August update 2014

Hey all! its been a while since i've given a ministry update! So sorry for the wait, its just been a little bit more busy then usual the last few months, but much has happened and i'm happy to report it to you :)

Daily life:

Shoko and I have been doing well! and even though in our marriage we have several differences, especially culturally, I thank God for his wisdom in helping me lead my new family in whatever we have gone through so far. It's a been a challenge to learn how to live by faith each and everyday. I mean we do have savings and we do have to think about the future how things might play out, but in those circumstances, we want to trust God with all things, work and also enjoy the blessings that he has given to us.

I have also just this summer obtained the last of my documents that solidifies another 3 years here in Japan (God willing). So I will be here hopefully for the long haul and I'm very happy and blessed by knowing that. I will be doing my absolute best to do what I can to see more believe and be baptized in this country, and also doing my best to lead my family to worship and glorify God everyday which is one of mine and Shoko's desires for our marriage

Ministry:

Ministry has been challenging, yet rewarding to see in the past few months! We have had a few baptisms in the past months and also just yesterday! 2 people I had been discipling got baptized this summer, along with others that my colleagues and I have been in contact with for a long while.

One of them is actually a Filipino guy that drums for me at J-house Kobe. He decided to want to know God on a more personal level and also serve him wholeheartedly. Its been a joy seeing his transformation and his honesty with everything. Justin (my leader) and I have been helping him in his journey, still discipling him now and also helping him to share his faith, which I believe is one thing that we usually miss with discipleship.

Another is a Japanese man who had been diagnosed in end of last year with Lymphoma, which is a quick acting cancer that could have killed him in a few months. he also just had a baby girl last year at the same time he was diagnosed and his wife is a Christian who we had known for a long time since I got to j-house. My friend and I had the conviction to continue to visit him every Thursday at the hospital and through that he could see that God exists and that he truly does love him. Miraculously though, his cancer has been mostly healed up and he decided to believe and be discipled and baptized! 

We have also had many others who have baptized in the past few months, a girl that I had known from campus ministry for about 2 1/2 years now was baptized, she is a half filipino, half japanese mix and she had an amazing transformation since I have met her, being super closed to everyone to being very open and honest. more we're baptized and committed along with the 3 that I've mentioned, continue to pray for their progress and a continuous perseverance to love, know and serve God everyday. 

Prayer Requests:

- that God will continue to provide for my family and I in all aspects, from material to marital wisdom, and that all of it will be used to give glory to God

- for the students that I have met and befriended this semester and the last, that God will continue to reveal Jesus to them. Pray that God will use his Spirit to lead them to Christ and Pray that God will Continue to use J-house and each member to do so.
- For My colleagues and I to continue to be faithful to our jobs as missionaries. and to grow with each other through the Spirit and grace and love of Christ
- For those members in J-house to grow spiritually, there are still a lot of baby Christians in J-house, pray for spiritual growth and maturity in the Gospel and for those to put the Gospel first over everything.
- For the church plants that we are going to do. Pray that God will lead us and help extend his church to other cities so that the Gospel will exponentially grow within Japan! We REALLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT! We need all the spiritual support we can get on this one, because we know we cannot do this on our own for sure! and if you are moved to want to support financially also, you make donations at the J-house website: J-House website. We want to be able to partner with all of you Spiritually and prayerfully through this!
- For a revolution in Japan! for spiritual eyes to be opened in Japan and that the 0.5% of christians will increase!

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers, I do continue to ask that you continue to give also financially. I believe that I can only do what i'm doing here with your help. i'm do apologize that this update was a little late, but i have been busier here during the past few months, so please bear with me and I will try to get updates out as soon as I can. thank you and God bless :)