We're home!!!

Yay!  We're back home in Okinawa. :)  People keep asking me how our 3 month home assignment was, and it's hard to come up with an answer.  It was great to be with family and friends, great to make new friends, fun to travel and speak at different churches, and fun to visit places in the states we had never been to before.  But it was also tiring to travel so much, stressful living out of a suitcase and staying with other people for so long, and wearisome trying to keep the boys entertained and happy as we lived without a routine and were constantly dealing with new situations (people, places, food, etc.).  So, as I've started answering, "It was really good, but it's also really good to be home." :)

Now we're trying to remember our routine and pick up where we left off, but a lot can happen in 3 months.  God stretched and challenged us while we were gone, so we return slightly changed, refreshed, and ready to see what He has for us next.  Families in our congregation moved away while we were gone, so it's a slightly different church we're coming back to.  But it's exciting to see how God stretched and challenged our church family while we were gone; new people have/are taking leadership positions and we're thrilled at the possibilities and opportunities God has for them while they're here.  This last week we've been reminded how rusty our Japanese language skills became when we didn't use it for three months, so we're praying for motivation to make regular study a habit again.  And we really want/need to get better at regular communication about what God is doing in Japan with our friends around the world.  We were reminded so many times of the need to share not only the good things that happen, but our struggles in life, also; we have so many friends, supporters, and prayer partners that are a huge part of our life here, and we need to do a better job of keeping you a part!

So please pray for us as we transition back and start life again with bigger boys, more developed goals, and a constant desire to be changed and used by God as He shows our friends and neighbors in Japan how much He loves them!