I just returned to Chicago last week and have been able to continue working for Moody in their facilities department. I wanted to write and share with you how my time in Japan went. It is hard to imagine that I was actually able to spend seven weeks in Japan. Of course the time flew by, especially when your weeks are full of responsibilities and appointments.
During the seven weeks that I was there in Japan five of those weeks I was responsible for the running of the Lighthouse ministry. Many of you know that this is the same ministry that I was able to do an internship at last year. Of course the responsibilities that I had this time were different than when I was an intern. Running things while Jim and Martha Bowden were gone was a big responsibility. It was a great blessing that my mom was able to come out for three of the weeks to help with the kitchen and cooking responsibilities. I was blessed to have the opportunity to preach five times. This was a great opportunity and responsibility that I am so grateful for. Recognizing the great responsibility that preaching is; it was great to see how God used it in my life and in the life of the community to encourage and challenge growth.
One of the other opportunities that I had involved teaching a Bible study at a Japanese prison where American sailors are incarcerated. Three different times I was able to go and lead a Bible study with 10-12 guys. During one of these visits I had the opportunity to meet one on one with one of the men named Jeff. During this meeting I had the joy of seeing the Holy Spirit work in his life and lead him to Christ. Praise God for the salvation of Jeff and the work that He is doing in many of the inmate’s lives.
Overall my time in Japan served to encourage and remind me of all the ways that God has been working in my life. There is no reason that I should be known as a child of God, that I should have the opportunity to study at Moody Bible Institute, or that I should have opportunities to minister to people, like I did in Japan. I have two more years of schooling to do at Moody. I am looking forward to see how God is going to continue to grow and challenge me through the teaching and instruction that I will receive here. I am also looking forward to the continued opportunity to invest into the lives of younger men and women at the school. Pray that this year I will be able to influence and impact the guys on my dorm floor in a positive manner. My desire is to minister, mentor, and mobilize men while here at Moody. I thank God for the opportunities that he has already given me to do this.
This upcoming year, as part of my schooling I have to be involved in a ministry on a weekly basis. This year I will be given the opportunity to go to Great Lakes Training Center. This is the Navy’s boot camp and training location which is 45min north of Chicago. I will be going there every Sunday and will have the opportunity to teach in a Sunday school class at the recruit’s chapel. This ministry will be with Campus Crusades Military Ministry. This will give me a new exposure to military men and women, and will help me understand more what it is like for them at their boot camp. Doing this on Sunday mornings means I am having to find a new church in Chicago. I am planning on finding a church that offers a Sunday evening service which I can attend. Please pray that God would lead me to the congregation that he would have me commit to.
It will be interesting to see where and how God works over the next two years. I don’t yet know for sure what direction specifically that God is moving me in, but this I know, that my time back in Japan this summer has helped to confirm my direction towards fulltime pastoral ministry. Whether this takes place in a local church or on the mission field I am uncertain, but I am excited to be moving in that direction. Thanks for all your prayers and support over the years and this past summer.
Sola Die Gloria
“He is no fool who gains what he cannot lose to lose what he cannot gain.” Jim Elliott
Showing posts with label Summer 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer 2010. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
List of books for people of all ages
.....Great resources for summer reading
I found this link to these resources on my pastors blog.
Pastor Doug is faithfully posting resources to help us grow up in our sanctification, developing lives which are kingdom focused. Thank you pastor for your faithfulness in kingdom work.
You can check out his blog here:
This was my response to the great reading resources, which was the first link.
"Just think about the amount of time we use in entertaining ourselves. Our time spent learning and growing in our knowledge and understanding of God is minimal in comparison. Paul's prayer for the church in Colossi seems so fitting for us in the church today. "We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God".(Col. 1: 9-10)
I found this link to these resources on my pastors blog.
Pastor Doug is faithfully posting resources to help us grow up in our sanctification, developing lives which are kingdom focused. Thank you pastor for your faithfulness in kingdom work.
You can check out his blog here:
This was my response to the great reading resources, which was the first link.
"Just think about the amount of time we use in entertaining ourselves. Our time spent learning and growing in our knowledge and understanding of God is minimal in comparison. Paul's prayer for the church in Colossi seems so fitting for us in the church today. "We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God".(Col. 1: 9-10)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Tues. June 29, 2010
A lot happened today.
Praise God for the opportunity to lead someone to Christ. I am praying that the seed of the gospel has found good soil. This guy is in a Japaneess prison, this isn't the first time and he is only 22, drug issues will destroy you. Praise God for His work in peoples lives. We never know when or where the Spirit is at work; so we must be faithful to herald the truth at all times.
The Bible study at the prison today was great as well. We talk about forgiveness, Eph 4:31-32, and Matt.18:23-35. When we think about Romans 12:9-21, oh how important it is that we seek to forgive and not harbor bitterness, anger, resentment. Which will lead to a inner turmoil, fits of rage, burst of anger, poor relationships... "so far as it depends on you live at peaceably with all people".(Rom. 12:18)
We owe it to one another to support when you see one struggling and to remind them of truth when it is so easy to lose sight of it. I think far to often we stand idly by and don't get involved in the struggle or in the relationship.
Think about it, does God ever say that community is going to be easy? What about individual relationships are they supposed to be easy? We are told to "outdo one another in showing honor", we are told to love one another. I know from my own life that relationships are tough, and you can get hurt. However we were made for relationships and God has design his church to be centered on our relationship with Christ which then ties us together with His body, the church.
What needs to change in my life Lord to make me more sensitive to the people in my life. Lord help me to demonstrate honor and genuine love to the people around me in and through my words and actions. I am willing to suffer hurts and disappointments, because of trying to live intentionally in community. Lord give me the grace to persevere in this, that I may grow in my sanctification and that I might help others to grow in their sanctification.
Praise God for the opportunity to lead someone to Christ. I am praying that the seed of the gospel has found good soil. This guy is in a Japaneess prison, this isn't the first time and he is only 22, drug issues will destroy you. Praise God for His work in peoples lives. We never know when or where the Spirit is at work; so we must be faithful to herald the truth at all times.
The Bible study at the prison today was great as well. We talk about forgiveness, Eph 4:31-32, and Matt.18:23-35. When we think about Romans 12:9-21, oh how important it is that we seek to forgive and not harbor bitterness, anger, resentment. Which will lead to a inner turmoil, fits of rage, burst of anger, poor relationships... "so far as it depends on you live at peaceably with all people".(Rom. 12:18)
We owe it to one another to support when you see one struggling and to remind them of truth when it is so easy to lose sight of it. I think far to often we stand idly by and don't get involved in the struggle or in the relationship.
Think about it, does God ever say that community is going to be easy? What about individual relationships are they supposed to be easy? We are told to "outdo one another in showing honor", we are told to love one another. I know from my own life that relationships are tough, and you can get hurt. However we were made for relationships and God has design his church to be centered on our relationship with Christ which then ties us together with His body, the church.
What needs to change in my life Lord to make me more sensitive to the people in my life. Lord help me to demonstrate honor and genuine love to the people around me in and through my words and actions. I am willing to suffer hurts and disappointments, because of trying to live intentionally in community. Lord give me the grace to persevere in this, that I may grow in my sanctification and that I might help others to grow in their sanctification.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The first few days back in Japan
Some may be wondering what Japanees food I had been craving the most. If you guessed CoCo's Curry than you are a winner. I went to CoCo's on Monday and had lunch there with a friend. I had the tankatsu curry, level 2, 200 grams with a non-bread.
Well in some ways it feels like I was only gone on a short vacation and now I am right back into the mix at the Lighthouse. On the other hand there has been many people who are new to the community and many who have left, this brings about a change in atmosphere.
Was talking today with a friend and were talking about how much things can change in a year. She remarked how much she and her husband were able to see a change over the years time of knowing me. A change that was a good change one of growth and maturing in Christ. I can say the same for her, it is amazing to see how Christ works in our life and uses events and people and places to spur on growth in our life.
There are many events and things that are taking place over the next weeks. There are also many things happen in the lives of the people here at the Lighthouse. Both good and bad, pray that Jim and Maratha would have the wisdom and insight in counseling and that they would be energized and encouraged in the ministry. Pray for Yuki as she works towards doing an internship with Cadence. Pray for relationships in the community here, that there would be reconciliation, forgiveness, love and peace.
Pray for me as I seek to keep things running smoothly starting next week. That I will have wisdom in studying for Friday night teaching and that I would be a source of encouragement and a catalyst in the spiritual walks of the men and women here.
Well in some ways it feels like I was only gone on a short vacation and now I am right back into the mix at the Lighthouse. On the other hand there has been many people who are new to the community and many who have left, this brings about a change in atmosphere.
Was talking today with a friend and were talking about how much things can change in a year. She remarked how much she and her husband were able to see a change over the years time of knowing me. A change that was a good change one of growth and maturing in Christ. I can say the same for her, it is amazing to see how Christ works in our life and uses events and people and places to spur on growth in our life.
There are many events and things that are taking place over the next weeks. There are also many things happen in the lives of the people here at the Lighthouse. Both good and bad, pray that Jim and Maratha would have the wisdom and insight in counseling and that they would be energized and encouraged in the ministry. Pray for Yuki as she works towards doing an internship with Cadence. Pray for relationships in the community here, that there would be reconciliation, forgiveness, love and peace.
Pray for me as I seek to keep things running smoothly starting next week. That I will have wisdom in studying for Friday night teaching and that I would be a source of encouragement and a catalyst in the spiritual walks of the men and women here.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Back in Japan
A brief update and more will come soon.
I arrived in Japan yesterday June 6th. I had an uneventful flight on the way to JFK airport as well as to Narita airport. I followed up my plane ride with a bus ride to Yokohama and then a train ride from there to Yokosuka. Ending my travels with a walk up the hill to the Lighthouse.
I was anticipating finding an empty house and would unpack and head to bed. However on the porch I found some friends who were waiting to welcome me. As soon as I had hugged them and unlocked the door the phone rings and it is some more folks down on base who were wanting to welcome me back. Of course their welcome was come bowling with us. So off to base we headed and ended up bowling two games with the gang. I went to bed at 11 and got up at 7.
Please pray for me that I would remain in the vine and that God would fill me with his Spirit. These next six weeks are going to fly by and there will be many conversations and many tasks required of me. Pray that God would give me the wisdom for conversations. Finally pray that God would lead me in His word as I study and prepare for teaching on Friday night in the coming weeks.
I arrived in Japan yesterday June 6th. I had an uneventful flight on the way to JFK airport as well as to Narita airport. I followed up my plane ride with a bus ride to Yokohama and then a train ride from there to Yokosuka. Ending my travels with a walk up the hill to the Lighthouse.
I was anticipating finding an empty house and would unpack and head to bed. However on the porch I found some friends who were waiting to welcome me. As soon as I had hugged them and unlocked the door the phone rings and it is some more folks down on base who were wanting to welcome me back. Of course their welcome was come bowling with us. So off to base we headed and ended up bowling two games with the gang. I went to bed at 11 and got up at 7.
Please pray for me that I would remain in the vine and that God would fill me with his Spirit. These next six weeks are going to fly by and there will be many conversations and many tasks required of me. Pray that God would give me the wisdom for conversations. Finally pray that God would lead me in His word as I study and prepare for teaching on Friday night in the coming weeks.
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