Top Two Moments

Since I last posted an update there have been many encouraging things to report.  I wanted to at least post my top two moments of ministry since our arrival in Japan.  (Both of which occurred this week!)

1. This week at one of our Lifegroups (Outreach Bible studies that we are beginning with spiritually-interested people in our neighborhood.) we had a really great time with the shopkeeper and the two employees that she has invited to join.  (Another one of her friends popped in for a while too.  And Tiffany Schreiber did a great job of sharing Creation to Christ with our friends!)  At the end after Rebecca prayed, our friend smiled, put her hand over her heart and said, “I always feel so peaceful when you guys pray!”  She went on to say that she led a very busy life – working 7 days a week – but that her “holiday” was the hour we spend with her on Wednesdays.  Rebecca, Tiffany and I just smiled, knowing that those are evidences of the Lord at work in her life.

2. At another lifegroup that Rebecca and I started with a woman we met in the grocery store we seem to have “breakthrough moments” every week.  At the end of every meeting we go around the group and we each tell one thing that we should obey the coming week based on what we read.  This week our friend reported an area of her life in which she remembered the scripture, chose to obey God’s word, and was deeply affected by it.   It made me feel overwhelmed with thankfulness as we can see the fruits of our labors.

We are seeing people respond to the Spirit of God and His promptings to seek Jesus in a very dry place.  What a joy to be here representing our King.