Taking the plunge

So, as I've indicated in the last post, this semester is a particularly tough one for me, but I think that I'm learning a whole lot, spiritually and in my studies. It just feels like I never have enough time for everything, but somehow I have been able to make it through. God really provided for me last week, in my sickness,  in my tests, and everything else that was going on around me. I mean, I was so sick that my body forced me to go to bed early most nights, I kept on losing my voice, I coughed through classes and in the middle of the night, and was exhausted every single day. But in all of that, God provided the words I personally needed through the Bible study I helped put together, the friends I needed for encouragement, and being able to study just what I needed to get through the tests. And I had planned on putting a lot more energy into each of the five tests (especially a couple I was unsure of), but I simply didn't have the energy, will, or time to get through all the material like I usually do. However, I managed to study for the specific questions that were on each test, by God's grace. I haven't gotten the results back, but I'm pretty confident I did decently. God really does provide what you need. And sometimes you need a lot that you can't get on your own strength. Though I am weak, he is strong! In all things.

Another piece of news is that I signed up for the Japanese Level Proficiency Test (almost on a whim). Not only that, but I signed up for the new level they've designed -N3- which is between the old N3(now N4) and N2. Basically, it's gonna be hard- I think I could pass N4, but I'm not sure if I will pass N3. I'll have to know a lot of kanji, vocabulary, and grammar that may be unfamiliar to me as of now...I think I should have actually checked into it more before signing up. But at least I'm taking the class that's supposed to prepare us for the test.

The test, by the way, is coming up soon: December 4th. My Japanese teacher used me as an example for a sentence structure in class the other day, which reminded me of how little time I have. あと、二ヶ月 しかありません。(which means, "I only have two months left.") Whether I pass or fail, at least I'll have the experience of taking it. I want to test my skill in Japanese and have a real rubric to see where I'm at in the language. I know that right now I really know nothing compared to what I'll need to have if I work intensively with it in the future, but what does that really look like? The test will let me know (hopefully not brutally). But I believe what I said in the first paragraph - God can and will provide. That doesn't necessarily mean that I'll ace every test, but if I do fail, I'm not a failure. Ultimately, I'm a child of the king of the universe, and things can't get better than that!

Anyway, to the end of not having another crazy week, I have to sleep. お休み！