Here are our most recent prayer letters. Enjoy!
Carter Connection July 2026
The last several months have been what we have needed to get our feet back under us and to put the needed time and focus into Bethany’s health. There are, of course, many aspects in the path God has prepared for us that we don’t know yet. But we know that He is faithful and good regardless of where that path leads. God is SO good to us! Bethany’s Cancer Update A few weeks ago, Bethany had the second of her three-month scans to see whether her cancer has been growing or not. We’ve been focusing on a strict holistic regimen that will hopefully, as God wills, allow us to manage her cancer long-term without the need for aggressive treatments. This has taken a lot of time and effort in maintaining, but our hope is that this will enable us to return to Japan and continue the ministry our Father called us to for many years to come. As of this point though, there are still some things we need to sort out. We need to see clear test results to confirm which path to take: to know if this is the right path for us, or if we need to pivot ...
Read moreCarter Connection April 2026
The last few months have been a great reminder that while we may not be able to see what God has prepared on the path ahead, He is always faithful to give us sufficient grace and strength FOR each day ON each day. And THIS is what gives us confidence in what lies ahead. A Quick Trip Back to Japan A few days ago, I returned from a three-week trip to Japan to care for church family, and to get as many things done as possible. It was a very productive trip! On my first Sunday back, we decided to move forward with our yearly Easter event, just a few weeks earlier than usual. That gave us only two weeks to prepare and spread the word. Our church family went into overdrive! They passed out pamphlets in nearby neighborhoods, contacted family and friends, gathered supplies, prepared everything for the event. When the day of the event arrived, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. But people started flowing into the park we had reserved. Our church family even went around the park inviting others to join. By the time it started, we had close to 70 people who had gathered! It was ...
Read moreCarter Connection January 2026
In our last update, we had to make the difficult announcement that Bethany’s cancer has returned. So many of you have responded in so many ways to show us your love for us. We cannot say enough how thankful we are for the care and support we have received over these past few months! Our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude for each of you who have reached out, who have prayed, and who have given to meet our needs during this time. Thank you! One of God’s promises that has been central to this season in our lives is in Proverbs 3:5–6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” While the path has definitely been hard, we have seen God directing us through it in many clear and amazing ways through each step. He has given us grace for each day of the journey. Church Family in Japan Before returning to the States, we needed to make sure that our church family in Japan was taken care of. For the first few weeks away, I gave our church family passages of Scripture to ...
Read moreCarter Connection November 2025
It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas is just around the corner! Summer lasted a loooong time here in Tokyo! We’re just now starting to see the leaves change in our area, and the transition into gearing up for winter outreaches is in full swing. Our church family is super excited to share the good news of Jesus with everyone around us! Journey Groups In this letter, I wanted to give you a glimpse into the life of our church family outside of the regular Sunday Services. What does it look like for us as a church in Tokyo to grow in our faith as followers of Jesus? For the past five years, our church has been doing something that has been deeply impactful in the spiritual growth of our believers. We call them “Journey Groups” where 5-10 people in each group gather together every few weeks. That’s not unusual. But what I feel is unique is that the members of each group synchronize their daily devotions together. For example, one group is reading through the Bible in a three year plan, while another group is reading through Acts, and then reading the New Testament letters as they tie in to ...
Read moreCarter Connection August 2025
Our May update was a video update! If you haven’t seen it yet, feel free to check it out here. Summer church camps are about to start next week, so we’re excited about that. Pray that those who attend from the different churches will be encouraged and challenged to live their lives for Jesus! The “Ebbing” Throughout the years of serving here in Japan, we’ve consistently seen the “ebb and flow” of ministry: We love to see the “flow” of people who come into our lives to work alongside us as we serve the Japanese. But we also experience seasons of “ebbing” where God moves people away and on to the next part of their journey with Him. For us, the last few months have definitely been an unusually heavy season of “ebbing.” We’ve had to say goodbye to folks we love and with whom we have found great joy in serving Jesus together. Let me introduce several of them to you. Dan came to our church about seven years ago. Married to a Japanese, he came to our area to do contract work for nearby Yokota Air Base. It wasn’t long before Dan was helping wherever he could, from helping me pick up ...
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