[{"content":" Summer has arrived in Osaka, and with it come hot humid days. The Japanese put bells in their windows and above their verandas to catch any breezes that might blow through. Our Japanese friend told us that the reason they do this is because the chime of the bell lets them hear the breeze and gives them a sort of Pavlovian effect that tricks their brain into thinking it\u0026rsquo;s cooler. It hasn\u0026rsquo;t worked for us yet, but Alishia enjoys the bells anyway. While we may want our bodies to be cool, we want the opposite for our spirits. We want to remain on fire for the Lord and passionate about our calling. Please pray that we don\u0026rsquo;t cool off in that way.\nWhen it\u0026rsquo;s not too hot, Alishia has been getting outside with friends from the church. She loves building relationships, and these pictures represent some of people who bless us each and every week.\nChurch each week brings several opportunities to connect and minister. It\u0026rsquo;s amazing to be a part of Abide and worship along these people. Please continue to pray for us as we serve the church and each other. Pictured with Alishia is our friend Miao; she\u0026rsquo;s a professor at a university here in Osaka. Once a month, a group of missionaries from Abide join her and her husband Matt at her school for what is called a \u0026lsquo;Life Studies Group\u0026rsquo;. Like most places, universities in Japan are difficult places to share with people about Jesus. With this group students and teachers from the university come and share the challenges in their life and we are able to share with them how we use the bible to navigate the challenges that we face in our lives. Please also pray for this group of students and our meetings with them.\nAbide hosted teams from both Hawaii and Chicago recently. Both teams were a huge blessing to us, and it was awesome to meet them. The Chicago team made Chicago-style hotdogs for everyone at our mid-week service and shared their testimonies with us. The team from Hawaii made a couple of meals for the church to share on Friday night and Sunday afternoon. They also put on a Hawaiian theme festival for kids and families and taught hula to anyone who wanted to learn.\nWe had a Independence Day party on July 5th at our apartment. The young adults group joined us for American summertime foods and a bible study. As many of you know, Alishia has a great gift for hosting and hospitality, and she outdid herself again with this celebration.\nPlease pray for our language learning as we continue our studies. Our desire it to be able to communicate with the people here without a translator. The task is very difficult, so we need the Lord\u0026rsquo;s help to accomplish it.\nPlease pray for the Lord to meet our needs both spiritually and physically. Please consider partnering with us financially if you\u0026rsquo;re able.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2025/07/12/the-sound-of-wind/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2025/07/IMG%5F8026.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2025/07/IMG%5F8033.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSummer has arrived in Osaka, and with it come hot humid days. The Japanese put bells in their windows and above their verandas to catch any breezes that might blow through. Our Japanese friend told us that the reason they do this is because the chime of the bell lets them hear the breeze and gives them a sort of Pavlovian effect that tricks their brain into thinking it\u0026rsquo;s cooler. It hasn\u0026rsquo;t worked for us yet, but Alishia enjoys the bells anyway. While we may want our bodies to be cool, we want the opposite for our spirits. We want to remain on fire for the Lord and passionate about our calling. Please pray that we don\u0026rsquo;t cool off in that way.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Sound of Wind"},{"content":"Sometimes it’s very difficult to put into words exactly what the Lord is doing in our lives here in Japan. For me this is one of those times. We’ve seen amazing highs and humbling lows over the last couple of months. So instead of the usual written update, we decide to share some recent photos to show you what been happening.\nI want to start by sharing about H. She is a girl in one of the church’s English classes. Her family isn’t Christian but as long as we’ve known her she’s been very interested in the Bible stories that we would share and the church would often give her some bible manga that are released monthly. This Easter the church bought her a Bible. It was amazing to see the joy on her face as she received it and we can’t wait to update you as she reads it and asks questions.\nWe continue to host a monthly young adults Bible study and dinner at our apartment. Here are a few photos from a recent one. The group has steadily grown to where Alishia regularly feeds twenty or more each time.\nEach spring the cherry blossom trees bloom and the Japanese people flock outside to sit beneath them. They even go at night. It’s a nice excuse to get together and fellowship.\nAbout once a month I fill in and teach the midweek Bible study. Right now I’m teaching through Daniel when those opportunities arise.\nWomen’s ministry is a big part of Abide. The church is made up of more women than men, which seems to be a common occurrence around the world. Alishia is often found praying with other women during the week, whether on Tuesday when the women’s prayer group meets, on Wednesdays like in the first picture praying for Lydia as she was returning stateside, Fridays like the third photo or Sundays like the middle photo. She is always looking for someone to connect with and labor in prayer with.\nWe’ve been blessed to have new and perspective missionaries visit for the last several months. We are very excited to work alongside them, and hope those that haven’t moved full time yet will be sent soon.\nJapanese language classes take up a large part of our week. The connections we’ve been able to make with our teachers and classmates has been very valuable.\nWe were able to be a part of a friend’s wedding. We got invited to visit our friends Lance and Kazumi in a neighboring city. And we get to be a part of an amazing church family each and every week.\nI hope that these pictures bless you and encourage you. Please continue to pray for the people in these photos and we will keep you updated on how they’re doing.\nWe love you and are so thankful for your prayers and support.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2025/05/10/its-hard-to-put-into-words/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eSometimes it’s very difficult to put into words exactly what the Lord is doing in our lives here in Japan. For me this is one of those times. We’ve seen amazing highs and humbling lows over the last couple of months. So instead of the usual written update, we decide to share some recent photos to show you what been happening.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2025/05/IMG%5F6396-3.jpeg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI want to start by sharing about H. She is a girl in one of the church’s English classes. Her family isn’t Christian but as long as we’ve known her she’s been very interested in the Bible stories that we would share and the church would often give her some bible manga that are released monthly. This Easter the church bought her a Bible. It was amazing to see the joy on her face as she received it and we can’t wait to update you as she reads it and asks questions.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"It’s Hard to put into Words"},{"content":"Sugoi! It has been quite a year for us living out our faith over here in Japan. This update is going to highlight both the difficulties and blessings this year has brought. Thank you so much to each of you who have gotten behind us and opened your hearts to the lost souls of Japan. It’s been quite a ride so far, but one full of God’s Glory. Learning to walk with Jesus while isolated from a culture that we know and understand has been both stretching and rewarding. We have the opportunity as adults to experience being “cultural infants” as we learn a new way of life and what it looks like to be ambassadors of Christ here in Japan.\nDecember 2023\nAfter seven long years of waiting and training, there we were, preparing to move. It was Sunday the 10th and Jeff was sharing one last message with our home church in Montana. I distinctly remember becoming emotional and honestly overwhelmed. I was sitting beside my mother and father and surrounded by people who I’d built deep relationships with. I asked the Lord ‘ will I know how to love the Japanese people? I love these people you have given me. I feel so sad to not do life side by side with them.’\nFor every missionary there is great cost here on earth, but we each have to ask how much of ourselves is Jesus worthy to have? I had made the choice years earlier that Jesus could have my whole life, but on that Sunday I felt myself put it on the altar again. I sat there thinking about all that the Lord had done in our lives. I listened and watched in awe of the man of God that had been built in my husband. I thought of all the people whose lives had been used by God to get us to this launching point. I was filled with trust once more, reminded that He loves the lost and that the Japanese are lost. 127 million people without hope waiting to hear. “I heard the voice of the Lord, saying whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, “Here I am send me.” - Isaiah 6:8\nThree days later would be the most painful experience and also the solidifying event of understanding just how important it is to get the hope of Jesus to the Japanese and give proper discipleship in this empty land. My dear friend who we’d met a year previously committed suicide. I have tried to understand why this happened for a year but to be honest, it is something that I don’t have an answer for. She was a 22 year-old woman that loved Jesus. To us she was a beautiful example of what God wanted for every Japanese soul. And personally my heart loved her so much that it was a terrible loss. We stayed up crying until the wee hours of the morning too confused about how this could happen. And now the excitement we had for moving and experiencing the Lord\u0026rsquo;s joy was met with deep sorrow. But…“WE know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28. There is still a deep hole in so much that Jeff and I do in ministry as we still feel that she is supposed to be here ministering alongside us. However, her story showed us that the issue of suicide in Japan is very real and we need to be sensitive to the Spirit and I am continually praying about how the Lord wants to use our dear friend’s testimony to help others.\nJanuary-May 2024\nWe packed our bags and with a team of 9 others coming on a short-term vision trip, we moved and led a missions trip to Japan. It would take us three months to finally find a place to call home and settle into life in Japan. That time was very stretching for us as many of you know I have celiac disease and eating at restaurants is very risky for me and we didn’t have a kitchen so it was a hard way to start our new life. But we are so thankful for having the team come, because out of the 9 people that came, 4 of them are going to be here from this month until April/May. They are praying about moving full time to come over and do ministry together. I cannot even begin to tell you how encouraging this is for Jeff and I, we honestly thought it would just be us faithfully following the Lord, but to have so many missionaries lining up behind us is mind-blowing. The Lord really has His eyes on this country. Over and over again we are reminded how precious they are in His sight.\nMay-June 2024\nWe were so blessed to have the funds needed to travel back to America and see Jeff’s daughter Daphne graduate high school. There was so much joy as we saw the faithfulness of the Lord to have the whole family together and see her enter adulthood.\nJune-September 2024\nWe came back to Japan and really dug in. We started our language learning at this time and were able to start understanding how to live as part of the Japanese community rather than be a bystander or a tourist. We also experienced our first summer; wow that was no joke with temperatures of 100+ and humidity of 98%! Plus, there was the noise of the cacophonous cicadas that penetrated every room in our home.\nOctober-November 2024\nWe were so blessed to travel to Thailand for the Saving Grace conference. It was seriously so wonderful to be all together from different countries and hear about all that the Lord is doing all over the world. This was so so so faith-building and I can tell you that the Holy Spirit is really moving globally. When we got back, we hosted another missionary as she prayed about moving full time over here too. It was also at this time that Jeff started teaching a bible college class on the book of Acts.\nDecember 2024\nWe ended out the year totally encouraged as we had outreaches amidst the community that seemed to be very successful. It was so special to be here for our first Christmas. It was nothing like Christmas in America so it was a time of some sadness as we missed our loved ones and traditions. But the simplicity of just enjoying the celebrations of Jesus\u0026rsquo; birth with the believers was so special.\nJanuary 2025\nAs our second year begins, our language learning is going well. Jeff started a 5 day a week language program, and I am still learning with my tutor. We have 4 other missionaries here for 3 months praying about coming over long term so we are blessed by them being with us. We are continuing in the ministry at the church and praying if there is anything the Lord wants us to add in our second year.\nIf you would like to get behind us and the work the Lord is doing this year, our one-time needs include:\nThe ladies’ retreat at Abide coming up that will be an extra cost of $100.\nFunds needed while we are blessed to host the short-term teams that come (for extra train rides and meals we’ll host in our home)\nThe ministry trip to Tokyo for the Japan Calvary conference we would like to join (about $860 in total)\nA vacuum for our home\nA dryer machine\nA printer to print Japanese worksheets\nWe are also still in need of monthly partners at the moment and so if you feel led to partner with us monthly, you can do so through the financial button below. Thank you so much for your prayerful consideration in partnering with us as we reach out and minister to the people of Japan.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2025/01/27/441/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eSugoi! It has been quite a year for us living out our faith over here in Japan. This update is going to highlight both the difficulties and blessings this year has brought. Thank you so much to each of you who have gotten behind us and opened your hearts to the lost souls of Japan. It’s been quite a ride so far, but one full of God’s Glory. Learning to walk with Jesus while isolated from a culture that we know and understand has been both stretching and rewarding. We have the opportunity as adults to experience being “cultural infants” as we learn a new way of life and what it looks like to be ambassadors of Christ here in Japan.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"One Year In"},{"content":" Christmas is in full swing here in Japan. There are decorations and lights in the parks and shopping malls. The stores are playing Christmas music. There are Christmas markets and holiday light shows that you can go watch. Unfortunately, they don’t understand why Christians are celebrating. So, while on the surface they seem more excited about the birth of Christ than the west does (‘Merry Christmas’ is plastered everywhere, there’s no ‘Happy Holidays’ or ‘Season’s Greetings’ here), once the Hollywood version of Christmas is wiped away there’s nothing left.\nThe other night we went to the German-esque Christmas Market near where we live. There were stalls selling sausages and candied nuts and hot chocolate, there was an ice-skating rink and street performers. There was also a nativity scene. Mary, Joseph and Jesus were there, along with sheep and donkeys and the like. As the Japanese people passed the nativity they would bow to the manger and then throw a coin at the feet of Mary and Joseph. This is the sight very common in Japan, but you’d only see it if you were at a Buddhist Temple. The Japanese aren’t a spiritual people, but they are extremely superstitious, so they will go to the temple and throw in a coin if they need good luck on a test or a job interview. They don’t understand the difference between Jesus and the principalities that are worshiped at the temples and shrines, all they know is that the nativity shows up for six weeks a year and if they have time they might as well throw and coin and see if their luck improves.\nThis, of course, leads to many opportunities to have important conversations with people. Some are curious about the meaning of the manger scene, or the reason for decorating trees, or how Santa Claus fits into the story, and it’s an easy conversation to take them to Jesus and His coming to earth. Be praying for us as we continue to have these conversations with people until the end of the year.\nWe are almost to the end of our first year here in Japan, and it has gone by in a flash. We are so thankful for all that the Lord has done to bring us to where we are now. Japan has quickly and mostly painlessly become to feel like home, and our church family here are a blessing in every way. Thank you for all your prayers and support, they have been a great encouragement to us.\nIn January, more workers will arrive from California to serve with us at Abide. Please be praying for our entire team as it starts to grow. I’ll be attending a language school full-time starting in January and Alishia will continue on with our friend from church who tutors her. I have been teaching the book of Acts via Zoom at a bible school in South Asia for the past few months. Those classes will run through March, please pray for me as my schedule becomes much fuller. Alishia continues to host people and has been investing in some of the young girls at church. We are still helping with the kid’s English classes at the church, and I have been given the opportunity to teach here and there as well. Please continue to pray for us.\nWe love you all. Merry Christmas!\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2024/12/17/christmas-facade/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2024/12/FullSizeRender.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChristmas is in full swing here in Japan. There are decorations and lights in the parks and shopping malls. The stores are playing Christmas music. There are Christmas markets and holiday light shows that you can go watch. Unfortunately, they don’t understand why Christians are celebrating. So, while on the surface they seem more excited about the birth of Christ than the west does (‘Merry Christmas’ is plastered everywhere, there’s no ‘Happy Holidays’ or ‘Season’s Greetings’ here), once the Hollywood version of Christmas is wiped away there’s nothing left.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Christmas Facade."},{"content":" This past Sunday at Abide, Pastor Joseph started Matthew chapter 5, the ‘Sermon on the Mount’. We covered the Beatitudes, and one that stood out to those I spoke with after the service was ‘Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.’ The Japanese are all about keeping peace, but not about making peace. In this culture they would assume that Jesus would have said blessed are the peacekeepers, but not peacemakers. They have what’s called the ‘wa’, it’s the concept that values harmony and group unity over all else. They value harmony over truth, over justice, over love.\nWhat that looks like day to day for them is that they must put their personal feelings aside for the benefit of the society. If a problem arises between two Japanese people, it will be ignored. They will not address the issue and will act as if there is no problem at all. The problem is that inside the aren’t able to let go of the problem. They let bitterness toward the other person grow and fester, until finally one or both parties must leave the group. That may be a friend group or a job or even on some occasions a church. They can’t make peace with one another because that would involve losing the peace long enough to face the problem and fix the issue.\nNow, we know that the Beatitudes are for believers, not unbelievers, but I wanted to use them as a way to share with you just how far the average Japanese mindset has to change in order for them to ever have peace with their Creator. Like so many people around the world, they think that if they ignore the fact that they are at enmity with God, if they deny God’s very existence, then they won’t have to ever face the consequences of being in rebellion towards Him. Please be praying for the Japanese people, and for the Holy Spirit to help them see the failures of their culture and help them overcome those failures to find true peace with God.\nWe are back home from Thailand. Thank you all for your prayers regarding Alishia’s health while we were at the conference. She wasn’t able to stay healthy the entire time, but all-in-all, she was pretty happy about how it went, and we may go back next year. The CCA Asian Pastors and Leaders Conference, as well as the SGWM Conference, was a wonderful time of teaching and fellowship with the other missionaries from around Asia, and especially the other SGWM workers who were there.\nA team from SGWM joined us here in Japan the week before the conference as well. Having them here praying for and about the work in Japan was amazing. They were a huge blessing to Alishia and I and Lord willing some of them will come back full-time.\nThank you for always praying for us, it makes such a big difference. Here are some things to be praying for this month:\nAlishia’s health and for the Lord’s healing of her body. Language learning and what my language schooling will look like moving forward. For the Lord to meet our needs and provide for us in every way. For wisdom about our housing situation moving forward. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2024/09/30/peacekeepers-are-not-peacemakers/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2024/09/IMG%5F2027.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis past Sunday at Abide, Pastor Joseph started Matthew chapter 5, the ‘Sermon on the Mount’. We covered the Beatitudes, and one that stood out to those I spoke with after the service was ‘Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.’ The Japanese are all about keeping peace, but not about making peace. In this culture they would assume that Jesus would have said blessed are the peacekeepers, but not peacemakers. They have what’s called the ‘wa’, it’s the concept that values harmony and group unity over all else. They value harmony over truth, over justice, over love.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Peacekeepers are not Peacemakers"},{"content":" Japan is a nation of being shiny and put together. The mess and grime is cleaned, covered, or hidden. Like any place in the world, entropy happens. In Japan, however, the break down and disorder are fought against as much as possible. The upkeep of possessions is done compulsively, especially items that other people will see. So it came as quite a surprise when several times we would hear loud squeaks coming from the brakes of the bicycles that passed by us each day. Why don’t Japanese people oil their brakes. When they meticulously take care of almost everything in their lives, why not their bikes? It wasn’t just old looking bicycles or random people, it was nearly every bike including the policemen.\nOne day we asked one of our friends if she knew the reason why this was the case. She told us that people want their brakes to squeak. Bicycles are rode exclusively on the sidewalk. When you come up behind someone you don’t want them to move into your path. If your brakes are squeaky, you can use them to let people know you’re coming up behind them. The other option would be to have to interact with people on the street, they want a system that allows them to do their communal responsibility without having to actually talk or interact with people. Even with something as non-direct or small as letting them know you’re coming up in their blind spot. As Christians who desire to connect with the Japanese and show them the love of Christ and share the gospel with them, how do you overcome a culture that avoids interaction at that level? We need the Spirit to lead us to right people every single day. If He doesn’t go before us, we won’t be able to have any impact in this country. Please be praying for us to talk to the people who are lonely and looking for an interaction with a strange foreigner.\nWe have a lot of stuff going on right now, both Alishia and I have been giving teaching opportunities this month. I taught a Sunday morning at Calvary Chapel Iwakuni at the end of July. I will be teaching a Sunday and midweek service at Abide in August, and Alishia will be teaching the women’s bible study for two weeks in August as well. There is also our normal young adults bible study and the opportunity to possibly teach at a homeless church this month as well.\nWe have a team coming from the US in early September that we are hosting, then we will head to Thailand with them for the CCA Asia Conference. Then a few people will be coming to Japan for three month stays later this fall. As we have more opportunities and are doing more traveling to conferences we have some financial one time needs. If you’re interested in supporting us monthly or with a one time gift, please click the link below.\nPrayer requests:\nAlishia’s health as we head to Thailand. We are trusting the Lord in stepping out to have her go to this and so we would ask that you cover her greatly in prayer. With some single female missionaries coming for medium to long term stays here in Osaka, we are praying about moving to a larger apartment so that we can house them and other visitors that may come spend time with us. For the Lord to meet all our needs, spiritual and financial alike. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2024/07/30/squeaky-bikes/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2024/07/IMG%5F0116.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJapan is a nation of being shiny and put together. The mess and grime is cleaned, covered, or hidden. Like any place in the world, entropy happens. In Japan, however, the break down and disorder are fought against as much as possible. The upkeep of possessions is done compulsively, especially items that other people will see. So it came as quite a surprise when several times we would hear loud squeaks coming from the brakes of the bicycles that passed by us each day. Why don’t Japanese people oil their brakes. When they meticulously take care of almost everything in their lives, why not their bikes? It wasn’t just old looking bicycles or random people, it was nearly every bike including the policemen.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Squeaky Bikes"},{"content":"After five weeks in America, we are thankful to be back home in Osaka. Thank you to everyone who blessed us in big and little ways while we were there. It was a packed trip and we wouldn’t have made it through the different legs if it wasn’t for the generosity of several of you.\nAt the beginning of May we attended the Calvary Chapel Japan conference in Tokyo. It was an amazing time meeting missionaries, worshiping with national believers, hearing wonderful teachings from some of the leaders. We even got to spend quality time with some friends who had traveled with us from Abide Osaka. It can often feel like you’re the only Christian here just like Elijah in 1 Kings 19, but these times where we all get together allow the Lord to show us that he has a remnant here that love and worship Him. It refreshes our souls and we look forward to other conferences this fall and next spring.\nWe left from the conference and flew straight to America. Our first week there we drove up to Canada to visit some of Alishia’s family. We then spent a week in Whitefish before heading to Helena for Alishia’s oath of allegiance ceremony where she received her American citizenship. After another week in Whitefish, meeting with people and reconnecting with the church, we flew down to California to spend time with our friends at Calvary Chapel Saving Grace. Our week in California was full of speaking opportunities and time spent with friends, before we drove up to Idaho. We spent a few days in Idaho with both of our families and we were able to see Daphne graduate from high school. Then it was back to Montana to spend one last week there before we flew back to Japan.\nIt was great seeing everyone, but we are thankful to be back serving the Lord in Osaka. We feel like we have our feet under us now and we should be able to hit the ground running. Please keep us in prayer as we start language classes and start up a couple of ministries this summer. One will be our young adults’ ministry at our house, and the other will be an evangelistic ministry that we will be starting with a couple of friends from the church.\nWe have some needs for monthly support as well as one-time gifts. We’ve been asked to attend the Calvary Asia Conference in September and then lead a short-term team to Japan at the conclusion of the conference. Please prayerfully consider partnering with us financially through the link below.\nPrayer requests and praise reports:\n-Our trip to the states went well and we were able to accomplish everything that we had hoped to accomplish.\n-The church here in Osaka has been growing! Please pray that we can find ways to minister to those who have started to attend.\n-We start official language classes this month. Please pray for our minds to be able to grasp Japanese.\n-We have opportunities to attend conferences in September and November, as well as potential visits to bible schools in other parts of Asia. Please pray for wisdom and provision to go if it’s the Lord’s will for us.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2024/06/13/blessed-to-be-back/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eAfter five weeks in America, we are thankful to be back home in Osaka. Thank you to everyone who blessed us in big and little ways while we were there. It was a packed trip and we wouldn’t have made it through the different legs if it wasn’t for the generosity of several of you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2024/06/IMG%5F3024.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt the beginning of May we attended the Calvary Chapel Japan conference in Tokyo. It was an amazing time meeting missionaries, worshiping with national believers, hearing wonderful teachings from some of the leaders. We even got to spend quality time with some friends who had traveled with us from Abide Osaka. It can often feel like you’re the only Christian here just like Elijah in 1 Kings 19, but these times where we all get together allow the Lord to show us that he has a remnant here that love and worship Him. It refreshes our souls and we look forward to other conferences this fall and next spring.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Blessed to be Back"},{"content":"The title of this post is three-fold. It refers to our time so far here in Japan, the time we\u0026rsquo;ll be spending in the States, and this post itself. Even though it\u0026rsquo;s a quick one, we wanted to keep you up to date on our comings and goings. If you’d like to see us and hangout we’ll be in Montana from May 7-22, and in California from May 23-29. It’s tough to head back so soon, but we look forward to seeing you again.\nWe have caught our breath here in Osaka and have settled in nicely. Ministry opportunities are opening up and we are building several relationships. We hosted our first young adult night at our apartment this month and will be having that every first and third Saturday once we get back. We met up with some friends from Las Vegas who were in Osaka praying about moving here to serve in a church, please pray for them as they seek the Lord. Also, we helped out with a belated Easter party that was held for some kids that attend English classes taught by some friends from church. I shared with them what it was like growing up in America as a Christian, and we played games with them. So, a pretty eventful few weeks when added to our normal church days and meeting with people.\nThis week we are attending the Calvary Chapel Japan Conference in Tokyo before we fly to America. It will be great to connect with Pastors and believers from all over Japan. Thank you for thinking of us and praying for continually, we could not do this on our own.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2024/05/01/short-but-sweet/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eThe title of this post is three-fold. It refers to our time so far here in Japan, the time we\u0026rsquo;ll be spending in the States, and this post itself. Even though it\u0026rsquo;s a quick one, we wanted to keep you up to date on our comings and goings. If you’d like to see us and hangout we’ll be in Montana from May 7-22, and in California from May 23-29. It’s tough to head back so soon, but we look forward to seeing you again.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Short but Sweet"},{"content":" Several things fell into place this month. The Lord is faithful and He has blessed above anything we could have imagined and in His perfect timing. It’s easy to look back and write that now. It doesn’t mean that we didn’t have our share of anxious days and stress-filled nights. We haven’t always had peace since arriving in Japan (visa delays and plan changes and team leading etc.), but we have always had access to the Peacemaker. We didn’t often have confidence in the Japanese government, but we did have confidence in our calling. So those moments of doubt and anxiety were hard, but thankfully few and short-lived.\nSince our last update, our change of status was approved, and we now have our three-year visas. Once those arrived, we were able to register with the local city office and look for a place to rent. We had been praying for the right place for several months, but it’s still difficult to rent as a foreigner in Japan. Alishia had been using a website to see what rental units were available in the area around the church, but nothing quite fit our list that we had been praying about. There was a surprisingly low number of places that were open, and it looked like we wouldn’t have many options. However, the day that our visas came through, and we could officially start looking for a place, one came available. It was the place we had been praying for and met every one of our needs. We moved in this week, and it already feels like home.\nWe were also able start serving at the church. We set-up and tear-down for our church gatherings on Friday nights and Sundays, we help out with English class on Fridays and Saturdays, and Alishia goes to the ladies’ bible study on Tuesdays. We are preparing for the church’s Easter outreach as well as doing discipleship with some of the other volunteers at the church. And of course, now that Alishia has a kitchen, she is inviting anyone and everyone over for meals or tea. Please keep all of these interactions in prayer.\nWe will be making a ‘short’ trip back to the States in May for Alishia’s American citizenship ceremony, as well as Daphne’s high school graduation. We’d love to spend time with you then if you’re free and we’re in your area. We’ll only be able to be in Montana and California this time, so let us know. Thank you so much for your prayers, they mean so much to us.\nPrayer requests:\n-Praise the Lord that we have an apartment and that we are getting it set up!\n-Pray for our ministry opportunities, especially our upcoming Easter outreach.\n-Pray for our trip back to America that is coming up in May.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2024/03/25/a-place-to-be/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2024/03/C5B9CFE0-60FD-4758-BF2A-DA671F0D294F.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral things fell into place this month. The Lord is faithful and He has blessed above anything we could have imagined and in His perfect timing. It’s easy to look back and write that now. It doesn’t mean that we didn’t have our share of anxious days and stress-filled nights. We haven’t always had peace since arriving in Japan (visa delays and plan changes and team leading etc.), but we have always had access to the Peacemaker. We didn’t often have confidence in the Japanese government, but we did have confidence in our calling. So those moments of doubt and anxiety were hard, but thankfully few and short-lived.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"A Place to Be"},{"content":" What a month we have experienced. Things have moved fast and obstacles have been removed, doors have been opened and bonds have been forged in the furnace of life on the mission field. Let’s go over some of the highlights. We headed towards Japan in a pretty humble way, by driving to California. On the way, we visited friends in Las Vegas and Yucca Valley before arriving in Orange County. Our time there flew by quickly as we had a full schedule of meetings with friends and our sending organization, and before we knew it, the day of our departure had arrived.\nLike a more famous group before us, we joined with nine others to form a fellowship that headed to Land of the Rising Sun. Which sounds epic but mostly just a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo. Once there, we spent a week meeting with Calvary Chapel pastors in the Tokyo area, helping with an earthquake relief outreach, and praying over a city of 35 million people who don’t know Jesus.\nIt was during one of those pray sessions that we went to the observation deck in the Tokyo government building. 450 feet in the air, with unobstructed views in all directions, and you could not see the end of the mass of people. The sheer size of the metropolis was somewhat overwhelming. It had such a big impact on all of us as we realized the task before us. Could the Lord use us to reach these millions? Well yes, He can, but He wouldn’t do it all in one day. We only have to focus on what He puts in front of us each day and be faithful to that.\nAfter the end of the week, the team traveled to Osaka to see the place we are called to and see the work there. The church really enjoyed having the team with them and embraced us whole heartedly. We were able to give the missionaries a week off as we did an English language worship night for the midweek service and then Pastor Trent taught the Sunday service. Most of the team headed for Indonesia on Monday and those of us that stayed were ready to settle in.\nUnfortunately, the settling will have to wait. We applied for our certificates of eligibility in October. The timeframe on those is supposed to be less than 90 days, and the 90-day mark was January 25. Since we were flying out on January 29, we knew that the timing would be close, but we shouldn’t have any issues getting it worked out before we left. Well, the 25th came and went and the certificates didn’t arrive, they hadn’t arrived by the 29th but since we were leading a team, we decided we should go and trust we could take care of it on the Japan side. They finally arrived on the 31st and we were given three years!! Once the team had left, we went to the immigration office to apply for a change of status, we explained the situation to one of the officers there and were scolded for doing things out of the proper order and to not expect that they would accept our change of status applications. However, after praying about it that night, we returned the next day and turned in our applications and there seemed to be no issues from the people taking the officers there. Please pray for our change of status and that the visas would come through quickly so we can rent an apartment and start putting down roots.\nHere are some ways to pray for us until our next newsletter:\nAlishia’s American citizenship was approved and her oath ceremony is on May 16. Please pray for us as we make plans to return for that and Daphne’s high school graduation on June 1. For direction in finding an apartment that meets our needs and allows us to use it for ministry. Wisdom in finding a language school that meets our needs ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2024/02/17/further-than-we-ever-imagined/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2024/02/4e4e7ed7-3021-4388-84ee-d6132afec107.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat a month we have experienced. Things have moved fast and obstacles have been removed, doors have been opened and bonds have been forged in the furnace of life on the mission field. Let’s go over some of the highlights. We headed towards Japan in a pretty humble way, by driving to California. On the way, we visited friends in Las Vegas and Yucca Valley before arriving in Orange County. Our time there flew by quickly as we had a full schedule of meetings with friends and our sending organization, and before we knew it, the day of our departure had arrived.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Further Than We Ever Imagined"},{"content":"As of the time in which I write you this update, we are 58 days from getting on a plane and moving our life to Japan. We are 75% funded as far as our recurring monthly needs are concerned, so please pray about partnering with us financially. And to all of you that have gotten behind us, and have helped to encourage and get us to this point, thank you and may the Lord bless you mighty for your commitment and care for us.\nHello, this is Alishia Root, and I am about to become a missionary wife. It has taken roughly 6 years to arrive at the gate of launching out as full time missionaries. A time spent learning about culture and learning how to be ministry workers. The days have been full of change, adaptation, and reconstruction as we grow in our understanding of God’s heart for the unreached. The part we as the church are to play, as both goers and senders, in fulfilling the great commission. And most importantly growing in our understanding of His gracious love for us personally.\nThis is the picture I use to illustrate and understand the life of a missionary … Remember the first time you wanted to tackle a big roller coaster? There was promise of thrill and some unknowing apprehension, but it seemed fun, so why not. So you get in line, and the line is rather long. You wonder if you will get to the ride head before the day is over ( I equate this to the waiting period of a young missionary), but it is moving so you just settle in and move along inch by inch. At some point the coaster is on top of you, and people are screaming. Then your time comes, you sit down willingly, and you get strapped in (those straps for a missionary are the prayers of the saints). And you start climbing that hill, click…Click…CLICK, up it goes. At this point there are all sorts of feelings and emotions, some excitement, some apprehension. Then you reach the top and whoosh down. You plunge into the places the ride is going to take you (or in this case the Holy Sprit). And then you get off and you realize you kind of want to do it all again.\nMy idea of what missions is, and what a missionary is tasked with, has grown and the weight of the task ahead has sunk in. Along with the size of the task ahead, my understanding of God’s sovereignty and hand leading has grown as well. I find myself looking back to all the trials and moments of growth that not just the last 6 years, but a lifetime, has prepared me for, all leading up to this moment. I think about the way my dad taught me as a young girl to use chopsticks in a game of picking up peas. Or how the reserved and pragmatic nature of Jeff’s parents, trained him up in a mindset very similar to the Japanese mind. I have thought of the ways the Lord has allowed me to experience a level of culture shock moving from rural Montana with its “Montana time” (if you know, you know) to the fast paced scheduled out calendar of being an intern at a busy California church.\nI have been blessed to love lives of people that serve the Lord all over this planet. I have been blessed with experiences I never expected to have. I have seen not just my husband, but other young missionaries learn to be missionaries, pastors, and ministry workers. There have been friends made. There have been moments that the Lord’s voice has been so sure. There has been fellowship in a depth that amazed me. There has been learning to support others and learning to be a wife that holds up a husband that has expectation on him.\nAnd there has been costs to be payed. For every life I have been given the joy to love, I now place at Jesus’ feet as I will be separated by an ocean. There has been ministry lessons that have broken my heart. And personal trials that have brought me to my knees. But learning to be on your knees is the posture required of every missionary, so I rejoice in the lessons and shaping of Jesus.\nSo, it’s all lead up to this point. We are strapped onto this rollercoaster and clicking up that hill. Please pray for all we have ahead of us.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2023/12/04/at-the-apex/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eAs of the time in which I write you this update, we are 58 days from getting on a plane and moving our life to Japan. We are 75% funded as far as our recurring monthly needs are concerned, so please pray about partnering with us financially. And to all of you that have gotten behind us, and have helped to encourage and get us to this point, thank you and may the Lord bless you mighty for your commitment and care for us.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"At the Apex"},{"content":" Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.\nMatthew 11:28-30\nAs we endeavor to be more Christ-like in our lives, I’m reminded of Matthew 11:28-30. In those verses Jesus tells us that His burden is light, He doesn’t put a heavy weight upon us. In fact, in Him, we find rest and relief from the weight of this world, it’s the opposite of a burden. As ministers of Christ, how can we emulate Christ by not being a burden on those we’re ministering to, and beyond that what can I do to relieve the burdens of those around us?\nI often think about this question, not because I view myself as an incredible burden currently, although I’m sure I have my moments, but because of a conversation that we had with a missionary years ago. One of our friends gave us the contact information of a veteran missionary in Japan. He had been there several years, had an effective ministry in Japan and the Philippines, and had come from our denomination, so we were excited to connect with him over the phone. The missionary was great and very helpful, but the first thing he said to us has stuck with me four years later. He said “I hope you come to Japan and serve, but I don’t really have a place for you in my ministry. The minute you land at the airport here in Tokyo, you are a burden to me or my team. I don’t say that to discourage you, it’s just the reality of the situation. You don’t speak the language, you can’t rent an apartment or set up utilities. A national will have to take you to every government appointment and help you accomplish the simplest of tasks.”\nThe Holy Spirit used the bluntness of his comments to teach me a valuable lesson that day. We had not yet started our missions training at SGWM and we didn’t realize how childlike we would become in our adopted culture. We viewed ourselves as a blessing, called of the Lord, coming to help the people of Japan. That conversation cured us of that notion and we decided that night, while talking to each other, to do whatever we could to shorten the amount of time we would burden the Japanese church. We knew we couldn’t eliminate it all together (the law prohibits foreigners from being able to do somethings without a Japanese guarantor), but we could reduce the weight and length that they would have to carry for us. Thus, we began three years of cross-cultural training and internship, language learning and growing spiritually before we left for Japan. Please pray for us to be a blessing and not a burden in any way to those in Japan.\nPlease also pray about partnering with us financially. Our sending organization has a policy that we have 80% of our monthly needs funded before we can go so that we don’t become a financial burden on the indigenous church. They are wonderful, loving, Christian people, and if they saw we were struggling to make ends meet, they would help us any way they could. We don’t want to ever put them in that situation, but especially not when we’ve just arrived. We are currently at 50% of our monthly needs, so please consider coming along side us to get to our monthly goal. At the same time, we don’t want to be a burden to any of you, so please give prayerfully and within your means. No amount is too small or insignificant, The Lord will bless and multiply it. If you already partner with us, thank you so much, it means the world to us. It is incredibly humbling to have people believe in your calling and want to get behind you. The ‘financial partner’ link is at the bottom of this letter.\nThank you all for your prayers and support.\nPrayer requests:\nFor the Lord to provide everything we need (financial, visa, moving logistics, etc.) for our move to Japan. For Jeff as he teaches the midweek service at the church. For Alishia’s health and strength as she ministers and works each day. For the team going to Japan with us for a few weeks in January, and the planning of the trip. For Alishia\u0026rsquo;s US citizenship process, that the timing would work with our departure. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2023/11/03/unburdening-ourselves/","summary":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCome to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My \u003cstrong\u003eburden\u003c/strong\u003e is light.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMatthew 11:28-30\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we endeavor to be more Christ-like in our lives, I’m reminded of Matthew 11:28-30. In those verses Jesus tells us that His burden is light, He doesn’t put a heavy weight upon us. In fact, in Him, we find rest and relief from the weight of this world, it’s the opposite of a burden. As ministers of Christ, how can we emulate Christ by not being a burden on those we’re ministering to, and beyond that what can I do to relieve the burdens of those around us?\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Unburdening Ourselves"},{"content":"Autumn has arrived in Montana, and as the seasons change on the calendar, they are changing for us as well. September was spent by getting things in order, and then mailing away applications for our Japanese visas. As well as planning our move and the trip we are leading for other prospective missionaries. We are very excited to take the next step in what we feel called to, and we are so thankful that the Lord continues to lead us down that path. It’s of course a bit scary giving up everything we’ve worked for over the years to follow the Lord, but He has blessed us every step of the way, and we wouldn’t change a thing.\nI (Jeff) returned this week from a short-term missions trip to Peru. My friend, Henry, and I were able to join a team from Saving Grace World Missions in California and another from CBI (Calvary Bible Institute) Kauai in Hawaii, that served at CBI Peru as they hosted the Calvary South America Missions Conference. The week leading up to the conference was spent preparing the campus for the influx of the hundreds of people that would be attending the conference, as well as preparing meals and getting to know the students. The trip was both challenging and invigorating, and I’m so glad that I was able to go.\nThe conference itself was a huge success. It was well attended, there were no major hiccups, and the message was clear and well communicated. The goal was to encourage those that attended, that they were commissioned by God to fulfill the Great Commission, even though they come from a less affluent part of the world. To let them know that God wants to use them to reach their home countries, but He can also make a way for them to go to the least reached peoples around the globe. Please pray for all those who came as well as their churches as they return with this message, and share it with their congregations.\nAs it is written: \u0026ldquo;How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!\u0026rdquo;\nRomans10:15\nAlishia was busy while I was gone, with both work and ministry. She is helping with a women’s bible study at the church, providing childcare so that mothers are able to attend. She also has a new job cleaning houses for a friend from church and spends time each week meeting with people and encouraging them. Please continue to pray for us to make connections and bless those around us.\nI’m going to be teaching the mid-week service at church until the end of the year. Each Wednesday we’ll be looking at the life of David and learning from his character. Please pray for me as I prepare and teach each week, it’s amazing to get to grow my gifting with this opportunity.\nIf you’d like to hear more about our calling to Japan, have any questions for us, or would like to become part of our sending team, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Please consider joining us in what God is doing in Japan, there is a link at the bottom that will take you to our giving page.\nPrayer requests\nFor the mid-week church service that I’ll be teaching. For provision and guidance as we plan our move to Japan. For Alishia’s citizenship process to go quick and smooth. Praise for a great trip to Peru and all the Lord did during the conference. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2023/10/09/change-is-in-the-air/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eAutumn has arrived in Montana, and as the seasons change on the calendar, they are changing for us as well. September was spent by getting things in order, and then mailing away applications for our Japanese visas. As well as planning our move and the trip we are leading for other prospective missionaries. We are very excited to take the next step in what we feel called to, and we are so thankful that the Lord continues to lead us down that path. It’s of course a bit scary giving up everything we’ve worked for over the years to follow the Lord, but He has blessed us every step of the way, and we wouldn’t change a thing.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Change is in the Air"},{"content":" Here in northwest Montana, summer is starting to fade and fall is fast approaching. I wanted to take some time and update you on what our summer was like and what we have planned for the fall.\nAfter spending January through April in Japan, May in California, and June in Montana, July was spent with Daphne at my parents’ farm in Nebraska. We always enjoy our time there; the pace of life is slow and we get to have experiences unique to rural America. While the cliché of the dimwitted, more harm than help, farm hand is proven true by my efforts; I look forward to the opportunity to do farm-work every time we’re there. We were able to experience county fairs, summer storms, hay harvest, and livestock wrangling. The time went by quicker than I would have liked, but it was sweet while it lasted.\nWe extended our time there by a week when my grandmother passed away at the start of August. While we will miss her, and her prayers she faithfully lifted up for us, we are thankful to spend an afternoon with her a few weeks prior to her passing. She was ready to be with her Lord and it wasn’t so much a time of sadness as a time of thankfulness for her and her life. It gave us an opportunity to see the entire family, some we wouldn’t have gotten to see otherwise so we were very thankful for that.\nWe are now back in Montana and have a busy fall ahead of us. At the end of September, I’ll be going to Peru with a team to help facilitate a missions conference. I have also been given the opportunity to teach at our church here in Whitefish. We are also praying about attending a conference in November, as well as continuing to build our prayer and support team. Please keep us in your prayers for all of these events.\nOur departure date for Japan is January 29, 2024. This will be our long-term move and we’ll have a lot of preparation ahead of us to get ready. We’ll be getting our visa and housing sorted out in the next few months as well as deciding what to take with us and what to ship over later. It will also be a short-term trip for several other people that feel called to Japan as well. Alishia has been working hard planning that trip and we are excited to see what kind of team the Lord is building. We are also working on getting Alishia’s US citizenship, please pray that it goes smoothly.\nIf you’d like to hear more about our calling to Japan, have any questions for us, or would like to become part of our sending team, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Please consider joining us in what God is doing in Japan, there is a link at the bottom that will take you to our giving page.\nPrayer requests:\nFor Jeff’s trip to Peru in September. For provision and guidance as we plan our move to Japan. For Alishia’s citizenship process to go quick and smooth. Praise for a wonderful summer with Daphne and all the family that we were able to see. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2023/08/23/whats-on-the-horizon/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/08/IMG%5F0728.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere in northwest Montana, summer is starting to fade and fall is fast approaching. I wanted to take some time and update you on what our summer was like and what we have planned for the fall.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter spending January through April in Japan, May in California, and June in Montana, July was spent with Daphne at my parents’ farm in Nebraska. We always enjoy our time there; the pace of life is slow and we get to have experiences unique to rural America. While the cliché of the dimwitted, more harm than help, farm hand is proven true by my efforts; I look forward to the opportunity to do farm-work every time we’re there. We were able to experience county fairs, summer storms, hay harvest, and livestock wrangling. The time went by quicker than I would have liked, but it was sweet while it lasted.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"What's On the Horizon"},{"content":"One of the greatest honors that we have as missionaries, is to share with you what the Lord is doing with His Church in the place that we will be serving. While we couldn’t possibly share with you everything going on in the Japanese church, because we witnessed just a small part of it, we are excited to share the stories that we were privileged to see and hear during our trip.\nAlishia sat down with her friend, Shiho, while we were in Osaka and recorded an interview. Most of us don’t have any experience with living in a culture where you don’t personally know any other Christians. Where family pressure makes it difficult to accept what is viewed as a foreign religion, not suitable for a respectable Japanese person. Where the spiritual supports (sometimes crutches) of being surrounded by a body of believers is absent in your desire to walk with the Lord. So, we are excited to introduce you to Shiho and some of her testimony in this video.\nhttps://youtu.be/C_A5FGMcZQ4\nAs we return to Japan, we hope to be able to create more of these videos. Sharing with you more of Shiho’s story as well as the stories of other Japanese Christians. There are hundreds of these stories in Japan, each one beautiful and unique and encouraging in their own way. The Church in Japan is small, but it is not insignificant. Be praying for the believers there to be powerful witnesses to those around them, and be blessed by the testimonies of what God is doing there.\nWe are preparing for our return to Japan in Montana at our church. As soon as our monthly support is in place, we are ready to go. In the meantime, we will be leading a short-term missions trip for the church this fall, as well as a trip to Japan for prospective co-laborers this winter. Please pray for us and those that go on these trips with us. We will be in Nebraska with Daphne for July, and we’re very excited for that time as well.\nPrayer requests:\nFor the church in Japan and the believers there. For the Lord to provide for our financial needs. For our trips this fall and winter. For Daphne and our time with her this summer. For our Japanese language learning. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2023/06/25/meet-a-japanese-christian/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the greatest honors that we have as missionaries, is to share with you what the Lord is doing with His Church in the place that we will be serving. While we couldn’t possibly share with you everything going on in the Japanese church, because we witnessed just a small part of it, we are excited to share the stories that we were privileged to see and hear during our trip.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Meet a Japanese Christian"},{"content":"“Moshi Moshi” is what you say when you answer the phone in Japan. We too are answering a call, the Lord’s call to Japan.\nOver the last month, since we returned from our vision tour, we have been praying and taking time to digest what the Lord spoke to us. We met with our sending organization and debriefed the trip with them, and we reconnected with friends and developed new relationships. Now we are confident in what we are working towards, and are excited to share that with you in this letter.\nFirst, I want to thank all of you for your prayers and support that allowed us to take this vision tour at all, and for it to be a significant length so we could be confident in what the Lord was speaking to us. We needed the extra time to see where to land when we moved over there as our sending organization doesn’t have an existing work there. Again, thank you for your support that made it possible and for your faithful prayers that were answered each and every day.\nThe Lord confirmed in us the call to Japan on our trip several times. Through scripture, through longings, through leaders, through peace, and through broken hearts. We do not waiver from that call even after seeing the challenges that lay ahead. We are very thankful that God continues to allow us to be used by Him in this way and we want to be faithful to His leading. We also received new direction as it was clear that Osaka was the place that He would have us land in Japan. When we were planning the trip, we didn’t expect that to be the case, but the Lord knew better. We will be serving with Calvary Chapel Abide and Joseph and Amy Totsis, the missionaries that planted it. They have been in Osaka for 13 years and will help us immensely as we get settled. It’s a wonderful group of believers and we are very excited to be a part of it. Our first couple of years will be focused on language learning so that we can minister as effectively as possible, and we will be working on that before we leave as well.\nOur goal is to go at the beginning of next year (2024), but what will we be doing in the interim? We will be having a dessert gathering on May 28, at Calvary Chapel Saving Grace in Yorba Linda, CA at 6:30pm. You are all invited to join us as we share our vision and talk about our trip. If you aren’t in California, we plan to do similar gatherings in Montana and Nebraska over the summer. We will then be traveling to our church in Montana to serve and connect, as well as spending some time with Daphne on the farm in Nebraska.\nPlease pray about partnering with us financially and thank you for lifting us up in prayer.\nPraise report:\nOur trip was successful and the Lord granted us direction for the future. The Lord is raising up others to go to Japan that we will work alongside for years to come. We have been overwhelmed by the love and support we have received since returning from Japan. Prayer requests\nFor the Japanese churches, that the Lord would sustain and grow them. For churches and individuals to partner with us, prayerfully and financially. For the Lord to bless our summer with Daphne and for her as she prepares for her senior year of high school. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2023/05/20/moshi-moshi-japan-is-calling/","summary":"\u003cp\u003e“Moshi Moshi” is what you say when you answer the phone in Japan. We too are answering a call, the Lord’s call to Japan.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/05/DSC00580.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOver the last month, since we returned from our vision tour, we have been praying and taking time to digest what the Lord spoke to us. We met with our sending organization and debriefed the trip with them, and we reconnected with friends and developed new relationships. Now we are confident in what we are working towards, and are excited to share that with you in this letter.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Moshi Moshi! Japan is Calling"},{"content":" We have arrived stateside from our vision tour, but returning is bittersweet. We already miss Japan and the Church there. The Lord allowed us to meet so many incredible people and to be a part of His work there, so it’s difficult to leave even if it’s only for a season. Here is a short recap of the end of our trip.\nWe had the opportunity to help with an Easter outreach at Abide Osaka. Forty kids, most unsaved, came to our event where the Easter story was shared in Japanese, games were played, and we had an Easter egg hunt. Many of the children’s parents came and heard as well, and it was a wonderful time.\nAlishia was able to record an interview with one of the young Japanese believers, Shiho, that we will edit and share with you in the future. It’s really the relationships, like the one Alishia made with Shiho, that had the biggest impact on us during the trip. We were able to be a blessing to them just because we were there. Their culture casts them aside, so it ministers to their soul to be able to have real spiritual conversations with believers.\nAs for now, we are in California until the end of May, and then we head to Montana. The Lord confirmed the call in us on this trip and made our next steps clear. We are very excited to share all of that with you in the coming weeks so be watching for our next update. In the meantime, here are some photos of our trip.\nPrayer requests\nPraise the Lord for a successful trip and the opportunity to seek His will for us in Japan. For the Japanese believers and the missionaries on the field. It’s a lonely path believing in Japan and the enemy attacks at every turn. For partners in the gospel, that would be able to help meet our needs so that we may return to Japan soon. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2023/05/01/there-and-back-again/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/05/IMG%5F2575.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe have arrived stateside from our vision tour, but returning is bittersweet. We already miss Japan and the Church there. The Lord allowed us to meet so many incredible people and to be a part of His work there, so it’s difficult to leave even if it’s only for a season. Here is a short recap of the end of our trip.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/05/IMG%5F9175.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe had the opportunity to help with an Easter outreach at Abide Osaka. Forty kids, most unsaved, came to our event where the Easter story was shared in Japanese, games were played, and we had an Easter egg hunt. Many of the children’s parents came and heard as well, and it was a wonderful time.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"There and Back Again"},{"content":" Wow… what a time we have had here in Japan. This is Alishia, I decided to try my hand at writing a newsletter to say hello to you. So any lack of the normal flair is because the author is not Jeff.\nGod is so faithful. This time has been very fruitful. Thank you everyone that have aided us though prayer and support.\nWhen we came to Japan for a three-month vision trip, it was under the request of Pastor Chizuo. Pastor Chizuo is a senior pastor here in Japan that is looked to by all the Calvary pastors to help guide the whole Calvary movement here in Japan. He had asked us to be here for three months to make sure we were really called. So, we heeded his advice and came for three months. We are so glad we did because God had a different plan for us than what we thought.\nWhen we first came to Japan, we had a road map in our head of what we thought the next 10 years of our life would look like. We had made a list of three locations of where we thought we would end up initially when coming here. One location was Abide Osaka (a Calvary Chapel pastored by Joseph Totsis), we really didn’t know what to expect. What we found was a vibrant group of believers with faithful leadership. Osaka is the hottest of all the locations we visited, and I don’t handle the heat too well. So I was hesitant to fall in love with the church there, but fall in love we did.\n“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to hear you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11\nWe first visited them with Pastor Trent and Debbie in the beginning of February. It was one day there and back on the shinkansen (bullet train). But that day sparked the idea of us joining them, and not just for us, but for them also.\nA month later we visited them again with Rob Douglass (Founder of ends of the earth ministries) and James Flores (Leader of Frontline Missions), and once more the Lord tied everyone’s hearts together. It was so incredible having our leadership on the ground with us to see what we were seeing and to minister to us and to the missionaries here in Japan. Japan is a very hard place to be a missionary because it is a very isolating environment, so the support from the states and people visiting is so refreshing and needed for the workers here. The Lord has allowed us to see first-hand how hard it is to stay on the field here as well as allowed us to be part of His refreshment for long term workers right now.\nWe move forward in our calling with our eyes open. Pastor Chizuo was accurate on how long it would take for us to really now if this is what the Lord was calling us too. We know the road ahead is one of endurance and steadfastness. We are encouraged by all the love and support from you. Please continue to be diligent in prayer for us and the missionaries over here knowing it is a lonely place to minister. I pray, Lord willing, one day you may come to Japan and be used as the Lord’s refreshing of us and experience this unique place.\nWe will be back in the states at the end of April and will be going into support raising mode, we ask that you pray about being behind us financially. We are in need of monthly partners. We are not asking you to support us in a large sum, but a comfortable amount that would not burden you, but would keep you engaged in what is going on in Japan.\n“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21.\nIt is going to take an army of Gods people to see Japan reached. Please pray about being part of that army and finically supporting us on a monthly basis\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2023/03/29/connecting-in-an-isolated-world/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/03/DSC00375.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWow… what a time we have had here in Japan. This is Alishia, I decided to try my hand at writing a newsletter to say hello to you. So any lack of the normal flair is because the author is not Jeff.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGod is so faithful. This time has been very fruitful. Thank you everyone that have aided us though prayer and support.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we came to Japan for a three-month vision trip, it was under the request of Pastor Chizuo. Pastor Chizuo is a senior pastor here in Japan that is looked to by all the Calvary pastors to help guide the whole Calvary movement here in Japan. He had asked us to be here for three months to make sure we were really called. So, we heeded his advice and came for three months. We are so glad we did because God had a different plan for us than what we thought.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Connecting in an Isolated World"},{"content":" Konichiwa! We wanted to send an update letting you know that we have safely made it to Japan for our three-month vision tour. After spending a couple of weeks with family over the Christmas holiday we spent two weeks in Southern California with friends. Nearly every day was filled with dinners and visits with many people that we love. It was incredibly humbling and encouraging to us that people were eager to see us. The church there sent us off with prayers and wisdom, tears and laughter. Our flight was uneventful and that’s really the best possible thing that could have happened. Thank you to everyone praying for Alishia as we traveled.\nThe Lord has used His workers to bless us mightily. One of the missionaries drove over an hour to pick us up from the airport, then drove us to the place we’ll be spending our first month. It’s an apartment that is under one of the churches in Yokohama, it’s not a church that we’re praying about working with, they just had the space and wanted to bless a couple of perspective missionaries. It’s quite a nice place to stay, but the biggest blessing was getting to meet some of the church staff. Our first encounter with Japanese Christians and the difference between them and there non-believing countrymen is amazing. While most Japanese are reserved and even a bit cold, these sisters were warm and open.\nWe took a couple of days to recover from the jetlag and pray over the city of Yokohama. We also learned valuable culture lessons, getting ourselves on the correct trains and being able to buy groceries for ourselves. In Alishia’s words ‘the Japanese move fast and are extremely deliberate with all they do; we are often in the way trying to figure out what is going on in a world that whirls by.’ We are enjoying the moments of being childlike and know that we have many more of them ahead.\nNow that we have caught our breath it’s time for the work to begin. We will be helping at the first of three churches for the next month. I’ll be teaching on Galatians 4:1-7 on February 5th, so please keep that in prayer. We also have leadership arriving on Sunday January 29th and we’ll be taking them several places in Japan to visit with missionaries. We’ll send out another letter soon. Love you all.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2023/01/27/greeting-from-japan/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2023/01/IMG%5F8497.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eKonichiwa! We wanted to send an update letting you know that we have safely made it to Japan for our three-month vision tour. After spending a couple of weeks with family over the Christmas holiday we spent two weeks in Southern California with friends. Nearly every day was filled with dinners and visits with many people that we love. It was incredibly humbling and encouraging to us that people were eager to see us. The church there sent us off with prayers and wisdom, tears and laughter. Our flight was uneventful and that’s really the best possible thing that could have happened. Thank you to everyone praying for Alishia as we traveled.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Greeting from Japan!"},{"content":"","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/give/","summary":"","title":"Give"},{"content":" As we get closer to our vision trip to Japan, I wanted to write to you and share a specific way that you can be praying for our trip. Of course, our primary prayer request is for clear vision and direction from the Lord. But there are other secondary needs that we would appreciate if you would lift up as well, so I’d like to share one with you.\nAlishia suffers from celiac disease. Even the smallest exposure to gluten causes her to get very sick. Her symptoms are both physical (skin rashes, headaches, pupils dilated different sizes, weaker immune system, etc.) and mental (loss of words, inability to process movement around her, something that she can only describe as ‘brain fog’, constant tiredness, etc.). So, as you can see, in order to have a successful trip we need to avoid her getting contaminated. Her sensitivity is very high if I eat gluten I can contaminate her, if we wash our dishes with a sponge that has been used on dishes that had gluten on them she will get contaminated, if the kitchen where the food is prepared is not a controlled environment, forget about it. The challenge is that gluten is often hidden in things that you wouldn’t expect, we don’t read hiragana well enough to know exactly what’s in most products, and Japan allows products that may contain some gluten to be labeled ‘gluten-free’.\nEvery missionary faces challenges as they work toward going to the field, and this challenge is not insurmountable. We are extremely blessed that the first missionary family we are staying with has faced this same challenge. The wife is also an American with celiac, and through some years of trial and error she has found what products she can eat and which she has to avoid. She’ll be able to take Alishia food shopping and help her get familiar with labels and products. We’ll also be taking food with us, and cooking most meals ourselves, as we can’t trust eating in restaurants. If you would like to help us with purchasing these extra items for our trip, we have created a wish list that is linked here. https://giftbuster.app/user/242958/wishlist/373328\nPlease ship any items from the list that you wish to purchase to this address and make sure it will arrive before January 20th, 2023.\nJeff and Alishia Root\n17451 Bastanchury Rd Ste 203\nYorba Linda, CA 92886\nThank you for your prayers, and please pray for Alishia to be healed, that the Lord would protect her from accidental contamination, and that we would be able to focus on Him and what He’s saying, and not on her health.\nLove You,\nJeff and Alishia Root\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2022/11/24/a-prayer-request-for-our-trip/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2022/11/IMG%5F7882.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs we get closer to our vision trip to Japan, I wanted to write to you and share a specific way that you can be praying for our trip. Of course, our primary prayer request is for clear vision and direction from the Lord. But there are other secondary needs that we would appreciate if you would lift up as well, so I’d like to share one with you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2022/11/IMG%5F7929.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlishia suffers from celiac disease. Even the smallest exposure to gluten causes her to get very sick. Her symptoms are both physical (skin rashes, headaches, pupils dilated different sizes, weaker immune system, etc.) and mental (loss of words, inability to process movement around her, something that she can only describe as ‘brain fog’, constant tiredness, etc.). So, as you can see, in order to have a successful trip we need to avoid her getting contaminated. Her sensitivity is very high if I eat gluten I can contaminate her, if we wash our dishes with a sponge that has been used on dishes that had gluten on them she will get contaminated, if the kitchen where the food is prepared is not a controlled environment, forget about it. The challenge is that gluten is often hidden in things that you wouldn’t expect, we don’t read hiragana well enough to know exactly what’s in most products, and Japan allows products that may contain some gluten to be labeled ‘gluten-free’.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"A Prayer Request for Our Trip"},{"content":" Praise the Lord! After two and a half years of closed borders, as of October 7, Japan is finally open to visa-free travel once again. Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us and Japan it has helped sustain us in the waiting. Was the prolonged wait a plan of the devil to keep new missionaries from going out? Maybe. Was it used by God to better prepare both the missionaries and Japan for this time when we are able to go? Absolutely!\nWe have been blessed the last couple of months to have an amazing summer in California with Daphne and our fellow interns, as well as getting to serve alongside our church family here in Montana since August. Alishia and I are leading up the high school ministry here at Calvary Chapel Whitefish until we leave, and it’s been a real blessing to us to use the things the Lord has grown us in over the last three years.\nTo update you on our upcoming schedule, so that we can schedule a time to get together with you when we’re in your area. We will continue to be in Whitefish until the end of December when we will go to visit our family in Nebraska. After two weeks there we will fly to California to visit our friends at Calvary Chapel Saving Grace. After two weeks in Orange County, we fly to Japan on January 23 and will be there until April 22. As I may have mentioned before, this initial trip will be a bit of a scouting mission. We will be visiting at least four ministries and will be praying about where the Lord will have us start. We also will have a couple weeks with a team from the states joining us, as well as a time when leadership comes over to see what we’re seeing and to pray with us.\nPlease keep us in your prayers as we are making accommodations and coordinating this three-month trip. There is a lot of moving parts, and it can get complicated. We would also love if you considered partnering with us financially on a monthly basis, now that Japan has reopened the only thing preventing us from moving long-term is monthly support. There is a link at the bottom of this email if you’re led to give. Thank you all for so many small things that you do to support us every day.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2022/10/09/in-the-lords-timing/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2022/10/IMG%5F1237.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePraise the Lord! After two and a half years of closed borders, as of October 7, Japan is finally open to visa-free travel once again. Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us and Japan it has helped sustain us in the waiting. Was the prolonged wait a plan of the devil to keep new missionaries from going out? Maybe. Was it used by God to better prepare both the missionaries and Japan for this time when we are able to go? Absolutely!\u003c/p\u003e","title":"In The Lord's Timing"},{"content":"Happy Easter everyone!! As we celebrate our living Redeemer I wanted to give you an update on what’s going on with us.\nFirst, thank you all for your prayers for us and Japan. The entry restrictions have started to lift since our last update, students and business people have started receiving visas again and while we don’t currently qualify for either of those visas, it means that visitor visas will follow. Please continue to pray for Japan and for it to open up completely by this fall. We have been waiting in the starting blocks for awhile now and we are excited to go, may the Lord’s timing happen soon.\nIn the meantime, God has provided us with some amazing opportunities while we are here stateside. In March, we were able to travel to Santa Rosa, Ca, to visit some missionary friends, and then continued on to Truckee, Ca where we filled in for our friends Isaac and Hope while they were out of town. I was given the opportunity to teach the young adults group and we were able to share at the church on Sunday morning as well. The Lord provided some awesome encounters as we were able to meet a missionary that had recently returned from Japan as well as a missionary whose family had served in the Middle East for many years. The people He puts in our paths encourage us greatly and give us an opportunity to ask questions from people who have been where we feel called to go.\nThe internship that we are a part of, also sent a team to an inner-city church to give the incredibly faithful workers there a break to be refreshed and poured into. The small crew of servants at Hope Central Watts Calvary Chapel do multiple jobs each weekend to be able to provide church and Sunday school for a mostly forgotten community. We sent a team of twelve to fill the roles usually filled by just three or four people. It was a joy to serve along side them and here their passion for the people of Watts (for those of you that aren’t familiar with Watts, it’s a fairly notorious part of south-central Los Angeles that has high gang activity). I was given the opportunity to give the message that morning and you can check that out at this link: https://www.facebook.com/HopeCentralWatts/videos/344774491037935/?app=fbl\nFilming and editing at Missions Equip has hit full swing and we are getting new teachings recorded each week. Alishia was able to serve at the Women’s Day event put on by Voice of the Refugees where they minister to dozens of displaced women (mostly Muslim women) and show them the love of Christ. Often, these women are told that Christians hate them and that they will never be accepted in America. Events like this one breaks down walls that can get in the way of the gospel and she was very blessed to be a part of it and make connections with some of the woman that she has been following on since.\nhttps://vimeo.com/698803667\nAn example of one of our videos on missionary biographies, you can watch more at this link https://vimeo.com/user17963136\nWe love you all and are always thankful to hear from you.\nJeff and Alishia\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2022/04/15/in-the-starting-blocks/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eHappy Easter everyone!! As we celebrate our living Redeemer I wanted to give you an update on what’s going on with us.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2022/04/IMG%5F2073.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, thank you all for your prayers for us and Japan. The entry restrictions have started to lift since our last update, students and business people have started receiving visas again and while we don’t currently qualify for either of those visas, it means that visitor visas will follow. Please continue to pray for Japan and for it to open up completely by this fall. We have been waiting in the starting blocks for awhile now and we are excited to go, may the Lord’s timing happen soon.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"In the Starting Blocks"},{"content":"As the month of February starts, we wanted to make you aware of our situation and ask for you to pray with us. Japan is still closed due to COVID, and they are not allowing non-citizens to enter the country. We called the Japanese consulate to see if there were any options at this time, and they told us that unless Alishia or I were Japanese we had no options at this time. The Japanese government is going to reassess these policies at the end of February. Would you join us in prayer each day this month that Japan would open up to international travel in March?\nWe are not the only people being impacted and slowed down by COVID, and we understand that the Lord may well be the One behind the slow down. Pray that we would receive direction from the Lord and discernment on what is a closed door and what is an obstacle to push through. We are not questioning our call, we still feel that we are called to Japan, but we want to be open to whatever the Lord would have us do. If our time before we can get to Japan is going to stretch out, we want to know if there is a step or two, we can make to further prepare ourselves and serve the Lord in the meantime. We trust that our next step will be made clear if we all join together in prayer, so thank you for taking the time to lift us before the Lord.\nAs far as what we are doing while here in California, in January we joined with some friends to do outreach in Little Tokyo (a neighborhood in LA). A Japanese believer from Northern California joined us to witness and we handed out Japanese tracts to those that gathered. Please pray for the seeds that were planted among the Japanese here in the US.\nMissions Equip, the ministry I work with, is currently starting up two translation projects. They are translating the Bible into Toposa language that is spoken in South Sudan. Half a million people will be getting a bible in their language for the first time! While that’s going on in Africa, I am helping to lead a project translating our missions bible college classes into Spanish. We are working with a team from Iquique, Chile to take our videos and translate them, and dub them with the Spanish audio. We are so blessed by the number of resources we have in our language and the access we have to the Word of God, let’s not take it for granted.\nAlishia is continuing to lead a bible study as well as working with the youth group at the church. I’ve been blessed to help lead a men’s group and a life group. We also have the opportunity to fill in at church in March leading their young adults group while their leaders are out of town, so please pray as I prepare for that. Thank you for your partnership. We love you.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2022/02/04/please-pray-with-us/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eAs the month of February starts, we wanted to make you aware of our situation and ask for you to pray with us. Japan is still closed due to COVID, and they are not allowing non-citizens to enter the country. We called the Japanese consulate to see if there were any options at this time, and they told us that unless Alishia or I were Japanese we had no options at this time. The Japanese government is going to reassess these policies at the end of February. Would you join us in prayer each day this month that Japan would open up to international travel in March?\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Please Pray with Us"},{"content":" 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.\n1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV\nHappy Autumn everyone! We are settled in here, back in southern California. We had a good trip from Montana to Seattle to Yorba Linda, but are glad to not have to drive for a while. Here is what has happened since our last update. We had the opportunity to meet Pastor Rob Douglass in Seattle in early September. We interviewed a pastor and former missionary to Belize for Missions Equip. It was a great experience and we learned a lot as a ministry on how our on-location video shoots will look in the future.\nWe then drove down the west coast making a stop in Portland to see family and arrived in Orange County mid-September. We were praying about a place to stay and a job for Alishia before we arrived and the Lord answered our prayers perfectly. We were blessed to stay with friends until a place became available to us, and it checks all the boxes that we were looking for. Every time that we have returned to California the Lord has provided for us with housing and employment, it has built our faith and allowed us to focus more on our training and less on the cares of the world.\nOn September 18 we celebrated twenty-five years of ministry for Rob and Heidi Douglass as well as hosting an open house for the new Ends of the Earth office/Missions Equip studio. It was a night of worship as we thanked the Lord for all that we had seem Him do, over the last quarter century for those who have been here from the beginning and the last few years for us. Less than a year ago we would be looking at a racquetball court used for storage. Today it is a fully functioning office, recording studio and fellowship café, and it was done for less than a tenth of the expected budget. What a work of God this project has been!\nWe have also started our third year of training as interns at Saving Grace World Missions. We have cross cultural studies and specific outreach to the people groups we’re called to this year as well as the homiletics and church planting classes and book study groups we had last year. We’re also getting opportunities to lead midweek small groups for the church as well as three-to-four-person growth groups, which help us develop our discipleship skills. I’ll be sharing more about what we’re doing in the internship in the coming months.\nThank you all for your prayers and support. We love you and would love to connect with you if you’d like. Please reach out with any prayer requests or just to chat.\nPrayer Requests:\nFor wisdom in the timing of our vision trip to Japan, and that the current Japanese regulations (they don’t currently require vaccinations) would remain in place. For Alishia to have the Lord’s supernatural strength and energy as she balances work, the internship and a bible study that she teaches on Saturday morning. For continued provision for the Root family. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2021/10/11/rejoice-pray-and-give-thanks/","summary":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHappy Autumn everyone! We are settled in here, back in southern California. We had a good trip from Montana to Seattle to Yorba Linda, but are glad to not have to drive for a while. Here is what has happened since our last update. We had the opportunity to meet Pastor Rob Douglass in Seattle in early September. We interviewed a pastor and former missionary to Belize for Missions Equip. It was a great experience and we learned a lot as a ministry on how our on-location video shoots will look in the future.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Rejoice, Pray and Give Thanks"},{"content":" And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry\nEphesians 4:11-12a\nAnother amazing summer on the farm has come to an end. We had a great time with Daphne and were blessed to spend time with family. Alishia and I will be leaving for Montana next week. Here is a letter to let you know what we’re up to now.\nThis past weekend we had the opportunity to speak at a church in central Kansas. The pastor there, pastored our church when I was young, he even baptized me when I was nine years old. It was a huge blessing to be able to reconnect with him and his family as well as share with the church what we’ve learned about the purpose of the church. If you would like to watch the service you can do that at the following link: https://youtu.be/uqAAJk_Zmms\nWe will be in Montana for just four days before heading to Seattle on September 2. While in Seattle we will have the opportunity to meet up with Rob Douglass of Missions Equip and interview a couple of missionaries for that ministry. Rob will also be speaking at a couple of churches that weekend and we will help with support during those speaking engagements. After we finish up in Seattle, we will make our way back down to Orange County and begin serving at Missions Equip. We’ll be interviewing missionaries and pastors and creating content for the Mission Equip website, which will be a large database of missionary training and support resources. The exposure and access we will have to these missionaries and pastors will help put the finishing touches on our preparation for Japan. Just as Paul says in Ephesians 4:11-12, God has given us some to be pastors and teachers to equip us for the work of the ministry. We are thankful for all of the teachers that He has given to us, and we feel that the continued equipping will help us be more successful once we get to the field.\nWe still feel that Japan is the ultimate calling that God has for us and we are excited to move toward that again. Please be praying for our preparation in this time until we go. Please also pray for our financial provision as we transition to doing ministry full time. As we get closer to our departure for Japan, we are in need of monthly partners. Twenty dollars a month would be enough to help us reach our support needs, so please pray about partnering with us in the Gospel.\nWe would love to connect with you when we are in Montana or once we get back to California, please let us know if you’d like to get together when we’re in your area.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2021/08/27/continued-equipping/","summary":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEphesians 4:11-12a\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother amazing summer on the farm has come to an end. We had a great time with Daphne and were blessed to spend time with family. Alishia and I will be leaving for Montana next week. Here is a letter to let you know what we’re up to now.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Continued Equipping"},{"content":"Just want to send out a letter to let you know that we made it to Nebraska. The journey from California to Montana to Nebraska was a long one, but we made it. We’re glad to be spending several weeks with Daphne on the farm and it feels good to get away for a bit and reflect on what the Lord has done and is doing in our lives.\nWe enjoyed a wonderful week in Montana with our church family and friends. It started with a stop in Boise on the way up to Whitefish to visit some friends. Then we picked up Daphne in Lewiston, Idaho on Monday morning and made it just in time for bible study on Monday night in Whitefish. We were able to reconnect with friends on both Monday and Tuesday nights and I was honored to have the opportunity to share at our church on Wednesday. It was a blessing to see everyone again and spend time with family even if it was only for a little while. If we missed you this trip, we will be back in Montana in late August/early September and would love to see you then.\nWhile we were there, we were able to talk to our church leadership about an opportunity that God has opened up for us in California. I have been offered a role as studio producer at Missions Equip, the ministry that we have been volunteering at for the last several months. I would be in charge of capturing and directing the videos that we will be making as well as editing and voice over work on the post production end. In case I haven’t wrote about it before, the videos will be part of a missionary training and support resource website that will be available to missionaries worldwide from any church or sending agency. I will be sharing more about this in future updates. I’m very excited about this opportunity and ask that you would keep this in prayer as we follow what the Lord has for us. Please also consider partnering with us financially as we step into full time ministry and take this leap of faith.\nWe of course are still excited for Japan to open up so that we can take our vision tour. We still feel that Japan is the calling long term, but we are thankful for the opportunity to do ministry while we are being prepared for that season. Keep the timing of our trip and ultimate transition date in prayer as well.\nPraise Report:\nWe made it safely to Nebraska. We get to spend the summer with Daphne. We have an amazing opportunity at Mission’s Equip in September. Prayer Requests:\nFor Japan to open up to tourist travel so we can plan our vision trip. For safety as we travel again at the end of summer. For the Lord’s provision for our family. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2021/07/20/reset/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eJust want to send out a letter to let you know that we made it to Nebraska. The journey from California to Montana to Nebraska was a long one, but we made it. We’re glad to be spending several weeks with Daphne on the farm and it feels good to get away for a bit and reflect on what the Lord has done and is doing in our lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2021/07/IMG%5F5469.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe enjoyed a wonderful week in Montana with our church family and friends. It started with a stop in Boise on the way up to Whitefish to visit some friends. Then we picked up Daphne in Lewiston, Idaho on Monday morning and made it just in time for bible study on Monday night in Whitefish. We were able to reconnect with friends on both Monday and Tuesday nights and I was honored to have the opportunity to share at our church on Wednesday. It was a blessing to see everyone again and spend time with family even if it was only for a little while. If we missed you this trip, we will be back in Montana in late August/early September and would love to see you then.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Reset"},{"content":"It’s been a busy spring here in Southern California. Here is a rundown of some of the things we’ve been up to since our last update.\nThe studio at Missions Equip is nearly complete and plans are being made for the start of video recording and website construction. It’s been such a blessing to be a part of this project and we can’t wait to see what the Lord does through this ministry.\nWe are very thankful for our internship at Saving Grace World Missions. The ministry opportunities, the discipleship, the access to current missionaries, our fellow interns, the classes and training, and so much more have grown us and prepared us more than we ever expected when we first came down here. I truly believe that our time in this program will increase our chance of success and longevity on the mission field.\nWe attended a prayer walk in the Torrance/Gardena area of Los Angeles. These cities have the two largest Japanese American populations in the contiguous United States. We visited a few different locations and prayed for the churches ministering in that community, against the false worship that runs deep there, and for the population there, that they might be saved. Then Alishia and I led our own prayer walk there at the end of May with our fellow interns from SGWM. The first time we were blessed to pray with others who also have a heart for the Japanese and Japan, and the second time we were blessed that our friends that don’t feel called to Japan would come pray with us for these people.\nThe Calvary Chapel Japan Conference was held online on April 30th (May 1st there), so we were able to participate in that. There are some amazing workers serving in Japan and it was great to connect with them. The topic of the conference was The Intimate Relationship with Jesus in Family, Work and Church, and you can watch the sessions here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTSW3w5dLV7ALrJc8L6xY_Q\nHere is an update on our summer plans. We will be travelling to Montana in early July, and will be in Whitefish July 5-July 11. Then we will head to Nebraska on the 11th and will be there until late August. We will then be back in Montana by the end of August. We would love to see you while we are there, so please reach out to us so we can make a plan to meet up.\nWe are hoping to be full time ministry this fall as we ramp up before we head to Japan. Please pray about partnering with us on a monthly basis. You can set up a recurring giving plan with the link at the bottom of this email or at this weblink: https://www.egsnetwork.com/gift2/?giftid=3B3D6B2778D3489\nPrayer Requests:\nPray for Alishia’s grandmother, her health and living situation is not ideal. Pray for her mental and physical health and that she would be shown mercy by the employees at her housing facility. Pray for Japan, that they would open the country to foreigners and that we would be able to take our vision tour this fall/winter. We have an opportunity to speak at a church in Kansas in August. Pray for me as I prepare a message and that we would make many connections. Pray for direction as we look to serve the Lord here until His timing for us to go to Japan. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2021/06/07/preflight/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eIt’s been a busy spring here in Southern California. Here is a rundown of some of the things we’ve been up to since our last update.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe studio at Missions Equip is nearly complete and plans are being made for the start of video recording and website construction. It’s been such a blessing to be a part of this project and we can’t wait to see what the Lord does through this ministry.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Preflight"},{"content":" Hello everyone,\nI have an exciting update to share with you all. I (Jeff) have been given an amazing opportunity to go on a mission trip to Africa in April. I’m going with a team from Ends of the Earth Ministries to Uganda and South Sudan. I can’t express how excited I am to be able to participate in this trip. The main purpose of this trip in April is to host three training seminars.\nThe seminars will be as follows:\n1st) Faith Comes by Hearing Audio Bible listening groups and how to lead a Bible study with a proclaimer.\n2nd) Biblical Trauma Counseling helping children and adults recover from the tragedies of war, poverty and witchcraft.\n3rd) God Story / Oral Inductive Bible study. In time this Bible study method will give birth to a Bible college that will properly disciple new believers and tribal leaders to fulfill the great commission amongst the unreached.\nEach evening we will be interviewing and photographing a few new children so they can be added to the Promise Child program. These children are from the unreached tribe surrounding our medical clinic and have recently joined the children’s home led by Ends of the Earth missionaries.\nPlease be praying for the team as we travel and are on the ground in Africa. You can also partner with me financially by using the following link:\nhttps://www.egsnetwork.com/gift2/?giftid=3B3D6B2778D3489\nIt’s been a busy month for us here in California. Alishia leads a bible study via Zoom on Saturday mornings. We’ve been able to help some people in the church this month with moving and tree removal. Alishia is in a book study of Hind’s Feet on High Places and I am doing morning devotions for the church Facebook page. We are preparing for Easter services, and Daphne will be visiting during her spring break next week, so we’re very excited for that.\nWe’ll be spending July and August in Nebraska and Lord willing will head to Japan for our vision trip once they open back up to tourists.\nPrayer Requests:\nPray for Alishia as she stays in California while I’m in Africa. Pray for the team as we minister in east Africa. For safety and health. Pray for Japan, that it will open up and that we’ll be able to go. Love Jeff and Alishia\nAll photos courtesy of Ends of the Earth Ministries.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2021/03/18/an-exciting-opportunity/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2021/03/african-hut.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHello everyone,\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have an exciting update to share with you all. I (Jeff) have been given an amazing opportunity to go on a mission trip to Africa in April. I’m going with a team from Ends of the Earth Ministries to Uganda and South Sudan. I can’t express how excited I am to be able to participate in this trip. The main purpose of this trip in April is to host three training seminars.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"An Exciting Opportunity"},{"content":"A new year has begun, and we are excited for what the Lord has for us in 2021. Thank you for continuing with us on this journey. We are nearing the three-and-a-half-year mark since we first received our call to become missionaries, and honestly, we thought we’d be in Japan within the first year. How thankful we are that God did not allow us to rush headlong into work we were not prepared to do. We’re also thankful for the wise counsel from many of you to be patient and to not strive until God opened the door for us to go. We are still waiting for that door to be opened, but we are not idle. Here’s what we’ve been up to and what we’re planning to do while we wait.\nThe studio for Missions Equip is coming along nicely. The framing is done and drywall has been hung. A second floor was built at one end of the building so accommodate an office upstairs and a meeting area downstairs. Doors were installed to open onto an outdoor patio area as well. Alishia is helping with the painting, and once the hard projects are done, we’ll all get in there and do some finishing work.\nMy friend, Kylan, hosted a prayer walk in a Japanese community, in the Sawtelle neighborhood of west Los Angeles. It was a blessed time, and we plan to do more of them in the future in other Japanese communities in LA County. We were able to meet some amazing people, and we saw up close the spiritual need that exists there. We spent time praying in front of a Buddhist temple and specifically for the families that worship there. Please keep the Japanese in southern California in prayer, they’re resistant to the gospel.\nOn Thursday nights I attend an online Japanese class. Language learning will definitely be the greatest challenge we will face as we learn to minister in Japan. Please pray for us to learn quickly. We know that the Lord will give us all the tools we need to do His work.\nEvery month we have a missions fellowship and bible study on the first and third Sundays. In January, one of the Sundays was a Japanese theme. We had a meal of Japanese food, and we had the opportunity to share about Japan. The entire group prayed for us; we hope that you will do the same.\nPraise Report:\nThe Lord has continued to provide for us above what we want or ask. Alishia was having stomach pains, but the Lord has healed it and given her relief. Ministry opportunities continue to present themselves at the church and among our friends and neighbors. Prayer Requests:\nPrayer for timing for our vision trip to Japan, and for Japan to open up from COVID restrictions. Prayer for language learning here and also when we get to Japan. Prayer for the studio build out at the Missions Equip offices. Love Jeff and Alishia\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2021/02/02/waiting-but-not-idle/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eA new year has begun, and we are excited for what the Lord has for us in 2021. Thank you for continuing with us on this journey. We are nearing the three-and-a-half-year mark since we first received our call to become missionaries, and honestly, we thought we’d be in Japan within the first year. How thankful we are that God did not allow us to rush headlong into work we were not prepared to do. We’re also thankful for the wise counsel from many of you to be patient and to not strive until God opened the door for us to go. We are still waiting for that door to be opened, but we are not idle. Here’s what we’ve been up to and what we’re planning to do while we wait.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Waiting, but Not Idle"},{"content":" Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We hope that wherever you are, you are able to gather, and that you have plenty to thank the Lord for this year. I’d like to start by saying how thankful we are for all of you. The support we have received this year has been so encouraging. We feel your prayers covering us often, and we love the kind words that you send our way regularly. Thank you for continuing to stay in our lives and read these updates. Thank you for praying for us. Thank you for partnering with us in the gospel just like the Philippian church did with Paul.\nNovember has always been my favorite month. Both Alishia’s and my birthday happen in this month. We can listen to Christmas music and the Scrooges and Grinches among us can’t really complain (they still try, maybe I just am better at ignoring them this time of year). The weather is really nice down here in November and Thanksgiving is here. This November has been really special though. Last year we were unable to celebrate Alishia’s birthday, but this year some of our friends from church threw here a party. We had pizza and hot chocolate and cake. We watched Home Alone and fellowshipped. It was an amazing night that truly ministered to Alishia. To have different people open their home, make a delicious cake, bring very thoughtful gifts, and take an evening to spend with us was great. Thank you to everyone that made it possible.\nAlishia had a very successful and humbling response to her Thanksgiving centerpiece fundraiser. She made 28 centerpieces, which was far more than we hoped or expected. It’s always a huge blessing for Alishia to be able to use her talents for God’s glory. She doesn’t always feel like her skill set lends itself to ministry in a natural way, but God continues to open doors for her to use it. Another way He did that was at a women’s event that the church held earlier at the end of October. During the message, there was an illustration about the different roles that all the women of the church fill within the body. The pastor’s wife, Debbie, asked Alishia to create a flower arrangement while she talked. The different elements used in the arrangement illustrated the different roles that the women had, and at the end the finished arrangement showed how beautifully all the parts come together in unison.\nMissions is that way too. Some of us are called to go and some to stay and some to support and some to pray. It’s takes all of us to reach the world, and we are so excited to be used in the same arrangement as you. We are excited to continue to move forward toward Japan, and are trusting that the Lord will use all of you to help get us there. The best way you can help us is by praying, here are some things you can be praying about for us.\nPraise Report:\nWe have jobs and a place to stay, which is a huge blessing and we’re thankful for the security that it provides. Some of the ladies at the church threw Alishia a birthday party!! Our internship is going well, and we are continuing to see growth and opportunities. Prayer Requests\nWe are planning our vision trip to Japan. Please pray for the timing and itinerary for that trip. Please pray for God’s continued provision for us. Please pray for ministry opportunities among the Japanese population here in California. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/12/01/thankful-for-you/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2020/12/54a54513-38ff-41c0-a916-441fb5cdcf61.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHappy Thanksgiving everyone. We hope that wherever you are, you are able to gather, and that you have plenty to thank the Lord for this year. I’d like to start by saying how thankful we are for all of you. The support we have received this year has been so encouraging. We feel your prayers covering us often, and we love the kind words that you send our way regularly. Thank you for continuing to stay in our lives and read these updates. Thank you for praying for us. Thank you for partnering with us in the gospel just like the Philippian church did with Paul.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Thankful for You"},{"content":"We started September in Nebraska, spent the middle part of it in Montana, and finished it in California. Another month, another whirlwind of travel and opportunity. It was great to spend a few more weeks on the farm after returning from Mexico. We have been able to create a home base for ourselves there, and it’s a place we can return to any time we are in the States. We are thankful for the stability that it provides us, and look forward to many future furloughs there.\nOur trip to Montana was the most blessed we’ve had so far. We were there long enough to reconnect with several friends and have face to face interactions with most of our supporters. The Lord strengthened our ties there and encouraged us greatly with their love and support. We were able to share at several bible studies as well as at our church (twice!).\nNow we’re back in California, and excited to get to the work that the Lord has for us. We have started attending bi-weekly prayer meetings for a missionary support ministry, where we will be volunteering in the upcoming months. I am very excited for what God has planned to do in this ministry, and am very thankful that we have the opportunity to serve with the people there.\nI am also going to do more of the morning Facebook devotions for Calvary Chapel Saving Grace, so if you’re on Facebook be on the lookout for those. If you didn’t see the ones I did this month, I have included links below so you can check them out.\nNumber 1\nhttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=302657504165408\u0026amp;id=191491494242294\nNumber 2\nhttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=327365675131342\u0026amp;id=191491494242294\nNumber 3\nhttps://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=744596856384323\u0026amp;id=191491494242294\nThank you to everyone who signed up recently for our newsletter or to support us. It means so much to us that you would invest in us by reading our emails, praying for us, and giving financially to our journey. So again, thank you so much.\nHere is an update on Japan. In September, Japan elected a new Prime Minister. He has stated that he wants to open up travel between to US and Japan soon, especially business travel. However, in order to travel from the US to Japan you would have to be staying at least three months. Our next step is to take a vision trip to Japan, which would be about two weeks long, so we don’t qualify to travel right now. Hopefully, we will see things move forward in the next five weeks or so and after the US election we’ll have a better idea of our timeframe.\nPraise Report:\nOur time in Nebraska was invigorating and refreshing, and we were able set up a basecamp for ourselves there. Our visit to Montana was fruitful and encouraging. We are excited to back among you soon. We have arrived safely in California, and are excited for the ministry God has for us in this season. Prayer Requests:\nFor God’s provision and direction for our family. For Japan to open up to short term travel from the US soon. For mercy in language learning as we start taking Japanese classes this fall. Love you all, Jeff and Alishia\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/09/29/another-month-another-whirlwind/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eWe started September in Nebraska, spent the middle part of it in Montana, and finished it in California. Another month, another whirlwind of travel and opportunity. It was great to spend a few more weeks on the farm after returning from Mexico. We have been able to create a home base for ourselves there, and it’s a place we can return to any time we are in the States. We are thankful for the stability that it provides us, and look forward to many future furloughs there.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Another Month, Another Whirlwind"},{"content":" \u0026ldquo;But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.\u0026rdquo;\nJohn 15:26-27 NKJV\nLet me start by once again thanking each of you for your prayers and support over the last six weeks in Mexico. We have made it back into the United States and are now in Nebraska for the next couple of weeks. In September, we are planning a two week visit to our church in Montana, and then will return to California for more training. If you’d like to see us before we leave Nebraska, or while we’re in Montana, please let us know and we will make it happen.\nI would also like to thank our Lord for the opportunity to go to Mexico, and the growth we saw during that time. Thank you to the missionaries that took time to travel down to the school and teach us for hours each day. Thank you to the school leadership for the time and sweat that was put in to make the whole thing run smoothly. And thank you to our fellow students for exemplifying how to serve with grace and passion. God has used you all in our lives in incalculable ways, and it was an honor to spend so much time with you.\nWe spent the last week of the school much like the first five weeks, with one change. While we were able to hear from missionaries who serve in Acapulco and Orange County, and to go out on a couple of outreaches partnering with local churches, we were also able to spend a few days in a debrief mode. It allowed us to process all that the Lord had done during the previous month and a half, and put together the pieces of what He’s shown us.\nThe Lord has opened up opportunities for us to serve in several ways. The next three weeks I’ll be sharing a devo on the Calvary Chapel Saving Grace Facebook page, the dates of those are August 26, September 3, and September 10. The devos run at 9:00 am PDT Monday-Friday and I’ll include a link to the Facebook page hereà. https://www.facebook.com/calvarychapelsg I will also be working with active missionaries in a support role. I’m really excited to be able to build relationships with these missionaries and come along side them in any way that they need. We have an amazing support system that the Lord has given us in you, and we want to pass that support on to others doing the work. Someday, we’ll be on the other side of the missionary/mission support relationship, but until then we want to be faithful to the place God has us.\nLove you all,\nJeff and Alishia\nPraise Report:\nThe school in Mexico was an amazing experience for us. We have made it home safe and healthy. The Lord continues to guide and lead us. Prayer Requests:\nSafety as we travel to Montana and California. For the Lord to continue to provide for the needs of our family. For Japan to open up to Americans soon. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/08/24/bearing-witness/","summary":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. \u003cstrong\u003eAnd you also will bear witness\u003c/strong\u003e, because you have been with Me from the beginning.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn 15:26-27 NKJV\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet me start by once again thanking each of you for your prayers and support over the last six weeks in Mexico. We have made it back into the United States and are now in Nebraska for the next couple of weeks. In September, we are planning a two week visit to our church in Montana, and then will return to California for more training. If you’d like to see us before we leave Nebraska, or while we’re in Montana, please let us know and we will make it happen.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Bearing Witness"},{"content":" He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.\nLuke 23:5b\nWhat more can I say about our time in Mexico that I haven’t written to you already? As our time down here is wrapping up, and I’m able to reflect on the last five weeks some things stick out as poignant. Other lessons learned are harder to recognize, but will no doubt resurface when needed. We are being prepared for ministry like an outfitter prepares for a backcountry trek. How can you know what you’ll need for a journey you haven’t taken before? The Lord knows, and has added supplies to our pack that we won’t be able to identify until we need them. While I can’t tell you about those things, because they are beyond me, I can tell you about some things that we will definitely use in the future.\nWe (Alishia and I, and the other students as well) have been instilled with hearts for planting churches and making disciples. I believe that God’s plan for fulfilling the Great Commission is through discipleship, and that a local church body is essential in that process. My vision is to start a bible training school to raise up nationals, but how can they go out and plant churches if the aren’t having church modelled for them each week. So, we will plant a church, and it will be very difficult, but it is what we’re called to by our Savior and so we do it with joy and excitement.\nWe will adopt the culture of the people we’re serving. Ethnocentricity defeats the message of the gospel. God loves the people He’s sending us to, and they matter enough to Him that He wants us to go fight for their souls. If we are unwilling to become one of them, how can we possibly try to explain that Jesus became one of us. He is our example of what a missionary should be, fully foreign and yet He was fully integrated. We will take the time to learn the language and culture as quickly as possible, because we don’t want to have any hindrances to the gospel.\nWe will be passionate disciples of Jesus Christ. How can we make what we are not already ourselves? We must follow closer, abide more deeply, and obey more joyfully than we ever have before. We’re not missionaries or church planters, we are disciples first and foremost. We will be sacrificial, we will be relational, and we will be transformational! We will deny ourselves luxuries for sake of the gospel. We will create relationships with those around us that they might see the love of Christ through us. And we will assimilate to the culture around us that we might be able to preach the gospel in their context. We will be committed to prayer and meditating in God’s Word. We will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and we will love others because He first loved us.\nThere are several other things I could share, and probably will in the future, but these are the ones that first came to my mind. We had the opportunity to attend the Calvary Chapel Church Planting Conference 2020 this week as well. Two days of keynote speakers, church planter testimonies, and specific topic workshops. It was fantastic, we were able to connect with pastors from several countries who share our hearts for planting churches. Some committed to pray for us as we head for Japan, it’s amazing the people that God has put us in contact with the last three years.\nThank you for your continued prayers as well. Alishia and I plan to start language classes this fall. Please pray for the right program to be made available to us and for provision financially to pay for them.\nPraise Report:\nThe Lord continues to lead us one step at a time. We have made connections with amazing missionaries and pastors. We have been healthy and safe down here in Mexico. Prayer Requests:\nFor Japan to open up soon so we can go on a vision trip. For strength, energy, and health to finish strong here in Mexico. For financial provision as we continue to follow the Lord’s leading. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/08/09/stirring-up-the-people/","summary":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLuke 23:5b\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat more can I say about our time in Mexico that I haven’t written to you already? As our time down here is wrapping up, and I’m able to reflect on the last five weeks some things stick out as poignant. Other lessons learned are harder to recognize, but will no doubt resurface when needed. We are being prepared for ministry like an outfitter prepares for a backcountry trek. How can you know what you’ll need for a journey you haven’t taken before? The Lord knows, and has added supplies to our pack that we won’t be able to identify until we need them. While I can’t tell you about those things, because they are beyond me, I can tell you about some things that we will definitely use in the future.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Stirring Up the People"},{"content":"What a month we’ve had. Week four has concluded here in Mexico, and it was just as challenging and amazing as the previous three. Thank you for your continued prayers, the Lord has used them to minister to us in some really cool ways. Our hearts are ablaze for the people of Japan, and we can’t wait until the day that they worship Jesus as King. May it be on this side of His return!\nWe had more outreaches this week with local church plants. One was on a Native Mexican reservation southeast of Rosarito in the middle of Baja. They are an isolated people group that live in difficult conditions. They were excited for the worship and bible teaching, grateful for the COVID relief food packages we brought with us, and the kids loved the crafts and games we played with them. Spanish is not their first language (we had something in common!), so communication was tough at times. Yet, there was a response to the gospel, thank goodness that the Spirit works in spite of us.\nWe were taught by Rob Douglass this week as well. He showed us the unbalanced approach that missions make toward the unreached people groups in the world. It ignited a fire in us for the least reached in the world and reconfirmed our desire to go to Japan and share the gospel. I won’t even attempt to summarize eleven hours of classroom teaching into a paragraph here. If you’d be interested in hearing more about the unreached and frontier peoples, please let me know and I would love to talk with you about them. We also talked at length about culture and what becoming ‘all things to all people, that I might by all means save some’ looks like in a practical, boots on the ground, scenario. He has been a missionary for over twenty years in both South Sudan and Sri Lanka, and now is training others to be missionaries here in the states.\nThe Lord has opened a door for us that we are praying over. It would give us an opportunity to do some missions work while we wait for Japan to open up to American travelers. Please pray with us about this opportunity, for confirmation or the door to close.\nPraise Report:\nFor the amazing opportunities for growth and stretching that the Lord has provided. For the connections we’ve made with the students, staff, and missionaries. For the weaknesses that the Lord has shown us in ourselves, that we can surrender to Him. Prayer Requests:\nFor Japan to open up soon so we can go on a vision trip. For strength, energy, and health to finish strong here in Mexico. For financial provision as we continue to follow the Lord’s leading. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/08/03/ablaze-for-japan/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eWhat a month we’ve had. Week four has concluded here in Mexico, and it was just as challenging and amazing as the previous three. Thank you for your continued prayers, the Lord has used them to minister to us in some really cool ways. Our hearts are ablaze for the people of Japan, and we can’t wait until the day that they worship Jesus as King. May it be on this side of His return!\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Ablaze for Japan"},{"content":" Arise and go, for this is no place to rest….\nMicah 2:10\nAnother week has wrapped up here in Rosarito, and it’s an honor to get to share with you again. Thank you so much for taking the time to read these updates, and I hope that they bless you as much as we feel blessed to be here.\nIn the classroom this week, we had the pleasure of learning from Phil and Joy Metzger. They spent 20 years in Hungary, church planting and running a bible college. Alishia connected with them right away, as they have a mutual friend with us in Japan, and are familiar with church planters in the city where our friend Tamera lives in Serbia. Phil taught on the importance of learning language and Joy joined him to teach about raising a family on the field. They shared their testimony for two hours on Tuesday night, and they easily could have gone two more. It was amazing to have a living, speaking missionary biography right in front of us. We know that we won’t follow their specific steps to get to Japan, but it was such an encouragement to hear the ways that God showed Himself in their journey.\nOn Thursday, we did an outreach at Calvary Chapel Rancho Santa Cruz. We brought food relief, created a program for the kids, and moved hundreds of cinder blocks. I was given the really incredible opportunity to teach a bit from God’s word. It was a great exercise in working with a translator, being prepared to teach without forewarning, and relying on the Lord’s strength instead of my own. The Holy Spirit showed up, and we were extremely blessed by the church. Even when the culture is foreign, there is so much joy being around our Church family.\nAgain, thank you for your incredible support, and please reach out to us if you need prayer or encouragement for anything. We love you would be blessed to be able to come along side of you in this way.\nPraise Report:\nFor the amazing opportunities for ministering that God has provided. For the connections we’ve made with the students, staff, and missionaries. For the weaknesses that the Lord has shown us in ourselves, that we can surrender to Him. Prayer Requests:\nFor continued growth and refining in our lives. For direction on what to do after Mexico. For strength, energy, and health as we are just at the halfway point of the school. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/07/27/no-place-to-rest/","summary":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArise and go, for this is no place to rest….\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMicah 2:10\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2020/07/IMG%5F0745.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother week has wrapped up here in Rosarito, and it’s an honor to get to share with you again. Thank you so much for taking the time to read these updates, and I hope that they bless you as much as we feel blessed to be here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2020/07/IMG%5F0747.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the classroom this week, we had the pleasure of learning from Phil and Joy Metzger. They spent 20 years in Hungary, church planting and running a bible college. Alishia connected with them right away, as they have a mutual friend with us in Japan, and are familiar with church planters in the city where our friend Tamera lives in Serbia. Phil taught on the importance of learning language and Joy joined him to teach about raising a family on the field. They shared their testimony for two hours on Tuesday night, and they easily could have gone two more. It was amazing to have a living, speaking missionary biography right in front of us. We know that we won’t follow their specific steps to get to Japan, but it was such an encouragement to hear the ways that God showed Himself in their journey.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"No Place to Rest"},{"content":" \u0026hellip;Be utterly astounded!\nFor I will work a work in your days\nWhich you would not believe, though it were told you.\nHabakkuk 1:5b\nPraise the Lord as we continue our training here in Mexico! This week we have so much to be thankful about. Alishia had the opportunity to pray with women twice this week as they accepted Jesus as their savior! The first was during a street evangelism outreach and the second was during an outreach event that we were part of in one of the neighborhoods in Rosarito. This second outreach also gave us perspective. The neighborhood we were in was easily the most impoverished place I’ve ever seen. The people are often harassed and extorted by corrupt police, and hope is a dangerous thing there. Yet, the children run and play and smile, and the gospel does reach out there as evidenced by the woman who chose Jesus. We rejoice in the knowledge that our needs are met in abundance, but even if not, our joy is not dependent on that.\nWe had the opportunity to return to California for a couple of days to attend our friends’ wedding. Alishia got to do the flowers, which is always a blessing for her. The flowers turned out great and the wedding was beautiful, but the chance to connect with the church in Yorba Linda was something that really stuck out to me. Everyone knew that we were just making a quick trip back from the school and they asked about our experiences and what the Lord was doing. It was a micro-version of the relationship that God designed missionaries and sending churches to have, and it blessed us greatly to see that relationship play out. The Lord sent us to Mexico and in turn we were able to report back on the work being done and encourage the church. I hope that these letters are encouraging to all of you that we aren’t able to see in person right now and I’m excited for the chance to share with you face to face sometime soon.\nOn Friday, class was taught by veteran church planter, Pastor Mike Vincent. He taught on what being a sending hub looks like and why it’s important to be a church that sends. This lines up with what the Lord has put on our hearts, to plant a church and eventually to raise up Japanese nationals to go out and plant their own churches. We have several people in our lives who have done this exact model, and their mentorship has been invaluable. We know that making disciples is the most effective way to reach Japan, and we know that we can’t be as effective in reaching the Japanese as other Japanese can be. Please pray for God to continue to confirm this vision for our work in Japan, along with preparing the hearts of the Japanese.\nPraise Report:\nWe were able to witness God grow fruit during our outreaches this week. The classes have been incredible and our personal growth has been exciting. We were able to connect with the church in California for a couple of days. Prayer Requests:\nThat God would continue to fill us with the Holy Spirit and direct us during outreaches. For direction on what to do after School of Missions is over. For continued health and safety during the school. ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/07/20/utterly-astounded/","summary":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026hellip;Be utterly astounded!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor I will work a work in your days\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhich you would not believe, though it were told you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHabakkuk 1:5b\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePraise the Lord as we continue our training here in Mexico! This week we have so much to be thankful about. Alishia had the opportunity to pray with women twice this week as they accepted Jesus as their savior! The first was during a street evangelism outreach and the second was during an outreach event that we were part of in one of the neighborhoods in Rosarito. This second outreach also gave us perspective. The neighborhood we were in was easily the most impoverished place I’ve ever seen. The people are often harassed and extorted by corrupt police, and hope is a dangerous thing there. Yet, the children run and play and smile, and the gospel does reach out there as evidenced by the woman who chose Jesus. We rejoice in the knowledge that our needs are met in abundance, but even if not, our joy is not dependent on that.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Utterly Astounded"},{"content":" We have made it to Mexico! Thank you for your prayers. The trip here went smoothly and we have hit the ground running since we arrived. Our daily routine is filled with times of devotion, classroom learning, outreach, and prayer, with lots of amazing food in between. The opportunity to learn from active missionaries and missions-minded pastors has our brains filled to capacity. Getting to serve, love and pray with people who have so little has filled our hearts to capacity. And fellowshipping with the other like-minded students and staff has our stomachs filled to capacity.\nOne of our first outreaches was visiting a part of East Tijuana where a fire had destroyed a row of ‘houses’. We were able to spend time with these families who were still living in the hollow shells of their homes. We got to hear their stories and empathize with them, as well as bring them groceries and share the hope found in Christ as well. We met a man named Napalito, who’s house was completely gone. He and his family were living under a piece of plywood leaned against the charred remains of an exterior wall they shared with their neighbors. Even though he had lost everything, including a flock of chickens that were a large part of the family’s income, he had incredible hope and was not broken in spirit. He told us about the night the fire happened, and how the Lord had woken him up in the middle of the night. He usually sleeps all night, but because of the Lord’s warning, he was able get all six of his family members out just in time. He sees this as the Lord’s mercy and has hope in God having a bigger plan. We came to bless him, but his faith ended up blessing us.\nWe have been learning about the biblical view of missions and church planting this week, and the fire to get to the field burns hot. We have seen first hand how hard it is to share the gospel when you don’t speak the language. We had already planned to get in language school, but now we know it’s non-negotiable. These types of first hand lessons could only be taught to us down here, so praise the Lord that He has opened this door for us.\nIf you would like to partner with us monthly as we work towards making disciples in Japan, you can do that on the SGWM website. Thank you all for your continued prayers as we continue to seek God’s will for us, and watch for these updates weekly.\nPraise report:\nWe made it through another long drive and are safe here in Mexico. The school is going great and has exceeded our expectations. We are still on a high from our time with Daphne and are thankful to be able to talk with her regularly Prayer requests:\nThat God would show us the next step towards Japan. That we would be able learn more Japanese from our self-learning. That the next five weeks of school would grow us in the areas we are weak. Love you all, Jeff and Alishia\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/07/13/filled-to-capacity/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2020/07/IMG%5F0556-e1594671881555.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe have made it to Mexico! Thank you for your prayers. The trip here went smoothly and we have hit the ground running since we arrived. Our daily routine is filled with times of devotion, classroom learning, outreach, and prayer, with lots of amazing food in between. The opportunity to learn from active missionaries and missions-minded pastors has our brains filled to capacity. Getting to serve, love and pray with people who have so little has filled our hearts to capacity. And fellowshipping with the other like-minded students and staff has our stomachs filled to capacity.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Filled to Capacity"},{"content":" June has been a sweet time of leaning in the Lord, being with family, and visiting our church in Montana. It’s been great having Daphne with us on the farm, and she’s been enjoying it as well. The chances to get to Montana are always special and this one was no different. The fellowship with our church family, the encouragement and direction from wizened saints, the tens of hours of driving where the Lord ministers to us, all of it makes these trips so valuable. And we’ve done seven trips in 2020 eighteen hours or longer, and each one has been a blessing. It would be easy to think of the numbers (140 hours at the wheel) and think what a waste of time its been, but honestly, it’s been some of the most profitable time I’ve spent this year. And the great thing is we get to do another one this weekend.\nWe are less than a week away from the start of our time in Mexico. A.W. Tozer famously wrote “To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love.” That really is our focus for our time south of the border, to pursue Jesus a fraction as earnestly as He pursued us. We believe that He is going to speak to us down there, and we are excited to learn what our next step will be. Please keep us in prayer for these next six weeks, as we listen for His voice and grow in the knowledge of His grace.\nWe will be sending out these updates with more frequency while in Mexico, so be watching for one a week for the next month and a half. Also, we are starting to raise monthly support so we can get to Japan. If God has put it on your heart to support us, please use the link below or you can mail a check to the following address:\nSaving Grace World Missions 17451 Bastanchury Road #203 Yorba Linda, CA 92886 Just make sure to put a note with it that tells the accounting department who’s account to deposit in.\nPraise Reports:\n- We had a great and safe trip to Montana and Idaho\n- We have had a great couple of weeks with Daphne\n- Our time on the farm has been just what we needed\nPrayer requests:\n- That God would make the next step for us very clear\n- That we would allow God to do the work in us needed while in Mexico\n- That God would pour His Spirit out on the nation of Japan\nWe would love to hear from you if you have any prayer requests or encouragement. Love you all and God bless\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/06/30/the-souls-paradox-of-love/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2020/06/IMG%5F0424.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJune has been a sweet time of leaning in the Lord, being with family, and visiting our church in Montana. It’s been great having Daphne with us on the farm, and she’s been enjoying it as well. The chances to get to Montana are always special and this one was no different. The fellowship with our church family, the encouragement and direction from wizened saints, the tens of hours of driving where the Lord ministers to us, all of it makes these trips so valuable. And we’ve done seven trips in 2020 eighteen hours or longer, and each one has been a blessing. It would be easy to think of the numbers (140 hours at the wheel) and think what a waste of time its been, but honestly, it’s been some of the most profitable time I’ve spent this year. And the great thing is we get to do another one this weekend.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"The Soul's Paradox of Love"},{"content":" This update will be short and a little different, as we are still on the farm in Nebraska and things haven’t changed much. We have been blessed with the ability to see much of my (Jeff’s) family over the last several weeks, and will be seeing more in the next few. We don’t know when the Lord will send us to Japan so making these connections has been so important.\nOur training down in Mexico is just a month away now, and we are very excited for what God will show us and work out in us during that time. Please keep us in your prayers during that time, and watch for these updates regularly.\nAfter Mexico, our next step will probably be a vision tour to visit some of the ministries we’ve made connections with in Japan. Please be praying about the timing of this trip as well as if you’d like to help support us financially to help us get there. We’re seeing some news that Japan may open to foreign travel soon, even though our trip is likely months away, please be praying that it does.\nWhen we started this journey, we didn’t know anyone on the ground in Japan, and we didn’t know anyone else called to Japan. This wrongly created a bit of possessiveness over the calling in my heart. We were God’s Japan missionaries, and He was going to send us because we were all He had to send. Over the last year and a half, we have met so many missionaries serving in Japan, people working towards going to Japan to serve, and been part of or watched several online conferences for missionaries in Japan. At first it was a little hard to grasp that my calling wasn’t as special as I thought it was, but what a blessing it’s been to realize that God is raising up workers for Japan. We aren’t His only option, we aren’t His best option, but we are AN option, and that’s all He requires from us. We are still excited to serve Him in Japan, and while the vision we started with has morphed, we can see clearer now what the next steps are.\nWe pray that you are safe and healthy during this time. Hopefully we will see you soon and be able to fellowship with you. If you have any questions for us, please feel free to respond to this email. We would love to share our heart for Japan with you, to pray with you, or just encourage you in any way.\nHere are our prayer requests again:\n-Pray for the School of Missions that we’re attending in July in Mexico. For God to work in us and through us during that time, and for clear direction moving forward.\n-Pray for our future vision trip to Japan. When we should plan on going. That it would be made clear where God would have us land over there, and for the financial provision to get there. That Japan would open up to foreigners soon.\n-Praise Him for all the amazing people He has connected us with, who love Japan and have a similar calling to us. Lord willing, we will serve along side these people for years to come, and we are so thankful for what we see the Lord doing in the hard soil that is Japan.\nLove you\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/06/01/he-is-faithful/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2020/06/IMG%5F1237.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis update will be short and a little different, as we are still on the farm in Nebraska and things haven’t changed much. We have been blessed with the ability to see much of my (Jeff’s) family over the last several weeks, and will be seeing more in the next few. We don’t know when the Lord will send us to Japan so making these connections has been so important.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"He is Faithful"},{"content":" I hope this update finds you heathy and safe during a time seemingly defined by disease. We made the decision in late March to take advantage of the lockdown in California, to visit family in Nebraska. There are few places that are more suitable for isolation and quarantine than the farm where I (Jeff) was raised. There are also few places more suitable to us for a time of recharge and seeking the Lord. The older I get the more I miss the lifestyle and pace of this place and Alishia loves coming here in the spring when new life is springing forth from animal and plant alike. It seems that someone failed to tell the cows and rye that this new world we live in is no place to start a new generation. And so, it is with the Christian, that even though they may find themselves in a place that seems more dangerous than before, a new generation of believers will be birthed and come to maturity in this reality. With this on the foremost of our minds, we make sure that this time isn’t wasted. What better time is there to be in the word and spend time in prayer. I can practice my homiletics with cows as with my fellow interns. We can learn skills that can be helpful on the mission field. And so, the preparation continues and the call draws nearer.\nI also wanted to give a praise report and praise the Lord for His provision. Last month our letter was about a six-week church planting and cross-cultural missions school that we are planning to go to this summer. Your generosity has made it a reality. We now have the support to cover the tuition cost. So, when the school happens (it may get postponed, but we will go as soon as its safe to do so) we will be a part of it and we can’t begin to thank you all enough.\nWe know that our church families are hurting right now, and we pray for you all often. Please respond to this email with any prayer requests you have that we can lift up. Farm life can be tough but it does leave us with time to go before the Lord often, and in this time, we would love to be able to pray for you in any way that you need.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/04/04/love-in-a-time-of-quarantine/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2020/04/image1.jpeg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI hope this update finds you heathy and safe during a time seemingly defined by disease. We made the decision in late March to take advantage of the lockdown in California, to visit family in Nebraska. There are few places that are more suitable for isolation and quarantine than the farm where I (Jeff) was raised. There are also few places more suitable to us for a time of recharge and seeking the Lord. The older I get the more I miss the lifestyle and pace of this place and Alishia loves coming here in the spring when new life is springing forth from animal and plant alike. It seems that someone failed to tell the cows and rye that this new world we live in is no place to start a new generation. And so, it is with the Christian, that even though they may find themselves in a place that seems more dangerous than before, a new generation of believers will be birthed and come to maturity in this reality. With this on the foremost of our minds, we make sure that this time isn’t wasted. What better time is there to be in the word and spend time in prayer. I can practice my homiletics with cows as with my fellow interns. We can learn skills that can be helpful on the mission field. And so, the preparation continues and the call draws nearer.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Love in a Time of Quarantine"},{"content":"For our update this month, we wanted to update you on where the Lord has directed us and how the vision has morphed. During our visit to Montana, we met with our church leadership. They allowed us to cast our vision, and asked us lots of questions. This time was invaluable to us and we believe the Lord spoke to us through them. We returned to California with a lot to pray about and plenty to discuss with the leadership down here. As the last month passed, we feel that doors have closed and others have remained wide open that we can see God’s fingerprints all over.\nWe have decided to postpone our vision tour to Japan for the time being. We still feel one hundred percent called to minister to the Japanese people, and we are confident that the Lord will send us when we are ready. In the mean time we will prepare ourselves to be as effective as possible once we get there. Please continue to pray for the Lord’s leading as we follow Him on this journey.\nThe next step for us is a cross-cultural missions and church planting school this summer. This school is specifically designed to train us for what awaits us in Japan. It will help us hit the ground running, and will give us the tools we need to keep from burn out or flame out. It will equip us for ministry in a non-western context, as well as allow us to seek the Lord and His direction for six weeks.\nThe school is based in Rosarito, Mexico from June 10 to July 22. We will be working directly with a church that was planted from our church in Yorba Linda. They have also planted several churches all over Mexico. We will see how to plant a multiplying church. Current missionaries will come from around the world to teach and pour into us.\nThe cost of the school for the two of us is $4600, so we will need some help. We are so appreciative for the way that you all have gotten behind us. If you feel led to partner with us, please use the link at the bottom of this email. Thank you for your prayers, they are the most valuable thing that you could possibly give us.\nAlso, if you know of anyone who has a heart for cross-cultural missions, but don’t know how to start, here is a link to the website for the school. /calvary-school-of-missions/ The application process is pretty straight forward and this school is unlike anything else that is available. We’re very excited for what the Lord is going to do through the school.\nWe have also decided to not go on the Nepal mission trip. We will have a better idea what is next after we return from Mexico, and we can’t wait to tell you all about it.\nWe also have a new address:\n15030 Ashwood Lane\nChino Hills, CA 91709\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/03/03/whats-ahead/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eFor our update this month, we wanted to update you on where the Lord has directed us and how the vision has morphed. During our visit to Montana, we met with our church leadership. They allowed us to cast our vision, and asked us lots of questions. This time was invaluable to us and we believe the Lord spoke to us through them. We returned to California with a lot to pray about and plenty to discuss with the leadership down here. As the last month passed, we feel that doors have closed and others have remained wide open that we can see God’s fingerprints all over.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"What's Ahead"},{"content":" 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”\n– James 4:13-15\nThe new year has brought us new opportunities to walk faithfully, after Christ, one step at a time. We are thankful for that at times, and frustrated by that at other times. Thankful that we don’t have to be overwhelmed by the whole picture, and that we can trust Him with everything that we don’t need to worry about right now. But sometimes we wish that we could see three or four steps ahead, and have a better idea what His plan is. We can rejoice in the fact that we serve a God that is so much smarter than we are. The current step has been great so far, and we will be well prepared once the next step comes.\nOn January 5th we celebrated Missions Sunday with Calvary Chapel Saving Grace. The church prayed over us and allowed us to have a ‘Japan’ table at the church BBQ where we could share our heart with the congregation. Whenever we get the chance to tell people about Japan and what God is doing there, it’s a great blessing to us. I also need the practice at sharing with people, so it was a double blessing in that way.\nLater that week we had the opportunity to meet with Pastor Chizuo from Tokyo. He was able to give us a better picture of what the spiritual terrain of Japan looks like, and gave us great advice on how to arrive over there and be successful and as little of a burden as possible. We have had the chance to talk to several missionaries on the field in Japan via Skype as well. These conversations are invaluable, and we praise God for those that have blazed the trail ahead of us.\nI am actually writing this letter from Montana. Thank you to everyone who prayed for us on this trip. We were able to bring our friend Isaac with us and he has been a huge blessing. He gets to experience winter and we benefit from his help to get our tasks accomplished that we came here to do. Thank you to our Montana church family for housing us and letting us share our burdens with you. From our small group bible studies to the church leadership, we were able to cast vision and hear input. Alishia was especially blessed by the trip, and is sad to head south again, but I’m sure all of you in the frozen parts of the country can exhort her when you see her.\nWe would like to tell you all exactly where we’re headed next, but we only know the current step. Thank you for your prayers as we continue to move forward. We are continuing in prayer about a vision trip to Japan later this year, if that be the Lord’s will. We also desire to go to the school of missions and church planting this summer in Mexico and Nepal. If you feel led to give to either of these trips, please use the link below or you can mail a check to us at Saving Grace World Missions.\n5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.\n– Proverbs 3:5-6\nWe love you all.\nJeff and Alishia\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2020/01/24/closer-each-day/","summary":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Closer Each Day"},{"content":"As we wrap up another year closer to serving the Lord among the unreached, we are happy to regale you with stories from our joyous Christmas season. At the start of December, Alishia hosted a table at the ladies Christmas dinner that Calvary Chapel Saving Grace has each year. The theme was ‘Christmas Around the World’, and Alishia did the Japan table. The ladies loved the origami that Alishia folded, as well as the bonzai that one of the church couples loaned her. I was asked to coordinate the food for the event, and although I was in over my head, the ladies didn’t seem to notice and my team picked up any slack. It was a great evening with music and dinner and a gospel message from a missionary serving in Nepal.\nThe next week Alishia set up and served at a Christmas dinner for Voice of the Refugees. In a previous letter I told you about this ministry and the work they due among displaced people here in Orange County. This dinner was a great opportunity to share the reason for Christmas with a group of refugees that were mostly Muslim. The ministry has a large impact because it shows practical love to people (especially women) who are isolated here in the US, and this night was no different.\nWe had a wonderful Christmas, although we missed many of you, celebrating with new friends and being thankful for our Savior. We are so grateful to everyone here in California that took us in and loved on us this year. Everyone was so generous towards us and we felt like we were home even if we weren’t. Alishia did a fundraiser for our Japan vision trip where she made floral centerpieces that people could order. She did a great job on the arrangements and the response was very positive.\nThis year has been one of the most trial filled years of our lives and we rejoice in it. We can see very specific ways that the Lord is preparing us for the mission field and while its hard day-to-day, the path we can look back on is clearly marked and faith building. We don’t expect this year to be easier, in fact we are just running with footmen, the horses are still on the horizon. The floodplain of the Jordan beckons and we will need to be strong when we get there. Love you all and happy New Year.\n“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,\nThen how can you contend with horses?\nAnd if in the land of peace,\nIn which you trusted, they wearied you,\nThen how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?\nJeremiah 12:5\nPrayer requests:\n-We are traveling home to Montana in January to see our church and take care of some things. Please pray that the trip goes well.\n-Please continue to pray about our Japan trip this coming spring. That God would provide direction and favor with all the details.\n-Please pray for the learning opportunities that we have for next summer. Eight weeks in Mexico and Nepal learning to plant churches.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2019/12/31/where-were-going-where-weve-been/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eAs we wrap up another year closer to serving the Lord among the unreached, we are happy to regale you with stories from our joyous Christmas season. At the start of December, Alishia hosted a table at the ladies Christmas dinner that Calvary Chapel Saving Grace has each year. The theme was ‘Christmas Around the World’, and Alishia did the Japan table. The ladies loved the origami that Alishia folded, as well as the bonzai that one of the church couples loaned her. I was asked to coordinate the food for the event, and although I was in over my head, the ladies didn’t seem to notice and my team picked up any slack. It was a great evening with music and dinner and a gospel message from a missionary serving in Nepal.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Where We're Going, Where We've Been"},{"content":"It is interesting for me to look back and see the way the Lord has gotten us to where we are today. It gives me peace about where we are to know at some point, I will look back on where ever I am, whether I can see the Lord’s leading in the situation or not, knowing that one day I will see his fingerprints even in the small things. When Ryan (My first husband) was still alive there was a time right before his death that he felt just burdened to go to Northern Canada and to make a considerable amount of money. I didn’t understand this desire in him because everything before this had shown me that he had no desire to leave my side for any reason. So, he went for one month, one time, two weeks before his death. He left me with more money then I had ever seen because this sacrifice. Fast forward a year, Jeff and I were planning to go on a honeymoon. I had told Jeff “I want to take you on an international honeymoon.” He had never been out of North America. I had been holding onto the nest egg Ryan had left me, I felt that this trip was the reason I had the money. It was this trip that lit a fire for the Japanese people in both of our hearts. It was not until a year later that we got the call to be missionaries over there. I look back and can see how God used Ryan to get Jeff and I over to Japan. It’s neat to think about the impact Ryan has had in us becoming missionaries.\nFor it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13\nOn Tuesday nights we have the great opportunity to serve with an organization called Firefighters for Christ. It is a highlight of our week and a huge blessing in our lives. If you are not familiar with the ministry, people from across the US and around the world order CDs and DVDs and we ship them to them free of charge. Jeff and I start each week filling orders and packaging them for shipment, then we help put labels on the CDs and package them. Then we all share a meal and have a bible study to end the night. The man that oversees the ministry, Pastor Steve, always tells us we’re already missionaries because we’re helping to reach people all over the world. Getting the chance to pray for fledgling believers by name who live in closed countries is incredibly encouraging.\nFor Halloween, the church hosted several trick-or-treat locations around town. We helped with one of the locations, on a very busy street that saw 1200-1500 kids come by in the three hours we were there. We manned the cotton candy machine while other people handed out candy and tracts, gave out popcorn and hotdogs, helped with the bounce house, or did street witnessing. It was a little bit of light on a very dark night, but every kid that wanted cotton candy (all of them) were told that Jesus loves them and all you can do it plant the seeds.\nThank you to you all for praying about my job opportunities. I took the job at the coffee shop and also ended up getting a job at a flower shop as well. Praise the Lord.\nSorry that this update is a little late, but we have big news to share for the future. In the next several months we are going to go on a vision trip to Japan, and attend a missions and church planting school in Mexico. We will pass on more info about the dates of the vision trip next update, and the school in Mexico is in July and August.\nPrayer requests:\n- Please pray for our vision trip to Japan. That the Lord would speak clearly to us and give us direction.\n- Pray that the Lord will provide financially for the two trips we have coming up in the next eight months.\n- Alishia is feeling a bit homesick without snow for Christmas, pray for her comfort.\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2019/12/05/proverbs-169/","summary":"\u003cp\u003eIt is\ninteresting for me to look back and see the way the Lord has gotten us to where\nwe are today. It gives me peace about where we are to know at some point, I will\nlook back on where ever I am, whether I can see the Lord’s leading in the\nsituation or not, knowing that one day I will see his fingerprints even in the\nsmall things.   When Ryan (My first husband) was still alive\nthere was a time right before his death that he felt just burdened to go to\nNorthern Canada and to make a considerable amount of money. I didn’t understand\nthis desire in him because everything before this had shown me that he had no desire\nto leave my side for any reason.  So, he\nwent for one month, one time, two weeks before his death. He left me with more\nmoney then I had ever seen because this sacrifice. Fast forward a year, Jeff\nand I were planning to go on a honeymoon. I had told Jeff “I want to take you\non an international honeymoon.” He had never been out of North America. I had\nbeen holding onto the nest egg Ryan had left me, I felt that this trip was the\nreason I had the money.  It was this trip\nthat lit a fire for the Japanese people in both of our hearts. It was not until\na year later that we got the call to be missionaries over there. I look back\nand can see how God used Ryan to get Jeff and I over to Japan. It’s neat to\nthink about the impact Ryan has had in us becoming missionaries.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Proverbs 16:9"},{"content":" When we moved down to Orange County a little over a month now, we were stepping out on faith. We arrived in Yorba Linda without a place to stay or jobs, and God provided both for us in short order. Our first day in town we attended one of the Life Groups that meet in the homes of several members of the church. No sooner had we met everyone there that one of our fellow interns, Jim, had offered to let us stay with him at his house! The next day Alishia and I went job hunting, and I applied for a bakery position at a Japanese grocery store up the street from the church. They said that it would take 1 to 2 weeks to process the application, but I got a call back two days later to schedule an interview. At the interview the they said that I would hear within ten days if I got the job or not, this time they called the next day and I started the next Monday. Alishia put in applications at a few places in town and was able to secure work at both a coffee shop and a memory care unit that connected to a retirement home here in town. Please pray for her as she decides which of the two jobs to take, or for strength if she decides to do both.\nAt our initial trip to the Japanese grocery store, while I was filling out an application, Alishia met a Christian Japanese woman named Hiroko. They hit it off right away and exchanged phone numbers. The next week, Hiroko asked us to drive her up to the mountains north of here to a time share she has. Since I had not started work yet we happily agreed and it was a pleasure to spend the weekend with her and her friends (missionaries from the Philippines, serving in San Diego).\nWe were given the opportunity to attend a benefit gala for Voice of the Refugees with the other interns and the pastor we serve under and his wife. It was a great night meeting people and learning about this amazing ministry that serves refugees in southern California. They provide ESL classes for children and adults, as well as helping fill out paperwork, provide food or household items to the needy families, and even teach driving lessons. They share the gospel with families who have been displaced with literally nothing left. No home, no job, no possessions, they have even left their families behind. We were very blessed to be able to attend the event and are looking forward to the chance to work with this ministry in the next year.\nThis past week we were able to find a permanent place to live near Yorba Linda. With help from our Life Group we were able to meet a couple that had a room to rent. They often rent a room to young people in bible school and call themselves a ‘finishing house’, as kids spend a season with them and then head out to the mission field.\nThank you all for your prayers. Please continue to pray for:\nAn opportunity to minister to the Japanese population in Yorba Linda When to take a scouting trip to Japan, and what ministries to visit on the trip And again wisdom for Alishia as she weighs her employment opportunities ","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2019/10/19/settling-in/","summary":"\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2019/10/image1-e1571513922156-768x1024.jpeg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we moved down to Orange County a little over a month\nnow, we were stepping out on faith.  We\narrived in Yorba Linda without a place to stay or jobs, and God provided both for\nus in short order. Our first day in town we attended one of the Life Groups\nthat meet in the homes of several members of the church. No sooner had we met\neveryone there that one of our fellow interns, Jim, had offered to let us stay\nwith him at his house! The next day Alishia and I went job hunting, and I\napplied for a bakery position at a Japanese grocery store up the street from\nthe church. They said that it would take 1 to 2 weeks to process the application,\nbut I got a call back two days later to schedule an interview. At the interview\nthe they said that I would hear within ten days if I got the job or not, this\ntime they called the next day and I started the next Monday. Alishia put in\napplications at a few places in town and was able to secure work at both a\ncoffee shop and a memory care unit that connected to a retirement home here in\ntown. Please pray for her as she decides which of the two jobs to take, or for\nstrength if she decides to do both.\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Settling In"},{"content":" The LORD your God in your midst,\nThe Mighty One, will save;\nHe will rejoice over you with gladness,\nHe will quiet you with His love,\nHe will rejoice over you with singing.”\nZephaniah 3:17\nAs you may know, Alishia and I have felt called to serve the Lord in Japan for two years now. That calling has led us to change churches, move to California for training, and ultimately intern here with Saving Grace World Missions in Yorba Linda, California. You may also know that we spent last semester at the Calvary Bible Institute in Yucca Valley, California getting general bible and ministry training. While there, we had a missions class the first and last Friday of each month, which is where we met Rob Douglass, a veteran missionary in Africa and Asia, and Pastor Trent Douglass, the head pastor of a sending church in Orange County. We were two of only a few students in our class that felt called to overseas missions at that time, so we instantly connected with the Douglass brothers and looked forward to our twice a month class with them most of all. They were experienced in not only being and sending missionaries, but in training others in how to be and send missionaries as well. They taught us foundational elements of what it takes to be a cross-cultural missionary; how to not offend your host nation, what to do in awkward cultural misunderstandings, and how to preach the gospel in non-western cultures for example. While we were thankful for the general training we were getting, we longed for more of this specific training and wished we could be part of a school that focused on missions first and foremost. We started praying for an opportunity to be mentored by these men, and another of our teachers as well. In our hearts, these three seemed the reason God had brought us down to California.\nNow may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.\n2 Thessalonians 3:5\nSummer came and we went home to Montana to reassess how the Lord was leading us. We stayed in contact with everyone down in orange county. Pastor Trent and Rob were doing a school of missions in Mexico for the summer and we wanted to be a part of it. However, due to a lack of funds and prior commitments we felt like that door was closed to us. We continued to pray about being a part of their church however, and we talked with the pastor and elders at our church in Whitefish (Calvary Chapel Whitefish). We felt the Lord telling us to move onto Saving Grace from CBI, but I wasn’t faithful enough to commit one way or the other. I needed a sign or a door to close, but none came. Finally, at the end of August we decided just to commit to Saving Grace and let CBI know we wouldn’t be returning, it was then that the Lord moved on the situation. We let Pastor Trent know of our decision, and he let us know that we could be a part of a brand-new internship that stemmed out of the school down in Mexico. Praise God, HE is faithful!! What a blessing, we didn’t even know it was an option and now we had the opportunity to continue our training in a missions focused church. The internship is designed specifically to equip and prepare the saints to have the knowledge, spiritual maturity, the know how to church plant, and to build a team around us (that’s you) to be able to run the race the Lord has for us.\nTherefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.\nHebrews 12:1-2\nSo here we are, in awe of all our prayers and desires being fulfilled. So thankful to be a part of this internship for the next year, and more certain then ever that the Lord will continue to move in our midst. We feel more and more called to Japan as each new chapter unfolds revealing the path the Lord has for us to walk. The Lord is so faithful to fulfill His promises and for us it seems still apparent to us that Japan is His promise and call on our Life.\nAnd Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.\nMatthew 28:18-20\n","permalink":"https://archive.sgwm.com/root/root/2019/09/17/onward-and-upward/","summary":"\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe LORD your God in your midst,\u003cbr\u003e\nThe Mighty One, will save;\u003cbr\u003e\nHe will rejoice over you with gladness,\u003cbr\u003e\nHe will quiet\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eyou\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ewith His love,\u003cbr\u003e\nHe will rejoice over you with singing.”\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZephaniah 3:17\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cfigure\u003e\n    \u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" src=\"/root/wp-content/uploads/sites/116/2019/09/15085523%5F10154312299893229%5F8328526235785045520%5Fn.jpg\"/\u003e \n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAs you may know, Alishia and I have felt called to serve the Lord in Japan for two years now. That calling has led us to change churches, move to California for training, and ultimately intern here with Saving Grace World Missions in Yorba Linda, California. You may also know that we spent last semester at the Calvary Bible Institute in Yucca Valley, California getting general bible and ministry training. While there, we had a missions class the first and last Friday of each month, which is where we met Rob Douglass, a veteran missionary in Africa and Asia, and Pastor Trent Douglass, the head pastor of a sending church in Orange County. We were two of only a few students in our class that felt called to overseas missions at that time, so we instantly connected with the Douglass brothers and looked forward to our twice a month class with them most of all. They were experienced in not only being and sending missionaries, but in training others in how to be and send missionaries as well. They taught us foundational elements of what it takes to be a cross-cultural missionary; how to not offend your host nation, what to do in awkward cultural misunderstandings, and how to preach the gospel in non-western cultures for example. While we were thankful for the general training we were getting, we longed for more of this specific training and wished we could be part of a school that focused on missions first and foremost. We started praying for an opportunity to be mentored by these men, and another of our teachers as well. In our hearts, these three seemed the reason God had brought us down to California.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","title":"Walking by Faith"}]