The verse that speaks to Our Team and Our Mission in Tokyo (Isaiah 42:5-8):
This is what God the LORD says—
he who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
8 "I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
God's Word is Powerful! Alive! and Active! Please pray these words into being with us over our mission and over Japan!
Our agreed upon Team Norms:
1) We'll be known for our love and gentle(manli)ness.
2) Find Joy in the team, mission, culture, and LORD.
3) Begin every team decision or activity with prayer.
4) 1o minutes early is on time. (we will have issues following this, haha! But it is very important to the Japanese, so we want to strive to honor them in any way we can.)
5) We're willing to approach each other in accountability and resolving conflicts within 24 hours.
6) Recognizing our own and our teammates' strengths and weaknesses and utilize them.
7)Avoid unwholesome language and use your words to specifically and intentionally uplift others.
8) Apply the language as much as possible!
Please pray for Unity and that we would extend A LOT of Grace AND Truth in Love to each other and those we are reaching.
Personal prayer requests for me:
I'm feeling excitement, but really tired already and its going to take a few days for all of us to catch up on rest before we launch ourselves into doing full time ministry during the workweek, which I am SUPER SUPER excited for the challenge and blessing of it! I CANNOT wait to learn from the rare Japanese believers and to encourage them in any way we can! Please pray for refreshment for everyone the CCC staff and student leaders already in Japan and for us there for those 5 weeks. The word says that "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:25) Pray we are generous as God is Generous to us though we are undeserving!
Thank you! "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16).
Friday, May 22, 2009
Oh Praise Him!
To all of my faithful and dear supporters!
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Praise God for His faithfulness and lavishing generosity! He is abundantly showering blessings on our team in all ways including finances to get to Tokyo! On Tuesday afternoon we needed to raise $19,000 yet as a team and tonight we have a little over $1000 left as a team to raise! The past couple of days in LA we've begun being knit together in Christ's love and truth as a team of 17 people we believe God has divinely placed together to exemplify the Redeeming Love of Jesus Christ to the city of Tokyo, Japan.
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I CANNOT express enough how much of an impact your support in any way has made on me and our team, even if you don't feel like you were much help, let me assure you, you are! You have taken steps of faith and God honors that. I am extremely grateful and privaleged to be sent by you and by God to represent Him to a people almost totally estranged to the Creator of the Universe and His Love.
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Tomorrow we fly to Tokyo. I have been waiting for this long anticipated day for a year and a half now and I still can't believe I'm going! Tomorrow will be a very long day of at least 17 hours of pure travel by shuttle, plane, train, and bus. We need prayers that we have strength, rest, joy, and grace and patience with the circumstances and each other throughout this whole process!
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We have seen great things happen already and expect even greater things in Japan!
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Overflowing with so many things, especially thankfulness!
.
Jess
.
Praise God for His faithfulness and lavishing generosity! He is abundantly showering blessings on our team in all ways including finances to get to Tokyo! On Tuesday afternoon we needed to raise $19,000 yet as a team and tonight we have a little over $1000 left as a team to raise! The past couple of days in LA we've begun being knit together in Christ's love and truth as a team of 17 people we believe God has divinely placed together to exemplify the Redeeming Love of Jesus Christ to the city of Tokyo, Japan.
.
I CANNOT express enough how much of an impact your support in any way has made on me and our team, even if you don't feel like you were much help, let me assure you, you are! You have taken steps of faith and God honors that. I am extremely grateful and privaleged to be sent by you and by God to represent Him to a people almost totally estranged to the Creator of the Universe and His Love.
.
Tomorrow we fly to Tokyo. I have been waiting for this long anticipated day for a year and a half now and I still can't believe I'm going! Tomorrow will be a very long day of at least 17 hours of pure travel by shuttle, plane, train, and bus. We need prayers that we have strength, rest, joy, and grace and patience with the circumstances and each other throughout this whole process!
.
We have seen great things happen already and expect even greater things in Japan!
.
Overflowing with so many things, especially thankfulness!
.
Jess
Thank you!
Hello friend!
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Thank you so very much for your encouragement, prayers, and/or gifts. Tokyo project could not happen without you! (Rom. 10:15). Thank you for being a very integral part of what God is doing throughout the whole world!
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Words cannot express the joy and anticipation I have felt about going to Tokyo this summer! The Lord Jesus said all authority and power has been given to Him, therefore Go and reach people of all nations, teaching them to obey His commands, and “surely I am with you even to the end of the age”, He promises (Matt. 28.18-21). What more could I ask for? That He allows me the privilege of not only knowing Him for eternity, but co laboring with Him so others can know Him too! I don’t deserve this. But He does. The Lamb that was slain is worthy of the reward for His sufferings (Rev. 5.9).
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Because God allows us to work alongside Him through prayer, I want to ask you to join me and my team in bathing this mission and city in prayers. The Chinese Christians have a famous saying: “No prayer, no power; little prayer, little power.” The power is not in our prayers, but in the One we are calling on and He is Mighty to save. God has already made clear in the Bible that He is redeeming some from every tribe, language, nation, and people; therefore we can have the confidence to go to any people group and know that God is already working there.
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Here are some specific prayer requests:
.
Thank you so very much for your encouragement, prayers, and/or gifts. Tokyo project could not happen without you! (Rom. 10:15). Thank you for being a very integral part of what God is doing throughout the whole world!
.
Words cannot express the joy and anticipation I have felt about going to Tokyo this summer! The Lord Jesus said all authority and power has been given to Him, therefore Go and reach people of all nations, teaching them to obey His commands, and “surely I am with you even to the end of the age”, He promises (Matt. 28.18-21). What more could I ask for? That He allows me the privilege of not only knowing Him for eternity, but co laboring with Him so others can know Him too! I don’t deserve this. But He does. The Lamb that was slain is worthy of the reward for His sufferings (Rev. 5.9).
.
Because God allows us to work alongside Him through prayer, I want to ask you to join me and my team in bathing this mission and city in prayers. The Chinese Christians have a famous saying: “No prayer, no power; little prayer, little power.” The power is not in our prayers, but in the One we are calling on and He is Mighty to save. God has already made clear in the Bible that He is redeeming some from every tribe, language, nation, and people; therefore we can have the confidence to go to any people group and know that God is already working there.
.
Here are some specific prayer requests:
- For Quick adjustment for the team to the atmosphere, culture, and time zone there.
- For wisdom! That God would open the doors for the Gospel message which is the only power to save (Col. 4:2-6; Rom. 1:16; Rom. 10:10-15).
- That the spiritual strongholds of the enemy would be broken and Japanese can experience Truth and Liberty in Christ! (2 Cor. 10:3-5)
Thank you again! I look so forward to telling you all about it! And as always, please feel free to contact me anytime and to visit my blog for more prayer requests and stories while I’m there! (jess-in-tokyo.blogspot.com)
With Joy!
Jessica
P.S. Although I am still planning to leave Monday, I'm still raising support and trusting that God is going to get me there! So, if you know anyone else who may be interested in sending missionaries to unreached people groups, let me know!!
P.P.S. I pray that God would bless you ten times as much as you’ve blessed me (which is quite a lot, so I hope you’re prepared for His blessings!!) (2 Cor. 9:10)
P.P.P.S. A treat for you: (Video Art Titled Stop and Go Tokyo about 1 and a half minutes). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLvrOO95hDY
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Support Update!
Hello again!!! Finals exams are history!! woot woot! (sorry, I just had to celebrate for a moment!) Thank you to all of you who have been helping to make this mission possible through prayers and finances! I'm planning to leave the 18th to go to LA for briefing before we all fly as a team together to Tokyo. Most students are from Southern California and South Carolina and I cannot wait to meet them all!
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Anyhow! I realized that all my support letters said the due date is May 10th, so I wanted to let you know if you are still interested in giving, we have until next Monday!
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I still need 58% of my support, but you know what?? God has ALREADY poured in over $2000, I KNOW HE CAN do $3000! (Although this whole process is testing my faith in God quite a bit, so if you could pray for that, I would really appreciate that. Also the rest of the team has a lot of support to raise, so pray for them as well!)
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Thanks again my friends!
.
with love and joy,
Jess
.
Anyhow! I realized that all my support letters said the due date is May 10th, so I wanted to let you know if you are still interested in giving, we have until next Monday!
.
I still need 58% of my support, but you know what?? God has ALREADY poured in over $2000, I KNOW HE CAN do $3000! (Although this whole process is testing my faith in God quite a bit, so if you could pray for that, I would really appreciate that. Also the rest of the team has a lot of support to raise, so pray for them as well!)
.
Thanks again my friends!
.
with love and joy,
Jess
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