beautiful feet

It's been a while since we had an update as we had a sickness keep our littlest one down and our biggest one down for a good week or so. As we continue preparing for and working towards the goal of moving to Tokyo to share the gospel, we see more and more how messy ministry and life can be even here and now. The reality is though, in the messiness, there is a greater opportunity to experience God's grace through Christ.

Just over a week ago we learned of another family working towards being full time missionaries to Japan, specifically in the city of Nagoya through World Venture. We had mutual friends from our church body who took a Perspectives class with them and another friend from college who ran track and field with the husband, Jamison. He and his wife Kathryne had just welcomed their third child into the world a couple of months ago, his name is Calvin and he has an older sister, Violet and brother, Ezra. They are the Pals family and on Sunday, July 31st their family entered into the rest of their Savior as they were all lost in a car accident on their way to their last training before heading out to Japan.

So with this update, we wanted to share with you their lives and ask that you pray for their families. Pray for Japan. Pray that God would continue to raise up laborers like the Pals family willing to surrender all for the sake of the cross. We will provide a link to their blog, the Joy of Japan, where you can read of this amazing family who were faithfully walking out God's call on their lives to take the good news and hope of Christ having conquered death to the ends of the earth. But specifically I wanted to share this portion of Jamison's blog with you, dear readers, written this past April.

"I do not know how things will turn out for us. As a husband, I feel obligated to lead our family toward obedience, whatever the end may be–whether it is life or death or discomfort or disappointment. It is clear that the Lord Jesus calls us not to an easy life, however he calls us. He bids us to take up our cross–just as he did–to suffer and die. Perhaps we will toil for years to raise support and never make it overseas. Perhaps we will go and utterly “fail” as missionaries from all worldly perspectives. Perhaps we will labor for decades without any visible fruit. Or perhaps through willing obedience, many will pass from death to eternal life."

I have been profoundly moved in learning of this family's faith in God and hope that you are as well. And lastly, I will share these lyrics from a song that we were reminded of as we processed this tragedy.

"What can I give unto you my Lord, for you are of infinite worth

The sum of my songs, the cry of my heart, the breath that descends to earth

What cry can the deepest of sorrow bring that you do not well understand?

What laugh can the outburst of joy not sing of the providence wrought by your hand?

There's a song that is sung by the saints that have come and have gone from under the sun

Those that are present before your thrown they sing endlessly; the glory of God!

Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength

Be to our God forever and ever and ever, amen"

Further links for their memorial fund and memorial of this family's life:

Memorial fund

http://www.palsfamilyfound.org

John Pipers memorial for Pal Family

http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/john-piper-s-funeral-prayer-for-a-family-of-five