Simplify

God has been teaching me many things, but I think this week he has been teaching me to simplify things. Simplify what? Well, there are probably a lot of things that I am still not aware of, but for starters, I can say that I need to simplify the way I talk with people here. I need to remember that I am not in America, and sometimes the words I use, the gestures, and the way I am programmed to think in America are all very different here. What I think is so simple and easy to understand, maybe someone here will just not understand it for the life of them. Another one would probably be the way I worship. Whether it’s prayer, praising, listening to the message, I am trying to do all these things at once that I don’t (not always) get the full brunt of what I need to hear. My mind sometimes goes at 1000 mph that I start to lose focus and start easily thinking of different things. These two would probably be the main things that I have noticed about myself this past week.

Even though I was sick most of this week, it still was a really good week. God did some amazing things! Last Monday was Kyle, Ji Ah, and Tomoko-san’s birthday! Yes, they all have the same birthday! So we went to a zoo/amusement park (Misaki Park near Wakayama, みさき公園　和歌山近く) Other J-House members said that it is a small park with not much to do and told us to go somewhere else, but when you have good people around you, its good times. Yeah, there probably is a lot better places, but it was still pretty fun!

Tuesday at Kandai RUSH time, it was the first time we actually used the room we wanted to, because previously, there were people in the classroom, but for some reason, this day we decided to just use it regardless if people came or not. Praise God, because if we didn’t we would have missed two girls that Saya and me passed out fliers to two weeks before! We had a good time of talking and a good club time. Also Sam Song, the last Jesus Soldier of this season came and things have certainly been livelier here on the 2^nd floor and in J-House in general. Now all Jesus Soldiers have assembled and ready for action!

Regardless of these good things happening, everyday when I am praying in my room or in the chapel, I am asking God a bunch of “why” questions. Why do I have to go back to a place where I don’t have any thing for certain, or why do I struggle with this or that? So as I’m asking these questions, we watch a short video clip during Sunday service of an interview of Nick Vujicic (the man with no arms or legs Nick Vujicic) The thing he said that caught my attention was this: “The question was ‘why, why did you make me this way’ and the answer was ‘Do you trust me?’” Nick asked God why, and God replied do you trust me? God answered back with a question, a question that we don’t really want to hear. However, it is true, do I trust God enough that my circumstances and all the things that I went, are, and will go through is going to be an outcome that is both pleasing to God and enjoyable for me? Bottom line—do I trust God? Stop making things complicated, the answer he has is simple, I don’t need to answer that question in a complicated/fabricated way. Simple—yes or no?

And I decided to say yes, I do trust you God, and as soon as I said that, God answered one of my prayers. This month was a bit tight on the finances again, but I got this yellow envelop from one of the J-House members and it was 5000円. I am thinking to myself, why am I receiving this, but he said it was for helping out during the Gospel Concert back in September. I didn’t know I was going to receive this, but I certainly needed it. God truly provides! Amazing…

Yeah, I could write more, but I am a bit tired and still recovering from my cold/sore throat. Overall, it has been a good week! I’m excited for the things to come! Keep praying for me and for J-House!! 

JENGA!