M Y    P E R S O N A L    T E S T I M O N Y

God has made me into a new creature. I do not know the exact time or place when I first confessed Jesus as my Lord. But I now identify myself with Him and desire for others to do the same. "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I am grateful that I was born in the United States, where I was exposed to church from a young age. However, neither of my parents considered themselves born-again Christians until I was about 10 years-old, when my mom clearly heard the message of the cross and was saved. My parents were already divorced at the time, and my dad later profess Christ as His savior through baptism in March of 2003.

Since my mom's conversion experience, we often went to church together, but I never committed to church or got baptized. Some of the most important goals I had by the time I was in high school were to do well in school, to be financially successful in the future, to have many friends, and to win the approval of many people. However, by the end of high school, I had given into a hidden life of sin and had chosen the wrong friends. I realized that some of these things had escaped my control, and that amidst all of the fun, I was empty inside. By the end of my senior year of high school, I wanted a change.

I began seeking God by reading my Bible and praying by myself. I remember a few experiences where I felt like I had met with God, but they were not very deep or long-lasting. I tried to stop some of the things that I knew were bad for me, but I did not want to give up everything! Needless to say, I failed at seeking the Lord, because I did not seek Him whole-heartedly. By the time I entered the University of Arizona in August of 1998, I had all but forgotten my desire for a new life with God.

Thankfully, God had by no means forgotten about me. Soon after the beginning of my freshman year, I met a campus minister named Aaron Brechtel. We met weekly to read and discuss the Bible in a personal way, and he introduced me to many people who had committed themselves to Jesus. I quickly realized that it was possible and necessary for me to have a new life with God. I was baptized in the winter of my freshman year.

I began going to church and reading the Bible regularly. God gradually changed my heart so that I hated my own sins, while showing me that He had forgiven me and was with me, helping me to overcome them. At one point, I realized that I had no real friends. This was because I no longer had a real connection with my non-Christian friends (girlfriend included), and I did not yet have any close Christian friends. I prayed almost every night for real Christian friends. Now I have too many, and I love them all!

I became involved in Baptist Student Ministries. With the help of the director, Eddy Pearson, I grew and surrendered more to Jesus. At the beginning of my senior year, I changed my major from geological engineering to East Asian Studies. I did this while in Japan at the end of a short-term mission trip. God showed me that my motives for studying engineering were sinful. He also put a burden on my heart for Japan and showed me the lack of the gospel there. I changed my major in faith. My new major and my new burden for Japan lit the path in front of me and I could now better see where I was going. This calling to Japan has been the greatest adventure in my new life with God. I do not know how long I will be in Japan, but I have no arguments against serving Jesus there until I die.



T H E    W A Y    G O D    B R O U G H T    M E    T O    J A P A N

When I made my commitment to Christ in 1998, I was a freshman in college. That same year, I began meeting Japanese people. In 2000, I was praying about my future and offering it to God. I was always interested in foreign cultures and languages, and through prayer, I became excited about studying Japanese. Without much hesitation, I enrolled in the beginning class. My major was engineering, so I wanted to quit Japanese after two semesters, and then continue with a full engineering schedule until graduation.

By the summer before my fourth year of college (2001), I had completed my 2 semesters of Japanese. But before the next semester, God led me to a short-term mission trip in Japan. So I went by faith. I worked at a summer camp in Nagoya and was in Japan for about 6 weeks at that time.

While in Japan, I was drawn to the culture. It was strange to me, and I was curious. I sensed everywhere a rich history and tradition. More importantly, I sensed the darkness of Japan. That is, a lack of the good news of the Lord Jesus. I felt like no one around me had heard of the saving power of Jesus blood. As far as I could see, there were few worshippers and not much being done about that problem.

It was my relationship with Jesus that brought me back to Japan almost two years later. When on my summer mission trip, I was praying about my major - engineering. I realized that I didn't like it. I also thought a lot about my position as a lab-assistant for the Geosciences Dept. I spent all day trying to get small rocks out of bigger rocks. Then they could be tested for their age. The data would be included in a scientific report, which (if published) may be of interest to another scientist somewhere in the world. In that case, maybe that scientist would read my name as one of the lab-assistants for that project! With my limited point-of-view, I could not see how that job and many others would be good for my future, namely, for eternity. But I could see many people lost in Japan, as well as Jesus' command to His disciples: go and make disciples of all nations."

As I was spending time with my Savior, praying and searching the Word that summer in Japan, I realized that my motives for being a geological engineer were not in obedience to God. I chose my major because I had some interest in geology and because I wanted to please others. When the Lord revealed all of these things, I was at a missionary family's house in Japan (the Phipps), and I quickly went on-line to drop all of my engineering classes and replace them with Japanese studies classes. During the remaining semesters, I found it quite liberating to tell my instructors and classmates that I was taking such-and-such a class because I wanted to go to Japan as a missionary for Jesus!

Also, when I was seeking Jesus in Japan, I fell in love with certain sections of the Bible, such as 1 Corinthians 9 and Isaiah 48:9-11. I had a few great times of prayer, and basically I felt a challenge from God: For my glory, follow me to this place and immerse yourself. What a radical command! It must be right, I thought, since I have such a radical God. So I quietly agreed in my heart, but I had a hard time saying it with my lips.

Then I met a missionary named David Spurdle. I was encouraged by his mission work and by the good things that he had seen in Japan. He invited me to his churches (I am typing this in one of those churches). And he gave me the chance to share my testimony. At the end of telling my testimony, I said "after college, I will return to Japan as a missionary."

So I went back and finished school. In the mean time, I was talking to David a little bit and deciding how I would go to Japan. I wanted to arrive as soon as possible after graduating. David said that since I preached the Gospel around town, I could come and work with him. Apparently many missionaries that he has met in Japan do everything but tell the good news. After getting all necessary approval, here I am! I have committed to 2 years at this church, but I can't see myself leaving so soon.

I am thankful that God chooses to use those who believe in Him. I am thankful that He is in my life here in Japan. He has changed me and continues to refine me daily. Great is the name of the Lord!