I wanted to share with you two, the neat encounter with my friend from highschool the other day.
I was planning to attend my friend's wedding reception from highschool, but because it was on the weekday, I forgot to bring my dress to work. At first, I was planning not to go because of the dress, but decided that I could just go with the outfit that I had on that day, so I went.
At the party, there were about 15 classmates from my high school, and many of them I havent met since I graduated almost 10 years ago, so it was like a little reunion.
After the party, one of the classmates called Aya and I decided to take the same train back, since both of us lived by Keiyo-line. Because 10 years had passed since we saw each other last, we talked about many things- And she asked me how my sister came to live in MS.(I mentioned about it during the reception) So I told her that all my family except my father is Christian, and how she met Michael, ect.
She told me that her younger sister is also a Christian, (she became a Christian when she studied in the States) and she has a boyfriend in the states who is now going to a seminary, and she told me that she also started going to church about a year ago.
This really surprised me, first, because I didnt expect anyone to be a Christian from highschool. ( you know how difficult it is to find christian in JPN)
Second, she seemed to be the kind of person who was satisfied with her life without any help from "god" ( I mean there are those people claim that they are happy and satisfied without any "god", and she told me that she was like that until 1 year ago.)
But she shared with me that this past 1 year, she had suddenly experienced some kind of emotional breakdown, ( I dont really know the exact reason, but she told me that being the oldest had made her feel the "pressure" to be always "the best", and she realized that she cant always live up to that expectation) and because her sister suggested to go to church, she started going.(her sister fervently prays for Aya's salvation, and it was evident that He answers the prayer in such a way)
She is not baptized yet, but she really wants to learn more about God.
Do you know the Christian tract, "power for living?" Well, pretty recently, there had been commercials on secular TV and also ads on subways in JPN, and she happen to get one, too. She said that this tract really helped her to understand the meaning of "god's grace", and this really helped her, since it is still a bit too difficult to read the bible and grasp the meaning of it, she told me.
Anyway, she told me that singing the hyms in church brings tear in her eyes, and that going to the church gives peace in her heart.
I was just in awe, how god is working actively in her heart, and also working in such a way that we would end up taking the same train back together. It was almost a miracle that we ended up in the same train that very day; She just got transfered to Chiba in her company, so that is why she was able to attend the reception that night; also, though there were about 15 classmates at the reception, she was the only one who lived along Keio line, so that we could take the same train back together; Because I happened to mention about my sister living in MS led her to ask me about my sister- and that led me to share about what we believe in.; One of the members of the church in Oita(where she used to live before moving to Chiba) recommended her Oyumino church(he happed to know someone from Oyumino), when she told him that she would be moving to Chiba, and asked him what church would be a good one to attend. Everything worked just perfectly, and I really sensed the strong presence of God that day.
Though she is still a seeker, I am confident that the lord will continue to work in her heart.
She told me that she still suffers from the "darkness" that she cannot share with others, and still in the process of healing. I told her, that no matter how dark, how difficult the situation seems, He will be able to bring the healing and love that we can never imagine, so that she can rest assured.
I also told her how neat it is to be a children of God, because we dont have to feel like we have to impress anyone, but we can becontent with who we are. I said that going to church every sunday would "reset" me, and enable me to have a fresh start no matter how messed up that week had been.
I remembered that one time I visited your house (when I was still a seeker) you two told me that once He get hold of my righ(or left?) arm, He will never let it go, even when my grips becomes loose. That really helped me understand of His grace, and put my heart at ease!! So I did the same thing, by holding her wrist, describing that He would never let of this grip, though she decides to let it go.
She later emailed me, that she was really glad that we had the conversation on the train that day, and she thought I was glowing- and told me that it must be because of the "god" that lives within me^-^

"I evangelized with Power For Living"

(Ms. M)