The event, themed “Singapore Cultural Exchange,” welcomed many participants who were interested in international culture, language exchange, and meaningful conversation. Through the event, Minister Joanna was able not only to learn from different approaches to evangelism, but also to reflect more deeply on the spiritual meaning and direction of mission work in Japan.

During the program, the missionaries introduced the meaning of “home” in Singaporean culture. From there, they naturally connected the theme to the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son, sharing about the love of the Heavenly Father who waits for His children to return home.

Their message was warm and sincere. It showed that the gospel is not merely the communication of religious knowledge, but the living message of God’s love that can touch people’s hearts through culture, relationships, and authentic life stories.

After the event, Minister Joanna also had the opportunity to speak with Pastor Chen, a missionary who has served in Japan for many years. Pastor Chen shared many spiritual insights about mission work in Japan, explaining that evangelism in Japan is not simply a matter of methods or techniques. Because of the deep spiritual challenges in the nation, mission work requires continual prayer, perseverance, and dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit.

He also shared that Japanese society strongly emphasizes conformity, often placing invisible pressure on those who are considered “different.” For this reason, Christians must clearly hold onto their identity in Christ. Without a firm foundation in faith, believers may gradually compromise with the surrounding culture, losing their spiritual passion and witness. When this happens, evangelism can become weakened and closed off.

Through this exchange, Minister Joanna was deeply reminded that true evangelism does not rely on human ability alone, but on the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. She was also reminded that Christians are called to be people set apart by God—salt and light in the world—living as witnesses of Christ wherever they are.

This experience offered a meaningful reminder not only for YD Japan, but for all who desire to participate in God’s mission around the world. Mission begins with a heart that is willing to listen, learn, pray, and obey God’s calling. Whether through cultural exchange, Bible study, personal testimony, or long-term missionary service, God can use every believer to share His love with those who are searching for truth and hope.

May God continue to lead YD Japan, so that the team will not merely seek better evangelistic methods, but will continually offer themselves in prayer for the souls of Japan. May more believers be raised up with a heart for global mission, willing to go, serve, pray, and participate in spreading God’s Word to the nations.

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On Monday, May 4, 2026, an evangelism outreach was conducted on the campus of Universite Marien Ngouabi, led by B. Frey. The outreach focused on engaging students in conversations about faith, with a special emphasis on sharing and discussing the Word of God.

The main goal was to encourage students to study the Bible and grow in their understanding of the Scriptures. Before beginning, a moment of prayer was taken to seek God’s guidance and strength for the mission. Prayer was also offered for the students who would be encountered, asking that their hearts would be open to receiving the message.

During the outreach, a meaningful one-on-one discussion took place, allowing for a deep and sincere exchanged centered on the Word of God.

The outreach concluded with a closing prayer, giving thanks to God for His presence and asking Him to strengthen the one who responded positively.

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“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord,
“and not a God far away?”
— Jeremiah 23:23

“When the Israelites cried out to the Lord, He raised up for them a deliverer… Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him…”
— Judges 3:9–10

Devotional Reflection

God is always preparing His servants in ways that are often unseen.
And when the right moment comes, He places them exactly where they are needed—so suddenly that the world wonders where they came from.

Like a sculptor shaping marble, the Holy Spirit uses the circumstances of life to form and refine us. Every trial, every quiet victory, and every hidden moment of obedience becomes part of His work.

When the final touch is complete, God can lift a person up and set them in their appointed place with ease.

A Call to Preparation

There is a day coming when, like Othniel, we will share in Christ’s reign and authority.
But before that day, there is preparation.

Othniel was prepared in obscurity—through challenges and small victories that may have seemed insignificant at the time. In the same way, God uses the ordinary seasons of our lives to prepare us for something greater.

If the Holy Spirit prepares a person, then God has already prepared a place for them.

Reflection Quote

— A. B. Simpson

Human strength and greatness
Do not grow from life’s easy paths.
Heroes are not driftwood,
Floating on a calm and waveless tide.

Final Thought

Every path of life dips into valleys.
Every person must pass through the tunnel of trial
before walking the elevated road of triumph.

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“God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness He called ‘night.’ And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”
— Genesis 1:5

“I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.”
— Revelation 1:18

Flowers—Easter lilies—speak to me this morning
the same dear and timeless lesson of immortality
that you have whispered to countless sorrowing souls.

O wise and ancient Book,
let me once more read within your pages
the firm assurance that to die is gain.

Poets, lift your voices—
recite again those verses
that echo the Gospel of eternal life in every line.

Singers, arise—
break forth into songs of joy;
let the resurrection psalms be heard once more.

Let creation itself proclaim it—
tree and blossom, bird and sea, sky and wind—
whisper it, sound it, echo it again and again.
Let it throb through every atom of existence
until the air itself is filled with this truth.

Let it be told and retold—
until hope rises into conviction,
and conviction into unshakable certainty.

So that we, like Paul,
even when facing death,
may walk forward with triumphant spirit,
with assured faith,
and with serene and radiant countenance.

O you who mourn with heavy hearts,
walking daily among graves of sorrow—
leave, for today, those silent places behind.

Lift up your eyes
to the eternal blue of heaven.

This is no hour for bitterness or despair.
Crown your hearts with Easter lilies, not sorrow’s pale flowers.
Let your soul be touched by gladness,
and respond to the gentle chime of resurrection joy.

For if Christ had remained in the grave—
a prisoner of death—
then your tears would be justified.

But He is not there.

He has risen.
He has conquered death forever.

Therefore, let sorrow be stilled—
if only for this day.
Let Easter grant your grief a moment of rest.

— May Riley Smith

A minister once sat preparing his Easter sermon,
when suddenly a powerful realization seized him:

“Christ is alive!”

He rose to his feet and began to pace, declaring:

“He is not the great ‘I was,’
He is the great ‘I AM.’”

Christ is not merely a historical truth—
He is a living reality.

We believe that from every grave, an Easter lily blooms,
and in every tomb, an angel sits.

We believe in a risen Lord.

Let us not turn only to the past,
as though to worship at a grave—
but lift our eyes above and within,
to worship the living Christ.

And because He lives,
we shall live also.

— Abbott

The post Because He Lives: The Triumph of Light, Life, and Resurrection appeared first on Young Disciples.

“So the Jewish leaders began to say, ‘Perhaps he is going to kill himself because he says, “Where I am going you cannot come.”’”
— John 8:22

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.”
— Zechariah 4:6

Meditation

My path led up a hill, and at the foot of it I saw a boy on a bicycle. He was pedaling uphill against the wind, and it was clearly a tremendous struggle. With great effort, he pushed forward, straining with all his strength.

Just then, a trolley car came along, moving in the same direction—up the hill. It was not going too fast, so the boy reached out, caught hold of the bar at the back with one hand, and held on.

Then you can imagine what happened.

He went up the hill like a bird.

At that moment, a realization came to me:

“I am like that boy on the bicycle. In my weariness and weakness, I am struggling uphill against many forms of resistance, nearly exhausted by the effort. Yet right beside me is a great and available power—the strength of the Lord Jesus.

I need only to reach out to Him and maintain connection with Him—even with just a small ‘finger’ of faith—and that will be enough. His power will become mine for the task that now feels too great for me.”

And with that realization, my weariness was lifted, and I was strengthened by this truth.

— The Life of Fuller Purpose

Poem: Abandoned

Utterly abandoned to the Holy Spirit,
Seeking all His fullness at whatever cost;
Cutting all the shorelines, launching into the deep
Of His mighty power—strong to save and keep.

Utterly abandoned to the Holy Spirit!
Oh, the sinking, sinking, until self is lost;
Until the emptied vessel lies broken at His feet,
Waiting till His filling makes the work complete.

Utterly abandoned to the will of God,
Seeking no other path than my Master trod;
Leaving ease and pleasure, making Him my choice,
Waiting for His guidance, listening for His voice.

Utterly abandoned—no will of my own;
For time and eternity, His and His alone;
All my plans and purposes lost in His sweet will,
Having nothing, yet in Him possessing all things still.

Utterly abandoned! How sweet it is to be
Captive in His bonds of love, yet wondrously free;
Free from sin’s entanglements, free from doubt and fear,
Free from every worry, burden, grief, or care.

Utterly abandoned! Oh, the rest is sweet,
As I wait and linger at His blessed feet;
Waiting for the coming of the Guest divine,
Who will perfectly refine my inmost being.

Lo, He comes and fills me—Holy Spirit sweet!
In Him I am satisfied; in Him I am complete!
And the light within my soul shall never grow dim,
As I keep my covenant—abandoned unto Him.

–The Stream in the Desert

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“Who does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?” — Job 12:9

Several years ago, there was found in an African mine the most magnificent diamond in the world’s history. It was presented to the King of England to blaze in his crown of state.

The King sent it to Amsterdam to be cut. It was placed in the hands of an expert lapidary. And what do you suppose he did with it?

He took the gem of priceless value and cut a notch in it. Then he struck it a hard blow with his instrument—and lo! the superb jewel lay in his hand, cleft in two.

What recklessness! What wastefulness! What criminal carelessness!

Not so.

For days and weeks, that blow had been studied and planned. Drawings and models had been made of the gem. Its quality, its defects, its lines of cleavage had all been examined with the utmost care. The man entrusted with it was one of the most skillful lapidaries in the world.

Do you say that blow was a mistake?

Nay. It was the climax of the lapidary’s skill. When he struck that blow, he did the one thing that would bring that gem to its most perfect shapeliness, radiance, and jeweled splendor.

That blow, which seemed to ruin the precious stone, was in fact its perfect redemption. For from those two halves were wrought the two magnificent gems which the skilled eye of the lapidary had seen hidden in the rough, uncut stone from the moment it came from the mine.

So sometimes, God lets a stinging blow fall upon your life.

The blood spurts. The nerves wince. The soul cries out in agony. The blow seems to you an appalling mistake.

But it is not.

For you are the most priceless jewel in the world to God. And He is the most skillful lapidary in the universe.

Someday, you are to blaze in the diadem of the King. As you lie in His hand now, He knows exactly how to deal with you. Not a blow will be permitted to fall upon your shrinking soul unless the love of God allows it—and works out from its depths blessings and spiritual enrichment unseen and unimagined by you.

—J.H.McC.

In one of George MacDonald’s books occurs this fragment of conversation:

“I wonder why God made me,” said Mrs. Faber bitterly.
“I’m sure I don’t know what was the use of making me!”

“Perhaps not much yet,” said Dorothy,
“but then He hasn’t done with you yet. He is making you now, and you are quarreling with the process.”

If people would but believe that they are in the process of creation, and consent to be made—letting the Maker handle them as the potter handles the clay, yielding themselves in submissive, hopeful trust to the turning of His wheel—they would, in time, learn to welcome every pressure of that hand, even when it brings pain.

Sometimes, they would not only believe, but recognize the Divine purpose: the bringing of a son unto glory.

Closing Reflection

Not a single shaft can hit
Till the God of love sees fit.

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“And the hand of the Lord was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth unto the plain, and I will there talk with thee.”
— Ezekiel 3:22

1. The Pattern of Waiting Before Use

Have you ever known anyone who was greatly used for Christ who did not first experience a special time of waiting—often a complete overturning of all their plans?

From the Apostle Paul being sent into the wilderness of Arabia for three years, when he must have been overflowing with the good news, down to the present day, this pattern remains.

You may be looking forward to going to Syria to testify about trusting Jesus; but instead, He says:

“I want you to show what it means to trust Me without going to Syria.”

2. Personal Testimony: Delay as Divine Wisdom

My own experience was far less severe, yet the principle is the same:

I once thought the door was wide open for me to enter literary work at full speed. However, it was opposed. A doctor intervened and said simply:

“Never! She must choose between writing and living; she cannot do both.”

That was in 1860.

Then, in 1869, I came out with Ministry of Song, and I saw the evident wisdom of being kept waiting for nine years in the shade.

God’s love is unchangeable. He is just as loving when we do not see or feel His love. His love and His sovereignty are coequal and universal. Therefore, He withholds the sense of progress and enjoyment because He knows what will truly mature us and advance His work in us.

— Memorials of Frances Ridley Havergal

3. Poem: Rest in His Hand

I laid it down in silence,
This work of mine,
And took what had been sent me—
A resting time.

The Master’s voice had called me
To rest apart;
“Apart with Jesus only,”
Echoed my heart.

I took the rest and stillness
From His own hand,
And felt this present illness
Was what He planned.

How often we choose labor,
When He says “Rest”—
Our ways are blind and crooked;
His way is best.

4. The Purpose of Rest

The work Himself has given,
He will complete.
There may be other errands
For tired feet;

There may be other duties
For tired hands,
But the present duty is obedience
To His commands.

There is a blessed resting
In lying still,
In letting His hand mould us
Just as He will.

His work must be completed,
His lesson set;
He is the higher Workman—
Do not forget!

5. The Necessity of Training

It is not only “working”—we must be trained.

Even Jesus “learned” obedience through suffering.

For us, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
His discipline is most needful, and all is right.

We are but under-workmen;
They never choose whether this tool or that tool shall be used in their hands.

Whether in working or in waiting, may we fulfill—not our own will, but only the Master’s will.

— Selected

6. Conclusion: Rest as God’s Provision

God provides resting places as well as working places.

So then, rest and be thankful when He brings you, weary, to a wayside well.

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Genesis 42:36
“All these things are against me.”

Romans 8:28
“All things work together for good to them that love God.”

Devotional Reflection

Many people desire power—but how is power truly produced?

Just as electricity is generated through motion and friction, spiritual power is often formed through pressure. When wheels turn and rub against one another, energy is released. In the same way, when God desires to bring greater strength into our lives, He allows pressure, resistance, and difficulty.

Yet many of us instinctively try to escape pressure, rather than remain and receive the power it produces. What we often see as hardship may actually be God’s way of generating spiritual force within us.

The Balance of Opposing Forces

In the natural world, balance is maintained through opposing forces. The earth remains in its orbit because of the tension between forces pulling inward and pushing outward. Without this tension, it would drift into chaos.

So it is in our spiritual lives.

God does not only give us forward momentum—He also allows resistance. Trials, temptations, and challenges may feel like obstacles, but in reality, they steady us, shape us, and keep us aligned with His purpose.

What seems to be “against us” may actually be what is establishing us.

Learning to Respond

Instead of resisting difficulty, we are invited to see it differently:

• Pressure can produce strength
• Resistance can establish direction
• Trials can deepen faith

Rather than asking for circumstances to change, we can begin to see them as opportunities to draw nearer to God and rely on His sufficiency.

As A. B. Simpson wrote:

“Let us take the weights as well as the wings… and press on with faith and patience in our high and heavenly calling.”

A Picture of God’s Work

Like a factory full of moving parts—wheels, gears, pulleys—life can appear chaotic and confusing. Some things move quickly, others slowly. Some push forward, others pull back. Some are smooth, others noisy and rough.

Yet behind it all, there is a design.

Every part, from the largest to the smallest, works together under the guidance of a wise and sovereign hand.

Even the things that seem:

• Delaying
• Opposing
• Confusing

are still working together for good.

Closing Encouragement

“All things work together for good”—not individually, but together.

Some experiences, if taken alone, may seem painful or meaningless. But in God’s hands, every contradiction, every delay, every disappointment is woven into His greater purpose.

The same hand that allows the pressure is the hand that guides, sustains, and brings all things to completion.

Prayer

Lord, teach us to trust You not only in moments of ease, but also in times of pressure. Help us to see that what feels against us may actually be working for us. Give us faith to endure, patience to wait, and eyes to recognize Your hand in all things. Amen.

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Jiaming was evangelized at the beginning of his graduate studies and is one of the first CM members established by YD Nagoya. He completed his studies in Japan on March 25. Before returning to his home country, he participated in the Easter Retreat held at Amagi Center, where he received baptism and officially entered a new stage in his faith.

During his baptism, Jiaming shared his testimony:

“My first encounter with Christianity was in high school. My geography teacher was a Christian, and he was the one who gave me my first Bible. At that time, I read it out of curiosity for a while, but later stopped due to academic pressure.

Later, I came to Japan to pursue my master’s degree. One day, on my way to the laboratory, I was evangelized. From that time on, I began studying the Bible twice a week and attending Sunday worship regularly. Through this continued learning, I gradually gained a deeper understanding of Christianity.

Before systematically studying the Bible, I only knew about original sin and that Jesus Christ was crucified, but I did not understand the meaning behind these truths. However, over the past two years of Bible study and worship, I have come to realize that Jesus was crucified out of love for us, to redeem our sins. This has led me to a deeper understanding of Christ’s love.

During my time studying in Japan, I sometimes felt lonely and helpless. But whenever I remembered that the Lord Jesus loves us and that the Holy Spirit is always with us, protecting and guiding us, I found strength in my faith and was able to continue moving forward.”

After completing the retreat and receiving baptism, Jiaming will return to his home country. Over the past two years, Minister Joanna of YD Japan has witnessed his continual growth and transformation through the Word of God. May the Lord continue to guide his steps, that he may follow Him faithfully and live out a true and powerful testimony of faith in the days to come. We also ask everyone to keep him in your prayers.

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