"I bow my knees before the Father"

So, these last few days have been a time that I have truly needed to rely on God. It is the second week and the newness of Tokyo is starting to wear off and our team is starting to get tired and weary. Some of our team members are sick, others overwhelmed, and others just plan exhausted. Some of my team members are not even allowed to share ANYTHING about Christianity on their campus. The good news is God is faithful and we have been able to go to Him in prayer and as always, He has provided comfort, hope, peace, and love.
On Sunday, I attended church and it was wonderful! Then the four of us who went to the same church, had lunch in a park nearby. On Monday, (which is our Sabbath day,) a group of us went to climb Mt. Takao, which is the most climbed mountain in Japan! It was wonderful to be out of Tokyo and in God's creation. The hike was actually pretty difficult and we were all exhausted afterward, but it felt so good to get fresh air and exercise.
This Tuesday and Wednesday, I was on the Gaidai and Hitostubashi campus meeting with Japanese students who I have already built a relationship with. I also continue to prayer walk and rely on the Holy spirit in random evangelism. In our time of evangelism, I met six girls on the Gaidai campus who seemed interested in getting to know us more. We are having a picnic on Friday at a park near the Gaidai campus and we have invited a lot of people to come. PLEASE PRAY that our friends we have been building relationships with and the people we have just met, come to this picnic and respond to God's Love! Also, be praying for the Hitostubashi campus as many of the students we have been talking to do not seem very open to the Gospel and it has been harder to strike up conversations.
I am ready to share the Gospel with all of these students and ready to see them accept Jesus as the Lord, so please pray for me for wisdom for the right moment to share and patience in knowing that not everyone will be open to hearing. But the Holy Spirit is present and I am expectant that He will do great things!

A passage that came to me during our time of prayer this morning was Ephesians 3:14-21 and I would like to share it with you!
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Thanks so much for your prayers, they are truly a blessing!

In Christ,

Courtney


About to start up the mountain!


Me at the top of Mt. Takao


The Japanese foot bath we got to experience after our long hike!


The special dessert our Japanese friends made for us. Sticky rice filled with bean paste and wrapped in banana leaves. Not everyone thought it was tasty!


Ayaka and I. She is so open to the Gospel! Continue prayers that she accept Jesus as her Savior!