A BIG Thank You!

Hey Everyone,

A lot has been happening over the last few weeks with getting prepared to leave, as my Flight to Japan is in 4 Days!! (the 29th) I won't bore you with all the details, visa logistics, etc., but I want to say I truly appreciate everyone for their support and willingness to partner with God and I in this endeavor. You all have exceeded my minimum support level needs so I am able to fully concentrate on learning Japanese and the culture. So, Thank You!! I have been amazed at how God has worked through you all and I pray that this has deepened your dependence on God as it has for me.

Goodbyes:

It has been a tough season of goodbyes, but they have been really good too. I'm so glad to have been able to say goodbye properly to all of you! Thank you to everyone who came to my goodbye party. Sorry we didn't get a picture sooner with everyone else who came😅. Again I feel so much gratitude for all of you in ways I have a hard time putting into words. So, in short, it has been painful to have to say goodbye to such great people and I know it is for the best reason, to make God known throughout the earth!

Kumamoto Earthquake - A Window into Japan

In sadder cultural news about Japan there was a 7.1 magnitude Earthquake that hit the City of Kumamoto ~ 1 month ago. This is not Fukuoka, but is very close to it and could be felt by all the teams in Fukuoka. Earthquakes are very common in Japan along with Tsunami's (which is actually a Japanese word つなみ). As someone who has never even felt an earthquake, hearing about the severity of one so near to where I will be living has been a bit of a shock and something I have been learning how to prepare for. While the destruction is very real it has been cool to hear just the small snippets I've been getting from my new team members about how the Love of Jesus is being tangibly shared in the midst of the destruction as many Churches and Christians are playing a big part in some of the disaster relief. God has a way of meeting us in our low points in life so please be praying for the people in Kumamoto and those helping in the disaster relief, that God would meet them tangibly and that hearts would turn to Him.

In Reflection:

With me finally getting to go on the field to Japan there have been a few things sitting with me; Mainly, just how long of a road it has been and how grateful I am to be in this place! In my times of reflection with the Lord he has shown me many of the ways I've matured over the past 8-9 years, since he first told me of the call to the unreached peoples of the world. It's been so cool to see how, in stages, God has brought me here, to this heart posture and this people group, at this time. He knew what parts of me couldn't stay, what parts needed to come back, and what parts needed to just be given time to grow and mature. God is the master orchestrator of our lives as well as everything else in this world. So, I want to encourage you to continue to say, "Yes", to God at every juncture and trust that he knows what he is doing.

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:26-31)

Personal Prayer Requests:

• For safe travels and favor at immigration/housing and local registration
• For Kumamoto and for the Gospel to be heard and received there, now and in the coming months
• For my heart to depend on God and the power of the Holy Spirit, not my own planning.