Hanabi

It's been a wonderfully exciting week here in Japan. Despite being just under two months away from coming home still, I feel as if things are beginning to wrap up. I've said several see-you-laters to many of the missionaries here as August is vacation month, a time to rest up, enjoy family, and rejuvenate. And I've finished off my lesson planning for the remainder of the term. I have four sessions left with each class--only four! And hearing more from those of you at home has pulled my heart in that direction.

Nevertheless, things are still happening here! The classes that I did have this week were smaller than usual--predictable as it's holiday season for the Japanese. But the smaller class sizes enabled deeper and more directed conversations and even as I bumbled through my Bible lessons for the week, we ended with questions about why we read the Bible, why there are two parts, and who God is as He's displayed in the Word. I met Yuri for coffee, too, this week and was floored to learn that her story is very similar to mine. We struggle with similar situations and relationships in our lives. It was encouraging to share. Isn't it amazing how sharing our beliefs and experiences solidifies them in our hearts? The more I share of God's faithfulness in my own life, the more I share the stories of God's faithfulness in the Old Testament, the more I find my heart encouraged and emboldened. My reminders to them are reminders to myself--God is faithful, never changing, the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His love is too strong, deep, high, and wide for words.

I've expressed before that I feel myself in the midst of change. While life is made up of constant changes, this is a big one. And now, this week, I feel changed. I still can't put my finger on any drastic change in thinking or behavior (and perhaps that's because I'm still "out of my element"), but I feel it. I'm excited and scared and nervous to move forth. I'm nervous about what God will ask of me next and I'm scared I won't want to give it. But I'm excited because I know that I will. My deepest desire is to be used by the One who made me.

One of my most encouraging and intentional friends, Mrs. Carpenter, shared a beautiful reminder with me in an email the other day. She says, Our God is a God of adventure and mystery and fairytales.... let's chase Him down!

He so is.

A God of adventure and mystery and fairytales.

And I want nothing more than to chase Him down.

A few photos from this last week of Hanabi festivites: