Have you ever heard God's voice?

This is the question that brought up a discussion with my japanese parents last night.

We were listening to a CD that I had given them off my computer, there is one part where a deep voice talks and quotes the bible. Hiroyuki (my japanese father) made a joke and said "That is God's voice!". We laughed, then Atsuko (my japanese mother) said "I don't think so!" and I said "No it isn't!". After we all finished laughing. Atsuko asked me if I had ever heard God's voice. I said to her "I have never heard God's real voice in person, but I have heard his voice through the bible, through music, and through many other things like that!". After they thought about it for a few minutes, Atsuko said to me "Kaila, we hear God's voice through you!". Moments like this just help me to remember why I am here serving God and what my priorities should be. Recently I have been worrying about my future and what I am going to do when I get home. This seems to be my trend, I am always worrying about the next step in life and forgetting to live now and for God. This moment with Atsuko and Hiroyuki, God gave me to remind me why I am here and what I should be focusing on.

Last week also I was driving with them and the word Hiroyuki pulled out of a song was "trust". And without thinking I blurted out Proverbs 3:5-6, which says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight" Atsuko first said "What?". So, we proceeded to translate it all the way to the restaurant and then we checked to see if it was right with Bonita as they were in a different car. I thought it was really cool to be able to share that verse and didn't really think much of it as God trying to tell me something. This happened on a Sunday night. On Wednesday we have a bible study just Arnie, Bonita, and I, we do our study at home and then get together and go through it. And, as I was doing mine one of the questions said "Copy Proverbs 3:5-6 in the space below. How can this verse help you at a time when you can't understand what is happening in your life?". So, I guess you know what happened next and what God was telling me.

I am so glad that I can trust in God and let him control my future, even thought there are times when I forget to do that, he seems always there and ready to pull me right back to him when I am ready to listen. So, I just had to share this with you and remind you and me that I am where God wants me to be here and now.

Are you where God wants you to be? Are you living for the moment he has given you now and just leaving the future in his hands? Please Listen for God's voice and you will hear it, maybe not the real in person one but maybe through a friend or through music.

りんご。。。。。。

This past weekend I went to Hirosaki about two hours away from here, to go to a apple park. Hiroyuki came onto my computer at about 9:30 in the morning and said "Let's go for a drive!" and I said "Okay, when?". Then he said back "Now" and I said "AHhh, okay". When he said that I was on the phone with my mom, still in my PJ's and eating breakfast. So, I had to say goodbye to my mom, quickly eat breakfast and get ready! But, in the end it was well worth it, the day was bright and sunny and it was a great day for a car ride. Also, it is always a good day to spend with Atsuko and Hiroyuki, thanks again for taking me!!! So here are some pictures of the apple park and us choosing the perfect apples...






Then on the way to the apple park I saw some apple mirrors, in Japan they use mirrors on the roads so you can see traffic come other directions at intersections and around corners that you might not normally be able to see around. But near the apple park they had the mirrors dressed up as apples so we played with the trying to take pictures of us and a apple post box....