Where in the World is Ellie?

I'm actually back in Danville! ...for now.

Tomorrow I leave for Living in Grace, a conference/discipleship training/retreat/thing for itinerant missionaries like myself. It has the potential to be an incredible time of growth, quiet time of rest with God, hopefully meeting some new friends...all kinds of good stuff. Plus it's not too far from Asheville, NC, (one of the best cities ever) so it has to be good, right?

For now...this was last week:
Those are a few pictures of my sister Denise and her girls, who I got to spend 9 days with on my way home...aren't they awesome? It was a really good week of playing with the girls, reading lots of books, (changing lots of diapers), late-night talks about life, and of course, making lots of cookies :)

Active Waiting

A friend of mine described waiting as active, and I feel that combination describes me quite well.

I am waiting. So incredibly ready to be in Japan. Every time I hear another story from Japan (no matter how amazing or heart-breaking), share my stories from Japan, or tell about my calling, my heart burns and leaps with desire. My spirit is all at once joyful, eager, and restless. It's a weird feeling, but a good one. And as the Spirit oozes a comforting chill of comfort, patience, and assurance, I know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be now, and the burn is just a healthy assurance that soon, I will go. Trusting and submitting to the peace of God. I am waiting.

But thankfully, that trusting and peaceful waiting does not mean sitting around. It means praying without ceasing for Japan and for my support-raising journey, and it means acting. Telling everybody I can about Japan, and what God is doing there. It means swallowing the lump in my throat and asking others to give money so I can go. Emails, phone calls, big group talks, letters, meetings, one-on-one conversations. It means studying Japanese, and practicing music. And sometimes hardest of all, it means living where I am right now; actively loving who I am with right now; not getting so caught up in the tomorrow that I ignore today. I am active.

We must "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD" (Psalm 27:14) but also, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work" (1 Chronicles 28:20). It all seems like a weird paradox, but somehow...it works. When I actually do it, it works extremely well.

もういちど /mou ichido/ say what?!

Ok, so really もういちど means "one more time", or "pardon", but all of that to say, I am officially learning Japanese! That's right, all my undergrad classes are over, so starting yesterday I'm studying Japanese 1 hour a day, 6 days a week. We'll see how this goes... If nothing else, I can drive myself completely insane by watching videos like these:

That song is kinda catchy... ;)

Oh, and no, don't worry, I'm not really basing my study on painful youtube videos. I'm learning the real way: by watching lots of anime. (I'm kidding! I'm kidding!)

But seriously, learning Japanese is important to me, and I hear it's pretty tough, so all prayers for perseverance (and people to practice with over the coming months) would be much appreciated!

Where to begin? Let's hope.

So much has happened since I wrote my last post - a trip to Paris, earthquake/tsunami/nuclear craziness in Japan, trying to stay caught up on what is going on over there, trying to get into active support raising, trying to start getting specific plans for summer travels, and guess what? I have only 10 days of normal class days left before I graduate. I'm excited about graduating, excited about going to Japan, excited about how God is working in spite of and even through this catastrophe, and that I get to share with people here what He's doing there...but that's a whole lot happening at once, and it all involves a whole lot of bitter-sweet emotions.

Sometimes, it feels like it is just too much. So I'm going to put off telling you details about all the exciting things in that paragraph up there, and just say this:

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful"
(Hebrews 10:23)

I know He is faithful, but sometimes I just need to sit and remember it. Believe it. And hopefully (as the next verse says to), encourage you with it. And as we hold unswervingly to that hope, as sappy as it may sound, life is not too much. Through God's strength, one minute/task/relationship at a time...

And speaking of hope, did you know it is officially cherry blossom season in Japan? Here are two quotes (from BBC): "The cherry blossom symbolizes rebirth and renewal...As Japan works to rebuild and recover amid a continuing nuclear crisis, the blossoming cherry trees provide a glimmer of hope." Praise God for this beauty and comfort, and join me in praying for the even greater Hope to spread rapidly through the people of Japan during this season.

MTW - Disaster Response in Japan from Go Global on Vimeo.

A video (made by MTW) of pictures from my team and the church in Japan!

Japan Tsunami Aftermath

I know this is old news to all of you by now, but pray for Japan!

I was spending a week in France when it all happened, and am now busily getting caught up on the news. My heart breaks for the Japanese, but I am confident God is moving in Japan and loves them more than I ever could. And if nothing else, what a great opportunity for the church in Japan to reach out and love those around them, and for us to support them in any way we can.

I'm not dead yet! (*in an awesome British accent*)

For anyone wondering what happened to me and the weekly posts...I'm still alive, I promise!

Major happenings:

~Last Saturday was my Senior Piano Recital, so the highest hurdle of my undergraduate education is now complete - phew! Praise God for a successful performance (and a peaceful spirit for this perfectionist who wishes she could just go back and fix...)

~I leave this Friday, the 11th, for a 1 week mission to Paris, France with 10 others from the college ministry at Pinelake here in Jackson, MS. Go here for more information on this exciting opportunity. And please pray: that we would allow God to fill us with His abundant love and strength so that we might overflow to those we meet in Paris. (Or as I like to say, let His light shine!)