God is Good All of the Time

4-22-12

Well, I said I'd try and keep this updated....

So this is me trying. ;P

It's been a really interesting week. Trying to adjust to being back here in the states, missing everyone a ton, wondering what's next etc. There were a few really hard days.

But on Friday, I got the call I'd kinda been waiting for from SP..... And....

I'M GOING BACK TO JAPAN!!!

My application to go back was approved and they are currently working on my travel plans/itinerary.

I will be leaving the States once again on May 14^th – and this time will be in Japan for about 3 months.

I can't even put into words how incredibly pumped I am, but almost more then that simply relieved – knowing what my next step in life is. So anyways, later that same day, I ran into my neighbor/ former boss and was just asking if he might have some work for me just for like the month that I'm gonna be here – Turns out that he does! Dah! The LORD is SO AWESOME! He know us so much better then we know ourselves – He knows what we need before we even ask for it!

It's just been amazing to see the way that the LORD has been working. Even when it feels like He's far away, or that everything is falling apart – He's right there with us, and everything is under His control.

Mmm.... I'm falling so in love with Him.....

The LORD is just so good.

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"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him." 

-Psalm 34:8

Hands of Time

4-14-11

Well.....

I'm currently at the Nikko Narita Hotel in Tokyo once again.

Yesterday was really really hard. Bryan convinced Craig to let us work yesterday morning instead of sticking around camp until it was time to go to the train station. So we got to finally finish Shoji-san's house, finally got to work with the incredible Lesley, and be there for the dedication. From there we were taken right to the station – I was the only person in the whole station covered in sheetrock dust – it was awesome. But yeah, I don't know that I have ever been so emotionally drained in my whole life. So hard to say goodbyes.

One cool thing - the Sakura here in Tokyo are in full bloom. They are so beautiful!

So, last night Grace and I went outside and were taking pictures (the trees were all lit up) and were throwing handfuls of the petals everywhere. It was pretty fun.

Anyways, my flight doesn't leave here until 3:40pm so right now I'm hanging in my hotel room drinking Starbucks and killing some time until we take the bus to the airport at 11 something. And then I don't get home until 1pm (still today), it's gonna be weird – time travel seriously screws up your brain.

Well, that kinda brings us to the end of this journey. Thank you everyone so much for your prayers and support – I can't wait to talk to you all in person! And I'll try and keep you posted on what the Lord is gonna do next.

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"The Hands of Time keep moving forward..."

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"There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal, 


a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh, 


a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, 


a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up, 


a time to keep and a time to throw away, 


a time to tear and a time to mend, 


a time to be silent and a time to speak, 


a time to love and a time to hate, 


a time for war and a time for peace....

I know that everything God does will endure forever; 

nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it."

-Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 & 14a

Winds of Change

4-11-12

New record – Two blog posts in one day! Whoo!

I just couldn't end on that sort of depressing note – Especially after a day like today.

For devotions this morning Jon talked by walking by faith and trusting God even when it's dark all around you. And he said something that really hit me – When you feel like you've just lost everything is the moment right before God acts. And literally I was like – That's me. That's right now!

So it got me thinking, watching for the Lord to act on my behalf. And He did.

I had an amazing day today! At our first break I got some more information on what SP is going to be doing and what's going on with the new 'phase' they're entering – I got super excited! I'm excited to go home, and excited to come back and be a part of SP's Phase 2 in Japan later this year. Did more drywall today - most of it worked pretty good for me. Justin and I joked around most of the day, as he was working on the inside of a closet while I drywalled the outside. Michael spent quite a bit of time on the phone today and is going for an interview tomorrow to potentially be an english teacher - so excited for him! We still haven't finished our house.....

Just got back from a little shopping trip. Katie and Faith took Grace and I to the store and then surprised us by taking us out to dinner. It was so cute of them! We went to this restaurant called The Surprised Donkey (we all laughed about the name.) but the truly surprised ones were us! We had stake for dinner, and then a super weird ice cream thing for dessert - it had green tea stuff, pudding, ice cream, sesame crackers, and beans in it. Very strange. Very Japanese. So yeah that was pretty much my day. Tomorrow's that last day of work.

Mmmhmm...... The Lord is so good. In everything. It's been so amazing to see Him working here everyday, and to be a part of the body of Christ here – moving and being the physical hands and feet of Christ.

I'm gonna miss it all but I'm excited to see what the Lord will do next in my life - And I'll be back!

On Shifting Sands

4-11-12

I feel rather like I'm standing on shifting sand right now.

My request to stay longer here in Japan got denied, so I will be leaving Shichigahama on Friday.

It's been rather tough trying not to be really disappointed, but the Lord is good, and everything that He does happens for a reason. It's going to be really hard to leave here though.

Last night we had an all girls party in one of the cabins – with puzzles, ice cream, fire, great conversation, and many good laughs. Got to hear the amazing stories of Faith and Katie's family – who came many years ago as missionaries, and the ways that God has prepared the way for them. Also got all the information on the school that their family runs and what it takes to be a teacher there – they were super disappointed when they hear that I was leaving this week and I wouldn't be able to intern at the school ( not that that was ever an option), it was super sweet.

Today we are hoping to finnish Shoji-san's house. We are so close to done!

We are also kind of combing teams and I think Lesley's team is starting on Justin' next house, so I may get to work one day there.

It's kind of a hard time right now. Preparing to leave work that I love, a place that has become home, and say goodbye to all the people who have become family. Please keep me in your prayers.

This will probably be my last post from Shichigahama – so until next time.

Sayonara  

HAPPY EASTER!

4-7-12

Today was Saturday – The second day of out long weekend.

We had the day to do whatever we wanted – So we worked, and it was good workday!

We kind of had a mismatched team today, kind of whoever wanted to work found a crewlead who was going out and joined their crew for the day. So today we had Grace and Cliff working on our house with us. I finished drywalling the little room I was working on. We went to Yunomi-san's house for lunch, such a sweet Christian lady.

The weather today was pretty weird. The day started out really nice and then it randomly started snowing this afternoon – big fluffy snowflakes, and then it was gone. Very bizarre.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and we will all be going to church for an Easter service.

It's going to be a very memorable Easter – Celebrating with the Japanese people.

Well, it looks like an entertaining game of Uno is about to begin, so I thinking I will join in....

Wishing you all a super amazing Easter! Rejoice in what has been done!

HE IS RISEN!

Another Day

4-4-12

Well, today has turned out to be rather interesting.

Due to the fact that we are currently experiencing a typhoon - work for the day has been canceled.

Most of us are unsure what we should be doing with our day. But as of now almost everyone is in cabin #38 hanging out – There is a game of Dutch Blitz going on on one of the tables, and one of the Japanese guys has taken to playing the guitar and so the guys here who know how to play drums have taken to the tables and everyone is singing – the sounds is quite amazing actually.

I'm thinking I might try and get a nap in since Lesley, Grace, Morgan, and I stayed up rather late finishing The Last Samurai and drinking hot chocolate, which my awesome family sent to me.

On Sunday a bunch of us went into Sendai City. It was huge! Grace and I stuck together for the day and wandered all over the city. We spent most of the day walking through the outdoor mall just looking at all the shops. One of the coolest places we walked in to was a shop in which they were making kimonos – they were so complex with tons of beautiful fabric! We also wandered down a couple of rather strange little allyways while looking for a little ramen shop (apparently the best ones are in the little allys), but the strangest one was when we were walking and the ally just kind of ended abruptly with a shrine/temple with these gongs and bells, and these ropes to ring them. And there were these people who would come and ring them and pray. It was so sad to watch. We stood there and watched for a little while and then Grace suggested that we pray for them – so we stood and prayed for the people and the country and yeah. It was an very interesting experience.

We then found a little book shop in which we spent quite a bit of time. Then we headed back to the train station – and almost missed our train! It was a fun day.

Other then that life is pretty mellow here. Working hard everyday. Although yesterday was a rather hard day for me. I felt like I worked all day but never got anything done. I dropped a piece of drywall that I had been working on for some time and so I had to start all over – yeah, it was just one of those days.

I have also officially joined the Shichigahama dishpit crew. Not that there really is an official crew but Lesley, Justin, and I seem to be starting one.

On another note – I probably won't be coming home on April 14^th like originally planned.

A request for me to stay on longer has been submitted to the SP board and is currently being reviewed – that's what I've been told anyways.

Please pray for the Lord's will to be reveled, and for the courage to obey it.

And also keep our safty in your prayers – I just heard that the winds are picking up and are somewhere around 100mph......
And of course the spiritual state of the whole country. Your prayers are having an effect!
We continue to hear amazing stories of people's hearts softening.