Life Update: Japan Living

IN THE PHYSICAL

Konnichiwa from Okinawa Japan 🇯🇵

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve last poured my thoughts with you and I have much to pour! But first, let me introduce you to Japan!

When you think of Japan, what comes to mind? I had this bustling picture of towering skyscrapers, streets alive with bright, colorful lights and Japanese locals dashing around. I imagined the air to be crisp, with the aroma of all of the delicious local food wafting in the air. It was such a charming scene, and I got most of it right! I purposely didn’t do much googling because I enjoy the element of surprise and pleasantly surprised I was. My charming scene was missing the reality of how tropical this island is, so that crisp air that I had in mind was quickly replaced with the realness of rain, humidity and mugginess. Not only that, the setting I imagined had a more industrial feel, but Okinawa Japan is lush and sprawling with greenery and vegetation. It’s a really interesting mix of major and modern city, with a paradisiacal vibe.

*The best of both worlds, just 30 minutes apart.*

And a paradise it is! The coast and water is impressively beautiful, the warmth and humidity permits all of the relaxed and unrestrictive clothing you’d want to wear, and the cuisine is not only much more diverse than I imagined, but it’s divine. If you ever plan to visit, take that as a word of caution to your waistline and beware! It’s dangerous in these foodie streets. Of course the sushi is fresh and perfect, and the ramen is unbelievably flavorful! The poke dishes are amongst the most delectable things to grace my mouth thus far (I’d never had it before and I had no idea what I was sleeping on), and yakiniku and teppanyaki restaurants call my name everyday, and the traditional Okinawan food is worth every calorie as well. Not only is the food fiiire, it’s really well priced and there are so many worth-the-money options that I literally wont have enough time to try all of the places I’ve bookmarked (you better believe I’m gonna try my hardest though)! I could go on and on about the food and the restaurants, but I want to pivot to the true gem that I found here in Okinawa.

I found a church!!! A good one. *praise dances* Before ever having set foot in the country I was searching and praying to find a fitting temporary church home, and to make connections with fellow Christ followers/believers while I’m here, and wont He do it. Thanks to the Christian Women of Okinawa Facebook group, I was recommended Neighborhood Church Okinawa and I’m soo thankful for it! Having visited only one other church before finding this one, I immediately knew that this was the one and I didn’t need to bother searching any further. This is such a Spirit-led and Spirit-filled church! And I have completely fastened and interwoven myself into their Jesus gang by becoming a regular attendee and member of one of their Bible study connect groups. The lead pastors are a married, retired military couple and they serve powerful and moving messages every weekend. So far they’ve preached on the subjects of marriage, finances, and the Holy Spirit, and each week I’m literally excited to get up and drive an hour to church every Sunday, just to see what edifying message they have to share next. All glory to God for providing such a treasure. If you find yourself in Okinawa Japan, I highly recommend visiting this church.

I’m here for a good time, not a long time. I’ve got a ton to explore and experience while I’m here; I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg, so I’ll be sure to give you the best pieces of what’s going on in future updates.

IN THE SPIRITUAL

Now, in the spiritual realm things have been interesting. I’ve only been away for a few weeks, but I feel like so much has happened! In the midst of this transition and adjusting to my new setting, I cant help but notice these recurring themes and topics that keep coming up. And they’ve been hitting hard. The topics include:

• Marriage/Covenant
• Isolation
• Spiritual Warfare
• Demons and Witchcraft
• “Little” Sins
• Conversations With Unbelievers
• Sex, Lust and Purity

Each of these topics are/have been a theme recently and it’s all for good reason. I can’t wait to give you all the nitty gritty details of what God has impressed upon my heart concerning each one.