Reflection

(All credit to Fred Paik with this amazingly beautiful picture! This is in LA, yes, LA.)

Now I see~

If I wear a mask

I can fool the world

But I cannot fool

My heart~

Who~ is that girl I see-- oops!  D:

Sorry I just got into singing that song…however, it is pretty true how put on a mask and walk around this world as if it was a masquerade.  The only one who can see right through that mask is God himself. Sometimes we can even fool ourselves, but our heart knows that we are fooling ourselves, and everything is so transparent to God there is really no point in hiding our feelings and such from him.  

Lately I have been reflecting upon how I value myself. This came about when I heard Pastor Katsuya talking about relationships (in general as well as romantic) during Big Wave and he said “if people know how to value themselves, they will value others in the same way.” This is what I have been thinking about and I have somewhat of an answer, but I am still collecting my thoughts and re-reading different kinds of encouragements people have given me and such. I still have a hard time believing some of the things they say, but if more than one person say the same thing, I guess that means it’s likely that I am like what they say? Hmm…

I also met a singer named Alfie Silas and her husband/manager Mike Silas. She has a pretty nice resume singing/touring with a bunch of famous people. She is actually participating in an event called Franklin Graham Festival this October, and a couple of Jesus Soldiers and I had a chance to meet with her and have lunch at Kitahama International Bible Church. She is from San Fernando Valley, CA! I was super encouraged by her and hearing her awesome testimonies; things you don't normally hear about certain entertainers. Her and her husband are solid Christians and it is good to know that there are people who are strong Christians in the entertainment business! I hope the best for her and her family! 

Things will start getting busy again and three more Jesus Soldiers will be coming too! Excited to work with them and kind of different, not really, to have Jenny finish her Jesus Soldier term too. (ARE YOU READING THIS?! Lol) She will be back, so whatever, I know you will miss me. Hahaha. But yeah, thanks for serving for one year here! All the seeds you planted, we will try our best to water them and tend to them!

Anyway, please keep praying for me for I need as much prayer as I can get! Pray that the things J-House does (ministry, evangelism, discipleship) can happen at any given time and place. Pray that I won’t feel a sense of loneliness, but to see it as a time where I can get closer to God. Also, there are many different temptations in Japan and just being alone can really mess up the flow of God within me (laziness, doing things half-heartedly, lust, etc.). Many many things to pray about, but yeah, I need God’s strength, not my own. I want to be more reflective in the things I think about and experience!

(I cut my hair! D:) 

We went to a morning prayer with a bunch of pastors, salvation army, etc. and we sang a song (イエスのように There is none like you) and we had to dress formally and stuff. It was awesome to be a part of that and see so many come together, but I am not gonna lie, it was hard to get up.