My wife Mihoko and i have been married for 16 years. The first five years was going to school and then we had the first of 4 kids Caleb. Since dating Mihoko we have always had our eyes on Japan and an intense desire to tell the gospel to as many Japanese people as we can. We wanted to go to Japan for a few years early on. Caleb was diagnosed with a heart probem. At three years old he became really sick and we watched him go real fast and we were unable to receive a heart transplant. We waited for two months in the Hospital and we were blessed to spend that time with Caleb. He was a beautiful kid and he is now completely healed in Heaven with a new body. So 10 months after Caleb goes to be with the Lord we have our third kid Rachel. Nathan was our second born 14 months after Caleb. Rachel at 10 days old is diagnosed with the same heart disease as Caleb. We were very sad. At 4 years old Rachel received a heart transplant. She is now 6 years old. We were crazy and about killed our parents but we went ahead and had another girl Jane Elizabeth. Nathan and Jane is very healthy and have no problems. Today Nathan in 9 soon to be 10 in April and Jane is 3. Rachel is two years post-transplant and doing extremely well. So well we are now thinking back to our desire 16 years earlier. This wasn't something I had even on the Radar. God has a way of letting us know when he is ready to send you. There were things in the Bible that stired our hearts. Abraham, "get thee up to a country that I will show you". Wow, Just go and wait on God as you go. Moses and the burning bush where 7 times he denys the call of God on his life. Jesus saying in John, "As the Father has sent me so send I you."
So I am two years ago after Rachel's transplant felling pretty drained. I was spiritually and physically tired. I went to a men's retreat where I was touched by God in a mighty way. The Spirit came upon me very strongly. There was some prophetic utterance as to me being given a gift of a Pastor/teacher. I was hungry for God in a way that had been void during the stay in the hospital. 4 other men and I got together for prayer and started to seek the Lord. We have so much garbage in our lives that is distracting for the Lord. We spent almost a year cleaning house in our souls. We became legalistic in many areas and had as Pastor Brian calls it a holy club. Yet out of this time the Lord ministered and spoke and we all had the sense to step out in ministry. We could not contain the joy the Lord had put in our hearts. I decided to begin a Japanese Bible Study translated by my wife. We had started a translation ministry for Pastor Chuck before Rachel went into the Hospital. When we came back some did not want us there. Rather than to fight and contend with them we took some wise counsel and separated from them and went and did what God was calling us to. It has been such a blessing. We took a year and taught through the book of Genesis. We are now starting in Exodus. We have had fruit of two receiving Jesus and others being disciples.
Last year at the CCCM missions conference we were there ministering with Mihoko performing translation. It was a Wednesday afternoon and I was hearing the message after lunch in a fog state of being. I was in and out of consciousness. I started to see a vision of me standing in a field with one door there. I was transfixed by it because I am a door man by profession. The door was in working order but it was locked and I could not open it no matter what I tried. I was questioning the purpose of the locked door when a voice behind me said. "Turn around." When I did there were millions of Japanese people standing there in front of me. I blew the vision off and didn't say anything to anyone. That Saturday we were in prayer in our holy club and one of the brothers tells me he had a vision on Wednesday about me. I was intrigued to say the least. He went on to say that he saw a door thrust open and I was thrown out and skidding across the asphalt on my tushy and my shoes flew off. When I stood up in my socks there were millions of Japanese standing in front of me. Wow, I have never had that happen to me in my life. I go home and tell my wife and I don't get a hey were going to Japan excitement, no it was I am not going to Japan if that is what you think? I was blown away and remained in prayer. Mihoko did not and still to this day doesn't have a great desire to go to Japan. But she was also spoken too. She doesn't want to miss the blessings of God. So we began 6 months ago praying for God's will. She went from maybe going over for a summer to maybe 6 months. Okay she grew to a year and lately she has been praying about a two year stay. There are other confirmations and I will post those later but right now I am very tired to say the least. God bless you.
