United in Prayer, Unlimited in Power As We Link to the Father
Remembering the Past, Thanking God for the Present
The night was young but I decided to rest early. While lying down on my bed and reflecting on my day, the lyrics of the song “My Tribute” rang in my ears:
“How can I say thanks for the things, you’ve done for me,
Things so undeserved, yet You gave to prove your love for me.
The voices of a million angels, could not express my gratitude.
All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Thee.
To God be the glory, for the things He has done.”
I couldn’t help getting up and have finally decided to share with you the things our Faithful Lord has placed in my heart .
June 2, 2009 marks our 8th year in The Land of the Rising Sun. I can still vividly picture in my mind our first landing here together with our 2 children then –Jodie and Josiah. We were very excited to face our new life yet I had fears in my heart on how to face the many unknowns ahead of us. I clang to His promise, “He who called us is faithful.” Indeed, words are not enough to describe His great works in our lives and to me personally. He gave us the privilege of ministering to a wonderful church in Yokosuka City inside the U.S. Naval Base. The love and concern of our brothers and sisters there were really remarkable. I felt God’s loving hands reaching out to me through them.
I still remember the time when we found out that we were having another baby. I couldn’t imagine my life being pregnant in a foreign country. I had many questions and it seemed like a major challenge in my Christian life. Yet the Lord had shown His mercies to me and turned those moments as sweet opportunities of fellowship with Him. Those five years were very precious times of molding and learning through the irons of trials and triumphs.
June 2006 was another milestone in our life and ministry. We decided to move to Kyoto City with our 3 children -- with Joyce as the latest addition to our family. Our finite minds still cannot comprehend how things fell into their proper places. A Japanese, who has just retired, volunteered to finance an English school for us so that we could start anew. Two weeks later, we found a church where we could attend worship services. To our amazement, this church was looking for workers to partner with and to help in their English ministries. Surely, He prepared Assembly Kyoto Church for us! After several months of doing volunteer work, the church formally recognized us as her cooperative missionaries. Again, “He who called us is faithful.”
On May 13, 2009 God granted us another 3-year visa extension. The next day, Joseph and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary and on the 28th of the same month, Josiah celebrated his 10th birthday. The years are passing by swiftly and God is always present in the midst of them all.
I am blessed to know that there are people like you who are praying and supporting us in many ways. I believe we are not alone in our journey, reaching out to the Japanese. Thank you very much for your encouraging messages through emails and phone calls. Many of those messages came when we needed them most.
God is awesome and faithful in all His ways. It is just proper that I say to Him - “I owe it all to You!” TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
“How can I say thanks for the things, you’ve done for me,
Things so undeserved, yet You gave to prove your love for me.
The voices of a million angels, could not express my gratitude.
All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Thee.
To God be the glory, for the things He has done.”
I couldn’t help getting up and have finally decided to share with you the things our Faithful Lord has placed in my heart .
June 2, 2009 marks our 8th year in The Land of the Rising Sun. I can still vividly picture in my mind our first landing here together with our 2 children then –Jodie and Josiah. We were very excited to face our new life yet I had fears in my heart on how to face the many unknowns ahead of us. I clang to His promise, “He who called us is faithful.” Indeed, words are not enough to describe His great works in our lives and to me personally. He gave us the privilege of ministering to a wonderful church in Yokosuka City inside the U.S. Naval Base. The love and concern of our brothers and sisters there were really remarkable. I felt God’s loving hands reaching out to me through them.
I still remember the time when we found out that we were having another baby. I couldn’t imagine my life being pregnant in a foreign country. I had many questions and it seemed like a major challenge in my Christian life. Yet the Lord had shown His mercies to me and turned those moments as sweet opportunities of fellowship with Him. Those five years were very precious times of molding and learning through the irons of trials and triumphs.
June 2006 was another milestone in our life and ministry. We decided to move to Kyoto City with our 3 children -- with Joyce as the latest addition to our family. Our finite minds still cannot comprehend how things fell into their proper places. A Japanese, who has just retired, volunteered to finance an English school for us so that we could start anew. Two weeks later, we found a church where we could attend worship services. To our amazement, this church was looking for workers to partner with and to help in their English ministries. Surely, He prepared Assembly Kyoto Church for us! After several months of doing volunteer work, the church formally recognized us as her cooperative missionaries. Again, “He who called us is faithful.”
On May 13, 2009 God granted us another 3-year visa extension. The next day, Joseph and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary and on the 28th of the same month, Josiah celebrated his 10th birthday. The years are passing by swiftly and God is always present in the midst of them all.
I am blessed to know that there are people like you who are praying and supporting us in many ways. I believe we are not alone in our journey, reaching out to the Japanese. Thank you very much for your encouraging messages through emails and phone calls. Many of those messages came when we needed them most.
God is awesome and faithful in all His ways. It is just proper that I say to Him - “I owe it all to You!” TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
Views: 22
Comment
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Comment by Mami Ghone on June 5, 2009 at 8:54am
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Hi JoAnn! It's really amazing how you moved to Kyoto and start a service! I always thought Assembly Kyoto Church offered you to move to Kyoto to start a ministry! So it was the other way around! I am so blessed by your ministry. you and pastor joseph, and of course your beautiful children really touched me during the stay in Kyoto. Your ministry really helped me to survive and even grew more in Jesus in the dry land of Kyoto :D I'd love to see you soon. I'm preparing for a trip in December. Pray for me that we can serve Jesus together again!
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Comment by Cecille on June 2, 2009 at 6:20pm
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Hi,
Truly our God is Great! Psalm136:1"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good..His faithful loves endures forever".
Thes.5:16-17" Rejoice Always. Pray without ceasing . Give thanks in all circumstances;for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus for you.
Thank you for sharing your life and in ministry with your family.. and yes!..again.. it encourages us more to trust our Lord as also in Deu.7:9" Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; HE is the Faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands".
We keep praying for your ongoing ministry, and your family. Heaps of Blessings!
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Comment by anna gascon on June 2, 2009 at 8:35am
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AMEN! thank you Lord for your faithfulness and your LOve...and Blessings
thank you po Sister Joan...what a wonderful message.
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