Tokyo Happenings

These few days in Tokyo have been simply wonderful!

On Monday night I led a short bible study on faith with Mari, her brother Chishio, and her parents who decided to join us. I was a good time of fellowship and prayer.

On Tuesday we had lunch with Kanade, a girl that Mari has known for a long time. I taught a bible study and it was awesome. I was convicted by the things that I taught and am still praying about it.
I talked about God's calling for us to be a nation of kings and priests. We are able to stand before Him confidently because the sin that separated us has been paid for and removed by Jesus' sacrifice. The same access to Father God the Creator that Jesus has, we have through the cross. Jesus has given us the same access to God as He has. AND God loves us with the same love that He has for Jesus. WHAT?! It sounds too good to be true!
He has also given us the Holy Spirit to teach us all things. We have the best bible teacher actually living inside us. We have direct access to the throne of God from which every Word proceeds. All wisdom, all understanding of the scriptures, all knowledge of God is available to us because Jesus made a way for us to be reconciled to God through His broken body and poured out blood. Jesus died and rose again and poured out the Holy Spirit so that we could be one with God.

Do I really believe this? What would happen if I lived like this is true?

How did Jesus seek the Father while He was here? Even He had to fast and pray and walk in obedience. He had to seek God's will above His own. If Jesus had perfect access to the Father (because He had no sin) and He had to fast and pray and walk in obedience, then certainly I need to do the same.

That's the short version. It seemed that every passage that we read was alive with truth. That doesn't happen every time I teach. I think God had something special in mind for Kanade and Mari and I were blessed to be a part of it.

Kanade and Mari

Tuesday night we met with Yuriko and went to a small prayer meeting at a church where Daisuke and Daisuke go. Afterward, The 2 Daisukes, Yuriko, Mari and I went to a park to pray. After playing on the playground equipment a little, we started to worship and to pray for each person there one by one. While praying, God gave me specific words or specific prayers for each person. It ended up being an impromptu prophetic prayer meeting!

Yuriko, Daisuke, Mari

 

Me, Mari, Yuriko, Daisuke, Daisuke

Today, Wednesday, we had lunch with one of Mari's elementary school friends that she still keeps up with. Then, this afternoon we visited a cafe that the sister of another elementary school friend just opened yesterday. We wanted to support her new business and ended up having a really fun time talking with them.

Me, Mari, Marie
 

Shop owners and Me

Tonight we met our friend Homi who went to school in Denton and it was SO MUCH FUN!

She took us to an italian restaurant close to Shinjuku station (one of the busiest stations in Tokyo). At some point during the dinner, all the lights suddenly dimmed in the restaurant and music started playing. We were all looking around to see what was going to happen. Then I saw a waitress walking with a plate in hand that had sparklers and candles on it. I thought "oh it must be somebody's birthday." Then she started walking toward our table and she was looking at me! I thought "Oh no! It's not MY birthday!" When she arrived, she placed this in front of me.

"HAPPY WEDDING JAYNE"

My sweet friend Homi had arranged for the restaurant to present this cake to me! It was such a fun surprise! So we all shared the chocolate and strawberry cakes and assorted fruits. What a great way to spend my last night in Japan.

Homi, Mari, Me, Yuriko

Tomorrow I leave Mari's house at 9 am and arrive in Texas about 22 hours later after all is said and done and assuming everything goes according to schedule. God willing, my wonderful fiance will greet me at the gate and we'll begin the last three weeks of wedding preparation.

Osaka Summary & Tokyo Time!

OSAKA


We left Osaka a few days ago. The two bible studies, I thought, went very well. The first one on that Wednesday was especially full of truth, grace and power. It came from something that God showed me during worship on the previous Sunday morning. It's hard to summarize, but it was basically about worshipping God based on His promises and not based on our own performance. The second bible study on the following Thursday also went well. I talked about love being the unifying force in the Body of Christ more than doctrine or personal preferences. Through love we can work through doctrinal and personality differences and work patiently toward agreement as Christ's character is also progressively developed in us.
My time with the sister who requested counseling went well as far as I can tell. Through it I gained a friend.
In all, I can say that I gave to them everything that God gave to me.

Nabe with Asuka

Heiji, Luke & Reiko's son

Luke, Reiko & Heiji

Heiji's chubby arm!
He looked like the Michelin Man
: >

Me, Naomi, Hiromi & Akira the dog

Hirakata City view from the apartment where we stayed.
The railroad ran just outside the balcony.

TOKYO

My time in Tokyo so far has been so refreshing!

A couple of nights ago Mari called together a few of her friends and I led a bible study for them about what it means to rejoice in the Lord always. Mari knew each of them, but none of them knew each other. However, it was so easy for us to talk and fellowship that we all felt that we had known each other for a long time. We had instant friendship in Christ.

From left to right: Nobuko, Takako, Mari, Me, Chie 

Last night we met with John and Su Jong, a young couple from Mari's parents' church. It was inspiring to hear the things that God has been stirring in them. They are seeking the will and glory of God, and I think that He will gladly answer. He seems to be doing so and it's really exciting. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the coming years.

This afternoon we met with Len, one of Mari's friends that we also met with during last year's trip. Again, it was inspiring to hear the things that God is stirring in her. She said that for the last year and a half, she has been trying to simply be faithful in little things and walk with God in contentment every day in everything she does. But then God asked her to have a bigger dream of what she wants to do for the Kingdom. Ooooooh exciting!
She also talked about what a joy it is to give everything to Jesus willingly and freely. How precious that heart must be to the Lord!

Me, Mari, Len

All of these people don't consider themselves to be anything special. They are humble and sincere believers that want to live for Jesus. They aren't looking for praise from people. They want God to be glorified and they're willing to take new steps of simple faith in order to see it happen. I think they must be so cherished by God. They certainly blessed me.

Now I'm about to read the Word with Mari and her brother Chishio.
Tomorrow we'll meet with Homi who used to live in Denton. That's always fun. : >
There's no plan yet for Wednesday.
Thursday I return!
Friday Mari comes to Texas! Yeehaw!
Yuko follows a few days later!
Then Yuriko and Noriko will arrive a couple of weeks after that!
Then, I GET MARRIED!!!

Photos from Sendai

We just came to Mari's house in Tokyo this evening and I am finally able to connect my laptop to the internet!!!!! Now I can upload photos!

These are a few from my stay in Sendai. We met with people and went to places that I didn't take pictures of, so this is by no means a thorough visual representation of my time there.

While in Sendai, we stayed with Emiko and Nick and their son Simon (upper left hand corner).
They are friends that go to church with Noriko (sitting behind me). 

We visited temporary housing where people are living who lost everything in the tsunami. Noriko and Tadamitsu (pictured later) bring food, coffee and tea and sit and talk with the people that come.

Beginning with the story of creation and Adam and Eve, Mari was able to talk to this woman about Jesus. It was really inspired and the woman listening was genuinely interested in hearing it.

Another group was there making bookmarks out of candy wrappers and other packaging.
Noriko and I decided to join the fun.

Tadamitsu and Noriko beside the yellow church bus

Take us home, Simon!

Emiko invited her "Mama friends" over to the house one morning to have an English playtime with the kiddos.
They were SO CUTE!

Later that same day, we went to a park to meet a different friend, her daughter, and her daughter's friends.

Pictured below is a simplified version of the game Mother May I.

"Take one BIG step"

Kaitenzushi! Sushi on a conveyor belt. :)
We had dinner with Emiko, Nick, Simon, and a girl named Hiromi.
The conversation and fellowship over dinner was so blessed. This is a very happy memory for me.

Noriko, Mari, Me
Sendai travel buddies

: >

From Sendai to Osaka

After the camp in Iwate we spent 6 days in Sendai. We stayed with Emiko and Nick, a christian couple that goes to church with Noriko. It was fun and relaxing to be in their home, and their 1-yr-old son Simon always kept things interesting. We met Emiko`s neighborhood mama friends, played at a park with some of her friends` elementary-age daughters, visited people living in temporary housing, and I taught a bible study at their church about finding our identity in Christ.
There were many opportunities to minister to individuals in Sendai and I feel that the time was well-spent. It was a very refreshing week for all of us.

I`ll post photos when I can... hopefully soon!

We are now in Osaka. Please pray for my time here. This little community of believers has been through some difficult trials this past year and they seem to still  be dealing with some sticky situations. There`s a lot of need here. I would like to have time to talk individually with my friends here and really know how they are doing, but I need God to open the schedule to allow it. They all have jobs and other obligations that come with normal daily life. Pray that opportunity is opened and that I have the wisdom and counsel needed for the moment.

Here`s the schedule so far:

Monday evening (tonight) dinner with pastor

Tuesday evening dinner with Luke and Reiko (friends from my school days) and their new baby boy Heiji
I`m really looking forward to seeing them!

Wednesday morning I lead bible study
Wednesday afternoon I plan to meet with a Japanese girl who requested counseling
Wednesday evening there is a prayer meeting at the pastor`s house

Thursday afternoon I teach bible study
Thursday evening there is an outreach bible study on a university campus

Friday we leave for Tokyo

Our Tokyo schedule has not been made yet.

Christian Camp in Iwate (Ee-wah-teh)

Last weekend I spent 3 days in the northern mountains of the main island with about 50 Japanese christians. This is the same camp I attended at the end of my last trip. It is specifically for Returnees: Japanese christians who have studied abroad at some point and have come back to live in Japan. It was fun to see the same people from last year and also meet a few new people. In general, it seems that everyone is doing well and growing in faith.

Camp facility operator
That's rice wrapped in marinated pork about to be grilled.
Mmmmmm :)

I can't remember her name, but I love her!

Yuko and Noriko

Mari, my travel buddy

Yuriko and Mari lead worship with a couple of guys both named Daisuke. They're both really good musicians, love Jesus, and seem pretty solid in their faith. Worship was one of the highlights of the camp because of the heart that they all put into it.

Nozomu, Daisuke, Powerpoint Man, Daisuke
Yuriko, Mari, Sachie (Powerpoint Woman)

Yuriko, Daisuke
Mari, Me
Crammed in an elevator

Daisuke sharing his lunch with a bee.

On the last day of the camp, I taught a bible study to a group of about 10 people. We read from 2 Kings chapters 22 and 23. I talked about the importance of reading the scriptures prayerfully and diligently and some of the effects of it:

- Revelation of how we don't measure up to God's standard (a call to repentance, not condemnation)

- A greater desire to experience God's promises 

- Wisdom and passion to fulfill God's calling 

- Deeper understanding of God's character and of who Jesus is 

- Sharpening our swords in preparation for spiritual battle

- Renewal of the mind

It's hard to summarize a 2 hour bible study. Well, it would have been 1 hour, but it became 2 hours with translation. It went really well. The people there were really receptive, encouraged and strengthened. In general, most people walked away saying that the Bible is awesome and that they really want to read it more. Yes!

That's my name in Japanese at the top of the name tag and bible study notes behind me.

A Few Photos

Here are a few photographs from my time in Niigata.

Prayer at Yumi's House: Grace from Kenya, Mari, Me, Megumi
Yumi, Yumi's mother, Sayaka

Kosugi Family Pear Garden: Sayaka, Shoko, Me, Mari

We went to a gorgeous traditional Japanese restaurant with Sayaka's mother.

Our room was surrounded by a beautiful high-walled garden with a pond full of koi (carp).
The food was just as lovely.

Let the Fun Begin! Again!

After about 23 hours of traveling, I`m back in Niigata! I love this region. I love the low green mountains, the cool humidity, the large flat bright green rice fields underneath clean blue skies with large white boyant clouds. It was so refreshing to find myself at Sayaka`s familiar doorstep after a long trip across the Pacific with not much sleep. I was able to sleep the entire night. That first solid night of sleep has really helped minimize the jet lag.

Sayaka, being a Master Planner, had the next four days already scheduled for Mari and I. Here`s what we`ve done so far:

We spent Wednesday with Megumi and read the bible together. I played a song for her that I finished writing on the airplane and she loved it. That evening we visited a mother and daughter that are devoted to prayer and ministry. They pray together every morning and recently finished a time of fasting to seek God`s direction. We had a really wonderful time of fellowship and prayer.

The next day we had breakfast with Sayaka and read the Bible together. Sayaka had a lot of really good questions about the scriptures and I did my best to answer them. In the course of conversation I ended up talking about how important it is to read the Old Testament. Many of her questions about the New Testament were related to the Old Testament and I realized that, in order to really understand the New Testament, we need to read the Old Testament. I thought to myself "Amen, Jayne. If you want to understand the New Testament, you`ve got to be studying the Old Testament." I learn so much from the things I say to help other christians.

That afternoon we visited a large commercial pear garden run by an elderly couple and their christian daughter Shoko. To call this garden "commercial" makes it sound mechanical, but this is one of the most beautiful cultivated areas I have ever seen. This is a garden like you would expect Solomon to have owned. We met Shoko last year and helped with some of the work for a couple of days. This year we had less time together, but it seemed that our fellowship was deeper and our prayer time together was really sweet.

That night we met with two of Sayaka`s coworkers. Sayaka travels between elementary schools in the area teaching english. Her two coworkers are Americans doing the same thing. We were able to testify a little to them, but it was mostly just fun to talk and laugh together. One girl is actually from Coppell and studied for a year at UNT. She has a friend that just opened a restaurant in Denton called Mi Taza that I want to visit when I get back. My Denton friends should go and tell me how it is! If you meet a girl named Andreina, tell her that Cailtin says hello. :-)

This morning we had breakfast with Sayaka`s mother and it was so much fun talking to her. This woman is so gracious and gentle and hospitable and has a great sense of humor. She`s got spunk! This afternoon she is taking us to a traditional Japanese restaurant for lunch. I`m looking forward to it. Sayaka`s parents have very fine taste. Over the years, they have treated me to the best food in Japan.

Tonight Sayaka`s father will drive us to Sendai - a five hour trip - and we will meet up with Tai, Noriko, Yuriko, and a few other Japanese believers who are all leaving from there to go to the conference tomorrow. I`m really looking forward to seeing each of them! Mari and I prayed together this morning and I think God gave me the central verse for what I can speak on at the conference. More on that later. ;-)

That`s all for now! Jah-neh! (that`s a casual goodbye in Japanese)

Why I Will Make Wedding Vows

Why I will make wedding vows

I believe that vows are powerful; more powerful than a contract, more powerful than a ritual.

Vows bind your soul to something, some event, someone. The Apostle James compared the tongue to the rudder of a ship. It is a relatively small part, but guides the whole vessel. In the same way, the words we say - the vows we make - direct the course of our lives.

When my fiance Connor was a child in elementary school, he offended a younger classmate without knowing it. That classmate vowed to kill him and started learning martial arts. Thankfully, the school counselor found out about it and brought them together. Connor apologized for whatever he did to make the other boy so angry and I guess that solved the problem. What if the counselor had not intervened? I don’t know if Connor would have died (how much karate can an elementary student learn?) but I do think that the other boy would have been bound to violence for the rest of his life because of his vow.

On November 20th I will vow myself to Connor to live as his wife until death separates us. Not only that, but I will vow to treat him with love, honor and respect. I will bind my soul to him in a way that will forever change the course of my life, and if that vow is ever broken, it will be more than a breach of contract. It will be a breach of soul.

Breach: noun

1. the act or a result of breaking; break or rupture

2. an infraction or violation, as of a law, trust, faith, or promise

3. a gap made in a wall, fortification, line of soldiers, etc; rift; fissure

This is why marriage is scary.

It’s also scary because I will actually make vows that I know I can only fulfill with God’s help. Will I always treat Connor with respect? Will I only say things that honor and encourage him? Will I be loving toward him at all times for the rest of my life? I can’t say “yes.” I know myself better than that.

But, the vow that I make will set the course of my life toward that goal. The expression of God’s character and plan in my life will become intertwined with it. I can’t say that there won’t be terrible storms, doldrums, and other unforeseen difficulties, but nevertheless, the course will be set.

Why vows before God are necessary for a pure relationship

Years ago I told God that if He wanted my life, He could have it, because I didn’t really want it anymore. He took me up on my offer, and with those words a most magnificent course was set with a new Captain in charge, and I became His vessel.

As God’s possession, I don’t have the right to give myself to someone until vows have been made. In giving my body, I give my soul, and to give my soul I will state my vows.  I will make vows to God of how I’ll treat Connor, because Connor is God’s possession. I don’t have rights to him until I’ve vowed to God that I’ll treat him in a way that will honor him as God’s cherished possession and Connor agrees with it. Likewise, Connor doesn’t have rights to me until he has vowed to God that he’ll treat me in a way that honors me as God’s cherished possession and I agree with it.

Why I will make these vows publicly

It’s important as members of the community and representatives of Christ that we make this a public confession. This is for the community as much as it is for Connor and I. 

It’s for the community because there are people that love me and want to know that I’ll be loved and cared for. I have deep relationships with family and friends. We have stories together. Our lives have been impacted by one another. We’ve watched out for each other. How would it impact them now if I cut them out of the second most important decision of my life? (The first most important was the decision to follow Jesus). It could mean a break in friendship. I want the community that we’re in to be able to confidently welcome our union and through that union to see an expression of Jesus’ love.

It’s for Connor and I because I value the input and prayers of the people that love us and agree with our vows and our commitment to following Jesus. As an American woman I like to think that I’m strong and independent and I don’t need anyone’s approval or support. But, the fact is, I do. Like I said before, I’m preparing to make vows that I’m not able to fulfill without God’s help, and I know from personal experience that many times His help and instruction come through His people. A loving community of prayerful people is a powerful gift from God and I need it!

As I consider what marriage really means to me - specifically, what the wedding means to me - I don't think about the dress, how I'll wear my hair, what songs will be used, what flowers I'll hold, and how I'll look in photographs. I think about seeing Connor at the end of the aisle and about holding his hands. I think about what it will be like to look in his face and promise myself to him. I think about the sweet presence of God. I think about the moment when the preacher finally says "You may kiss the bride." (Right now I'm thinking about how reading this might embarrass some of my friends). And I think about celebrating with people that I love.

This is a test

I'm testing this network to see if it will let me upload photos, so here are a few of the people that I love.