This update will be short and a little different, as we are still on the farm in Nebraska and things haven’t changed much. We have been blessed with the ability to see much of my (Jeff’s) family over the last several weeks, and will be seeing more in the next few. We don’t know when the Lord will send us to Japan so making these connections has been so important.
Our training down in Mexico is just a month away now, and we are very excited for what God will show us and work out in us during that time. Please keep us in your prayers during that time, and watch for these updates regularly.
After Mexico, our next step will probably be a vision tour to visit some of the ministries we’ve made connections with in Japan. Please be praying about the timing of this trip as well as if you’d like to help support us financially to help us get there. We’re seeing some news that Japan may open to foreign travel soon, even though our trip is likely months away, please be praying that it does.
When we started this journey, we didn’t know anyone on the ground in Japan, and we didn’t know anyone else called to Japan. This wrongly created a bit of possessiveness over the calling in my heart. We were God’s Japan missionaries, and He was going to send us because we were all He had to send. Over the last year and a half, we have met so many missionaries serving in Japan, people working towards going to Japan to serve, and been part of or watched several online conferences for missionaries in Japan. At first it was a little hard to grasp that my calling wasn’t as special as I thought it was, but what a blessing it’s been to realize that God is raising up workers for Japan. We aren’t His only option, we aren’t His best option, but we are AN option, and that’s all He requires from us. We are still excited to serve Him in Japan, and while the vision we started with has morphed, we can see clearer now what the next steps are.
We pray that you are safe and healthy during this time. Hopefully we will see you soon and be able to fellowship with you. If you have any questions for us, please feel free to respond to this email. We would love to share our heart for Japan with you, to pray with you, or just encourage you in any way.
Here are our prayer requests again:
-Pray for the School of Missions that we’re attending in July in Mexico. For God to work in us and through us during that time, and for clear direction moving forward.
-Pray for our future vision trip to Japan. When we should plan on going. That it would be made clear where God would have us land over there, and for the financial provision to get there. That Japan would open up to foreigners soon.
-Praise Him for all the amazing people He has connected us with, who love Japan and have a similar calling to us. Lord willing, we will serve along side these people for years to come, and we are so thankful for what we see the Lord doing in the hard soil that is Japan.
Love you