This expresses how I've felt since coming to Japan, and it took me a long time to figure out what was going on.

Since coming here, I got so wrapped up in the people and this way of life that I stopped hearing God, and I kept praying and praying, wondering what had happened. After a lot of strife and struggle, after falling into a lifestyle that I don't want, I realized that God never stopped speaking to me... I had just closed my ears and stopped listening.

So while I would ask, "Why aren't You speaking? Why can't I hear You?" I had my hands over my ears. The awesome thing about God is that... He never stopped speaking. He never let go~

That being said, check out the song By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North. It's a great song and is very encouraging!