beyond measure Thursday!  God delights in you!

Birthday was long, even with getting out of bed at 1:10 PM.  I did make it on time to visit with Lacie at Kerby Lane.  It was a good 2 hrs or so.  Talked with Michelle, Cari, Dad, and left some messages for friends.  Good day over all.  Especially with UT winning!!!

I finished off two of my three Netflix movies.  Aviator was not working.. snet all three back on Saturday.  Wow Sunday is already here.  This is my week to help out with the 10:20 AM service at church.  Should be fun, it usually is.

I actually went into work today to change out backup tapes, I have such the exciting life.  Yawn.  Ascending Leaders Small Group is tonight, I have all the reading and most of the exercises done, as well as almost all the essay questions.  Module 2 is on the Fruit of the Spirit - Love.  I think I will need to reread the reading to get any more out of the lesson. 

Well need to head towards bed... sleep and then off to church... I think Brett is having a BBQ at his place sometime mid day or late in the evening... I hope I can get a chance to stop in... If not then I can swing by sometime on the Monday Holiday... it is great working for a Bank!

Birthdays!!!  Today I turn 36, I feel like I am falling apart.  When I was 17 I never expected to live past 35, now I have a whole new life to live.  What to do first?  More volunteering, more mission trips, more dates with wonderful women?  I certainly want to get back into mountain biking.  4 or 5 years ago I was riding 60 to 80 miles a week on my trusty mountain bike.  I need to get it into the bike shop to get it tuned up to start riding it again.

Yoga is another passion.  I was going to Gold's Gym three nights a week, but that fell off due to injuries.  Racquetball fell off for the same reason.  That is such a fun game!  I need to see if Bryce is up for a game or two some time this weekend.

I need to get to sleep, I have to be at Kerby Lane for a late lunch with Lacie, she is taking me out for my Birthday.  I need to give Michelle Wagner a call and wish her a Happy Birthday too!  It is nice knowing people who have my same birthday!

Take care!  Have a blessed beyond measure day!

If you don't put limits on God, He will amaze you every time!

It has been a really long day!  Work was okay, busy, felt pulled in several different directions.  Several different projects underway.  As the Anti Virus Administrator for a large company there always seems to be a "virus incident".  I am glad they caught the last virus creators.  I can almost relax a little. 

I heard that gas was going up another $1.15/gal, the insanity of it... I remember when gas was less than 50 cents.  So needless to say, but I filled the tank on my truck so I could at least make it to work the next week on some inexpensive fuel.. @ only $2.89 /gal.  Work might have to consider fuel allowances!!!  This is almost as bad as credit card interest rates. 

I still have some more reading for my Ascending Leaders small group for Sunday night.  So far it is going well.  I really do need to not take a break and just dive in as soon after we meet as possible.  The pages and questions are staring at me, as it lies innocently taunting me, from next to my keyboard. 

Have a blessed beyond measure week! 

I feel like a newby all over again!!!