Here are our most recent prayer letters. Enjoy!
Carter 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 ...
Read moreCarter Connection March 2025
It takes a lot of sacrifice and work for the Gospel to be shared with those around the world. In this letter, I wanted to highlight those who are not often mentioned but play an essential role in making it possible for us to do so! The Unrecognized Ones There are many people who work together to hold the ropes to keep a missionary on the field. When you read this letter and pray for us, you are one of them. When you give to help us continue the work, you are one of them. And let me say, “Thank you!” Without you, we could not accomplish the mission of reaching people here with the Gospel! Along with you and your brothers and sisters in churches all across the States, there are also specific people who, although rarely recognized, help in ways that are absolutely essential in supporting us and caring for us. For example, one of the assistant pastors in our home church in the States takes care of making sure your support gets to us safely and without issue each month. He also takes care of any administrative needs we have back in the States. Another one is our home church ...
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