The Southeast Trip pt. 4 - Cumberland Gap, TN

Five years ago, I was a sophomore in college, and I had the most fortunate pleasure of meeting a young gentleman. At that time, he had aspirations of being a doctor. Unfortunately, those aspirations never changed, and he is now locked away at a small medical school in Northeast Tennessee called Lincoln Memorial University. He only escapes the beautiful landscape of Cumberland Gap and Harrogate, TN (the school is actually in Harrogate), every blue moon, but when he does, you probably catch faint wisps of his legend riding upon the air. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is true. I am, in fact, friends with the one and only, Stephen Hull.

Stephen (who will now be referred to as "Bruce" for the remainder of this post) and I did in fact meet my sophomore. It was decided that he would be my little brother, and he was the only little brother I ever had. I cannot begin to relate to you of all the fun things (and not so fun things) we have done together: we took road trip to visit my mom in Northeast Georgia (fun); we both got food poisoning the same day while at a friend's house for his send off for the summer (not fun); we played hours of Dr. Mario together (fun); we rode bicycles to the end of the peninsula near his family's beach house in Pensacola (fun for him; not for me); we did a double date for the BYX Date Auction, which cumulated with a high speed chase of a deer on a John Deere Gator until we ran over an unseen ditch. Shortly thereafter, the ride ended upon hearing the phrase, "We lost Bruce!" (I will let you decide who had fun and who didn't)

Bruce has a very special place in my heart, there is no doubt about it. It was a welcome visit to get to see him once again after it being almost a year since the last time. I drove almost the entire length of Virginia the Sunday after Zach and Leigh's wedding to arrive in Cumberland Gap for dinner. Unfortunately, with all of the scheduling changes, my visit fell during a test week for him, so he had to spend the evening after dinner studying. I spent it washing my clothes from the past week!

After his test, we took a short trip down to Knoxville to chill out post-exam. We went to Best Buy, Guitar Center, and Dick's Sporting Goods, and wrapped up the trip by eating at one of the best food establishments ever: Chick-fil-A (gotta get that spicy chicken sandwich)! Upon our return, we went to his friend Glenn's house to sit by his fire pit. I met Glenn during my first visit to Cumberland Gap the year before, and it was really good to get to visit with him again. Glenn is one of the nicest, coolest, and calmest people I have ever met. That afternoon before leaving, we had stopped by his place, and I also met his brother, and honestly, just speaking to them emanated friendship and welcoming. I do not really know how to explain it, I just know it was good.

Even though the trip was short, we all were able to have some good conversation about Christ, the Gospel, and missions, hopefully encouraging to all parties. It was really great for me to see Bruce once again after being away from him for so long.

But this trip offered another great revelation for myself and others I would say. I had said earlier in the conversation with Bruce's friends that I was a missionary, but it was afterwards when only Glenn and Bruce remained that I shared this: "You know, I don't know what to tell people when they ask what I do. I really don't like calling myself a 'missionary', for it comes with labels and ideas that may not necessarily apply to me, and it might give people the idea that I can be this way or that way while they cannot. What I would rather say I'm doing is 'chasing Jesus'. Cause anyone can chase Jesus. They can chase Him here, there, in this way, or in that way." I do not do the things I do because I am a missionary; I do the things I do because Jesus loves me, and in response, I want to love Him back. Anyone can do that!


Return to Part 2: Greenville, SC!
Continue on to Part 5: Nashville, TN!

The Southeast Trip pt. 2 - Greenville, SC

As I shared in my last post, I had originally planned on going through Tennessee first, but the reasoning for my trip flipping occurs during this leg of my journey. It all started in May when one of our guest speakers, a man named Jeff Reid, came to Tokyo. While he was with the school, he told us about these crazy guys in Greenville, SC, who started a house of prayer when one guy posted a sign up outside of his shop saying "Prayer/Free Coffee" along with some other radical stories about their ministry in the area. So good!

But I remember thinking, "South Carolina isn't too far from Mississippi..." So upon return, I reconnected with Jeff about trying to meet up with these guys in South Carolina. In doing so, Jeff informed me that he would be visiting them as well in late October, so I planned my trip to be there then. However, his plans changed, and when they did, so did mine! It lined up that he would be there the night before I left, and he would be the first person I met in Japan for me to reconnect with.

What I realized (and remembered) after arriving in Greenville was I did not come to Greenville for Jeff. I came to meet the Greenville guys. It was a bonus that Jeff was going to be there (not to diminish Jeff at all), but when I first planned on going there, I was unaware of Jeff's plans. I make this point because I absolutely love the people I met in Greenville! I had talked to this guy Jed who is kind of the front man I guess, and we had emailed back and forth. I had already changed my plans on him once, and I was very anxious to not cause him trouble, for he has willingly opened his house up to a "complete stranger." That was until I arrived.

The plan changed once again, and I was supposed to meet them at their new community house they were preparing. I pull up the driveway, and they walk outside as I step out of the car, and an immediate spirit of familiarity hits us, and one would have felt we were long lost friends. I was prepared to share my life with these people! It was amazing how the common bond of Jesus Christ connected out lives to one another in a split second!

I ended up spending three days in Greenville hanging out with Jed, his wife Melodie, her sister Kristin, Jesse, his wife Jill, and Ian, all of which are incredible people! We prayed, worshiped, visited, "settled" (Catan), and even searched out a new range and installed it in Jesse and Jill's house! They shared their time, homes, family, food, their very lives, with me while I was there! I also was their first guest in the new community house, which was being prepared for their new school, the Fascinate Transformations School, which will be starting this spring. Most of them had participated in the Community Transformations DTS with Jeff at some point, and all of them are committed to bringing revival to their local spheres of influence and to America by living their lives in a Christ-centered fashion! That is what community transformations is all about!

I have never experienced such authentic community in my entire life than I did in Greenville for those three days. I believe it is a true return to the early church we see in Acts 2:42-47. Jeff, who is currently based in South Africa with his wife and three children, spoke to us about what was taking place there, telling us about the community house they were preparing inside the township of Masiphumelele. He was saying something like this: we have three regular meetings a week; one on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but then we are constantly gathering to do other things as well the rest of the week, too. But there is not a time when we gather together that someone ends up coming into the house, gets radically touched by Jesus, and gives his or her life to him.

Friends, revival is a reality. It can happen. May we all commit our lives to Jesus and to seeing His name proclaimed on the earth no matter the cost. For I tell you, there is no cost or sacrifice that is great enough to repay Christ for what He did for you and me, so we give it all.

Return to Part 1: Clarkston, GA!
Continue on to Part 4: Cumberland Gap, TN!

The Southeast Trip pt. 1 - Clarkston, GA

SO... like I said in my last post, I want to tell about some of my most recent adventures. Honestly, it is difficult, for it seems that every time I sit to write, another, more recent adventure has taken place! So I must start being more disciplined in my blogging if I ever desire to catch people up on my life. Otherwise I will be writing about my journeys from January 2012 in December 2013...

One of the big things God gave me vision for upon returning was a grand big Southeast trip, where I would leave for almost a month, stopping in different places to visit different friends. I absolutely LOVED the idea of it while I was in Japan and in the Philippines. However, upon returning from Japan and beginning new discipleship relationships, leaving for a month was not very appealing. I only have a few weeks here in the States, so missing four weeks, missing four meetings, with these guys was a lot! It made me sad! But based on the schedules of those I was wanting to go visit, that was what it was going to take.

However, there was a change of plans, and the entire trip got flipped around (quite literally). I had originally planned on leaving and going north to Nashville to start, but because of a change in scheduling (which I will discuss in the next post hopefully), I was now leaving for Atlanta first. It actually worked out really well, for it shortened my trip down to two weeks! So I was only going to miss out on two meetings now.

The original plan was to leave Starkville on Thursday, October 6th, but the night before, my mom brought to my attention that BOTH my brothers and their wives were going to be in Starkville that weekend (not to forget my super cute nephew Nicholas as well!). Considering this could be the last time all three of us would be in Starkville together for quite some time, I decided to stay home until Sunday.

Had I left when planned, I was going to visit my friends G & R for two days in Clarkston, GA. They are attending a missionary training school based there, and I was hoping to see and hear about what the Lord was doing in the area during this time while also visiting with others I had met on previous trips. Unfortunately, the new leaving date could not afford this. However, we did have a good visit and time while I was there!

We first ate dinner at their apartment which was Stromboli's Pizza, which is always delicious! But afterwards, we were looking to go visit a refugee family in the area, and apparently without my knowing, they prayed about who to visit, which I am totally okay with. I mention this because when we show up, we are immediately greeted with a situation. One of the family members has been in an accident while in South Carolina, but they do not know where. We start looking up hospitals, calling hospitals, talking to hospitals (personnel, not the actual buildings. We did have some sense). Eventually, after a scare with confusing another patient who was in critical condition, we discover our man is okay! But during this whole ordeal, we were able to pray for and minister to this family who are not yet believers. But they recognized the power, life, and peace that Jesus Christ brings, and I believe that they will come to a knowledge of Jesus Christ soon!

Soon after the resolution of the situation, I returned to the road for my next stop. It was great to see my friends G & R, but the short trip definitely left a great deal to be desired.

Not long after leaving Clarkston, I encountered some strong spirits, but that story will have to wait till next time!

Continue on to Part 2: Greenville, SC!

I Don't Even Know What To Title This Post

So life has been interesting since my return from Japan. It was not long after the beginning of the DTS that I knew I wanted to return to Japan as a staff member (much longer to decide if it was what God wanted). One of the big things that God impressed upon me, though, was beginning this new journey in faith, and one big area was in finances. Things were going to be different in preparing for my time as a staff. Let me explain.

I spent two months last fall really seeking the Lord on my future, what it looked like, where it was going, particularly in the area of missions. During this time, the Lord transformed my heart (any person's heart being transformed is a miracle), and when November rolled around, I was ready to go where He wanted me: "Japan". After spending some time praying it through, I told my parents about this choice, not really sure how I would provide for it. Well, less than a week later, I had received a phone call from a local accounting firm in Houston, MS, from people I had met a year and a half earlier, and they pretty much offered me a job! How crazy is that?! That job ended up supplying over half my support, not including the gifts from those I met there. There is no doubt in my mind that the opportunity was divine.

However, in returning from Japan, I knew I had some time before going back, and I would also need to raise support for two years away... Very daunting task, indeed. Yet I felt like the Lord was calling me away from working for it like I did last time. It was very difficult coming to this conclusion although it might not seem that way. In working, I could both provide for myself while also showing a proactive effort towards obtaining my support goal to any potential supporters. It would not require as much faith because I could do it without as much faith in the Lord to provide. It would move me towards obtaining my CPA license, which seems like wisdom. There would have been many benefits from it.

But I felt like working was not the direction to head. I am not saying working is faithless, for the Lord definitely provided for my first trip in this way. No, I felt like the Lord was calling me to a new place of faith while also being more relational in my support raising efforts. Because I chose not to work, I have been able to spend time in regular discipleship relationships throughout the week I might not have been able to. I have had the freedom to engage individuals I might not otherwise seen. I have had the opportunity to meet and encourage people I would have missed. I have been able to take trips and make visits to people I have longed to see.

To be honest, when I sat down to type this blog post, I did not plan on writing this. I hope was to tell you about my trip around the Southeast before I forgot it, then to tell you about my encounter with a group of Italian students I met two weeks ago. And I assure you, these stories are coming (they are great stories; will I tell them well, I do not know)! But this is my heart: my heart longs for people and for them to know that they are loved, not just by me, but by their Creator. And not this distant love, but a love that will get down and dirty with you, hands messy, clothes dirty, trenches fighting love. This love went to a cross for each and everyone of us. That is the love, that is the power we carry. That is what I want people to know. That is what I want to take back to Japan.

Before we left Japan, we were saying goodbye to some of our friends at the Japanese high school ministry we have participated in (Hi-B.A.). One girl, who is from Japan, said to me, "JP, I hear you are one of the special ones who are coming back to Japan." I replied, "Yeah, I am." Something like that. "That's good," she said. "Japan need some more of the Father's Heart!" I about turned to stone. Father's Heart? How did she know? Had we talked about it? I cannot remember. But she saw it.

That is what Japan needs. It is what we all need. And it is not about me. To be honest, it is not about the Japanese people. Going back to Japan is about God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, receiving the glory, honor, and praise they deserve! My hope is to go back to Japan to do it. Where are you going to do it today?