He's singing over me...

Sadly, the music team already left earlier this morning...We have been so busy this past week that I haven't actually had enough time to post about them while they were in Itayanagi! Some of the events they ran: concerts at our churches and public schools in the area, Canada Night Pizza Party, Young Life and the 10th Anniversary for Iris Cafe... They also helped immensely with tons of painting/re-arranging the coffee shop/bookstore for the 10th Anniversary Celebration.

The beautiful group!

   

Kirstie running one of the many stations for the local children at one of our "Canada Day Concert Events". Other stations included a relay, a rhythm station with home-made shakers, floor hockey and arts and crafts.

It was very special to have the music team here for Ashikawa San's (a member of Harvest Chapel) baptism! They made it memorable with their beautiful music.

Some of the music team members got to combine forces with some Young Lifers and play the opening set of worship songs at a special Youth Live event at another church. These members also got to be inspired by Takeshi's astounding band from Joyful Chapel in Aomori City who did the main music set at the end.

DAY OFF: Naomi's dream got to come true when she jumped into the freezing cold ocean with Keith, Jo and Pat! What troopers!

There is seriously NOTHING like fresh, barbequed squid with mayo at the side of the ocean!

On a more serious note: Ruth had the opportunity to take the team, as well as myself to a local shrine that is dedicated to children who have died. It was seriously one of the most heart-wrenching and disturbing things I have experienced in my life. When a child dies, according to Buddhist custom, the parents will buy a Bride or Groom doll for their son or daughter, to display what they would have wanted for their child if they had lived to adulthood. Inside the glass shrine they place objects, in hopes that their son or daughter would be able to enjoy them in the afterlife. What astonished us was the patterns in the objects we observed. Most of the shrines included food, drinks and toys. Some also included things like beer and small sports cars. It made our hearts break to see how superficial and empty the objects were. This shrine displays a little girl who had died. You can see next to the picture the side of an Asahi beer can. What a harsh contrast...

In this picture are clay dolls dedicated to loved ones who have died. All of the dolls are dressed up, because Japanese people believe that the demons in the various levels of hell will rip and tear at their clothes as they desperately struggle for heaven. It was absolutely chilling being in the presence of hundreds of dead statues staring back at you with stone eyes. Between the overpowering smell of incense and the presence of hundreds of idols, I began to feel nauseous. Yet, I am so glad I got to experience this with a group of fellow believers because we brought the Holy Spirit into a place of tragedy and emptiness...

With the help of the music team, our English students got to perform the special songs we have been teaching them for their moms which made me feel so warm in my heart. They all did AMAZING!

Children and youth enjoying the music team's final concert last night at Harvest Chapel. Their concerts were amazing because they got everyone, young and old, on their feet jumping, shouting and singing their hearts out! What an uplifting time.

Late/last night RAMEN RUN at 11:30 pm! HAHA.

IT'S AARON GHENT! He has returned from Moody in Chicago with a lot of enthusiasm and positive vibes. Everyone is delighted to have him back!

After Ramen, jamming and some late night adventures we were determined to stay up till 3-4am and watch the sunrise on the roof. WE DID IT, athough it was a bit cloudy, so the sunrise wasn't the most epic...It was still beautiful to be up there!

 

This morning we (Ruth, Naomi, Pat, Tomomi and I) said a very tearful goodbye to our now beloved new friends at the train station. What made it painful for me was knowing that in three weeks it will be my turn to say goodbye. But for now I am still here, celebrating life, basking in His glory and being fully present, fully alive. For today is God's will for me and I want to live it well.

Greetings and Goodbyes...

Much to my surprise, I have realized that there are a few things that are quite ENORMOUS in Japan, contrary to what we typically think about this country...I thought I would share.
SEE BELOW:

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy...

I can honestly say that my expectations for the Sakura blossoms in spring were BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER! My day at Hirosaki Castle with my amazing friends was a true example of how our God LAVISHES us EXCEEDINGLY with blessings... What an over-the-top, ultra-loving God we get to worship! This day will always be etched into my mind as a moment I got to taste the splendor and beauty of our Creator, reflected in the endless sea of enchanting pink-white blossoms... To be honest, when I was coming up with a name for my blog, I had NO idea that I would be going to live in the town next to one of the most popular cities for Sakura blossoms in spring! Did you know that Hirosaki (the city where we have Harvest Bible Chapel) holds one of the most famous Sakura festivals in all of Japan?! ...I love how God so lovingly surprised me with allowing me to experience this in the flesh. The sun was pounding, we were all laughing, cameras were clicking, and my heart was melting from being in the center of His blazing Love...

MY NEW FRIENDS.

 God has been so marvelous, faithful and steadfast during these past few weeks that have gone by...


During this time I got to say 'HELLO' to my very FIRST roommate! In the past (university) I have shared housemates and floormates, but never an actual ROOMMATE who lives and sleeps in the same room. I must say, I was a bit nervous about meeting her, because one person can DEFINITELY change your life, especially when you share the same room for 4 weeks. The anticipated day finally arrived two weeks ago and I must say that we have already shared tears thinking about her leaving in two more weeks! Haha. It is the perfect fit. God knew we would be instruments in each other's lives and we have both spurred each other on to be more Christ-like. Funny enough, she is only 17, still in high school and lives on a farm with 6 horses and 30 cows! We are very different on paper, but when we are together it is like we have been long lost best friends for years. I praise God for her!!!
MEET JESSICA my favourite punk-rocker chick and fellow sister in Christ:

She's pretty much adorable.

Harvest Chapel girls playing after church! It was Jess' first service there and the weather was glorious so we climbed trees. SMILE!

Just before Jess came we had a BIG group of hilarious, fun-loving, extremely cool New Zealander's arrive! They stayed for about 10 days and helped us with a massive cookie marathon! They also went down to Iwate to deliver the packages and helped with some construction projects in the area alongside Micah. On weekday mornings, groups of them would go to various pre-schools in the area to sing songs, play games and show God's love to them. I had the privilege of tagging along to one pre-school. It was such an uplifting and profound experience as the kids were so receptive, eager and excited about everything we said. What a great way to plant seeds and tell the community children about our church and our God!  The Kiwis were seriously some of the most down to earth, relaxed and enthusiastic people I ever met. I totally want to go to NZ now to visit them and let some of their Kiwi-tude rub off on me! THEY EVEN TAUGHT US HOW TO 'DOUGIE' (a very difficult hip hop dance that is popular with American youth). GOOD TIME!

Kiwis meeting our Young Life kids.

John Orme and his wife Emily who is a former church member also came with their adorable Cabbage-Patch baby named Anna! They are in the process of becoming official OMF missionaries!

We also had the awesome opportunity to visit a U.S military base that is three hours away. The only problem was was that we didn't bring our passports, so us 'aliens' (Jess and I) were not able to actually enter the base. It was still an amazingly fun day though because there was a lot of things to do just outside the base. Most of all, we got to meet other English speaking Christ-followers who live in Japan and have a desire to share the Gospel with others here. Also, some of them are the most CRAZY TALENTED musicians, so we had a blast jamming in the church together!

SESAME ICECREAM!

FUNNY TIMES ... haha.

Other notes: MY COUSIN PATTY IS HERE!!! I am sooo happy to see him and already he has been such a huge help to ALL of us. He has brought with him such a jovial, refreshing spirit that has definitely lifted mine. SMILES! 

Ruth has gone away again to go to Canada and America. (Please say HI to her and give her a big squeeze for me if you see her at church or something!) She has gone to visit some other supporting churches, but mainly to attend Aaron's graduation at Moody in Chicago.  She will come home in ten days.


Finally, my next blog post will be all about SAKURA CHERRY BLOSSOMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let me just say, no words could have prepared my heart for the beauty of what I witnessed! I can't wait to share with you all the amazing pictures that my photographer roommate Jess took! 

Somehow I have reached the three month mark of my trip...Only two more to go. Overall, I feel that I have adapted and become so accustomed to how life is here now. While that is great, satan has always had a way of using familiarity and comfort to unconsciously numb my spirit to my extreme DAILY need for Christ's saving grace. Please pray that God will continue to surprise me, rock my soul and reveal to me thousands of new shades of who He is... 

I leave you with a video of Mizawa (military base) friends jamming! 

Easter Visitors!!!!!!

: ) My mom came to see me!!! It was a lovely, but very short time because the conference somewhat conflicted with her visit to Japan. I am so glad God enabled me to do both things though! We ate tons of the best apple pie and cheese souffle, had many giggle-fests and mom-daughter heart-to-hearts. It was such a blessing to have her 'taste' (literally and figuratively) what I am experiencing over here. YAY for us!

LOOK WHO IT IS: Mi Bredren! It was a very joyful, hilarious yet sanctified time. They got to get a taste of Martin's beast work ethic! YEAH! They also got to get down and dirty, Ruth-Mae-Ghent-style by baking JEWISH cookies and Matzah flat bread! They were so overwhelmed by the amount of sweat, detail and most of all LOVE that went into all the various preparations for the Passover meal. We also had some legit, Christ-centered talks about things we are facing lately, which was empowering and enlightening. I got the best bros yo! SMILE.

The beautiful yet profound center pieces designed by Noamster-San for our Passover/Easter event.
MATZAH BREAD! Some turned into Matzah balls for the Matzah ball soup! WAHOO! Amazeballs...

Matt got to meet my little munchy-munchkins and make Easter eggs with them! Right on!


The meaning behind each of the dishes that night created a heart-warming and sacred atmosphere...It was a Good Friday that I will never forget.

Making Jewish cookies for Passover Dinner Round 2 at Harvest Chapel.

Easter Egg huntin' with Koko-Chun.

Sunday service at Harvest Chapel.

A very inspiring fellow by the name of Hiroshi-San serenaded us with his Godly music and testimony of Jesus' Grace. He was awesome and I even got to sing with him a little bit!

SPRING HAS COME! Finally...and with a lot of smiles from all of us who have endured such a harsh, cold, frozen winter! Us Canadians don't know winter the way these Aomori folk know winter... I never thought I'd see the meters of snow actually melt away! God is Good. haha...



What has significantly touched my heart: Passover dinner, the blood red roses, their thorns mirrored in the pointed, rusty nails, the piercing tips of the crown He wore... That should have been us. We're but a mockery of holiness, of goodness, of purity. Yet the crown of thorns truly did crown a King, the only King. And aren't we just so drawn to His image? Head bent, sweat and blood dripping down, arms outstretched upon a tree in pure sacrifice, eyes filled with pain-love for His unfaithful, wretched Bride. You, me...How can you look away?

I sat and swayed to music and tears filled my eyes as I looked across the table at my two favourite boys who came all the way from Toronto to see me. I thought of all that we have been through and the pain and laughter we will experience together. I felt so proud of them, so in awe that God would give me these two to do life with, to experience and process His love together, forever. I looked around and breathed in this moment of such overwhelming grace, warmth, light and love. I scanned over the faces of my beloved Japanese friends who don't know how to accept and experience His love yet. My heartaches for them were wordless prayers, cries of mercy to our God. Oh save them Father. Let them be a part of Your glorious inheritance that will never spoil or fade...

I was glowing that night because, once again, I was knocked right over by His gushing, bleeding Grace that tears apart my old labels and sears onto my heart the word Beloved...Nothing can touch me when I say 'Yes' to Him and let His great love cover me.

Take the time, stop your schedule and just bask in all His promises, His gifts...Take time to experience being loved by the ultimate Lover of our souls...

Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CUGTIWCFyo

Reading books.

I have recently been barreling unexpectedly through many Old Testament books. I don't think I have ever in my life read so many , so fervently. I am quite passionate about these testimonies and can't seem to put my bible down. I'm enthralled...

Most recently, I have completed a read-through of 1 and 2 Samuel. I am quite sure Hollywood could make some pretty action-packed, macho-man movies based on these plots that include SO much war, violence, vengeance and masculine-ego issues. I think American (and I guess Canadian) boys would get a kick out of it. Anyways, although the bloodshed and gore kept me on the edge of my seat, I continued to be enlightened by the many mentions of a God trying so hard to preserve the frail hearts of His beloved people.

It is the pure in heart and soul that our God scans the earth to find and use for His glory. It has never been muscle, nobility, beauty, eloquence or talent, just a heart that can look inward and know they need God. I was blown away by the many times King David deeply mourned the death of his enemies who were trying to kill him. He loved people so fiercely. I was sickened by the King's many sins, yet drawn in by his repentant, convicted heart that even asked God for His punishment when he stumbled. The pure in heart may wander and float, but they always and frequently return, only to throw down their faces at the feet of their Father-God. That, my friends, is how transformation begins to unfurl and awaken.

One of my favourite verses is found in 2 Samuel 23:2-4

"The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: 'When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.' "

David tried to be this. Absalom would slaughter for it. Solomon seemed destined for it. Yet... we know the True Righteous Ruler.


Dear Jesus,
You are the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless day...
Your blood, the rain.
And your children cannot stop flourishing...
The fields of this earth are shimmering with the greenest, most resilient grass.
Your sing over us and we dance in Your wind-song.
You let us touch the tips of Your brightness, and we are healed.

Faith in Action...

This past week, I had the honour, privilege and God-given opportunity to attend the 2012 East Japan OMF Conference in the mountains of Nikko. I really had no idea what to expect, but felt in my heart that God would reveal Himself to me in a special way... Of course He did. SMILE.

It was encouraging, eye-opening and fulfilling to hear about the many ministries that are taking place around this country. What was most amazing though, was meeting the people who have chosen to be a living sacrifice in such a 'front-line' kind of way. Worshiping our God with them was an experience I will not forget...

We were able to do some sight-seeing which included a group of us visiting a beautiful but snowy waterfall!

A picture by the pretty lake...

I got to see one of these guys!!! Click HERE for more info on these adorable but fierce Japanese monkeys!

I also got to visit one of the largest temples/shrines in Nikko... Being there definitely reminded me of the state of things in the Old Testament where only select priests were able to enter into the 'holy of holies'... This type of thinking still exists in places like Japan. There was a section that was built with lofty walls around it to show that it was the most sacred place in the vast temple grounds.

Prayers written on pink hearts... Each one is a symbol of the hope and longing of a Japanese person to find a lasting 'home' in a relationship with some one else...

GROUP PHOTO! (haha... can you spot me among the many foreigners who know Japan SO much better than I?)

The conference was truly like a taste of heaven to me. It was strange and humbling to be surrounded by so many non-Japanese who, for so many years, have had a much deeper passion and knowledge of the country my family originally came from. As I was about to leave, a lady I was able to get to know over the past few days looked me deep in the eyes and thanked ME for choosing Japan. What an astounding experience it was for me, to look back into her blue eyes that seeped out sadness for this foreign country she now calls her home. Thank ME for choosing Japan? sigh... How possible it could have been for me to be one of the Japanese people she and other missionaries would pray and fight so hard for, had my ancestors not have moved over to Canada.

The harvest isn't just plenty over here in Japan... Sometimes it feels like it's boundless, immeasurable and overwhelming when you live in a place where hearts are just so hard, so impenetrable. YET, God is alive in the fierce, passionate, energetic, fun-loving, Christ-centered missionaries who have said YES TO THE CROSS. . . YES TO CONCRETE SOIL. . . YES TO MANY YEARS OF SERVICE IN A FARAWAY LAND. . .

'the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.'
Hebrews 11:38

'All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth'
Hebrews 11:13



My Jesus, my God... Have mercy on this broken people, this rock-hard nation. So proud...So seemingly wise, yet so lost. Jesus, show us how to love them. Through Your good grace, save Japan. Save this nation, save our people.