*This blog post was reposted from my previous website. Original posting was on 8/15/2011
Exactly three weeks from today, I leave for Japan with a team from Christ Church Nashville to sing in a series of concerts across the country, Sept 5-15th. I am sure you are aware of the devastation that took place in cities like Sendai when the earthquakes earlier this year spawned a massive Tsunami that destroyed everything in its path. We will be visiting these areas and bringing a message of hope and healing to those who have been affected by this catastrophe. It’s very surreal to think that God has somehow made a connection between Nashville and Japan for us to bring the Gospel to them in this way and at this time.
A truly divine connection has been made with a young pastor from Kyoto named Yasunori Ayoki. He was visiting with us in Tennessee when the Tsunami hit (some of you may have heard him pray at the Joel Osteen event in Nashville that week) and in a few short days the invitation to go to Japan was extended to the Christ Church Choir. In just a few weeks, we sent 6 people on a preliminary trip to do some ministry while gathering information to better plan a trip with more people. The result of that trip was an invitation for a group of 15-20 people to return in September to sing at the Jozenji Jazz Festival in Sendai City along with a series of other concerts from Osaka to Kyoto to Tokyo to Kanazawa! Something we have learned in these past few months is that the Japanese people LOVE Gospel music and specifically Black Gospel Music. Many choirs there are filled with Christians and non-Christians who all gather to sing together simply because they love the musical style. This is a wonderful opportunity to share the reason why they are drawn to this music. The Japanese people are not looking for another religion. They have plenty of religion. Introducing them to something greater than religion – a living God, Jesus Christ, who brings them hope and healing – they are interested in that! I’m so honored to have the opportunity to sing and share Jesus with them.
There’s a song by William McDowell called “As We Worship” and I’ve always loved it. (My friend Lici Brown sang on that project, it’s A-MAZING.) I was listening to it the other day and at one point in the song he just starts saying, “We’ll see miracles, signs and wonders… miracles, signs and wonders… miracles, signs, and wonders…” Now, I’ve heard this song a million times so this was not new to me but I felt distinctly that the Holy Spirit was saying that WE WILL SEE MIRACLES SIGNS AND WONDERS as we worship HIM in Japan. So many times in the Bible when you hear about healings and other signs & wonders, it was for the unbeliever, so that he would believe. Japan is filled with people who need to meet the supernatural, loving, faithful, healing, miraculous God, Jesus Christ. I believe we are going with the power of Christ and we will see these things. Acts 14:3 (NLT) “But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.”
Please pray for me during this time…. pray for the whole team. We have a long trip there and back as well as a very packed schedule while we are there. It will be easy for our physical bodies to wear down quickly. I’m blessed to be going on this trip with people that are truly close friends but this will also be hard because we will need to rest our voices as much as possible since we are singing every day (sometimes 2 concerts a day). Everything we are singing is something that will take 100% energy to do well. Pray that I have 1000% energy and health during this entire trip!
Some of you know that I have a HUGE blessing in that I am able to fly for free on Continental/United using a companion pass from my dear friend Rhonda. Because we are leaving on a holiday weekend (Labor Day), this may make my travel a little more difficult. Depending on pass-travel factors, I may even have to leave for Japan a few days earlier than the rest of the group as well. I am praying that I can leave on Monday, September 5th so that I don’t have to leave the states earlier than the team. I will leave Nashville on September 1st to avoid the Labor Day travelers on the weekend and be in Houston, ready to board the plane for Tokyo. When I arrive in Tokyo, I will have an adventure ahead of me since I will have to board a train to get from Tokyo to Kyoto. (pray!) I am told that there are plenty of signs at the Narita Airport that are written in English. Still, I may be praying for a guiding angel that day! Once again… pray pray pray!
It’s so fun to see the posters they have created to promote our concerts!
Here we are…. with our names written in Japanese!
Alicia Newberry (soprano and my roomie for the trip)
Elicia Brown (Who doesn’t like seafood. at. all. Did someone say sushi?)
Vanessa Maddoux (This Japan trip is part of my weightloss plan)
Shelly Justice (Soprano but she’s singing alto. She’s just a sang’n wail’n fool. That’s all)
and the altos…
Denise Palma (who just may debut her first solo on this trip!… and will be my peanut butter buddy when I just can’t take the seafood any longer.)
Vicki Pointer (who has already learned more Japanese than all of us)
our Tenors….
Daniel Palma (well, Daniel is a Bass who is singing Tenor. He’s one of our signs and wonders!) Jay Hodge (who wins the award for most scrap metal sold to fund the trip) 
Our AWESOME band!!! I can’t tell you how excited I am that these guys are going on this trip. 5 STAR TALENT and 5 STAR HEART!
Christopher Phillips (musical director, Mr. Everything)
Garth Justice (drums and resident comedian)
Rich Alves (acoustic guitar and too nice to say anything bad about)
Leif Shires (trumpet and our honorable Japanese language guru)
Randy Smith (bass and vocals…. and Zach’s dad)
What would we do without these friends?
Amanda Phillips (our cruise director for the trip, also married to Mr. Everything)
Austin Cagle (that’s Reverand Cagle… with his 1 suit)
Lynn Fuston (who will make sure we all sound fabulous)
Zachary Smith ( who will make sure there are plenty of pictures and videos for you to experience Japan as if you were right there with us!)