Tomorrow we are free from quarantine, and we give thanks for God’s grace during these last two weeks!
We give thanks that our jet lag recovery was surprisingly quick. I woke up on Day 4 and knew I had gotten over the biggest hill of it. The kids truly didn’t seem affected by it at all.
We give thanks that we are in a house! In His wisdom, He used our delay to take the apartment we thought was ideal from our hands, and replaced it with an actually perfect house. I can’t imagine quarantining our (reasonably normal) family of five in an apartment, no matter how ideal. The blessings of this house continue to overflow.
We give thanks for the supernatural grace toward each other that God gave us. I just realized that Leslie and I haven’t argued at all in the last two jet-lagged, together-literally-24-7 weeks.
We give thanks for our absolutely wonderful kids. They have been incredible during this quarantine. Leslie and I were able to get out to go to grocery stores, but the kids have been stuck on our property literally the entire time (except for that one 15-minute stint where I let them come scrub the trash can with me). I can’t praise them enough for their behavior over this time.
We give thanks for emotional stability. We were really, really worried about this, for every single one of us. We have had no major panic attacks, no emotional breakdowns, no terribly huge feelings of overwhelm, no tears. I promise you—based on past experience—this is entirely God’s mercy toward us.
We give thanks for the many people here in Japan that God used to help us settle into our new life. Nao san, Sanpei san, Ikko, and the Adachis have gone above and beyond to reach out and welcome us in ways we never expected and don’t deserve. It is a blessing to feel welcomed.
We give thanks for Amazon, that we’re not in a completely empty house.
We give thanks that some boxes are already arriving, especially the Christmas ones.
We give thanks for FaceTime and Messenger Kids.
We give thanks for video games.
We give thanks for pocket wi-fi.
We give thanks that our support has increased even in the last two weeks.
We give thanks that God considers us vessels worthy of use.
May I petition continued prayers on our behalf?
Being off quarantine means that the kids will begin truly experiencing Japan again. We live directly across the street from a playground so they’re going to have new kids to meet and play with tomorrow. Please pray that God will bless these interactions, and that He will help them to thrive here in Japan (in whatever way He knows is best).
Please pray that we will fruitfully navigate new mission work in the midst of Covid-19.
Please pray that our eyes will be opened to recognize ministry that isn’t what we expected (like my trash can ministry 😉).
Please pray that we will be brave.
We love you all and are so blessed by your constant support.
