Easter Thoughts

Happy Easter!

We have new life in Christ through His eternal sacrifice on the cross.  We are recipient of His divine mercy!  How can we not rejoice?!!

Since getting married, I cannot help but be grateful for the "new life" I also have, both, as a newly married person and also as someone living in another country.

God has been faithful in this bright and new "adventure of faith"!  It's only right that I shout out His bounteous blessings to the world! 

Despite all the challenges I knew I'd face, moving to Japan... learning the language, adjusting to married life, trying not to get lost on the train or run over while biking... I can hardly believe it but it's just a BREEZE!  I was expecting I'd be depressed, maybe confused and alienated, but I'm none of those things!

Before moving here, my husband and I were talking about which apartment would be best for us.  Since both of us love playing the guitar, we were apprehensive about the neighbors getting bothered by the noise.  My husband said it would be nice if we had a sound-proof apartment.  I said, "let's pray for one!"  He said, "They're expensive."  Well then I said to myself, "I'll still pray."

Well, my husband got an apartment but it wasn't sound-proof.  But then, after a few months, before I got my visa to settle here, someone knocked at the door.  The realtor said, "We are going to sound-proof your apartment!"

It was due to the airplanes that would habitually fly over us (which didn't bother us).  The US airbase nearby was going to pay for it.  Wow!  Isn't that awesome?  They also wanted to change our door which was the only old-looking thing in the apartment.

Then, I needed to learn the language quick!  I would spend hours in the supermarket just looking at labels wondering what things were.  So I looked online.  Either they were very expensive lessons or too far away or didn't happen during my free time.  I tried doing self-study but I was getting nowhere with it.

I prayed again asking the Lord for a FREE class (!!!)

Lo and behold, there was a volunteer class - on a day I could go - just 10 minutes by bike - and totally FREE!!!

As a bonus, the church started a Japanese class and it was virtually free (had to pay for the book) too!  So I have 2 classes nearby :))))))

When I was praying the other day, God reminded me that my lifestyle in Japan is one I've been dreaming of in years past.  It's a more active lifestyle as we don't have a car... so we have to walk or bike everywhere (yay, smaller thighs).

As I've gotten older, I've noticed that I've also been wanting to go somewhere cooler.  Manila's sweltering heat and traffic have made me pine for a simpler, more quiet lifestyle.  That is exactly what I have now.

Even my fear of cooking has subsided.  I now look forward to trying out new thing and no longer shudder at meat (!!!).  I love cooking for my husband.  He is so appreciative of all my efforts.

Just yesterday, God provided another blessing.

My husband works at 2 locations and we live in the middle.  The work he has at night is an hour away on a crowded train during rush hour so after some time, he was saying how much he wanted a class nearby.  I thought, well then, let's pray for that.  He said that would be next to impossible because all the companies who need his services are downtown.

Still I prayed... and then ....

He got an offer to work near our apartment!  Only a 15 minute walk away, so he can come home by dinner time!!!  Hurray!

The only problem was that he couldn't find another person to take over his remaining night work ... so we prayed again.

So yesterday, someone took the work of his hands.  Hooray!!!

God indeed meets us where we are.  When the disciples walked away from Jerusalem, (and in turn, walking away in disappointment of Jesus' death,) Jesus walked and talked with them.  He stayed with them.  He opened their eyes in the breaking of the bread.  He revealed Himself to them.

After which, the disciples headed back to Jerusalem.  They were no longer disenchanted, but knew Jesus was alive!  He is the living God!  He meets where we are and loves us so!

Holley Gerth