Sakura Season

Konnichiwa!

Isn't it great to have multiple body parts that make up a whole? I adore my husband who has wit and such ability to summarize well. I'm here to update and will do my best to sum up a few things. It's lovely to share our lives with dear fellow brethren!

Speaking of body parts, it's like peanut butter and jelly when it comes to Neylor and Paul as a dynamic team. Sure fun to see their strengths pull each other up and point out areas the other hasn't thought about. I feel like a backbone with prayer and focus on what the Lord said, and is saying.

Neylor's staying another week in Brazil since there's so much going on with the face mask business and a big order coming in, so new websites, bigger office and team over there and it's always great to have those radical Brazilians praying and worshipping to encourage Neylor! However we miss him :)

None the less, we're holding the fort down on our end, with Paul in the office and the new hire, 'Queen' Coreen :) She's fantastic and Paul's so grateful to have her ease and humor around, as well as super smart to pick up details. Now just looking for a few more part timers for the shipping, and that's why I know the Human Resources departmnt, aka, Paul, will find them!

What have I been doing? Prayer, worship, reading, walking around, studying Japanese, trying to get to know people/neighbors, having some ladies from the church over for prayer, and trying to connect.  We're out in a smaller town Tsuchiura, no car nor interpreter (with Neylor gone), most events, schools canceled with the virus scare. To be honest, when I do travel and get out, I don't see as many people with masks as I'd expect and I also don't feel people are staying to their houses so much as I've heard. We walked to the mall here last weekend for visa pictures (trying to get the ball rolling on an international license) and the mall seemed pretty hopping. We sure do stick out here like a sore thumb :)

I hope all has had the chance to really dig into where your faith is at with the virus scare, because I know we sure have. Being close to China and so much bad news, (I only would know by hearsay) but it really led us to pray and get the Lord's mind on how to pray and to know what we would do if we were say over there in China. My instincts were programmed with the word of God to say, send me Lord! I'm here to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils, cleanse the lepers!!!! First thought of what Jesus would do, and Holy Spirit reminded me that Jesus went to the lepers, without fear or flinching and touched them. Super contageous! But that's knowing you're a child and here to destroy the works of the enemy no matter how big or small it seems, it's all the same.

So, I felt confident of the spirit inside me and that Jesus is truly the remedy, the inoculation! However, it was a good test when more and more news and people would say how bad things were and were getting. The devil would try to penetrate the word of God inside me and Mark 4, steal it; but no! I purposefully remained from hearing and watching more and more news because I'm here to renew my mind, not being conformed to this world but transformed by looking into the word of God, meditating, reading, hearing and seeing it!

It's the fear of death, that we WERE all our lifetime subject to bondage, the Bible says, but NOW, that Christ has, come, we're free. How? His life inside us, freeing us from condemnation, knowing his Great love for us and saved us from sin, and all his friends like Corona Virus. It also says that it's not what's on the outside that can destroy a man, but what's on the inside. So I pray that through this time, you use what the devil meant for evil, and turn this thing for good! Man up in your identity and intimacy with CHrist! Pray for those who need healing, curse this disease, curse fear, and pray salvation come to their hearts and minds! So stoked to hear Christians in Wuhan who went on the streets giving out masks preaching the gospel!

We're also telling our team that to whatever country we're selling those masks, pray over them, bless them, and if we can put an encouraging verse on them! Even when I was helping package the carparts with Paul the other day, I started blessing the parts like Paul the Apostle and prayer cloths, that whoever receives these things will be touched/healed by Jesus!

What's been interesting ot me, that in the past few months, I feel like I keep running into Christians. For a place that claims less than 1%, it seems that I am led right to them :)  Maybe it's light attracting light or the Lord sees his bride needing a refreshing. I'm telling you, in the park, at the airport, even my neighbor who was out doing yard work here!

I have to tell this quick testimony of a man I met at the prayer meeting Paul shared in Tokyo with the incredible Yuki! Afterwards there was a man who shared how he was saved. He said about 20 years ago I was in a train station sitting on a bench and this evangelist was there worshipping and preaching the gospel. He said I should come to church with him. So he went to this man's church for 10 weeks strait, and everytime the pastor would ask the man if he's ready to give his life to Jesus and he'd reject him. Finally the next Sunday, we was there (cause he just kept coming back to that church) and he said he heard God in the middle of worship so clear! He said, all these people here worshipping know me and are saved except you, are you ready to give up your life? Something like that, but anyways it so rocked this guy that he immediately repented and said Jesus you are Lord!

Ever since that encounter, he said he had been in a family with 52 generations of being Priests of Buddhism or Shinto ism I can't remember which religion, but he said he went and burned every single figure that represented all these generations and curses broke! Heck yeah! And he said even still today no one else has turned to Jesus in his family, but they will, praise God for evangelists!

Some of my favorite moments so far has been in the simplicity of praying, worshipping and reading the Bible with my roomates, Paul, Neylor and Marshall. It's been a beautiful season in marriage as we're witnessing just another prophesy comping to pass, that our marriage would be a blessing and honeymoon for the rest of our lives as we put God first.

Paul's been having those burning fiery hands again lately, and he was with Marshall, and as Marshall described his chronic time with cracked painful hands, Paul leaned in to pray, and put the fire on him! Marshall said it had been years and year and was giving up, and he said they've never been so healed and moist ever since Paul prayed! Amen!

Glimpses of Paul stepping into his perspective role as God's Gospel Entrepreneur is a spectacle, and I can't wait to even witness this 'new man' in his full capacity.  Paul came home one day after being with Neylor, crafting ideas, helping conversations/emails/phone calls and simple ideas like the masks, and he was almost quaking with adrenaline, he was thrilled to hear the Holy Spirit and operate with the Lord's wisdom. Much more to come!

Few weekends back we had our dear friend Natsuko come visit and help in the office; but once it was out in the open that Neylor really needed a new wardrobe and quit looking like a homeless man (he works so much and doesn't have time to even consider shopping) that Paul decreed we go right now to shop and throw out the old. Out with the old in with the new, and Natsuko was in her element of knowing fashion, we were blown away! She says it just comes naturally. They went to the mall and literally helped Neylor with a new wardrobe. Oh it was hilarious to see them come home glowing saying, Natsuko kept saying oh you have such nice bodiess, Japanese men are too skinny and this color or that color looks great on you and you have such wonderful skin! The guys felt like a million bucks and now they look like it too! Much more professional, and one day, tailored suits will come next.

Met this guy at the store named Jun who's a firefighter, sadly he said it's not a cool thing to be here but I said wow that's incredible, you save lives! Anyways, the reason he knew some English is he said he studied last year because he knew with the Olympics coming up, he wanted to make some international friends. I was like no way! Well we can be your first 2 countries, Brazil and American! It felt so God to bring him to me at the store as I've been asking the Lord to help me connect here, bring them to me and he did! We're trying to setup a time to have dinner so he can meet Paul and Neylor too!

Last week I had to get out and get around people to just find someone to love or talk with, and so I went to Starbucks. Three girls in high school were giggling outside having a good time and I said hello, but really wanted to talk more. So I found some excuse and they were fully excited to converse a little, so much so they came back to take a picture with me. Funny how they hardly know English nor I Japanese, but they still stood there, like, ok what else should we do or say. So I figured, the opportunity is wide open, I just talked about how good God is and He brought me here and what is your future dreams, oh you don't have any, how about you ask God to help show you, etc. So fun!

Same day I met that gardener Christian lady who gave me veggies and I prayed with her and tears rolled down her face. Met a coffee shop/bike shop owner and chatted awhile, got my hands on a few passerbyers and blessed them and their hurting bodies and in the end of a few hours, I had a blast! I'm content with the Lord, but His love is truly perfected as I reach out and love others!

I keep hearing everyone is so so lonely here and depressed, and yet I'm struggling to really get the chance to begin much of a relationship and have friends; granted it's only been about a month or so here in Tsuchiura, none the less, I'm really trying to say hi, leave my card with folks, talk to my neighbors, but I find that the language barrier and their work schedules and possibly culture, it's difficult to spend time together.

For example, I have been leaving notes in English and Japanese for my close neighbors because that's the only way we can communicate and the cool part is the reciprocate, every time with a note and or a small gift/chocolate. It's very custom I'm noticing to bring a little something to someone, very appropriate. If that's the case, at least it gives me a chance to have them 'have' to respond to my kindness :)  But I have enjoyed my neighbors, small gestures, humor, gifts and notes. Paul the Apostle became all things to all men that he may win them, and I thought, that's what I'm trying to do, because I could care less about gardening, but if my neighbor is planting, then maybe we can do that together, rather than trying to communicate with Google translate :)

One neighbor Katau even left me a note that said she thanks me for the tacos, the kindness, the prayers for he daughter and even painted a beautiful Japanese calligraphy scripture (I can't tell quite what it says) but she picked it out from this Father's Love Letter I gave her in Japanese. Marshall gave me a ton and some Japanese NT Bibles, so I'm trying to give the Love letters out because they seem like a great invitation. I was touched to see her find a verse that spoke to her and I'm looking forward to showing her more words of life!

My other next door neighbor Miki, through her little English showed me that she works almost every day of the month, and has a few scattered days off. I was shocked! her and I think it's her husband both work at a cremation business. As she was describing what she does with hand motions and works like fire and incinerator, I was appalled and said I'm sorry. To my surprise, she said no I enjoy it, and went off in Japanese and all I could understand was Arigato and bowing, so I think it had something to do with the dead and their afterlife or something, that she felt some sort of connection because she had mentioned her parents are both dead and her sister doesn't talk to her for 20 years. So I'm thinking, girl you must be lonely, and being around dead burning bodies can't be really comforting; but it seems in the darkness of her life, she's trying to find sense and understanding. Well this led me to bring over a few days later one of those Father Love Letters I felt compelled to share with her, that I'm sorry she has lost her parents, but God would love to be her Father now if she wants. Glad I'm here next to her :)

Took the train to see some of my favorites Momo and her kiddos, and gave her and her husband Kazu some time to go on a date for the first time in years. On the train I've had the chance to practice my Japanese, love on people, give small tokens of chocolate or the Father's Love Letter and just show love! One woman in a wheel chair was so kind and let me pray for her missing legs (doubt she knew what I was doing) but then when she gave me her card as I gave her my card, I realized she was waiting there at the train station as a Jehovah Witness JW.org card. Sheesh! That's the second religion who's tried to solicate me here. The other was 3 ladies in a grocery store and they were so kind, well of course they were they were trying to give me their temple tracks and when I went to pray for one as I saw she was very sad with no joy, that demonic spirit started to freak out and they rushed out of that store so fast. I still prayed for them, God open their eyes, show them the real thing!

Last week I had a fun time with the neighbor Ai and her cute daughter Mio (my best buddy) and we went to the park in Tsukuba to play and then out to the only Mexican restaurant in town called El Torrito. Anyways, Ai is so fun, enjoyable and outgoing, plus she speaks very good english, or we call it Japanglish between us, since he husband is American. She has this huge heart to love people and is trying to become a Counselor. I was blown away as she shared how she rescues animals and wants to love people of all nations. Obviously I can't help but share about Jesus and what He's done to my life and how He helped me see how to really love/help people whom the psychologists can only medicate or use therapy to cope with, when God wants to come through and heal them completely with His love and wisdom!  Ai was so open to know more about this Jesus, but I felt I should just give her the NT in Japanese for her to check out John, because I'm not sure if she really understood; plus the depths of the gospel are just so wonderful! I pray she opens that and gets touched by God!

One benefit to learning another language is now God has another avenue to speak. Often I've woken up to hearing a word over and over in Japanese but not usually remembering quite what it is, so I look it up and have been really surprised at the words God is speaking, such as 'rest' 'new' marriage' 'happy'.

Well, to sum this up, I'd have to say that we feel we're building a team here, trying to relax and trust God to connect us with those people we're surround ourselves with to work together and love. Excited to hear that our dear friend Sarah feels a big pull to come to Japan and join our team when she finishes her last year in school. As we say, you better hear the Lord on this or else we don't want you to come. Our Daddy's too good not to guide you and even provide the desires for what He has in store for us if we just say yes.

God asked us to be here before the Olympics we felt, therefore we're excited to be around this great time and especially amongst what appears to be disaster with the virus, there's no where else I'd rather be than in the eye of the storm, trusting my Father to help me help this world around me!

ps
Anyone know a customs broker in America?