Being called...

So, I'll start by answering the first question...how did I end up here in the first place? 

I will resist the urge of inserting a childish joke about reproductive biology, and instead insert below an excerpt from my application for this missions trip, which tells the story as to why I decided to do missions in Japan.  It's quite long, but I think it's important for you, the reader, (as well as myself) to get some context as to why I decided to do a short-term missions trip...and particularly in Japan:
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Admittedly, I have not always specifically had a heart for the nation of Japan.  While I have been involved in learning the Japanese language and Japanese culture throughout high school and at university, and also having travelled to Japan on three prior occasions, there was never really any strong burden or calling to minister to the Japanese or go on missions to Japan.

That changed after a 2 week trip I made to Japan in May 2008.  It all started almost immediately after I returning - the first Sunday back in church, a visiting pastor spent 10 minutes talking about his recent trip to Japan visiting a church and two powerful testimonies he heard.  I vividly remember driving home from church, somewhat amazed by how I had been so powerfully impacted by the message, and praying out loud (again, quite unexpectedly), "Lord, if you want me to go to Japan, I will!".  This was all quite unusual, given that I had never had never really thought about doing missions, nor had I ever had a heart for doing missions.

Without going into more detail, there were also a number of other things which occurred following this which appeared to be more than a coincidence.

So, I started making enquiries about doing missions in Japan.  I also looked at other alternatives, such as working full time as an English teacher and being involved with a church outside of work hours.  But nothing seemed to be right (or, more specifically, nothing seemed to be happening according to my own timing!).

While this may seem quite strange, I made the decision not to go to Japan.  Instead, I came up with the "great idea" to instead move to London for a working holiday (just call me Jonah if you like!).  While it wasn't obvious to me at the time, it was clear that I was running away - I wasn't enjoying my job and I felt that God wasn't moving quickly enough with the whole "Japan thing".

My time in London was (perhaps not surprisingly) relatively short...only 5 months in fact.  Of course, arriving in London in November 2008 at the height of the GFC certainly didn't help, and so I returned to Australia in April 2009.

In the period following my return, Japan was not completely 'out of mind'.  In fact, my mind would sometimes wonder "what was all that about?".  I thought maybe I wasn't going to travel to Japan, but rather I would somehow be involved in ministry to Japanese people in Australia.

Fast forward to June 2010.  I remember being at church on a Sunday morning and, after the service, I picked up a copy of a magazine in the foyer of church and saw a short article about a church in Japan.  My heart was stirred again reading it, but I walked away and, honestly, did not give it much more thought during the afternoon.  That evening, I was back in church, and our senior pastor was preaching on the 'Lordship of Christ'.  Throughout the service, I felt stirred again about Japan...in a way that I had not been in about 2 years.

Then, at the end of the service, our senior pastor had a word of knowledge along the lines of, 'There is someone here tonight who knows what it is that they are being called by God to do, but they have been running from it."  Now, usually when there is a word of knowledge for someone, I am tempted to try and 'fit within it' and see if it somehow applies to me.  But I just knew that the word was for me.

I was very cautious not to just go straight away and make enquiries about going Japan.  After all, I had done that before but not followed through.  But after speaking with people who I trust to speak into my life, I knew that I had to follow through this time.  I couldn't ignore the call of God a second time (insert another Johan reference here...).
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And so...here I am!  Not knowing exactly what I am doing.  Not being able to speak the Japanese language fluently.  And certainly not with any particular outstanding talents for teaching, preaching or playing music.  But despite all of this, God still called me here!!

So let me encourage you today...particularly if you are someone who is wondering what the will of God is for your life and you are getting frustrated because you can't find it.  God CAN and DOES speak to people in creative ways...perhaps in ways you will least expect. 

But also, don't discount what's in your hand NOW!  There are so many ways that you can serve God...it doesn't need to be doing missions.  It can be as simple as serving in your local church, perhaps as an usher, a carpark attendant or on the sound team.  But also believe that God has an AMAZING journey ahead for you, and God can change things when you least expect it...and I can vouch for that!

Urban Missionary