Thankful

Sorry for the long gap between posts, since I started working full time in Kobe, things have been rather routine, so I had nothing really to say or add to what I've posted before. That said, I am going to try to post a little more often, in spite of how routine things are around here. And now, on to the post.

With Thanksgiving just passing, I thought I'd talk about some things that I am thankful for.

Last Year, I was talking with a missionary in Japan, hoping to go on a short trip in the upcoming summer, but I did not know how I was going to get there. Fast forward to Today and I've been in Japan for over 9 months. So here are the things that I'm Thankful for in the past year.

November: The Hope – After talking with a missionary visiting my Church in September, I was in contact with missionary team leaders in S.E. Asia, Japan, and I finally caught the attention of a team leader looking for someone for a short term mission. I'm thankful that God brought me to the attention of those people. I'm thankful that I made these contacts and I finally felt like Japan was within reach.

December: The Preparation – God used December to get me ready. I was filling out paperwork and doing background checks in December so that I could move forward with planning for the Summer, so I'm thankful that everything went through and I was cleared to go. I also left my job in December. It was a job I knew was only going to fill in the gap until I was able to get to Japan. On one hand I'm thankful for having the income for that time. On the other hand, I'm thankful that God provided for me and I was able to take time off to destress from stressful job.

January: The Call – I was going about my daily life, checking my E-mail for updates about what I needed to do next for Japan and looking for a job to keep me afloat until my trip in the Summer. But God had another plan and I got an E-mail asking if I could be ready to go as soon as possible. It was short notice but everything was lined up just right and I knew it was God's plan. I'm thankful that God provided the opportunity at the right time. I'm also thankful for those who supported me in spite of the short notice. I know God provided everything I needed and when I needed it, but I do want to thank those who God called to give to support this mission.

February: The Landing – After several long flights and a few long layovers, I finally landed in Japan. I'm Thankful that God has made my dream, where I felt called to be, finally come true. At the airport, I met the Japanese Pastor, Taniguchi-Sensei, then later his family and church. I'm thankful for all of them welcoming me to Japan and the ministry here in Kobe. I'm also thankful for their help getting me adjusted to living in Japan.

March: The Healing – In March, I caught the flu. I felt terrible and missed several classes, but got better. I'm thankful that God healed me. While it was not the most sick I'd ever been, it was the most sick that I had been in a long time.

April: The Plans – In April, I got in contact with Charlie in Osaka and started talking more with them about plans for the summer. I was also talking with the Taniguchi's about continuing on longer. It was also then when I learned about the College student who would be taking my place over the Summer. Looking back, I'm thankful that these plans came together and I was able to serve in Osaka and not leave the Taniguchi's without a teacher for the summer.

May: The Questioning – Something that I did not mention in my blog was that when I came back from Seoul, I was taken aside and questioned for about an hour and a half by Japanese Immigration. They were concerns about the length of my stay, if I was being paid, etc. It was not a pleasant experience but I'm thankful that God was able to get me through it. I'm also thankful that the plans and the funding were in place for me to go to Osaka at the end of the month.

June: The City – Where I live and work in Kobe is more suburban, especially compared to the BIG CITY of Osaka. I'm thankful that I was able to adjust to the new environment and even learn a little hiragana while I was at it. I'm also thankful for the university ministry that I was involved with in Osaka. I got to meet many young men and women and got to see seeds of God's word planted in their lives. And I'm thankful for the church I attended in Osaka. It is encouraging to see Japanese believers worshiping God and reaching their countrymen for Christ. And I'm thankful I survived my first earthquake this month.

July: The Teams – I spent much of my time in Osaka working with the short term missions teams that came to serve over the summer. I'm thankful for all work they did and the people they reached. It was encouraging to see certain members jump right in and start talking about Christ with a complete stranger. I'm also thankful for the career missionaries I worked with in Osaka. They are Godly men and women that encouraged me and it was nice spending time with Americans once again.

August: The Rest – August is “Summer” vacation in Japan, so when I returned to Kobe, I came back at the start of Summer break and had a lot of free time. I'm thankful that I was given this time to relax after a busy summer and so I could prepare for getting back to school.

September: The Job – I officially started working full time as an English teacher in Kobe. (This is a part of the reason why I have not been keeping up with the blog, especially since things are pretty consistent and routine, so there has been little new things to talk about.) I'm thankful that I have this opportunity to continue working in Japan with the Taniguchi's. I'm also thankful for the students we have and the effort they put into learning English.

October: The Ministry – As I started working full time, I got to see more of the ministry of the Church. I'm thankful that I can participate with the church in doing God's work. I'm thankful for the students we have, the regulars that are here regularly and the ones who have been more occasional. I'm thankful that God has shown me students in need and I am praying that God shows me how I can best serve them.

November: The Year – I'm thankful that I'm still in Japan, following where God has lead me. I'm thankful for my family and friends back in America who have shown me support and kept in touch in spite of the distance. And I'm thankful for all God has done for me, from his death on the cross to bringing people into my life to whom I can witness to.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Please keep praying for me and the ministry here in Kobe.

God Bless,

Carl