Fundraising Update 1

So far, so good, as far as fundraising goes, or so I assume because I haven't done this before.  Right now I am 33% funded on what I think the final cost of the trip will be. That's amazing! Thank you for helping me go on this trip!

On May 1st I will receive the cost of the plain ticket from MN(USA) to Japan. By May 4th I will make a decision; if I can afford to go to Japan or not. If I end up not going to Japan this year, I will go next year, and I'll have a huge head start on the fundraising.

But the real question is: When does God want me to go? I know that if I go this year, God will provide the money. And I know if I don't, God wants me to wait a year. To me, the most important thing is what God wants. When I try and have things go my way, they fail in one way or another (or in a lot of ways). On the other hand, if it is truly what God wants it won't fail!

Romans 8:31-39
For what shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He how did not spare his own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charges against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written:
"For you sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
No! In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor present things, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all of creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Look around in the world. Can you see the amazing things God has done? One book that shows this is the book The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken. This book is about the persecuted church and how it is growing despite persecution. For most of the places I thought, We have Christians there? And the Gospel is spreading?! Awesome!! I know that where ever I am, God can use me. Just that fact alone, proven by the amazing stories in the book, give my peace and joy.

Again, thank you for donating and reading this far. Hopefully I haven't rambled too long.
If you have any questions email me at kayla.wilson51@yahoo.com

Kayla Wilson
4/19/2015

Support Letter

Missions Trip to Tokyo

Dear Reader,

Hi! This year I will be graduating from Trinity Academy. I am planning to go to Emporia State University in the fall and major in Nursing. This summer I have been given the opportunity to go to Tokyo, Japan with a summer program called Trek 7 with the mission agency ReachGlobal.

For my mission trip I will be in Japan for seven weeks (thus the name Trek 7). At first Tokyo seems like a strange place for a mission trip. Tokyo is a modern city like many in the U.S. so, why would I go to Tokyo? In Japan less than 1% of the population is Christian. Japan is an unreached place, despite being a modern country. In Japan the number one killer of men ages 20-44 is suicide. Hope seems gone from this nation, but as Christians we have the ultimate hope. The reason Trek 7 is bringing a team to Japan is to show how much better Christ is compared to the things of this world. On this trip we will be partnering with the local church in Tokyo. Half of the time will be spent working in our hearts, preparing us for the possibility that God may have called us to long term missions. The other half will be helping the local church with things like helping with Bible Studies, teaching English, and hosting events.

First and foremost, I ask you to pray for this trip. Without God this trip will be a waste of time and money.  The second thing that I ask is: would you consider supporting me on this mission trip? As a high schooler, and soon college student, I have lots of free time, but money, not so much. Together, we can partner to help reach Japan, with some sending and some going. This trip is going to cost $3,000 plus airfare. I am going to pay for as much as I can, but I can only pay for a fraction of the price. Thank you for your prayers and support.  Once again I want to stress that the thing I need first and foremost is prayer for the trip. Thank you for reading this and please keep me and my team in your prayers.

            Please make checks payable to EFCA ReachGlobal. (Send to the address 901 E. 78^th St. Minniapolis, MN 55420) The Trek 7 website is: http://go.efca.org/opportunities/ways-serve/tokyo-trek7.

Thank You,

Kayla Wilson

Why "If to Live is Christ"

You most likely have seen this phrase and know how it ends. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Paul says this in Philippians 1:21. But why title a blog this?  Well, you might notice that instead of “to live” it says “if to live.” I’m one of those people that take the Bible at face value.  If the Bible says something is true, then it is true. The Bible says, “…to live is Christ and to die is gain,” so it must be true. Well that is great and all, but what does that mean? In this blog I am going to be talking about the Christian life and different topics that relate to Christianity. So, if to live is Christ what does that mean for me and the way I live my life? Hopefully, because of this blog, you will have a greater understanding of what living for Christ means. And so, without further ado, If to Live is Christ…