First Sunday Service in 日本

I was awaiting the day that I could see the faces of those that I have been praying for... and today was that day. :)

On Saturday morning, Cho sensei and I left our house at 6AM so that we can make it to Hiratsuka in time for our 9AM morning prayer at Shonan Daira!!! :D I love the view from there. We prayed/shared for like 2 hours. It was very cold... the wind was like piercing. -_- Praise God I didn't get sick or that would've been bad.

I remembered this view from 3 years ago... how could you not?! It's unforgettable. Every Saturday there is prayer here... we pray for revival in Japan! As you can tell from the pictures... it was really gloomy and cold. -_- My two (least) favorite. :( We did our morning exercises as usual... Cho sensei style. But he did get rid of the HO HO HA HA... praise the Lord!

Takahashi sensei was Cho sensei's workout partner. HAHA. This looks like they're making a heart. :) A bug (that looks like a leaf) landed on Cho sensei's bag... he then transferred it to his arm as if it were his pet. -_-; Oh Cho sensei... that silly man.

I'll take better pictures of the surrounding areas on a less foggy day. You can see the ocean, Mt. Fuji, and all of Hiratsuka. One thing I can't see... America. :*(

I'm on top of the tower... faking a smile b/c it was too cold to even try. These were the men who attended... Uta san bought us tea. It comes out HOT from the machines even though they're in cans! sugoi ne.

Lunch was amazing... ramen. My favorite Japanese food- yes, even over sushi (sorry). It was tonkotsu (pork). You order the ramen from a machine, you pay the machine, and you get the ticket and give it to the waitress. -_- Toppings and stuff are not included... you have to add money for more toppings. :( SOOOOOOOO good... esp. on a cold day! mmm good.

Takahashi sensei and Uta san. :) Shonan Grace Chapel: my new church for the year! What a blessing it will be. Can't wait!

So I have to be in Hiratsuka from Saturday to Sunday (sometimes Friday to Monday morning) so I have a room upstairs. I have to sleep by myself in that church. -_- Yesterday was my first day and I was so scared!!! I almost had a heart attack. One incident: the doorbell rang. I thought I was all alone... but thank goodness the sensei was there! I called my neighbor, Eiko san, to come over cuz I got scared! :( I really prayed to God for someone to invite me to their house... but I think God wanted to break me. I got kinda discouraged thinking, "God, why did you put me in this situation? I'm so scared I can't even sleep!" Then I realized: when you pray for faith and dependency in God, He doesn't just give it to you... He gives you opportunities to be faithful and to be dependent. I vchatted with Kasey (God provided her for that time) until 10PM and then prayed a very detailed prayer before I went to sleep. Thank God that He answers our prayers because I was alive in the morning!!! :)

The deacon of the church presiding over the service! Eiko san and the children during their children service. :D They do little workbooks on Bible stories.

So today was my first day at church and it was wonderful! Their setup is very similar to ours and they sang some songs in English... well the only parts were like "God bless you" and "Amen" but still, I could sing along since I'm learning hiragana and katakana. I still don't understand 100% but it's coming along!

Sunday schedule:

9:15-10AM Junior High/High School service (upstairs)

10-11:30AM 1st Service (main chapel)

11:45AM-1:30PM Lunch

1:45-4:30PM Rest

5-6PM 2nd Service (main chapel) - mostly for young adults and those who have work during the day

6:46-8:30PM train back to Tokorozawa

8:35-8:55PM walk home

11PM sleep

After service today four of us went to eat lunch! :) It was really good. The place was called "Avantgarde Cafe" and they served french food! MMM. Specialties: quiche + salad + beef stew w/ bread + pasta. The place was super cute... they had like a store (looked like pottery barn+anthropologie) on the first floor and the second floor was the cafe. Meet my new friends: Tamaki chan, Eiko san, Miyuki san! (Please pray for these faces that they will be used to usher in revival in Japan) They were so nice and we had a good time! Thank you God for surrounding me with such great people already! God is good.

Just finished >> The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer [a MUST READ for every Christian!]

Here are some quotes:

"Let a man be forced into making a choice between God and money, between God and men, between God and personal ambition, God and self, God and human love, and God will take second place every time."

"Everything is safe which we commit to Him, and nothing is really safe which is not so committed."

"Let any man turn to God in earnest, let him begin to exercise himself unto godliness, let him seek to develop his power of spiritual receptivity by trust and obedience and humility, and the results will exceed anything he may have hope in his leaner and weaker days."

"Sometimes the best way to see a thing is to look at its opposite."

"God wants the whole person and He will not rest till He gets us in entirety."

"In himself, nothing; in God, everything."

"It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything."

Currently reading >> Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes

*both compliments of Daniel A. Kim :) I'm getting so blessed by them... thank you so much!

The best source of encouragement comes from the Bible, hands down. But sometimes, other things can bring a smile to our faces... this weekend it was pick up lines. Corny/cheesy, you may say, but still so cute.

Jevin Jim's pick up lines via AIM:

1) You can stand next to me as long as you don't talk about the heat.

2) You look sad and lonely. How bout a little vitamin ME.

3) I think i just caught myself from falling cus your so smooth ;]

4) What time do you have to get back to heaven.

5) KNOCK KNOCK? Who's there? Anita. Anita who? Anita see you soon.

Peter Cheong's pick up lines via Skype:

1) You're like a dictionary... you add meaning to my life.

2) Your eyes are bluer than the Atlantic Ocean and baby, I'm all lost at sea.

3) Do you have a map? B/c honey, I keep getting lost in your eyes.

4) Do you have a Bandaid? I just scraped my knees falling for you.

5) The Word says give drink to those who are thirsty and feed those who are hungry... so how about dinner?

6) Did the sun come up or did you just smile at me?

My all-time favorites:

1) Life without you would be like a broken pencil... pointless.

2) Can you empty your pockets? I think you stole my heart.

This was not a pick up line... but it made me smile! :) Anonymous for his protection... and no it's not my secret crush (not that I even have one). -_-; I wish... cuz I've been seeing way more couples on the streets/train stations of Japan lately... or maybe I'm just noticing it more cuz I'm subconsciously feeling lonely. HAHAHA no... it's definitely b/c it's almost the Holidays. :(

Anonymous: should i just keep all the letters i write and give them to you when you return? like the notebook or something

*if this really did happen... that would be THE CUTEST thing. only HRs think this way...

Life so far...

MAILING ADDRESS:

Iris Park

16-16 Minamisumiyoshi Tokorozawa-shi

Saitama-ken JAPAN 〒 359-1125

SCHEDULE:

6AM Wake up, wash up, QT, read the Bible, pray, get ready

7AM Eat breakfast

7:15AM Get out of the house and ride the bike to the station

7:30AM Park my bike and get on the train station headed for Ikebukuru

8AM Get to Ikebukuru & transfer to the JR line headed for Nishi-Nippori

8:15AM Get off at Nishi-Nippori and walk to school (5 minutes)

8:30AM Study/review

9AM Class begins

12:25PM Class ends

12:35PM Get back on the train (transfer in between)

1:15PM Get back to Tokorozawa Station and ride the bike home

1:30PM Talk to parents on skype

2PM Eat lunch

2:30PM Do what needs to be done (market, study, vchat, errands)

6PM Dinner

7PM Study, watch TV, talk to samoneem

10PM Sleep

Good thing about riding the train is that every reads in there... it's so quiet so it's the perfect environment. I read the Bible and listen to Christian music (usually Jeremy Camp, Rush of Fools, Starfield). I experience mad morning rush hour every day... it's so sad. They like SHOVE themselves on to the train. Yesterday was so bad, I was like CRUSHED, not even squished. -_- It was pretty bad... but today was a lot better. I still have to take a picture. I will be brave one day...

LANGUAGE SCHOOL HAS STARTED!

My school is called DBC (Dynamic Business College) -_- They bought out an old school that went out of business (b/c people are not having babies!!!) and turned the 4th floor into language school. I feel like I'm getting the atmosphere of an Asian kid. Look at the bathrooms... I thought they were soooo cute b/c they were all pink. I opened the door and I gasped! >.<>

He teaches on Wednesdays only (-_-)... his name is Banba (ばんば) sensei. He's like awkward and very clumsy. He trips over the white board legs. :) One student (who is Korean) told him, "AISHTERU" (1. you never say that in Japan and 2. he was a guy) and Banba sensei would not stop turning red and laughing awkwardly. HAHAHAHA. so funny. He is what I look forward to every week! He's 30 and he likes to speak to me in English during break. *^_^*v The other days are women teachers. :*( They're still kind/nice (しんせつ) but... yeah.

EVERY DAY 9AM-12:25PM... it's a struggle. Praise God because I feel like it's getting less and less stressful. I'm picking up on a lot more things! I really believe it is the prayers of all of you at home that is covering me! :) So please keep praying for me. I already have a test tomorrow -_- boo. I'm trying to study but it gets kinda hard with jet lag and just being tired. Pray that I will have more strength to study harder!!!

On Wednesday nights, I attend a Bible study at Tsuda College (women's college founded by a Christian woman). Hitomi, whom I met in 2006, attends this college and she invited me to join them! I haven't seen her in 3 years... we had a long hug when we saw each other at the Takanodai train station. :) I was very happy to see her. She's changed so much! She's a warrior for God in Japan. She led the Bible study... I was so proud of her! On the way to the college, there is this park (looks more like a forest) and it was so nice! I wanted to just go there and do QTs or something. -_-; About 6 girls meet weekly and I'm glad I can join them. They sang "In His Time" in English and Japanese and I could sing it in both. :D I was so happy!!! Most of them study English as their major so we can converse. :) Such a blessing... I hope to get closer to these girls. They bring snacks for each other (so cute) and yesterday we studied 1 Samuel 8-12. Oh and fortunately, there was an English teacher (Carolyn sensei) who joins them once a month and she translated for me! How crazy to have a teacher do Bible study with you! She's been in Japan for 30 years (married a Japanese man) and she speaks just like a Japanese woman. She teaches English part-time and has two kids. Pray that she will be a blessing to those she teaches and that through her, some may come to know Christ!

Back row: Nozomi (means "hope"), Carolyn sensei, Yuki (she looks Korean), Shinobi (her nickname is "Sui")

Front row: Ayame (means "Iris"), Nozomi (the other one), Hitomi, and Kazumi

PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM!!! <3>

Cute (kinda gross) story to end: I was on the train coming back home and this cute little girl is in sitting across from me with her mom. She starts picking her nose... she's like digging for gold. EUREKA! She found it... then she put it straight in her mouth. -__________-; After doing this like 4 times, she looks at me, and I shook my head and mouthed "no" but she just looked away. 5 seconds later, she starting going at it AGAIN! She did it literally like 12 times. That's why I had enough time to bust out my camera and try to take a picture of her while NOT looking like a creeper. :D omg, she must like the salty taste... I hope my daughter doesn't do that. -_- What was her mom doing?! Not paying attention to her own daughter. Kids these days... oh wait, I'm sure I did this once or twice when I was young. *barf

OKAY, time for dinner! Until next time, tootles.

Takahashi Kazuki October 20 at 12:29am

Welcome to Japan!
I looked your photo.
Is the jet lag all right?
Are you no good for homesickness?
I will meet you on Saturday.
I need your help!
For a Japanese revival !!!!!
I pray so that you can play an active part in Japan.
God Bless You!!!!

---------------------------------------------------------

:) I was greeted with this in my facebook inbox. I teared up when I read this. Japanese people are so cute and nice. I'm looking forward to serving under him at Shonan Grace Chapel. I'm scared they're going to have pictures of me all over the place... they tend to do that here. HAHAHA. -_-'

I'm feeling so tired lately. Tae was right... I'll be sleeping by 10PM he said. I woke up at 6AM today... no alarm necessary. It's cuz I'm still a bit jet lagged but it's perfect timing. HAHA. I got ready by 7AM and got out of the house by 7:20AM b/c Cho sensei was still sleeping so I had to call him (I didn't want to knock or open the door even though he was like 2 steps away from my room). I stuffed two rolls down and had to ride the bike to the station. I was SOOOO embarrassed b/c that bike has such bad brakes... it hasn't been oiled in a while! -_-; Everyone knows I'm coming behind them when I hit the brakes... it's kinda sad for me. Since it was the first day, Cho sensei went with me. I was so terrified he was going to have me go by myself. Thank the Lord he didn't make it that extreme for the 2nd day. :) We got on a train that was "semi express" and Cho sensei thought it was going to stop at this one station, but it didn't... so we got delayed 10 minutes. -_- He then said in Korean, "Failure is the mother of success." I JUST wrote about that couple entries ago. I love it when things click/connect like that!

My daily route: Tokorozawa --> Ikebukuru then transfer to another line to get from Ikebukuru --> Nishi Nippori. It takes about 55 minutes b/c it's MAD rush hour... like I've never seen this many people in one place. It's so dangerous! It's so funny b/c Japanese people are so nice and polite but when it comes to getting off of a train and in/out of the train station, they push like crazy. It's like watching a herd of sheeps getting out of a gate. -_-; THE FUNNIEST PART... it's like SILENT. People are so quiet... they don't talk on the phone (you have to turn your phone to "manner mode" once you get on the train) and they don't talk to each other much. They read books, listen to music, or straight up knock out (and some do it standing up!). I'm so amazed! I wanted to take a picture... but that's just more awkward. :( Maybe I'll be brave enough one day to show you. Then from the station, I have to walk like 10 minutes to get to class. My class starts at 9AM so I have to leave home by LATEST 7:30AM and that's if I ride my bike to the station. -_- I'm thinking I would rather leave at 7AM and walk- not take the bike. HAHAHA.

SO yeah, today was the first day of school... and I wanted to cry. The respect-me side of me came out because I was so frustrated that I couldn't understand. I was so lost. -_- I took 1 quarter (= 3 months) of Japanese at UCLA junior year but that was like NOTHING. They learned all of that in the 2 weeks I was not there. They started school on the 5th of October and now they are already done with Hiragana & Katakana. They're starting kanji tomorrow. -_- OMG. So many Koreans and Chinese... there is a missionary in that class and he really helps me out. I'm so grateful... at break he even bought me water. :) On the downside, I hate not knowing what's going on... these people had a 2 week head start. I really had to fight the tears... I was praying that I would not feel frustrated but rather see it as an opportunity to study hard. EXTRA MOTIVATION. :D But for now, I'll have to wait until the weekend to start. -_- As the class went on, I was able to pick up on more things, but still it was a very difficult 3.5 hours. *sigh. PLEASE PRAY FOR LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. It's imperative that I learn the language if I want to do any ministry. This is seriously my motivation to even try and not give up. My biggest investment here = language. がんばって。

I found my way back to Ikebukuru where I met up with Cho sensei to eat lunch! I was like STARVED by then... so we went and ate SUSHI! :) I was so happy. But I was so hungry that my stomach shrank and I could only eat 7 plates. I was like SO FULL by the end too... I could barely breathe. :( Oh well, next time. HAHA. It's so cheap and fresh in Japan! LOVES IT!

Then we went back to his office-tel to plan out the next 3 months. I'm going to be pretty busy. -_- But I'm excited!!! I'm especially excited for 12/19/09 b/c there's going to be a special CHRISTMAS LOVE CONCERT. Please take a look at this flyer and tell me if you see what I see. It's truly a dream come true. I think I am going to faint. HAHAHA. :) "If it's meant to be, it'll happen."

After planning, we got back on the train. We got back to Tokorozawa station by 4PM and I went to the 100yen shop to buy some snacks/drinks for class... it's so expensive to buy food and I just need to make due with what I have. Everything in Japan is so expensive (takai)! :( So sad...

I exchanged $700 and I only got ¥61, 369 (which means I lose like $90). The dollar is so weak. I'm suffering. -_-; Please pray that it will get better soon! The rate is like 87.67 for $1. poop.

I got home and just felt SOOOO tired. It's really hitting me and all I want to do is sleep. HAHA. But I'm forcing myself to stay up at least until 10PM. It's been good listening to a lot of Christian music (on PLAY >> Rush of Fools) and just following the Bible reading chart (yay eCollege!). The missionary has a nephew staying over and I try to talk to him. He just plays on the computer. -_- I am trying to change that. HAHA.

Tomorrow is another day! I have to find the school on my own. -_- Please pray that I don't get lost. HAHA. It's one of my biggest fears... I pray that everyone is doing well and giving their best for God! Even in the littlest of things, God can be glorified.

Advice of the day: Prayer walk! It's so crazy what God will reveal to you and how much your heart is encouraged when you pray while you walk. :) You will be blessed. I guarantee it.

Word of encouragement: 1 Peter 4:7-10

"The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."

Picture of the day: the bane of my existence. -_______-

KEEP THE FAITH!

Use Me for Your Fame!

I have arrived safely to Japan! :) Thank you to everyone who came out to send me out in prayer! I was so touched by all your cards, letters, goodie bags, hugs, and presence! :D It really gave me such encouragement and I'm so blessed to have all of you in my life. I read all of the letters on the plane and surprisingly, I smiled more than cried. DOMO ARIGATOU. <3

The plane ride was a breeze b/c I started talking to the guy next to me and I totally forgot I was even on a plane! Haha. God really answered my prayers... even down to that! I believe this guy was the first one God wanted me to minister to. His name is Tommy and he's 33 years old- he was going on a business trip to Japan for the first time. He works with all Japanese people and he's the only Korean. He went to church when he was younger but he stopped going... for whatever reason (I didn't ask). When I told him I was going for a one year mission trip through Sarang church, he knew about Sarang! He was very talkative and he had a lot to say... very cultured. My heart really went out to him... he's been married for 10 years and has a 3 year old son... but their whole family doesn't believe- that's three souls. Please pray for him. I do not know him THAT well and I may never see him again (most likely the case) but I really want to pray that God will put people in His life to lead him and his family to Christ. I believe that our conversation stirred something in his heart... let's pray that God would do the rest!

I slept like 30 minutes the night before my flight b/c Tae recommended it. However, when I got on the plane, I thought I was going to knock out... but i couldn't. I stayed up writing in my journal and before I knew it, it was already 4 hours into the flight... so I took a 3 hour nap. :) We got to Narita earlier than expected... even though we left a little late. Praise God! Everything went smoothly and there were no problems! God is so good. I got to the bus stop and I learned my first lesson: I was waiting for the bus at 4:45PM but I was so delirious that I didn't translate the international time correctly. So it was 15:45 and I stood in the line but I was actually one hour early... cuz it was supposed to be 16:45PM. -_- So I had to sit on the benches for an hour. :( HAHA. Then I took a 2.5 hour bus ride from Narita to Tokorozawa City. Cho sensei met me there and I got to his place, ate dinner, unpacked, and knocked out at 12:08AM. There is a train station RIGHT next to his house so I hear/feel it every time. Surprisingly, I only woke up once during the night and opened my eyes at 7:28AM- no alarm needed! :) It's only b/c it's the first night though...

Today I made french toast for breakfast and rode a bike around the city with Cho sensei. It's been ages since I rode a bike and the sidewalks here are so narrow... it's kinda scary. I crashed into a construction area. -_- It's okay no one was hurt... except my pride was kinda hurt. On the way there, I biked past two mormon guys on their bike. It hit me: WE ARE IN A SPIRITUAL BATTLE FOR SOULS! I prayed for them and I got encouraged to spread the gospel with more passion! After 20 minutes of biking on a bike that has squeaky brakes, we finally arrived at the JCCC office so that I could figure out my visa stuff. I'm applying for a status change from tourist --> missionary and if it works out (50/50 chance) then I don't have to go out to Korea after 3 months. :D Please pray that God's will will be carried forth! Then after we got back to the house, he made me do my first mission: find the 100yen shop by myself. He pointed me in a general direction and told me to find it and then come home by myself. I was kinda scared but I knew that God would guide me. So I went on my way... spent alone time singing praise songs and praying for buildings, random people, and the nation. It's crazy how powerful prayer walking can be! I really felt so much joy while walking around. :) Even if I'm not able to share with words, I want to walk around with a smile on my face! I got to the hakuyen shop and I was so happy- there were so many cute things but I couldn't buy them all. -_- Japan is perfect for me... we both love cute things. *sigh. I then walked back home all by myself and found my way home! :) Thank you Jesus!!! On the way home, I realized I missed so many things... the lots full of bikes & the vending machines. mmm. I saw a church and I prayed that God will use it mightily in this city... there are only a FEW churches in Japan so it was a rare sight. Please pray that it will be able to reach a lot of people in the neighborhood.

My first FULL day is almost over. I have language school tomorrow starting at 9AM but I have to leave the house by 7AM so that I can be in morning rush hour! >.<

Whenever I get sad or homesick, this is the picture I will look at. It's my network... kinda like the verizon commercial except mine's better. :) Take a good look... these are my cloud of witnesses, cheerleaders, prayer warriors, fellow soldiers on the battlefield, brothers and sisters in Christ! <3

Prayer requests:

1) Cho sensei & his wife: God will continue to give them strength and hope to carry on. Cho sensei's back is not good so please pray for HEALING!

2) As I start language school, I will be passionate about studying! I hope to learn fast!

3) Jet lag. I won't be tired or get sick (swine flu is going around) -_-

4) I will be prayerful in everything I do

5) Be proactive in meeting new people and spreading the gospel!

6) Spiritual, physical, emotional protection

The Time is Now!

I have a confession to make: I have not started packing. -_- Part of it is because I still need most of the stuff I have to take and another part is b/c I don't want to face the fact that I am leaving.

It just hit me RIGHT NOW that I'm leaving (crying as I type... thanks JHan). I've been having butterflies all day. So many revelations. So much encouragement. So many memories. So many blessings. So much to look forward to. This all feels too surreal! As I sit here typing my last blog entry before I depart, I am so overcome with emotion. God's faithfulness is so humbling, amazing, and beautiful. I have NO DOUBT (not even 0.00001%) that I am called to go to Japan. He made the impossible possible and He's really letting me know that He wants me to be there. As I look forward to all that is to come, I am so excited! There will be times where I might question why I am there, but I think I just need to remind myself that God has great things in store- crazy, unfathomable, God-sized things. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Today was a day of encouragement. God used three people in particular to really provide me with so much joy and words of wisdom. THANK YOU! They were so edifying and exactly what I needed before leaving. There are so many thoughts running through my head right now and I can't seem to process everything, but here are a few...

Advice: Do not look back.

I must not get caught up in what everyone else is doing here and think, "Man, I'm missing out" (especially during LA ReComm Sisters Appreciation -_-). Instead, I must embrace the opportunities, relationships, and ministry that God has given me in Japan and run with it. I'm sure there will my moments of being sad, lonely, or homesick... but I really believe that your prayers will cover me during those times. It's not so much a matter of if I will face them or not (cause FOR SURE I will), but it's more a matter of HOW I WILL DEAL WITH IT. Will I sulk in misery and say, "woe is me?" NO! I don't want to depend on people and turn to them for comfort (although sometimes I might/be tempted to). It is my genuine prayer that God will be my ultimate Comforter; He will be the One wiping away my tears, holding me in His arms, and giving me peace.

Realization: Failure is the mother of success.

There will be times where I will maybe get on the wrong train, walk an hour to get to train station when there is one 5 minutes away, feel so inadequate in communicating to the Japanese people, or simply experiencing straight up rejection. However, I realized that it's okay to experience failure- of course it won't be ULTIMATE failure... more like a lesson learned. :) I can't be afraid to not do something because I'm scared of failing. That in itself is failure. I must be bold and know that even when I stumble and fall, God will pick me back up.

Quote: "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you." -St. Augustine

There has to be a balance. I think it's pretty self-explanatory. Another quote I really like to use is, "Hope for the best but prepare for the worst."

Prayer requests:

1) I will hold steadfast to the conviction He has given me to do His work in Japan and never forget why I was called in the first place.

2) I will have a safe flight to Japan and things will go smoothly with immigration (visa).

3) God will give my parents and brother peace that transcends all understanding, anxiety, and fears.

4) God will prepare all the hearts of those whom I will encounter: old friends, new faces, and random strangers.

5) I will be joyful in all things. No complaining!

Song: Set the World on Fire by Britt Nicole

I wanna set the world on fire
Until it's burning bright for You
It's everything that I desire
Can I be the one You use?

I, I am small but
You, You are big enough
I, I am weak but
You, You are strong enough to
Take my dreams
Come and give them wings
Lord with You
Nothing I cannot do
Nothing I cannot do

I wanna feed the hungry children
And reach across the farthest land
And tell the broken there is healing
And mercy in the Father's hands

My hands my feet
My everything
My life, my love
Lord, use me

I wanna set the world on fire
I wanna set the world on fire, yeah

I'm gonna set the world on fire
Set the world on fire

Encouragement: "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen." -Romans 11:36

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*Send off info:

Saturday, October 17, 2009

8AM prayer send off @ Sarang Community Church

9:30AM meet at LAX (Tom Bradley International- Korean Air)

11:15AM take off

T minus 7 days

It's beginning to hit me that I am leaving next week! One reason: I am getting more emotional. I am starting to have all these thoughts, fears, and worries without consciously thinking about them. -_-; One time, I just pictured myself having a panic attack/breakdown/meltdown on the plane to the point where I would have to stop the plane and be featured on the 12PM news. HAHAHA. Let's pray and hope that doesn't happen. I'm sure it won't. I already have a few plans planned out: A) open up the Bible B) pray C) don't sleep the night before and knock out. It's only natural to have some scenarios in mind, I'm sure, but I am praying for more peace- peace that transcends all (human) understanding. Please pray for me (& also for a safe flight).

Even though I am kinda scared/nervous about being alone, I am so excited at the same time! It's a time to meet new people, get out of my comfort zone, really stretch my faith, and wrestle with God. A couple nights ago, I was praying before going to sleep and I just starting crying because I realized that all I would have is God. Even though I wasn't even in a place where I was lonely and depressed, I got teary thinking about it. I remember thinking, "God is really going to be my everything." I can honestly say that I don't think I was ever in a situation where God was my everything. It's kind of a crazy thought if you really think about it... I've always had my friends and family around, but now I would be on my own- just God and me. WHOA.

Speaking of people, someone told me some wise words: DON'T DEPEND ON PEOPLE. As much as I want to believe that my friends and family will be there for me whenever I need them, the truth of the matter is that they won't. We all have lives- lives that will continue even after I go to Japan. :*( But that's okay. I'm like 100% extravert so I know it might be a little hard, but I think that God is trying to teach me to depend on Him and not people. I have a feeling that He's going to make everyone not talk to me at the same time so I will have no one to talk to. -_- I hope it doesn't have to come down to that, but I'm sure He will get His point across sooner or later. People may fail but God is always there.

At NEXT on Friday, we sang Chris Tomlin's God of this City. As I was singing, I thought of Tokyo and the streets packed with so many people. Japanese people's faces came into my mind and I was just overcome with emotion. God of Tokyo. God is the King of the Japanese. God is the Lord of Japan. The lyrics just hit me like a ton of bricks and I felt the weight of God's love and heart for them. I was so desperate for God to save Japan. I felt like the lyrics were my prayer to God to do His work through me. If God can change a city like Nineveh, He can change a city like Tokyo. I believe it!

AHHHHHH!!! I still can't believe. I have so much packing to do. I tend to overpack because I convince myself that I'm really going to need it. HAHA. Can't let it happen this time.

God of this City

Chris Tomlin

You're the God of this City
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are

You're the Light in this darkness
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

Japan, here I come!

Saturday, October 17, 2009 is the day.

LAX (Los Angeles, USA) --> NRT (Tokyo, Japan)

I am taking off at 11:15AM on Korean Air.

Come bid me farewell.

Make sure you bring words of affirmation with you.

Domo arigatou.

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*made my day... i love my little brother. i teared up a bit. -_-;

J: pray a lot

J: get ready for missions!

J: ill be praying