Standing on the Eternal Shore between Life and Death
Religion teaches us how to live while facing the profound question of death. One might feel it is pessimistic and unpleasant to ponder death, as many would rather avoid thinking about human frailty and pain. Yet to live without confronting death is to deceive oneself and is not in the true sense “living.” Today let […]
Embraced by the Living Christ
According to chapter three of the epistle to the Philippians, the apostle Paul left behind all valuable things, including his status, education, and even his previous religion, because he came to know Christ. He said, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for […]
The Living Christ
Christ is not a mere historical figure of two thousand years ago. Nor is He simply the Messiah who is to come again in the last days. He is the spiritual personality who dwells among us even now as the Holy Spirit; He lives with us, rejoices with us, and is concerned about us as […]
An Eagle Leaving the Nest
For the LORD’s portion is His people; Jacob is His own allotment. He found him in a desert land And in the waste of a howling wilderness; He encircled him, watched over him, Guarded him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreads out its wings, takes […]
The Stained Genealogy of Jesus
But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to […]
A Bridge Across the Pacific
Nitobe Memorial Garden is located in the campus of University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, from which I graduated. This garden commemorates the life of Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933). After Nitobe’s death his memorial plaque was built in the campus. Amid the anti-Japanese sentiment during the post-World War II era, the plaque was ripped out […]
Guided by Signs from Above
My path up to this point has been truly supported by the prayers of many. I wholeheartedly believe I would not be where I am today without Jesus Christ’s guidance. I am a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where I earned my Ph.D. in linguistics. My Prayers Answered in Mysterious Ways When graduating […]
Living with Faith and Myasthenia Gravis: “Jesus Lover of My Soul”
Nobuko: Our family lives in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Today, I am so thankful to be standing here on my two legs, breathing on my own, and to attend this World Holy Convocation at Lake Biwa. Sudden Illness Four years ago, I participated in the World Holy Convocation at Mount Myoko in Niigata, Japan. For spiritual […]
A Soul Rising to Heaven — Losing My Child —
When my husband and I moved to Osaka in late August 1979, we left our youngest son, Habaku, in Tokyo as he had been accepted to a good high school there. A week later, on August 27, I received a call that Habaku had suddenly died of a heart attack while swimming in the ocean. […]