A time to seek.....

So, for those who are following and praying for "The Bridge" as this month of awareness is upon us, I would humbly ask for a prayer. Last weeks runs were beautiful and a wonderful experience for me. As I gave of my talents. Well, after resting on Sunday and giving God all the glory- Mondays preparatory run for this Friday was interesting. I ran and then felt a twinge of pain in my knees. I haven't felt this before and realized that since I ran so much last week my body needed more repair time that I didn't give it and it said NO WAY. So I would ask for a healing prayer over my knees- so that I can run some on Friday. I will definitely be sacrificing time and prayer on Friday but am not sure how many miles I will be able to run. Is this defeat- as the devil would say-NO way! This is a time for me to find other talents that I can give- and if you feel the same as me and need to be reminded of other talents you can give to support "The Bridge" I would ask you to pray that God would reveal them to you! I am searching also this week! God is good and I believe he will heal me completely. To God be the Glory great things he has done! Thank you for your prayers for "The Bridge" and for me! Lets remember talents are many thing- from prayer, to cooking, to biking, to walking, to fasting...... and so on! Seek and ye shall find!!! 

Remember: 4 days till the rents come to Japan! Oh  that is for me- remember- uhmmmm family is sweet- you can't choose em but if you had the choice you would choose the same ones you have- even with the ups and downs!

~MOlly

1 Corinthians 12:28 

²⁸And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

Some thing are universal!

As I am still not understanding quite everything that is ever said and may still wonder what is going on.... There are just a few things that are understandable such as beat boxing, boy bands, and breakdancing. Now this is a language that will never change! 

Arashi Beat Box

Arashi is a very famous boy band in Japan. You see them everywhere from Cup Noodle commercials to their own TV show. After seeing this on TV I just had to share this you tube video! How ridiculous but simple and understandable! From my perspective- ridiculous TV is better understood with ridiculous beat boxing and Boy Bands!

PS Arashi does resemble the quintessence of boy bands- such as NSYNC or Backstreet Boys thus they are loved by some and purely enjoyed by others!

Remember: Pray for the Bridge! This is a new week, new challenges, and new goals!

~MOlly

The First 12 miles (or a 20k) it depends on whether you go metric or not!

So the first 12 miles of The Red Letter Festival- Japan has begun and ended! The day started at 4:00 am when I woke up to a down pour of rain. EHHH? Well, God didn't call me to run (only if it was a perfect day) he just said go and so I ran! 6:00 came around and after bandaid-ing myself to prevent potential bleeding, we started! (We as me, GOd, Toby mac, The Afters, and Shane and Shane) I was surprised that even in the rain I had so many supporters with me. So as I began the run God was here! I was praying, running, and glorifying God. There were definite ups and downs but God protected my legs and I focused on him and praying for The Bridge!  I ran by many bridge homes and was reminded to pray for those in Japan who are homeless and are affected by domestic violence. Well around 2 hours later, I ran back to my bike and gave a shout out to our maker  thanking him for being all my sustenance.  

Japan does supports "The Red Letter Festival"- I am not the only one! There are many people from church, and friends here who have been prayer warriors! And there are a few who have decided to support through running also! They are taking extra time and running to support! I appreciate everyone here in Japan who have taken this wonderful chance to give of what you talents God has given you to help others!

Ok so after this I did soak in my tub for the first time! It was a nice way to soothe the aches and pray more for the festival. (the candles are a nice addition but truly are just substitutes for the light that just blew out!) 

Run #1 was wonderful and I am looking forward to this Friday when we do this again! What a trip! I never thought that I would be able to do this in so short of time! But when God says go- he will provide the means! 

Remember: March 20th, and 28th- lets all try to give of your talents to support The Red Letter Festival! 

~MOlly

Prayer for "The Bridge"

Abba Father,

Thank you for your fingers prints all around the world. The hints of you in the mountains,  in the smile of students, in the coming spring, in the splash of mud, in all things. I praise you because we were all fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful I know that fully well. 

I humbly enter your presents with Thanksgiving in my heart and praise you for who you are! I stand in awe of who you are and the power in your name.

I come before you for "The Bridge". I thank you that you have sparked a dream in someones heart to start such a wonderful organization. I thank you that there are so many supporters using their talents to glorify your name. I first pray for the finances of this organization. Lord I thank you that there are so many supporters, but lord I ask for a double fold increase! Expand this organization and their ability to serve in your name. Next Lord I lift us the women and children affected by domestic violence and homelessness. I pray for comfort in their lives for a  peace that passes all understanding that will guard their hearts and minds. I also claim to your promise that when the enemy comes in like a flood you will set up a standard, hedge of protection and we lay claim to that now for all who are at the Bridge, for the staff, the Red Letter Festival participants, and all the homeless and struggle with domestic abuse here in Japan! My heart breaks that there would be people who could bring violence of many kinds against your children so I just pray for added peace for those who are affected in NW Iowa but also in Japan. The villages here that live under bridges who have all their belongings with them and a wonderful smile on their faces! Lord, may you name be proclaimed in all of their lives that through you peace would come to broken hearts, minds who have been worn by the evil devises of the devil, and bodies who ache from violence physically, emotionally, and spiritually! Lord, I just praise you that you have set a wonderful staff there at The Bridge who take the time to set up bible studies and training sessions and simply show these people your love! I pray that you would gird them up with strength- that they would be filled with your light and renewed by your love so they can pour themselves out to you! Lord I just thank you for the Red Letter Festival and pray a special blessing on all their venues that funding would come in, and that your name would be Glorified! For none of this is possible without your unending, abundant mercy, love, and peace lavished on us! You alone be glorified in everything and that nothing we do is out of selfish ambition but only to bring you glory! TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOREVER AND EVER AMEN!

~MOlly

A link to the source!

This is the website for "The Bridge":

http://www.thebridgehousing.org/

Support the Red Letter Festival

The Red Letter Run

 

To learn the details Please visit:

http://redletterfestival.blogspot.com/

 

The Red Letter Run is raising awareness about negative effects of domestic violence, poverty and homelessness in the lives of women and children in Northwest Iowa.

 

What I am doing:

I attended Northwestern from 2004-2008, and while attending Northwestern there was an amazing organization set up right in Orange City. It is called “The Bridge”. This organization supports victims of domestic violence, poverty and homelessness in the NW Iowa.  Now I live in Japan, teaching English, and still see the wonderful servant hood of Northwestern Alumni who will run 61.5 miles from Sioux City to Orange City to raise awareness for this wonderful organization. One of the founders of this run has said, “I can’t give a lot of money but I can run”. Touched by this idea that though you may not be able to give lots of money you can give of what you have been given by God!

 

So I am giving from what God has begun in me the ability and desire to run. I may not be fast or be able to win trophies but I have been given the desire to run and I want to sacrifice myself to glorify God and raise awareness! I also see the homeless and hurting in Japan and want to run to raise awareness for “The Bridge” but also those who are homeless and affected by domestic violence in the world, especially Japan. Thus I will be run 12 miles on March 14 and March 20. The actual date of the run in the US is Saturday March 28^th, but I will not be able to run that day, I chose this coming weekend and next since I have the time and motivation to see God work! So I will train this week as much as possible and give God the glory as I glorify him and seek his face in light of “the Bridge”.

 

What I ask of you:

 

The only thing I ask is: PRAY. I would ask for daily prayers everyday till March 28^th directly for “The Bridge” and Japanese homeless and hurting. I will be in prayer and daily devotion focusing on God to fulfill his will at “The Bridge”. To just sacrifice a few moments of your day to give to another person hope through prayer. I would also ask for a special time of Prayer on March 14^th –(from the US- March 13) from 6:00-8:00 am (for the US- 4:00-6:00pm).  Things to pray for:

-       the facility- financially, spiritually, physically

-       the administration, workers, volunteers

-       the people who live there

-       the word of God being alive and speaking to people as they are being served

-       strength for the workers and that God would send volunteers

-       (if you want more information contact the above blog address)

Just thoughts:

If you would like to donate please send money to:

Send a check to:

 

The Bridge

P.O. Box 323

Orange City, IA 51041

 

in memo line write "Red Letter Festival”

 

-For those in Japan who would like to give some yen- I will be sending money to the US before March 28^th so please contact me and we will make arrangements.

-For those in the US please feel free to send the money straight to the organization- but if you are pledging money based on my running please contact me so I can give you more information!

 

 

 

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

 

Let us give of our time, money, and talents so we can comfort those as God has comforted us!

 

Blessings,

 

Molly Keese

モリーキーセ

 

inu wa taberu no ue ni imasu. The dog is on the table!

Well hello there! I am back again yes at the beginning of Marchi as most Japanese speakers might say! YEAH it is March 5th here and wow the time has flown- two weeks  till the rents come and I am getting ready! But the weather didn't look like it Yesterday! It snowed for the second time I have been here- Yeah and it stayed on the ground- WOW! For a whole DAY! Wow unheard of here! It snowed almost all day and left a wonderful spread on the ground! AHH I almost got out my Christmas tree and took pics but I hesitated ( I struggled with my tree always falling down and me throwing it across my apt- out of frustration once) SO I decided to just enjoy the snow and drink some green tea! (which I have become very use to drinking daily- And I choose to!) ahha anyway the snow was delightful and I was so surprise! 

Well I enjoyed it for the day and then... It melted- it was about 55 today and so it all was gone and dry by the end of the day! What a wonderful season change over night! It was winter one day and spring the next! But tomorrow will be 55 again also! It is warming up! They are already forecasting the cherry blossoms and (drum roll please) the guesstimate is March 23-25- Perfect! the rents will be here and we will view some blooms! 

PS Nagisa- my japanese sister here- is in Nepal now and will be going to Krygstan (hard to say and spell) in December through a program like the peace corps to teach textile art and crafts to build the economy- She is a sweet person! Such a servant! 

Talk about blooms! What are these loves in the pic (well other than me and Nagisa- my Japanese sister) they are MOMO no hana- Peach blossoms! I was invited to  MOMO viewing. We went to a green house and sat under the blooms eating and chatting, and enjoying a tea ceremony! A tea ceremony is an art form- the art of making and giving tea. It was beautiful! 

OH look who showed up! Its Flat Stanley! For all those who do not know him- he travels around from Elementary schools all over the world! Then he has many stories to tell! SO I got the privilege to take Flat Stan with me and take pics at the Hanami- MOMO viewing! So I caught him trying to pose with the MOMO and take a pic with the tea ceremony ladies-( I had to tell him he had to stay with me- no he couldn't go home with those ladies- they were pretty but he was with me- seriously some decency- you are in a children's book!) But other than those few instances we had a great time! I was so fun! To sit enjoy the Blooms and enjoy the Japanese culture!

This lady is carefully making the green tea for us and another lady was telling us how to accept the tea- OSAKINI-excuse me I am going to eat my rice cake decorated with sugary flower OSAKINI- sorry I am going to drink my tea OSAKINI this and that! heeh Also seiza-(sitting on your knees) was MUZUKASHI- difficult! WOW 15 mins after we started the ceremony they were not done! I stood only to feel tingles in my legs I almost thought they fell off! Whoo- they are still here!

MOMO no Hana

Meditating and calming ourselves before the tea ceremony- can we all sit like this for a while?? NO it hurts- ITAI!

After the Hanami we went to a sweet little place that has become one of my favorite places to go! It is this little hippie type shop in this Janky building. You see this run down house on the outside and walk in and it is like a log cabin. There are gifts from all over the world and clothes that are very natural everywhere! It is very relaxing! They also make the best chai in Japan (or so my friend Nagisa says!) She was right! the pic above is my sweet set up that they gave me! it was hand ground chai and sweet cookie! It took them probably 15 mins to make and it tasted like Christmas! WOW it was great! If you can see the floating thing in my cup it is this Indian spice called Ka- you can't eat it but it flavors the chai! YUMMMMM! what a great day!

Well the new 7-11 opened across the street kitty corner to my place! So I have been bound to walk over there and take advantage of its convenience. What a convenient convenient store!!!! Any who you can't just walk over there like you rode your bike after work- since it is that close you need to be in your own element and show the people this is your hood right? YEAH so I my goal was to walk over in drab every time- this time I had just run after school and threw on the first flip flops of the season and wondered over to get break and OJ! YEAH so convenient!

I was on a long bike ride last sat just cruising the town and I saw this apt sign! Is this a joke? Well it was fun to see! 

In other news- I have decided to return this year- probably Around July 17-18th for good! This means that I would get a job- well the job that was in the works has slide under the bridge because of the economy so I have been searching! Prayers would be wonderful! God will guide me no doubt but there are not that many jobs either! So we shall see! God is Good! 

Remember: Reading is not overrated- do it and remember what imagination is! Its so fuN!

~MOlly