Blessings in dark times

How glad I am that covid is behind us and better days have come. Yet when I think about the covid era, I realize there were blessings in disguise that came during that time.¹ In this story I will share how God worked all things together for good, like it says in Romans 8:28. He used stunning ways to bring beauty from the covid time of isolation, despair, and loneliness.

Connections at the gym

God began his work in this story using a women’s gym called Curves. I knew about this place but had always felt that it was not for me. It is interesting to remember how the Lord guided me there. About a year before joining, I had bought a bright Curves T-shirt with a butterfly on it at my local recycle shop. Then there was a Curves booth in front of the supermarket where I shop. They offered a 30-second health test and told me about their gym. Still, I didn’t think this was for me.

During covid they were there again offering a free day trial. Since I had plenty of time, I thought I would try it just to see what it was all about, having no intention to join. After all, I ride my bike, swim, and play tennis, so I didn’t think I needed any more exercise. However, I did not do very well on some of the tests that measured my flexibility and muscle. Seeing that I was lacking in these areas, I decided to join.

God used this gym to make my life better with not only physical fitness, nutrition, and health consciousness, but also to give me friends and relationships with ladies who went there. Since many things were closed due to covid, I had lost social connections and was eager for more ways to get out. Although we wore masks, the coaches still greeted me by name as I checked in, and I became familiar with some ladies who came to the gym at the same time I did. They were friendly, and going to the gym regularly became something I looked forward to! This Curves gym has its own bicycle parking lot, which provided a place to chat and talk with the ladies, as we weren’t supposed to talk much while using the gym.

I bumped into some former English students and neighbors. And I made new friends there too. I could see God’s divine hand in it. At this same time, I was taking an online Christian counseling course offered by JEMA. I had been learning the importance of listening to others.

One lady in her seventies told me that she came to the gym to build stamina so she could care for her invalid husband. I sensed she wanted to talk, so I decided to give her the gift of listening and invited her to lunch at a nearby restaurant. She told me how hard it was to care for him, and I sought to validate her and let her know she was doing a good job, dedicating herself to his care. We went to lunch a couple of times, and she invited me to her home as well. When it was my birthday, she gifted me with a present.

Another lady invited me to hear her sing in Handel’s Messiah at a concert hall in our city. This provided an opportunity for my husband and me to have a double date with another couple as we went to the concert and then had dinner together.

Connections at the park

An elderly lady in my neighborhood invited me to join the radio exercises at a nearby park. She told me that they met at 8:30 each morning. I had no idea that this was going on and decided to give it a try. I was amazed to find that 10 to 15 senior citizens gather there every day. Someone brings a CD player to play the exercise instructions with music in the background. After the 12 minutes of exercises, the people talk a little bit, and then they go for a walk together. Once again, I felt God’s hand leading me, so I continued to go. After some time, I found that the group was started by a couple of Christians. I go when I can, and sometimes I join them as they walk. We naturally split up into different groups—three, four, five—it is different every time.

Last year, in 2024, I decided to share with them that I had been diagnosed with skin cancer. They were encouraging, and I got to tell them how God was walking with me through that journey. One lady, Kondō-san, told me that she was a believer. I decided to go to her house and ask her to pray for me, which she did. She was compassionate and also gave me some helpful medical advice over a cup of tea. Since I had to wear a bandage on my nose and hand after the surgeries, this sparked conversations with people as well.

Recently I walked with Kondō-san and asked how her husband was since he hadn’t been coming lately. She opened up to me that he had been in a motorbike accident and had been in the hospital for over a month. I empathized with her as she told me that she didn’t want to share this with others because they would worry and that it was really hard on her. I prayed a short prayer over her as we walked.

Through these activities, community is being built, and I am delighting in relationships that are growing.

On Christmas Day we met for exercise as usual. When we finished that morning, I suggested we form a circle and sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” so everyone held hands and joined in. Then came the icing on the cake when Nakayama-san said, “Let’s sing ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’.” Those of us who knew the song happily sang while the others listened. This was heartwarming and something I would never have expected to happen.

I could go on and on with more stories of how God has been working in these friendships that started with the common denominator of getting together to exercise. I am thankful that I am able to plant spiritual seeds in conversations when the opportunities arise.

Open to connection

I am also learning that I need to be available to Japanese people and take part in regular life activities with them. Going to the gym and exercise in the park have been ways of doing that. Walking or riding my bike in the neighborhood has put me in the right place at the right time so that I can talk with someone when they cross my path. If I were driving my car, I would not be able to stop. Not limited to people I know, I seek to have a conversation and listen to anyone I meet. I then pray and ask God to give me words of encouragement for them. It’s with joy that I encourage you all to purposely walk or bike when you can so you might experience the same things. It’s a lot of fun and very effective. After all, Jesus did all his travel by simply walking from place to place.

1. This article is a second personal reflection by the author on events during covid. For the previous article, see “Finding Treasures in Darkness,” Spring 2025 issue.
Photo submitted by the author