Checkout the Look on My Face

Top right is me

Yes that is me in the raft along with my family. Immediately after this photo I was catapulted into the center of the raft when we hit that rock. But in many ways this onetime rafting event to spend time with my family could be a good metaphor for my life right now.
As many of you know i am now back in Staunton living at the family home. My parents are wonderful people. They have been so generous towards me over the past few weeks. I have never really had any reservations about picking up and going to Japan. I think that this has just been a blessing that the Lord has bless me with. However, especially since I have been back from New York I have noticed the good things in my life. I wonder if this is because I am so focused on this external goal of getting to japan and preparing. I will paraphrase Ecclesiastes, " there is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his labor before the lord... for this is his lot." It is like the Lord connects our ability even to enjoy the things that we so called possess, friends, family, etc., with whether or not we see it coming from His hand. The current of my life at this time in seeking to be obedient is under girded by the deeper waters of God's river. If I focus only on the water i am splashing with my paddle will be so unlikely to see the scenery flashing by around me. I also won't notice that it is the force of the river that is carrying me not the force of my paddle. I hope this example is helpful to someone. If Not know that I am sorely going to miss all those that i leave behind. But I believe that I love you and enjoy your friendship best by going.

God bless you- Isaac

I loved New York but my heart is in Japan

(above: Jeff Marlowe pre-field training staff and Myself )

I arrived safe back in Staunton on Wednesday. It is going to be wonderful to be staying with my parents now for a short time before I leave for Japan. I think it will be a great way to say goodbye Gracefully since I will be gone for over two years. It is very exciting to be a part of what the Lord is doing. I have returned from NYC with my mind filled up with all that the Lord is doing there. I am eager to share with everyone about my experiences and about how I see the Lord is preparing me for Japan.
I can think of three main ways that the Lord used my experience in New York to prepare me for future ministry in love, mission, and worship. Being in NY has increased my awareness of God's Kingdom. One of the speakers giving a presentation on evangelism and the church posed the question where do you find the best soil for planting. Most would say in the country in a field etc. Yes that is right but don't you find grass growing in the city as well. This really struck me because there is nothing but concrete in the city and yet it is common to find grass growing up in the cracks of the sidewalk. God is growing His church no matter how hard the soil.
I was prepared in mission by a talk on contextualizing the Gospel. I learned that our own cultures temper our understanding of the gospel. We need to be willing to give up our contextualized gospel so that the core of the gospel can prosper in their context. And how much help do I need from the Holy Spirit in this area?
And lastly I learned a lot about loving. Especially in our English class. It is one thing to do a good job as a teacher, it is quite another to actually love one another from the heart as scripture says. This command brought me to my knees to depend on the Lord more than any other and I think was the best preparation for the field.
All in all I was supremely blessed and encouraged by all the Lord did through my time in NYC. I know He will be faithful to continue to prepare me to go to the field as well as to raise up the provision for team Japan in prayer and financial supporters over these last weeks before arriving in Japan.