"And hope does not disappoint us..."

It was very fitting--and a special blessing--to have the theme for today's worship be "hope." Throughout the last several years of viewing myself as a nomadic wanderer, realizing the restoration plan God has in store for the people of the world, and working at a church named Nozomi (hope in Japanese), the word has taken on special significance for me, and it was encouraging to have hope be the theme of today's worship and commissioning service.

Three months ago, I would not have pictured myself at this place, but today I found myself being commissioned and sent by Good Shepherd Church of Owatonna, MN, to the Japanese Lutheran Church (NRK) in Fukushima, Japan. And can I say, for the record, that it was one of those moments when I was amazed and in awe of the church as the body of Christ. People that I never knew before going to Japan in 2006 are now people that I remember warmly as those who have prayed for me and asked me questions when I felt alone. Even though today was only the 4th visit to Good Shepherd in the last 4 years (I think), I felt loved, encouraged, built up, and understood. What a blessing!! I have been moving from place to place for years now, it seems, and in that process of moving my home church somehow became Nozomi Church in Niigata, Japan. I was so touched this morning at Good Shepherd to realize that not only did I have a partnership with them in sharing the Gospel, but I had a "home church" of people that I have come to know and who have come to know me.

The reading for this morning was from the beginning of Romans 5, and it was so fitting! "Hope does not disappoint us..."--such a good reminder when everything around us is uncertain! Also, it reminds me of what is truly important in ministry--that Jesus' salvation and promise of eternal restoration and redemption is communicated to people in ways they understand. Japan is a rich country, compared to other nations of the world. I am young, inexperienced, and really quite unimpressive in terms of the skills, abilities, and personality that might be good for doing ministry in Japan. BUT God's message of hope reaches through Good Shepherd, through me, through other "clay pots" that seem weak in and of themselves...to show even more clearly that hope in God's promise is the ONLY thing that doesn't disappoint!

This morning was one of great blessing...and I am looking forward to more glimpses of the body of Christ in action as all of these pieces fall together and we begin to step towards Fukushima!