Wow. That crept up rather quickly! I can't believe I'm about to leave for Japan today! It's my second time going to Japan and I'm still not entirely sure of what to expect. I do however know exactly what today holds: sitting uncomfortably between smelly, annoying strangers 36,000 ft. in the air. Traveling aside, Japan as an experience is one that is both foreign and familiar to me. I have had a lot of interaction with the Japanese culture here in Chicago, so not all of it is completely new. I'm also studying the language slowly but surely so I'll be able to maybe just scrape by with what I know, but the thought of being surrounded by nothing but Japanese is starting to weigh intimidatingly on my mind. Perhaps it's just nerves, but the gravity of what I'm about to do this summer has always been unmistakable. This is a huge milestone in my life. This is a giant leap toward full-time ministry, and I get the oppourtunity to learn from experienced missionaries in the field and get to actually participate in small ways! I know this is all rambling and a bit of an unfocused blog entry, but I wanted to get my thoughts this morning on the page as fresh and raw as I could. I am currently waiting to be driven to O'Hare airport to fly to Los Angeles and then directly on to Narita, Tokyo. Words cannot express my gratitude towards you, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It is because of your support that I have been given this great oppourtunity. The Lord has shown me time and again how He is able to supply my every need according to His will. I have learned great lessons on submitting to God's will through this experience of preparing for Japan. At one point, I wasn't sure if I were going to be able to go at all this summer. I won't go into too much detail, but I remember asking God why He would give me a desire and purpose to serve in Japan if He weren't going to follow through and get me there. I knew that if He wanted, He could make it rain money and I would have enough to go a thousand times over. There really wasn't a lack of faith that was experiencing. I knew He was capable, but I didn't know if it were His plan. That's what scared me the most. Not knowing what the will of God was and knowing that it could possibly mean not being able to go to Japan. I prayed hard. I prayed that He would send me to Japan. I prayed that everything would fall together nicely and neatly as I had planned. It was almost as if God were responding with "Austin, do you trust Me?" I felt utterly defeated and worthless. Then I remembered what someone had told me a few years back: 'Do not worry about where God will have you or what you will be doing once you are there--only worry about whether or not you are striving to find yourself in the center of His will.' I had been making my ministry in Japan an idol and was more focused on serving in Japan rather than serving God (that just happens to take place in Japan). Finally, I prayed to God and asked Him to have me serve where He willed this summer. "If I can't do ministry in Japan, let me serve You some other way this summer." Less than a half hour later, my prayers were answered in full. In the perfect, most fulfilling way. Again, I am sorry that the details of this are few, but it would be in poor taste for me to reveal the entirety of how He accomplished this. What I can say, is that I am leaving on a trip for Japan this morning and it is because of His will for me. There are great things ahead.
Japanese of the day
緊張しています
Kinchyou shite imasu
Translation:
I'm nervous (I kinda am)
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