Our Journey to Japan

Bethany and I have been married for eleven years, and God has given us two children: our son John, who is five, and our daughter Anna, who is one. Our home church is Bethel Chapel Pentecostal Church in Granite City, IL. God led both of us to study at Ozark Bible Institute, and we have endeavored to serve the Lord as He provides the opportunity.
     From a very young age, I sensed that God was calling me to serve Him internationally. Even as a child, I would pray over a world atlas, asking God where He wanted me to labor. When I came to the page for Japan, I felt a clear touch from the Lord—that this was where He was leading me.
     Later, during my time at Bible college, I prayed for more specific direction. I placed a map of Japan on my wall and prayed over it every day. Over time, the Lord made it clear that Hokkaido was the place He had prepared. Though the door was not open then, I trusted that God would open it in His time.
     In recent years, we have felt the Lord saying, “It’s time.” We have begun preparing—learning about Japan, adjusting our lives, and praying earnestly for God’s guidance. We continue to seek His will for how we should go, and we pray regularly for the church in Japan, especially for Hokkaido.
     We do not yet know exactly what our long-term ministry will look like, but our desire is simple: to serve wherever God leads. I am called to preach, and I take every opportunity to proclaim the Word and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. We look forward with faith to seeing what God will do for His glory in Hokkaido.