Japan Updates!!!

I'm so excited to share Julie's story with you! The Lord has been so faithful to her from a young age. Originally, Julie was not interested in going to Japan at all, but God worked in her heart, and she ended up becoming a missionary in Japan! 

Through being a missionary in Japan, Julie shares some amazing stories of loss & forgiveness, falling in love & getting married, and trusting God's guidance through it all.

Julie has known Jesus most of her life, and because of knowing Jesus:

• she trusts God to lead her
• she prays for others
• she can feel His presence 
• she loves to worship Him
• and much more!

You will not want to miss this episode!

Hello friends! This week, our Bible study leader, Andrew, shares his story of how he encountered Jesus.

Although he grew up in a family that attended church, Andrew tried to seek faith on his own and as a teenager, he ended up turning his back on God.

He called himself an atheist and really wrestled with some tough questions:

• Does life have any meaning?
• What happens when we die?
• Is love real or just chemical reactions?
• Did God create the world?
• How can God be real if there is so much suffering?

Through some “coincidences,” Andrew was able to wrestle with answers to those questions with a Christian friend. 

Not only did he find truth in God, but he discovered that “the God of the universe loves me, a broken sinner.”  

After giving his life to Jesus, Jesus changed (& is still changing) Andrew over time…

• from being selfish to loving others 
• from being a broken sinner to being saved & set free
• from searching for meaning to life making sense
• from being unsure about life after death to having hope in eternal life

Looking at his life now, Andrew realizes that life is so much more than what he used to think: “it’s not fate, it’s not accidental, there’s a beautiful story being written with my life - all the broken pieces are being put into this beautiful water and it’s making something extremely beautiful, interesting out of something that was such a mess, out of such a messy person.” 

Without God, nothing makes sense. “We can’t make sense of anything as humans on earth without God.”

And the gospel is not just that Jesus died for our sins, but we have the hope of an eternal future with God for those who believe. “Christianity without the resurrection, is not Christianity… Jesus has made a way for us to live with Him for eternity.” 

Do you know Jesus personally? Not sure where to start? Feel free to send us a message on Facebook or Instagram @lifeishardGodisgoodpodcast

Thanks for listening to the Life is Hard, God is Good Podcast! Be sure to rate, write reviews, and share with your friends to help others find this encouragement!

Have a great week!

Zoe is one of the most joyful people you will ever meet, but she wasn't always that way.

Zoe first heard about God when her mom was bedridden with a spinal disease, and some Christians came to pray for her and she was healed.

She discovered God's power and attended church & Christian activities, but she did not know God's love until she met some very loving Christians.

Her relationship with God developed over time - learning how to pray, starting to enjoy reading God's word, hearing God's voice...

She also noticed a difference in her relationships. Family that she once hated, Zoe now had empathy for them and she wanted to show them love.

From a young age, Zoe believed that she was negative and gloomy, but a Christian lady spoke to her that her gift is JOY and that people would come to know Jesus through her JOY. Zoe believes the truth that she has JOY and shares that with everyone she meets.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

Taylor grew up knowing about God, but she felt like she had to be a good Christian girl because she was afraid of God and afraid of messing up.

When she heard the story of the prodigal son in a new way, God worked in her heart and changed her life. For the first time, she met Jesus. Taylor realized how much Jesus loves her and wants not religious acts, but He wants a relationship with her. 

Even when going through some dark times, God provided for her in the form of supportive friendships and encouragement from reading God’s word everyday.

The beautiful thing is that He is always with us and we can talk to Him. Any questions or doubts, we can bring to Him. So if you aren't sure, just talk to Him.

Jesus is pursuing you and wants a relationship with you. 

Bible Passages:

• Luke 15:11-32 | the story of the prodigal son
• Hebrews 4:12 | the word of God is living and active
• John 1:43-51 | “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered.
• Hebrews 12:1-3 | running the race with our eyes set on Jesus

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”

Ola found God because she heard His voice. He spoke to her, and her life has never been the same.

Through Him, she found freedom, forgiveness, and joy. 

God has worked through Ola in incredible ways all around the world. 

The same as He has done for Ola, He does for us: God opens doors and leads us in unexpected ways.

It doesn’t matter where you are or what circumstances you face, you can serve the Lord.

If you’re not sure about Jesus, just try talking to Him.

Resources to check out:

• John 10:1-18
• Ezekiel 16
• The Blessing (Japan) by Kari Jobe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b74EymT_0GA

Trigger warning: s*xual assault, su*cide
My friend, no matter what you are going through right now, please know that you are not alone and that you are so loved.
Even in the face of hardship, God is good. It seems that in the most dark, difficult times, God met Rosie. God protected his life, God gave him friends to encourage him at just the right time, and God helped him find a new home church.
Rosie has the biggest heart for people. He invests himself in helping students grow. Because of what he has experienced, he makes a huge impact in the lives of those around him. I hope you will have a positive impact from listening to Rosie's story too.

Happy Easter! If you are in darkness, if you are stuck, if you feel hopeless - listen to this episode to hear 3 key encouragements for YOU! Spoiler alert: you cannot do it on your own, but you are not alone!
We also go through the ABCs of God's attributes, which is a tool we can use to keep our eyes on Jesus.
Have a great week! May the LORD bless you and keep you.

Hey all! Just wanted to share some updates from living in Japan for nearly 6 months now! Check out this episode to hear what I’ve been up to, brief updates from Drew, the hard parts of living in a foreign country, and some encouragement for you!

I’ve been asked a lot what I’m doing in Japan. At first I felt like I had to explain or prove myself; it took a while for me to learn that my value is not in working. Thankfully, I've been reminded that my value is in being loved by God and loving others. Now I’d like to share some things I enjoy getting to do here in Japan:

• SAHW - Especially with adjusting to living in a new country, it’s such a gift that Drew & I can work together to tackle life tasks. We moved here for his job, and I try to make his life a little easier by taking care of things at home such as cleaning, cooking (learning Japanese recipes), dishes, laundry, groceries, running errands. 
• Volunteer - I get to teach English conversation classes to local seniors, and help teach English to children with a friend of ours & help with English Club at Drew’s school!
• Study Japanese  - compared to Spanish, it is an extremely difficult language. I was actually reading online about how it is the most difficult language to learn going from English to Japanese. Did y'all know there are like 3 alphabets?? At first I did not enjoy studying Japanese, it was a chore, a duty. But now?? I do enjoy it and I'm slowly understanding more & more when I listen to people talk. It’s exciting to grow in Japanese because I can use it to connect with people more!
• Church - services & activities. We love our church and it’s been great getting connected to our local community. we came to our church the first Sunday that we were in Japan. It was also the church we found online when we found out that we were placed in Kumamoto (also cool fun fact is that our pastor who did premarital counseling and was our officiant - he’s Japanese and his family came from Kumamoto). It’s an international church with a service for families and a service for young adults. Often all 6 inhabited continents are represented at church gatherings. Services are held in Japanese and English. I got to dance at the Christmas services and we get to help in some small ways, including leading an English bible study.
• Podcast - I’m trying to keep up with the podcast lol. It’s cool seeing goodness, truth, & beauty reach people even when they’re in rough situations. I also love getting to interview people & hear/share their stories both here in Japan and through video calls to the US.
• Bible study - I get to lead a Bible study with some ladies from church and Drew & I are connected to an online Bible study with Christians all over Japan.
• Hula classes - I can’t not be dancing! Hula is such a beautiful, peaceful style of dance. We’ve been learning a few pieces to perform which is so fun!

So very thankful for this season of not having to work a regular job, but getting to learn & serve in other ways. 

Check out this episode to hear more!

Church hurts. Cancer. Family health crisis. Loss of parents. Loss of a friend. How can you find God in the midst of such hardships?
Gené wrestled with the logic of Christianity until her world came crumbling with the decline of her mom's health. She gained faith in God and He miraculously healed her mom. With having God by her side, Gené knew she was not alone even when she later lost her dad, her mom, and her friend in a short amount of time.
Gené shares: "I realized that God is God and I am human. And I cannot expect to understand everything about Him. And moreover, faith isn't about understanding Him. If I could understand and explain everything about God, there would be no need for any faith. Faith requires that you to step out without evidence, that you step out without proof. [It's like saying] 'I don't understand, I don't have answers, but I trust You anyway.'"

Check out this episode to hear how Jesus changed Isabelle's life. She grew up in a home with different religious views and was not sure what she believed for herself until a new friend offered to do a Bible study with her... After learning more about Jesus and how He truly died for our sins and rose to life again, Isabelle has been given new life and a fresh perspective through Him.