Reflections on Two Years of Grace and Gratitude【Spring/Summer 2026 Newsletter】

About three years ago, as I prayed and sought the Lord’s will for how I could serve Him and others, He shone His light on my heart and revealed that I was unable to love Japan and the churches in Japan.

Perhaps some of you, though raised within the community of the church, have also been hurt, and at times have hurt others, carrying with you a sense of bitterness. I, too, found myself caught between a desire to enter full-time ministry and discouraging thoughts such as, “Someone like me, who struggles with the church, is not fit for the Lord’s work,” and “God will surely not give me this path.” In the midst of this inner conflict, I was given these two years as an intern (Samurai).

With the prayer, “If You are calling me, please make me into someone fit for Your work,” and “Give me a heart that knows and loves the local churches in Japan,” I joined the Samurai Projects. Though we are full of weaknesses and far from perfect, the Lord who loves and has chosen us, and who commands us to “love one another,” looks upon us with eyes full of grace and delight as we continue, without giving up, to stay connected to the church and desire to serve.

I am deeply grateful that the Lord heard my small prayers, gave me a heart to love the church, and taught me the richness of it.

It was a great blessing to serve for two years as a church intern at Kamoi Bible Church, a local church made up of people of different generations and personalities. To love each individual and to serve alongside pastors who walk closely with their congregation was a precious gift. Seeing the hearts of the pastors up close, sensing their burdens, and hearing their words, I found my own pastoral heart being shaped. That I was given such a safe place where I could speak freely about anything is nothing less than the Lord’s mercy.

In the actual ministry, there were times when I faced areas I felt weak in, and moments when I wondered why I had come to such a difficult field. Yet, to live in the fellowship of the Lord who loves the church and is loved by His people, and to witness the living testimonies of lives being transformed by God, has been a great joy and encouragement.

I am also thankful for the training I received through the Samurai Projects, which has become the foundation of my ministry. In classes on systematic theology and missiology taught by the CBS (Christ Bible Seminary, Nagoya) instructors, I was moved by God’s great plan and the gospel at its center. Through the study of Scripture and the Old Testament, I was taught the reliability and truth of God’s Word. When studying the book “Show Me Jesus”, I learned not only the importance of sharing the gospel with children, but also of first living by the gospel myself. It made me desire to be someone in whom the gospel is evident—one who lives in the grace of Christ.

Through preaching practice and Bible study training, I learned both the joy of engaging deeply with Scripture as it comes alive in new ways, and the difficulty of communicating it clearly. It also led me to reflect on deeper questions: Is clarity my ultimate goal? Why do I speak? What is it that I truly want to proclaim? These became opportunities for me to reconsider my calling.

I have also learned much from my fellow interns. Though our ministries and contexts differ, I am grateful for friends with whom I can share about our churches and ministries, and even entrust with matters that are not easily spoken of—friends who pray for me, even from afar.

From this Spring, I will move on to a new place of study (Japan Bible Seminary, Tokyo), continuing to be grounded in God’s Word and preparing to serve the Lord and others with deeper conviction. I am thankful for the unique blessing of first experiencing ministry on the field through the Samurai Projects, and then being able to pursue further theological training. I believe that in the years to come, I will come to understand even more deeply the richness of this grace.

Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Tokyo Marunouchi Partnership, as well as to churches and individuals overseas—including those in the UK, the United States, and Australia—who have supported my internship and daily life over these two years through prayer and financial giving. I am also deeply thankful to each member of the church and to my friends who patiently walked alongside me. Above all, I give thanks to the Lord, who has provided and sustained everything.

May all glory be to Him。