A Moving Testimony!


I came to the US as a minister for a small house church where Japanese people have gathered in June of 2008. This church is for Japanese who have lived in US for a long time. There were about 15 people. After we came to the church, some young mothers and couples visited and shared with their life each other. One day, one of them talked about Friend Speak, and I knew I needed to learn English conversation to build relationship with both of my son’s school teachers and other mothers at that time.

My two sons and I visited Northlake Church during the Funival in 2008. I remembered meeting a few people,: Julie, the Friend Speak coordinator; Pat, a librarian at Emory university; Howard and Elizabeth Ellis were near the playground.

Tetsuji and I were invited for the Friend Speak Thanksgiving dinner and met Cathy and Jeff who had volunteered to be our Friend Speak workers. This began our grace faith journey.

Cathy and I studied not only our workbook but also talked about our faith. After couple months I learned Cathy had decided to go to China for mission work. First I thought that was good to hear but I was little bit sad, because I was enjoying studying with her and Tetsuji was enjoying his time with Jeff, too.

They left Atlanta for China and then we started living in their house until they returned.

When I decided to come to the US, God gave me a promise Bible verse ” It myself will go with you, and I will give you victory.” Exodus33:14

When I came to Atlanta, God gave me another promise Bible verse: ” He led them on a straight road to a city where they could live.” Psalm107:7

Sometimes we don’t understand His straight road. This was the case, our situation had been getting worse and worse and we couldn’t see our future. We felt we were in the dark with no hope, but God gave us His mercy through His true followers who were involved in Friend Speak.

It was as if they had thrown small stones on a river and the ripples were creating larger and larger circles, helping us have more and more experiences and Christian friends that blessed us. We received a great depth of His mercy.

We became members of Northlake during the summer of 2010 but began to come Northlake regularly at the time that Ose’s family was returning to Nigeria.

God sometimes puts on us difficult situations to grow our faith. God doesn’t like unholiness, so He is teaching us to be holy as his servants. 

I am still learning English, but God has given me an opportunity to serve as a ministry leader with Julie Clinebell in Friend Speak.

I am really giving thanks to God for guiding me to meet you, Northlake congregation.

“All who make themselves clean from evil will be used for special purposes. They will be made holy, useful to the Master, ready to do any good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21

Kaori Noguchi

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