Waiting is never easy, especially when you already know what lies ahead. For most of us, it is the anticipation that builds anxiety—the same feeling you get as a roller coaster pauses at its peak, just before the thrilling drop.

Suspended at the edge, waiting to dive into missions, sums up the experience of our family over the past two years. In that time, we sold our home and furniture and dove into full-time fundraising. And still we wait: to attend training, to receive visas, to share the gospel with the unreached of Japan.

We have watched other families launch into the mission field and wondered why our family has been delayed. We hoped that, if nothing else, our waiting and consistency in our calling would encourage someone else to become a missionary. Then, a few weeks ago, we received this message from a stranger through Facebook Messenger.

“I have been following your missionary journey towards Japan for a year or two now. God has been bringing me through a long period of waiting as well. I just recently saw that you have raised enough monthly support to attend training this year, and I am so incredibly happy for you. It really encourages me that God is faithful and we need to hold on and wait on the Lord.”

In the midst of our own impatience and uncertainty, this message was a powerful reminder that our journey—even with its delays—has not been wasted. God has been using our time of waiting to encourage someone else after all. Sometimes, the struggles we go through have nothing to do with us but are orchestrated to inspire and encourage others. Knowing that our story has made a difference, has renewed our sense of purpose, and strengthened our faithfulness in the waiting.

If our journey has encouraged or inspired you in any way, please consider joining our monthly support team. Together, we can help reach the unreached of Japan.

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