Let's go to Japan

Okay, I admit, over the last 36 hours or so, Damaris and I kept singing this over and over. What is going on in my life is surreal for me. God placed a vision on my heart, a dream in my mind, and I see it unfolding.

After I went to Germany in 06, I was certain I was going back. But, God took me to Japan for 2 weeks. This was when the Dallas Diehards was still a relatively new thing, being that Damaris and I were still getting our feet wet on the Dallas music scene. When I went to Tokyo, I saw that Christian music, mainly Rock and rap/hip hop, actually had a little bit of a presence. Nevertheless, less than 0.5% of Japan knows Christ.

I fell in love with the work being done there and returned to America, more eager to Diehard than ever. I started my freshman year at DBU and tried to keep the Diehards going. It was pretty rocky, but I still managed with the help of others, to make it to many shows. I was a different person after being to Tokyo, because I had this goal of seeing just 1 band go to Japan. Every band I would talk about Japan with would say that it was cool and they would pray for Japan, but that was it. God still had this passion in my heart but I knew that it would happen in His timing.

This past summer I returned as an intern, determined more than ever to see music play a part of telling the Japanese about Christ. This past summer, I'd walk into music stores and find teenage girls buying Krystal Meyers CDs. I bought Toby's Alive and Transported in Shibuya, my neighborhood. I sang Beautiful Love by the Afters with Japanese people who like MTV.Manafest had his picture all over the place...which started to almost annoy me a bit. Just kidding. Anyways, music opened up so many doors to tell people about the most amazing Love story ever told.

Now, there is a band that I have grown to love as family in Christ. All of them have some of the most beautiful hearts I've ever seen. There is a chance of them going to Japan. No guarantees, and I know that God will do what He wants to, WHEN he wants to. But just the thought that this is a possibility blows me away. I journaled this past summer that I was surrendering myself to be where God wants me to be in order to bring a band to Japan. I remember telling God that this was a crazy thing to think that it could ever happen at all, but He has commanded me to stay obedient.

My prayer is that He will provide the way for this beautiful band to go to Japan, because I know they are willing to go if God leads them there.

I stand amazed over the way that He is orchestrating things. The way that He is showing me that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. How wonderful this King is.