Dear God, we are so humbled by your goodness and love for us. Thank you for being a God who remains faithful even when we are faithless. Lord, I’m so grateful that You have called me and have opened the doors for me to go to Japan and share Your truth to that nation. As I share the burden you’ve put in my heart for the Japanese people, I pray that you would open the hearts, eyes, and ears of your people here today to see the love you have for your children in Japan. Stir the hearts of each and every one of my brothers and sisters here tonight to see that You will bring revival to Japan. I have faith that You will raise up intercessors and supporters from this group who will partner with me during my one year mission trip. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to obey and serve You. We believe You work all things together for our own good. I lift this time up to You and may You receive all the praise, glory, and honor. We love You and in Jesus name we pray, AMEN.
Konnichiwa! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Iris, I’m 22, and I just graduated from UCLA as a Political Science & Asian American Studies major. GO BRUINS! And yes, if you were at our broomballing fellowship, I was the one yelling and screaming, “ATTACK!” J E-college is my family. All of you right here are my family and I’ve grown so close to most of you and have matured so much in the four short years I was here. I really want to encourage everyone to get involved because I found my true brothers and sisters in Christ right here in this room. I don’t think I would be where I am today without each and every one of you.
Okay so the main reason I’m up here today is not to give you a farewell speech but it’s to share what God’s been doing in my life and how I came to obey God and commit one year of my life to doing missions in Japan.
In the summer of 2006, I went to Japan for the first time with STEM. For some reason, I really felt that God was leading me to go that particular year and so I obeyed. As we trained, I was praying for a heart that would truly love the Japanese people. Seeing the history of Korea-Japan relations, I think I subconsciously harbored some hatred toward them because of what I was told growing up, and I didn’t want that to affect my ministry. However, as soon as I stepped foot onto Japan, my heart just opened up to the Japanese people. God really gave me a burden to see the love He had for them and I truly believe that He gave me the ability to reach out to them without any inhibitions. At the first church we went to, there was a guy name Sano and he had been going to church for about a year but didn’t have the courage to let his friends know because he didn’t want to be judged by them. In America, people have no problem saying they are Christian; but their lifestyle may not always reflect it. However, in Japan, because they are such black and white people, the hardest part is to declare one is Christian because once it is said, one’s life will truly reflect Christ. In the week and a half we were there, he was able to boldly share his testimony with his friends and they came out to church. Although none of his friends accepted Christ, I believe that the seed was planted and I hope to go back and meet up with them again. They are actually part of the reason I’m going back. I believe that if revival is going to come in Japan, it will be with the college students and I want to do whatever I can to establish relationships and show people the love of Christ. In a nation with less than 0.25% of Christians, it became a reality that I may be the only Christian some people ever encounter.
At the last church we went to that summer, God completely broke me. The pastor there was an older man who had been through a lot of trials and obstacles. However, he did not let that get the best of him and He continued to serve God with everything he had. There was this one day I remember so vividly where he got on his knees and gave the most formal bow with his forehead touching the ground. I was so confused as to what he was doing. Then our translator said that he was apologizing to us for what his ancestors did to our ancestors many years ago. At this, I broke down and the tears kept flowing. God knew that even though I thought I loved the Japanese people without inhibitions, there was still something blocking me from loving them whole-heartedly. God exposed even the deepest feelings and He was preparing me for something greater. That summer, I signed a commitment saying that I would go back for a year after I graduated.
I got back to America and I remember being so on fire for missions and Japan and I told everyone that I wanted to go back. However, as I became more comfortable and complacent living my life in America, I wanted to forget about my commitment. Soon I was telling people that it just wasn’t in my plans to go back because I had to find a job and work. In the back of my mind, however, I always knew that God would hold me to my promise. Senior year came and God started to remind me of my commitment. I kept trying to ignore God and put my plans first. It wasn’t until this past July that God broke me completely and confirmed my calling to go. It was the third night of GLDI and the speaker was preaching on obedience. I never thought that going to Japan was obeying God- it was more of a sacrifice. However, the speaker told us to make our minds and hearts a blank slate and ask God to write what His will for us was. At that very moment, I heard God speaking to me, “Go to Japan. My child, do not fear for I am with you.” I couldn’t help but to say yes to God. Then it hit me that I was trying to avoid my commitment because I was scared- scared of leaving my family, scared of having no friends, scared of not being able to have the spiritual community like I did at church, scared of being alone, scared of not being in control of my life, scared of leaving my comfort zone, and scared of how much God could really do with someone like me. However all these fears that consumed me, God completely took away. With just one simple desire to obey God, He gave me boldness and confidence to put my trust in Him and Him alone.
There were times I asked God what I could do for my ministry in Japan. I have no expertise on any subject, sport, musical instrument and I became so discouraged thinking I have nothing to offer God or the Japanese people. I questioned how I would be used. I then realized that I only become discouraged when the situation I face seems bigger than the God I serve. I had to ask myself, “Iris, how big is your God?” God reminded me of His greatness found in Psalm 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
Then I heard Him say to me, “Iris, I am going to do the work. It’s already been done. I don’t need your expertise, I am simply satisfied with your availability and obedience.” I don’t worry about my ministry anymore… God will lead and direct me to where there is a need. God does not want my best, He wants my ALL. Although I am planning to teach English on the weekdays, do campus evangelism with JCCC, and help edify the local Japanese church, I am open and flexible to wherever God calls me. He isn’t interested in what I can do for Him. He is interested in what I will allow Him to do through me. I find so much hope and promise in that and if He has called me and has made it possible for me to be in Japan, He will be with me until my work there is done. He will not abandon me in the middle for our God is a faithful God. He orchestrates everything in our lives for OUR own good. I am where I am because I chose to obey. I found that when you obey, you find so much peace in whatever God is asking of you because you know He will be the One in control. I am just an ordinary person with no exceptional talent or skill but in the hands of an extraordinary God, I too can be made extraordinary. I am only one person but I know that with God’s power in me, I will be able to attempt great things for God.
People are always so surprised to see that I’m going alone. Even though I am going by myself, I am not scared and I already know that I will be a majority in Japan. God plus one is always the majority and I know that if God is for me, there is no one who can be against me. I truly believe that God has taken away all fear and He has reminded me that there will be a cloud of witnesses, prayer warriors, and intercessors back in America praying for me. In my times of loneliness and discouragement, I know that it will be the prayers of all of you giving me hope and energy to press on and fight the good fight until the very end.
All throughout last year, I had the opportunity to support Tae and Karen monthly. Even though some months were hard, I was tremendously blessed by giving whatever I could and reading in their newsletter what I was contributing to. Even though it wasn’t much, I had faith that God was going to honor it, multiply it, and use it all for His kingdom work in Japan and China. I hope that all of you can prayerfully consider partnering with me for the entire year in expanding God’s kingdom through prayer and support. I believe that God has given me the opportunity to go and you the opportunity to send. We are all commanded to fulfill the Great Commission and even in these tough times, I pray that you will not let circumstances get in the way of investing in a cause that will outlast this life we life here on earth. I truly believe that our lives, time, and money belong to God and I ask that you will consider using the blessings you’ve received to bless others.
God is raising up His army. We have two choices: we can stand on the sidelines and watch others as they get ready for battle OR we can be the ones on the field equipping ourselves with the armor of God. I choose to be a part of God’s movement and I don’t just want to participate, I want to be at the forefront of that movement. Already, I see our brother in Thailand, Eric Choi, standing right beside me. I pray that when I look to the right and left of me, I will see all of you… my E-College brothers and sisters.
You are called until you are not called. You keep going and if God blocks your path, then you aren’t called… but until then, everyone is called. God will open doors of opportunity if it is His will for you to go.
Eric said fast a meal for him. I don’t want to be cliché so please fast shopping for me. I love shopping. The next time you go shopping, please think about Iris. You don’t need that extra top anyway…
Those who sow generously will also reap generously. [2 Corinthians 9:6]
Thank you for your time, prayers, and encouragement and I’ll miss you all dearly.
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If you were blessed from this testimony and would like to partner with me in prayer and support, please ask me for a support letter. If you have received one and would like to contribute, please give the envelope to Susie Yoo (for those in eCollege) and Grace Park (for those in NEXT). Feel free to drop it off at the church's main office (Pastor Jeff Hyun's mailbox). Let's take the nation of Japan for God! :) Thank you and may God bless you more than what you have given.
<--- Anne, my niece (she wants to be pen pals... how precious) 