Adventures in Eating
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今晩、はじめてまだ生きているエビを食べた。Tonight, for the first time, I ate something still squirming — live shrimp.
1 Chronicles 12:1-22
Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said:
“We are yours, David!
We are with you, son of Jesse!
Success, success to you,
and success to those who help you,
for your God will help you.”
So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands. (1 Chronicles 12:18 NIV)
David’s success came from God. God provided the army. God provided the victory.
This is a good reminder for me as I think about ministry and the future. Whatever resources or partnerships I need, God already knows. He will provide. Whatever successes or victories I experience will come from God. I can’t do it alone; but thankfully I don’t have to.
Lord, I trust You. Please provide me what I need to move forward personally and in ministry today. And help me to trust You with my future needs as well. Jesus, lead me. Bring the victory. My life and ministry are in Your hands. Amen.
We Put the “Guy” in “Gaijin”
This photo commemorates that was reunited with a fellow missionary today after his being away a couple years. Welcome back to Japan, Zach!
1 Chronicles 11:1-9
All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.'” (1 Chronicles 11:1, 2 NIV)
David had to wait a long time for God’s promise to come true. He had to go through many hard times while he waited. But his patience, trust and faithfulness paid off when he was finally crowned king of Israel.
What a great reminder to trust in the Lord, wait patiently, and follow faithfully as I wait for prayers to be answered, dreams to come true and ministry to bear fruit.
Tonight’s English Cafe
Newsletter, Spring 2012
Hi everyone,
Here’s my latest newsletter, in convenient PDF format. You can view or download using one of the following links.
High resolution (printable) — http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12247320/017-print.pdf
Low resolution (for viewing online) — http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12247320/017-web.pdf
Thank you for your prayers!
– Robin
English Cafe
Here’s a pic from Friday night’s English Cafe, including one first-timer.
April Prayer Letter
Hi everyone,
March was a pretty busy month, including a trip to Tokyo for the Immanuel Church’s national annual conference. It was great to get to connect with pastors, fellow-missionaries and friends from around Japan. Meanwhile, our new kids’ English class has gotten off to a good start, adding to a growing ministry here in Nagoya. I now teach 3 adult classes and 2 kids classes per week, with a total of 43 students — most of whom are from outside the church. It’s been encouraging to see so many connect with a local church for the first time. Some of these non-Christian students have also started attending other church events where the love of Jesus is shared more openly. Pray that God keeps making these connections stronger, and that He will be these seeds of His love to fruition in the form of changed lives. Thank you for your prayers and support! I would not have the opportunity to build these spiritual bridges with you.This Month’s Prayer Points:
• English Cafe — this Friday night.
• Cherry Blossom Picnic with English students — this Saturday.
• Worship leading at prayer meeting — Wed, Apr. 11.
• Kids/English ministry at Shizuoka Church — Sun, Apr. 22.
• Youth ministry at Nagoya-Higashi Church — Sat, Apr. 28.
• My regular English classes & Japanese studies.
Luke 22:39-53
“Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” (v. 46)
We all face temptation every day, some days more than others. But the Bible promises that God always provides a way out. And I wonder if sometimes it’s as simple as Jesus’ instructions to His disciples in this passage…
“Get up and pray.”
Jesus’ temptation was to flee from or resist the coming storm, His crucifixion. It was a trial He did not want to go through. But it was part of the Father’s plan. Jesus sets an example for us here when He faces the temptation to disobey. He prays.
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (v. 42)
He prays. He’s honest about how He feels, but He submits to the Father’s will. He chooses to obey. And when the time comes for His arrest, Jesus does not resist, because He’s already settled the issue with His Father in prayer. He does the right thing, for us.
Meanwhile, the disciples — who slept instead of praying — are overcome by fear when the storm arrives. When temptation comes, they flee, betray and deny.
Whose example do we follow? How often does something as simple as fatigue or laziness win out over prayer in our lives? How often is defeating temptation as simple as getting up and praying?
Get up and pray!
Two rare sights in one
1. Me in a suit. 2. Me holding a baby.
This was shot at Immanuel Church’s national annual conference. I got to re-connect with a lot of people, including a good friend (a Japanese pastor) whose wife had a baby since the last time we saw each other.