Resolve: Whatever it takes and whatever it costs DONT COAST and fizzle out, no matter how tempting it may be and how hard it may be to keep pressing on now, DONT COAST, instead by God's grace and for the sake of the Gospel, SPRINT, RUN, JOG, OR CRAWL even, but don't just coast! Make [this] a strong gutsy guilt, love saturated, eternal long view, BIG God intimate relational theology type of resolve that resonates with every pull and pang in the fibers of my being! God, help me pour myself out for the glory of God and the final salvation of the many. Help me to vibrantly persevere.

---

So heres the update which I'll try to keep short and simple this time:

-"Proclivity" and "craving" are words I want to induct into my diction with grace driven poetic effort.

-What is the [deep]er heart sin beneath the surface sin and how do I/you need the Gospel in this? = ALWAYS coming back to the work of Christ and NOT my own works.

-Swedish Method with Katsu plus pointing to the Gospel through Wreck-It Ralph.

-Fasted and prayed and fought the proclivity to wander and forget the Gospel with lust, pride, and performance. 

-Settlers of Catan with the team brethren, its the brothers in Christ's mission pastime or maybe an idol that induces pride ahah jk jk!

-Prepped my heart to PRAISE GOD even for the whorreble and difficult and rough bad days.

-Had 7 rejections in 1 hour

-Praying against cults and lies being fed to Japanese students that we are coming across on campuses

-Getting kinda "sick" of my team(Don't worry I told this to them and they understood where I was coming from), but I STILL love them and I still love being on mission with them. Its just that I'd love to be home for a day, sleep in my bed, and not see any of them, and then come back to continue the mission. I'm just sick of them, not in a repulsive hateful way, but its more like "an introvert in need of being alone and not seeing anyone's face for a day because when I wake up I see them to when I go to sleep I see them" type of sick. But its good practice for when I (Lord Willing) have wife, if you know what I mean. Oh how God sanctifies and tempers His children's souls.

-Lots of grace shown on the campuses this week and running about as the Triforce of CSUF(Lester-'Destino', Julien-Cru, and I-EPIC) in Tokyo. Excited to continue this Holy Spirit led team up back home.

-My team assignment for Unity Week was the following, "Leave your Bible, CRElb, and Music behind. Lead the pack in pace and time." Felt so naked, but was good as it help me cherish the weight of my sword and to exhort my brethren more through the Word in my heart. Praise the Trinity for Bible Memorization!

-One brother had to be within an arms length of another specific brother the whole time on campus, it was sanctifyingly hilarious!

-Reminded of the Prpl Fox videos and led to [deep] prayers and earnestness.

-How does one have [sexual purity] in a lust-saturated world and when you have a burning passion in the loins?

-Resolved to not marry my potential wife until I hear her fart AND she has to be willing to LARP with me and preferably not despise it.

-This week have been less talks, but longer and better quality. Soli Deo Gloria.

-Narrated for Mafia twas legit!

-Inexpressibly tired from vigorously and vibrantly running about and loving upon lost souls from those who think [deep]ly to the uninterested, fireworks to blackholes, and good communicators to the difficult to communicate. 

-Sweet solitude saturates my solemn jubilee sabbath!

-Saw Tokyo Tower and other awesome Tokyo stuff.

-Have been getting very close to the brothers in Christ on my team and am glad to be able to serve them with lovely massages and [deep] talks.

-[DM] and a Identity Crisis = Much prayer in waging war on sin and lies especially as I fight hard not to coast AND Gospel centered introspection of every fiber of my being, but my soul rests in my One True Love's arms.

-Awesome alleyooping with my team brethren, despite me being "sick" of them, our unity for the Gospel is definitely apparent and its a true joy and holy bliss to my weary soul. I truebdetrueb love them.

-Praise the Trinity for no more bug bites and that we got to see Rikkyo Campus on a beautiful sunny day!

-Ate fried blowfish and it was amazing! It's like chicken and calamari had a wonderful and beautiful baby!

-One more week in Japan.

-The video bellow is the official theme song for our team 

 

Souls to pray for: Keisuke, Keisuke, Hitaro, Rick, Yu, Sung-Joo Song, Kazu, Kazu, Yutaro, Nobi, and Takuro.

Always so much more... Soli Deo Gloria!

Update Update Update!

-Let's Talk BBQ = Legit! I got a lot of bug bites(over 7, they must love my exotic blood or something), but IT was totally worth it in order to see good grace driven memories made, relationships [deep]end, the Gospel shared, and people loved with Christ's love. I do not count this little little little suffering worth comparing to what is to come when I am with my glorious Jesus Christ for all of sweet eternity.

-Took my first communion in Japan.

-Someone like literally prayed for my feet, and theres nothing wrong with my feet, he just got on his knees and placed his hands on my feet and prayed for them spiritually. twas a little weird, even for a CRE like me, but I could definitely feel the love in his heart.

-This week's theme for our team is FAITH and taking BIG steps of faith with BIG confidence in Christ. Mine are/have been the following: 1. Fast a whole day and spend three straight hours praying/pleading for Japan and throughout the week confess "fresh" sins to brethren. 2. Have seven conversations with lost souls that are longer than an hour. (Obviously must be vibrantly Holy Spirit led and genuine) 3. Partake in _______'s salvation and see him "cry" in response to the glory of Jesus Christ/the Gospel.(Didn't add the specific name although there is one that I'm still praying for)

-God is definitely sanctifying me to adjust in many things in different ways, forms, and gears, it refines every fiber of my being and yet I'm still being God uniquely wired me. Oh how I've been growing so much and oh how I am excited to see how it plays out when I(Lord Willing) return to old waters of running about. There is a fear that this may not stick, but I trust in God it will. 

-Didn't call my dad for Father's Day, but called my mom. Some of my team met her(PTL for FaceTime) and they love her and the rest love my impression of her.

-Kinda homesick, its a fusion of holy concern and raging curiosity; I've really been desiring to write a long Paul type letter to my local church, like how I did last time I was on a mission trip, except I struggle for I know not what to say because I know not how they are doing exactly.

-Blessed whenever I do graciously hear updates from souls back home. Lovingly concerned and prayerful when I don't hear anything. God is sovereign. 

-Blessed by the Gospel. Boom sha ka la ka!

-Finished the book of Esther and now onto Nehemiah!

-Had a excruciating tough day at Waseda for me and the rest of my team, but even though it was painfully hard and discouragingly difficult. He is still forever and always worth it, He is worth going through bad days, and even if God were to call me to 40 years of days like that, I would still say painfully yet beautifully, "Here I am, send me!" because the glory of God is good! It is GOOD! Do you understand that!?! He is WORTHY!

-Despite the rough day, in the midst of all our broken tiredness, God's grace sustains and presses onward His beloved children; the guys were able to share more in [deep]th our lives and exhort/pray for one another in Gospel centered transparency. 

-Learning about prayerfull applied psychology as a means of faithfully glorifying God and humbly serving people.

-OMGHGA! (Oh my God, His glory alone!) I and another brother in Christ partook in the salvation of a soul, oh to see someone who was once blind and now see, tis such a holy thrill and bliss beyond all words can say. Oh for the glory of God and the final salvation of the many I was graciously blessed to see him come to some of the most beautifulest tears I have ever seen due to the undeniable and incomparable warmth, love, and glory of God in Jesus Christ. He is now my brother in Christ. God is good. God saved him, I didn't do it. Soli Deo Gloria. Need I say more?

-Was blessed to answer many good questions about God in service to some souls seeking and growing in their relationship with God and to overall exhort many brethren this week to keep loving God and being faithful. I am His guitar and He is my Guitarist. Soli Deo Gloria.

-Had a tough day at Rikkyo, this week was/is definitely a mixture of good and bad days, but this day in particular, it felt more like I was running about like a guy instead of a man of God.

-The past couple of days, both good and bad, have been very draining, but I resolve to not coast towards my sabbath or end, but to run about hard and hyper acceleration mode overdrive sprint and leap if necessary!

-Karaoked with team brethren =

-Saw the team I almost went to Japan with on FB. God is sovereign, He always knows best.

-Went to Disney Sea for sabbath and wisely chose to leave early in order to truebdetrueb rest. Praise be to God for His Holy Spirit that guides me in order to make personal and much needed wise decisions.

-My mexican food craving is finally satisfied, but it was at a high price.

-Started reading "Attack On Titan".

-Lots of inspiration for new stories and poems these past couple days.

-I know not what the future holds, but in Christ, His grace suffice, and sovereignty unfolds.

-Still struggling. But honestly, I want to kill sin more than I love it. I want to destroy sin more than I want to partake in it. 

*sigh* always so much more to say because God is doing so much. *joyful shout*

 

Dear God,

I love You.

You love me,

J.P. Fisher

[EDIT] Forgot to list some more souls to pray for: Shogo, John, Mark, Stephen, Joni, Hung, Sabrina, Ken, Ayumi, Shoyo, Hiro, Takumi, Codey, Gary, Hikari and her three other friends, Vito, and Kristoff. May you see this and see not a list of names, but a list of souls to be lovingly prayed for in the name of Jesus Christ.

[UPDATE]

-I FOUND MY FUTURE WIFE!!! Hahah just kidding! ;D

-Had some really really good sushi at Kichijoji and bought some dragon fruit!

-Can't capitalize the "p" in J.p. Fisher on my Facebook. #firstworldproblems (lol at my first hashtag) 

-Went to a Japanese church and it felt really good just to gather and worship God in English and Japanese songs with some of the less than 1% brethren saved by grace who live in Japan and shine as a lights in a thick field of darkness. 

-Continuing to build relationships at different God ordained paces and marinating them in earnest prayer.

-Learning to communicate and edify souls better through team interactions and conflicts. God is definitely refining and growing me in areas that I did not foresee and I pray that they would be prevalent and helpful for when I return home to continue living life on mission. 

-Finally shared my three minute life story to a classroom of Japanese Highschool students and I got to share my full testimony to some souls along with engaging in really good spiritual conversations.

-I joyfully found a really nice park by my apartment where I have sweet morning worship runs and delectable date night time with Jesus Christ.

-I heart breakingly found out that there are open stripclubs/prostitution shops back to back in one alley near my apartments and it has faces of different Japanese girls with clear censor bars covering their eyes and whorreble "cheap" price tags next to them. AAAHHHH! Seeing this really boils my blood, wakes me up, and fills my soul with holy anguish! I already knew prostitution is legal here, but I didn't think I'd see it so close to "home" and open. 

-I am constantly being reminded to why me and my team brethren are here. Because the good news of Jesus Christ, everything that He is and everything that He did and does, is really really good and only He has the power to save lost souls from the bondage of sins, only He can overcome even the most deep and dark depraved and cynical things, only He can save lost souls from eternal damnation, only He can forever satisfy and bring everlasting joy to hungering souls searching the world for purpose. AND He does work and overcome and save and satisfy! AND HE USES US, imperfect and inadequate people, for His perfect plan! OH the Gospel IT WORKS! THE GOSPEL WORKS! Two lost souls came to the faith today through God using my team brethren! See, this Gospel works! Have confidence in Christ my fellow brothers and sisters. SOLI DEO GLORIA!

-Found out how to say teleportation in Japanese; Shunkan Idou!

-Visited Waseda and Rikkyo campuses = such a blessing!

-Seeing and savoring the glory of God daily!

-Blessed to finally be truebedetrueb transparent with the brothers on my team through a [deep] grace driven night of confessing sins, spiritual warfare we've felt, struggles, and where we are actually at. Such a joy to be able to be honest about EVERYTHING and see God's grace in action and feel the love of God shown to me through my brothers despite how much of mess I am and I'm blessed to love my brothers with Christ love as well. And now we can better help keep one another accountable especially as spiritual warfare has been very prevalent in our group.

-Sanctified and humbled so much by God working in our team, I find myself relying less and less on my abilities/talents/skills and in seeing more and more of my inadequacies even in areas where I felt I was confidently "strong" in, as a result I boast all the more that God is awesome and He is at work. This point is much more "painful" then I can describe, but its increasingly more beautiful because I enjoy more of Him and that is my heart's desire even if its painful.

-Still heavily struggling with many things from lust to pride to insecurities and uncertainties to [DM], but God sustains me with His grace and my eyes rest upon His love. 

-Being poured out as a living sacrifice for the glory of God and the final salvation of the many(I know I use this phrase a lot and to many it may just be jargon or Christianese, but I really mean it when I say it with every fiber of my being) in Tokyo and it is totally worth it!

-Running about with cautious care, compassionate consideration, and meaningful maturity in ways I've never quite done so before and I'm still stumbling every now and then, but grace abounds and I press on!

-Starting to get a little homesick or rather really curious as to how certain souls are doing now and yearning to be with them, but I know my God given time is not done here. Keeping my eyes on the mission and the prize!

-Realizing more how vital intimate and serious prayer and personal time with God has been for being and staying on mission and perserving over the grimy spiritual warfare we've been experiencing. 

Please don't stop praying for me, my team, and the souls in Japan.

More souls to pray for: Itsuki, Yuta, Katsayaki, Ayuma, Hiromasa, Yoshinoba, Akira, Yohei, Kento, Satoshi, Eita, Mashito, Yuhi, Yuri, Takuma, Airi, Hikari, Audrey, and more souls to come if the Lord wills. 

 

-J.P. Fisher

[Heres a quick update]

-Finished training and prep and finally running about with souls in Japan and engaging them on multiple levels for the glory of God and the final salvation of the many. Its hard, but such a joy!

-My multiculturally diverse team keeps on being an ever increasing and continual encouragement to my soul to keep pressing on.

-Fridays(my time) are officially my/our sabbaths which has been very fruitful in reinvigorating my weak and imperfect soul, stirring my affections for God, and fueling my passion for missions.

-Found out that one lost soul came to know Christ this week! Praise the Trinity and please keep that soul in your prayers. May the grace of God sustain His faith.

-Finished reading the book of Job, but I most definitely haven't finished enjoying it.

-Koenji is becoming my other hometown and I'm definitely working my way around here despite my whorreble and funny inadequacies(you should see me ordering food by myself) and I found a lovely park to run to for morning worship runs. 

-Been having crazy vivid dreams and remembering/logging them in my CRElb(maybe I'll share some Lord willing soon)

-Had the best ramen of my life so far today; Food is good, but God is better.

 

List of souls that my fellow heralds of the Gospel can pray for: Kyeongmin, Hideaki, Katsu, Makoto, Soma, Yuki, Kodai, Rintaro, Shuntaro, Kohei, Takumi, Kodai, Yuki, Tomokazu, Yuta, Takuma, Heizo, Kento, Ryogo, and more to come. 

Updates will probably come less daily and perhaps once or twice a week(one on Saturday which will be our Sabbaths and one when time permits) as life here really begins to pick up the pace. This will give me more to say per update and more time to just pray and focus on what God is doing here and now instead of feeling tied down to have to update this blog daily. 

So heres the update in no particular chronological order, just by whatever comes to my minds end first:

-There appears to be no apparent jetlag hindering my running about, PRAISE THE TRINITY!

-We are still getting some final training done here in Tokyo before we go into the campuses, but I have really been blessed by all the prayer and prep along with the ongoing bonding between my team brethren.

-Please pray for my 1st Mentor in life as he is on his own mission trip in Haiti and I'm told that a couple mornings ago, there have been gunshots in the slum area next to their compound where they are serving.

-"It is official, I am no longer the current Whale King." -J.P. Fisher

-Had my first sushi in Japan(SOOOO GOOOOOD that it stirs the affections of my soul for God!!!)

-Blessed by meeting older men of God, Uncle Kam and Omar, who have zealously been serving the Lord faithfully here in Japan with their families  for over 10 years and how they keep reminding us that success isn't in the number of converts one makes, but its in one's faithfulness to God. It has reminded me rightly of Jon Lim's GPA Theorem(http://jonlim4.tumblr.com/post/19617685432/9-reminders-while-studying-1-6-gpa-4-0-gpa)

-[Deep] introspection of my CURRENT sins and struggles while on missions and confessing+surrendering it all to Christ! I am still a bi-polar skitzophrat in the faith, but despite my long list of whorreble sins and struggles, God still uses me graciously and its amazing!

-Learning about the pack, the parrot, and the pass for the glory of God and the final salvation of the many.

-[DM] is still a struggle, even here in Japan, especially during prep or when my mind wanders. "What separates an evangelist's lure and life story from a PUA's opener and routine?" -[DM]. But God's grace has been violent in sustaining my [focus] despite the spiritual warfare and I know that even though things are still just getting started and will only get more difficult from here, His grace will be what I need.

-Reminded of good and bad memories on my mission trip to Thailand four years ago and I find myself in total awe of how different I am now due to God's refining/maturing work of my soul over the past years. 

-Seeing God's sovereignty as to why He put me in the team that I am in and so much more God glorifying dominoes that are falling!

-Sweet Gospel Centered Thoughts flooding the attic of my minds end fuel my passion for missions. Soli Deo Gloria!

-Praying about my Lord Willing future and timeline and holy ambitions in light of what God has been exposing me to.

 

If you have any questions or want any specifics let me know and I'll add it in my next update.

grace and peace, trials and suffering, our joy and His glory!