夢見たいです、この日。

DEPARTURE FOR JAPAN IN 1 DAYS

Gyaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Besides this laptop, I'm entirely packed! Even my toothbrush is packed! I'm so excited, I cannot even contain the happiness inside my heart that after three years I will be finally returning to Japan, and this time I'll be even more equipped to serve others and share the love of Jesus with them. For a very long time, to go to Japan again has been the purest desire of my heart, and here now God has shown His faithfulness and is sending me out! Words cannot describe the stupid smile I have on my face. It hit me like a tidal wave just this afternoon, I was driving along the freeway and like I had a shiver I just jumped, my face lit up, I cannot believe I am really going to Japan. 

I'm excited to go to places I have not been too before. My visit to Japan was nothing short of magical, running around Tokyo and Yokohama, now it's time to see places like Sendai and Saitama. I'm so excited to get on the ground there and even more excited to meet new people and hear their stories. I had written to my pen pal, Hitoshi, saying that one of the things I am looking forward to the most is learning more from the Japanese through serving alongside them. I want to go on this missions trip with even more of an open mind than I had last time, and take each experience and carefully preserve it in my heart to share when I come back to California. 

It's like a dream, this day. I thought it'd never get here, and yet here it is. In a short matter of time I'll be on a 10 hour flight to Tokyo. I get this hopeful smile just thinking about it. And I feel greatly indebted to so many people for their love and support. To everyone, a deep and humble thank you. I wouldn't be here without your obedience to God, your love, your prayers, your existence (truly!). I felt a little sad today, just that I couldn't be around the great friends I made at City Cru this past semester, and many of them actually wrote to me while I was feeling this way, in texts and on Facebook, this lifted my spirits so much. I know for a fact the Lord is looking out for me. 

I have to express my frustration with how much I talk about myself. I can't wait to stop! I can't wait to be able to focus on God and others, as my life should be all the time, and I hope that I take from this missions trip, a lifestyle of that nature. I know that I have had the beautiful opportunity to go on this project for a reason far greater than I could think up, and so while I do expect to grow even more in the Lord and as a person through it, I know there is even more in store that will bring many to Jesus and glory to God. 

I'm ecstatic. I'm ecstatic.