Japan???

In the past few entries I tried to share some important stories and insights from my year in Quebec. God was working in my life then, but He hasn't stopped! In January 2007, I was researching opportunities for the coming fall. What would I do? Where would I go? I really wanted to be teaching in a Christian school, as I had been trained to do. God has given me a passion for discipling children in this context. While I was looking around at different organizations, a good friend from college phoned me from Japan. Yisel told me that there was a grade 6 teaching position available at her Christian school in Japan. Would I apply?

I had never really thought about Japan, but I did want to go to Asia. I even had a vision while praying, two weeks before this phone call, in which Jesus helped me organize my "dreams" for life. Every dream was written on a piece of paper, and we had some sorting to do. Some were placed in a filing box for later. Some were placed in His hands, and I don't know if/when I'll see them again. He gave one paper back to me at the end of this vision, with one phrase written on it: "Teach in China." I believe this referred to my dream of teaching in an Asian country. I'd always imagined it would be China, because that was the first country I thought of, but I knew it would be very unusual to teach in a Christian school in China!

On top of that, I'd always joked with Yisel about coming to Japan -- but only if there was a grade 6 position. Too many things lined up for this to be just a coincidence - I know that God was at work.

I applied, and two weeks later I was hired to be the grade six teacher at an international school located in Japan. (If you want specifics, email me. I'm not posting anymore information on a public website) While I was reading the Bible, God spoke to me from Isaiah 55:12 --

"You will go out with joy and be led forth with peace, the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. This will be for the LORD's renown..."

A couple of weeks later (in early March), a woman who was praying for me found and shared this exact verse, confirming what God had already said to me. I was walking in peace and confidence, preparing for a move to Japan.